California Grown Field Notes

Back to Top F2V Sells Out in Carpinteria, Carlsbad The second stop on the 2017 American Grown Field to Vase Dinner Tour played to a sold-out crowd at Gallup & Stribling Orchids in Carpinteria.  Photo by Linda Blue Photography. The magical evening included a tablescape and hands-on workshop with Debi Lilly of A Perfect Event - and of "Oprah Winfrey Show" fame. Guests enjoyed a farm-to-fork meal by Rincon Beach Club & Catering's chefs Ron True and Jose Garcia. Craft spirits were provided by Cutler's Artisan Spirits, and Captain Fatty's Craft Brewery provided the brew. The dinner was also accompanied by wines from Magerum Wine Company.  Debi Lilly of A Perfect Event. Photo by Linda Blue Photography. Certified American Flower farmers and father-and-son duo Alex and Case Van Wingerden provided an hour-long tour of their farm to guests who wanted that extra time and experience with the flower farmer discussing orchid growing and answering questions. See more beautiful photos from our dinner in Carpinteria here. Alex and Case Van Wingerden of Gallup & Stribling Orchids. Photo by Linda Blue Photograhy. The third stop for the American Grown Field to Vase Dinner Tour was The Flower Fields in Carlsbad.  Held among the ranunculus fields, the event included a tour with flower farmer Mike A. Mellano and a hands-on design workshop with "The Flower Chef" Carly Cylinder, who also designed the breath-taking tablescapes. Photo by Carrie McCluskey Photography. This stop attracted our largest crowd in the history of the dinner tour and they were wowed by the blooms, the informative farm tour, the artisanal meal and the spectacular weather that greeted them.  Jim and Nancy Cameron of Destiny Hill Farm In addition to our popular Facebook LIVE videos, the dinner garnered lots of media attention, helping spread the word about America's flower-farming families and why origin matters.  Read more about our Carlsbad dinner here. The dinner tour stops next in Washington, Pennsylvania, June 24. Join us at Destiny Hill Farm where you'll meet flower farmers Jim and Nancy Cameron who transformed their family's farm into a lush lavender, cut flower and berry farm in 2011 and became a Certified American Grown flower farm in 2014. Floral designer Francoise Weeks of European Floral Design willadorn the dining table with woodland-inspired centerpieces featuring branches, buds, seedpods, succulents, herbs and seasonal flowers. Known for her unique use of floral materials and awe-inspiring designs, Francoise's global perspective will elevate this event to a new level. Tickets for this unique experience are going fast.  Save your seattoday! Sign up for your travel tips to Alaska! Thinking about going to Alaska for the Field to Vase Dinner on July 29th? Sign up for exclusive travel tips to help inspire your peony adventure!     Back to Top California Grown Flowers Month is Almost Here! What's Your Plan?  In 2017, the California Senate declared June to be California Grown Flower Month. When announced, the resolution noted the designation was designed to recognize and honor the flower farming families of California for their dedication and productivity. The resolution also recognized the flower industry's impact on the state's economy: creating 145,665 jobs, generating $12.2 billion in business activity and creating $1.1 billion in additional taxes. With June fast approaching, what do you have planned to celebrate or recognize California Grown Flowers Month? CCFC has several promotions in the works in conjunction with retailers. We'll also be spreading the word through various Commission communication channels and on social media.  Tell us what you have planned and we'll help spread the word!    Back to Top And Then Comes American Flowers Week  As June winds down, American Flowers Week starts. Why not design a promotion around the week - set for June 28-July 4, American Flowers Week is an advocacy, education and outreach campaign co-produced by the Slow Flowers Podcast with Debra Prinzing and Slowflowers.com.   Now in its third year, American flowers advocate and journalist Debra Prinzing created the U.S. version of the domestic flowers promotion campaign with inspiration from British Flowers Week.  The week seeks to heighten the attention to the importance and value of American Grown Flowers.  Use the #americanflowersweek hashtag to draw attention to your efforts during this exciting week and help spread the origin matters message.   Use These Tips to Streamline Mother's Day Efforts  The countdown to the largest flower-giving holiday is upon us. Mother's Day is May 14 - but there's no need to panic! Turn to these tips to prepare for success: Hire extra help now. This might include designers, drivers and support staff. Also, let current employees know if their schedules will change leading up to Mother's Day. Double-check your flower orders. Be sure you have enough flowers and foliage coming, and increase your order if the season is looking particularly promising. Also, be sure you have enough of the most popular flowers for moms, and remember that this holiday isn't about a single day - it tends to expand to a week. Update your web and social. Update your website with any special Mother's Day promotions, hours or special events. While you're at it, why not schedule a significant number of social media posts now so you don't forget during the rush? Prep your space. Make sure your location is looking good to impress any new visitors. And get your workspace organized so it's super efficient during this busy time.  Work ahead. If possible, work a day ahead on orders so you are able to help last-minute customers. After all, you never know how many new contacts you'll be making and who will become your best new "regular." Tell us what you have planned! We'd love to feature your efforts. Free Public Tours Garners Awareness For Why Buying American Grown Flowers Is Important The flower farmers of Carpinteria held their 9th annual Greenhouse & Nursery Tour on April 1st. The tour is annual effort to welcome the public into greenhouses and learn about the process of growing cut flowers for the market.  Click to watch interview with David VanWingerden of Westland Orchids. The annual even coincided with the AmericanGrown Field to Vase Dinner Tour's stop at Gallup & Stribling Orchids earlier in the week and helped to draw great media coverage and attention on the importance of the Carpinteria Valley's flower farms. The flower farmers in Santa Barbara County make up for more than 50% of California's production value.  More information on the annual tour can be found at carpinteriafarmtours.com. The free tours include opportunities for people to go home with arm loads of fresh California Grown Flowers. To see more photos from this year's tour, visit our Flick page here!

Christina Burton-Fox AIFD floral artist & instructor