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Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Slow Flowers Newsletter

 
      
 
 
Home   |  Workshops & Classes  |  Articles  |   Blog   |  Press  
 
 
 
SLOW FLOWERS on the Road
 
 
 
 
Debra's travel resumes during August and September and you're invited to join the many wonderful opportunities to meet her and connect with the Slow Flowers Community!
Below are more details about the events coming up. 
Hope to see you there!

Photo credit: B. Jones Photography
Location: All My Thyme
Thank you to Alicia Schwede, Flirty Fleurs
 
 
 
Twin Cities Flower Exchange is located between downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul, making it one of the most dynamic new hubs for seasonal and local flowers around.
Join Debra Prinzing and the flower farmers of TCFE for a Networking Event and Happy Hour at The Good Acre! This is a free event, but registration is required.
 
 
Click here for Registration and more details ►
 
SLOW FLOWERS MEET-UP CHICAGO
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Join Debra Prinzing and Slow Flowers'sponsors Johnny's Seeds and Longfield Gardens at a happy hour gathering at Larkspur Chicago Studio.
Host Beth Barnett will open her studio space for our gathering, inviting Chicago-area flower farmers, floral designers and Slow Flowers friends.
Beverages and appetizers will be served.
Network, Meet, Greet, Hear Slow Flowers News and Enjoy Some Fun Door Prizes! 
Due to space, this event is SOLD OUT. Please contact Debra to be added to waiting list.
 
 
 
TREND SUMMIT Conference 2018
August 17-21, 2018
Hosted by Hitomi Gilliam AIFD of Design 356, Vancouver, British Columbia

Hitomi Gilliam invites all movers & shakers within the floral industry – forward thinking growers, vendors, designers, educators, & influencers to a multifaceted conference focused on lifestyle trends and how the flower industry should respond to the pulse of consumers.

Become a stronger influencer of trends and join the group discussions & presentations led by an amazing panel of presenters, including Holly Heider Chapple (Hope Farms & Chapel Designers), Leatrice Eiseman (Pantone Institute), Gregor Lersch (Global Design Expert), Hitomi Gilliam AIFDDebra Prinzing (Slow Flowers) and ‘The New Voice’ (Under-40 Influencers Panel).
 
 
Click here for Trend Summit Registration and more details ►
 
Full Circle FarmJohns Island, S.C.
I'll be joining the flower farmers of Charleston, S.C. and Slow Flowers member Rita Anders of Cuts of Color(Weimar, Texas) to present at "Future Forward Flower Success -- Growing Smart," the region's first-ever symposium on flower farming, floral design and floral marketing.
This will be a fabulous event with progressive, creative participants who are committed to changing the floral landscape in the south -- and beyond!
 
 
Click here for Registration and more details ►
 
Adam and Jennifer O'Neal of PepperHarrow Farm announced their first "Flower Farming, Floral Design, and Creative Writing Workshop" -- and Slow Flowers will be there.
Immerse yourself in the farm for two gloriously full days of flower farming, inspiration, design, and fellowship. This beginning flower farmer workshop is for the hands-on learner and goes in-depth into the basics of flower farming, creative writing, floral design, and developing your flower farming business.
Students will gather with like-minded flower souls while learning and seeing life on a beautiful working flower farm. Throughout the course, personalized instruction will delve extensively into the essentials of flower farming so attendees leave with the confidence to bring flower farming goals to life. In addition to all of this incredible content, Margaret Ludwig, of Giverny Design, in New Orleans, will be leading creative instruction on floral design.
 
 
Click here for PepperHarrow Registration and more details ►
 
SLOW FLOWERS IN KANSAS CITY WITH MoKan Farmer-Florist Connection 
September 11, 2018
5:30-8 p.m. 
(dinner included)
The Homesteader Cafe, Kansas City
MoKan Farmer Florist Connection's Facebook Group is open to anyone who has an interest in organic/sustainable gardening practices, flower farming, floral design, and growing the Slow (local) Flowers Movement in America.
Members are invited to share flower farming experiences, availability of product, seed sources, greenhouse growing, flower conferences, floral designs, branding, sales and marketing, wedding work and more. Its creator is Slow Flowers member Andrea K. Grist of Andrea K. Grist Floral Art. Tickets include farm-to-table dinner. Pre-registration is required.
 
 
Click here for MoKan Farmer-Florist Event, Registration and more details ►
 
SLOW FLOWERS at the DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS
September 13-14, 2018

As part of the annual Bonfils-Stanton Lecture SeriesDebra Prinzing returns to the Denver Botanic Gardens to lecture, teach and participate in two amazing days of Colorado-grown flowers. Here's the schedule of events (all are separately ticketed and require advance registration):
Thursday, September 13th
10:30 a.m. Farm Tour & Lunch at The Fresh Herb Co., a farm featured in "The 50 Mile Bouquet."
6:30 p.m. Debra's Lecture: American Beauty, The Slow Flowers Story (come early for Social hour and tasting hosted by Slow Food Denver)
9 a.m. Urban Flower Farm Tour at CityGal Farms with Slow Flowers member Kimberly Burton
11:30 a.m. Tour, Lunch and Workshop at Red Daisy Farm with Slow Flowers member Meg McGuire and Debra Prinzing
 
 
Click here for DBG Registration Details ►
 
 
ASSOCIATION OF SPECIALTY CUT FLOWER GROWERS Annual Symposium
September 24-26, 2018
On Wednesday, September 26 (1:30 p.m.) join me for a Future-Looking Floral Industry Overview and early peek at the 2019 forecast for flower farmers and farmer-florists alike.
I last spoke at ASCFG six years ago, at the 2012 Symposium in Tacoma, Washington.
So much has changed for the good in the subsequent years and I'm excited to share my insights and experiences with ASCFG's attendees.
 
 
Click here for ASCFG Registration and More Details ►
 
 
ENCHANTED MAINE FLORAL WORKSHOP
September 30-October 2, 2018
Hosted by Grace Rayne Hoke, O'Donal's Nursery
Gorham, Maine
Join a true floral immersion where new skills will be taught and your designer’s eye expanded. Experience a creative space for expanding your vision completely focused on locally sourced materials in the SlowFlowers fashion. Inspiring your imagination, delighting your senses, expanding your community and boosting your confidence are the goals with this comprehensive 2 ½ day workshop.
O’Donal’s Nursery is delighted to welcome you to the first annual Floral Workshop. Our new state of the art Geothermal/Solar green house will be the setting for our floral classroom. 
 
 
Click here for Registration and More Details ►
 
 
 
Watch the Welcome Video
SLOW FLOWERS SUMMIT 2018
 
Click here to watch Debra Prinzing's Opening Remarks, SUMMIT 2018►
 
 
Save the Date! 
SLOW FLOWERS SUMMIT 2019
 
 
 
At the end of the Slow Flowers Summit 2018, we revealed the Slow Flowers Summit 2019 dates and venue! We're thrilled that the Twin Cities Flower Exchange's founder Christine Hoffman was on hand to personally invite us to bring the Slow Flowers Summit to her city! She will co-host the Summit and show us a thriving Slow Flowers community of flower farmers and floral designers in the Twin Cities. 
 
 
Click here for early details on 2019 SUMMIT►
Click here for Summit Sponsorship Details►
 
 
 
Check Out New Slowflowers.com
Member Benefits
 
 
 

 
 
 
With the May 2018 release of Slowflowers.com 2.0, there are several New Features you can take advantage of:
ALL Members: Reviews have been added to Standard Level so everyone should ask customers/clients to post a rating and review!!! It's easy to find in the contact box.
ALL Members: We've added Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Google Plus Icons to the contact box! 
PREMIUM Members: Add a floral "header," called the "Cover Image" to the top of your page. The ideal size is 1920 x 480 dpi so you may want to re-size a large floral photo to fit! If you missed the recap in last month's newsletter, click here to see the details!
 
 
Are you a Member? Click here to JOIN Slow Flowers►
 
 
 
September's deadline is coming!
Apply to be the Next American Flowers Week Floral Couture Designer!
 
 
 

The energy, excitement and participation in American Flowers Week 2018 was better than ever and we're already making plans for the Fifth Annual American Flowers Week - 2019! 
As you witnessed during our 2016, 2017 and 2018 Campagns, Slow Flowers loves showcasing and elevating local and domestic cut flowers in as floral couture. 
The stylized fashion shoots created by member florists and flower farmers are a big part of American Flowers Week's promotional efforts. 
Do you want to get involved and channel your Inner Fashion Designer? Now's the time to start planning!
For 2019, you're invited to be part of the application process. We'll commission a minimum of five farmer-floral design teams to produce New Botanical Wearable Looks!
 
Think this opportunity might have your name on it?! Click the link below for more details!
 
 
Click here to learn more and Submit Your Application►
Click here to Read all about American Flowers Week & Free Resources►
 
 
 
What's New in the Slow Flowers Journal
 
 
 
In Issue No. 12 of the Slow Flowers Journal for the July 2018 issue of Florists’ Review, we featured the leading domestic rose sources
The beloved American rose is a symbol of so many emotions and sentiments, yet it is an endangered flower. According to Janet Louieof Green Valley Floral in Salinas, Calif., exclusive U.S. growers of David Austin florist roses, domestic rose farming peaked in 1990 with approximate 300 commercial growers.
“In 2014 or 2015, I think there were about 26 of us left. Today, I’d say we’re a group of less than a dozen,” she maintains.
While those metrics could be viewed as discouraging, the silver lining to this narrative is the exceptional quality and romance of an American-grown rose in the eyes of consumers. Garden roses, hybrid tea roses and spray roses from  U.S. flower farms present florists and designers an opportunity to tell a meaningful story with the homegrown stems they use.
Sourcing U.S.-grown roses is one of the most frequent questions I am asked from Slow Flowers members around the country. As more florists seek domestic and local roses, farms and wholesalers are responding in kind, with better labeling and distribution programs.
 
 
 
 




Consider this report a designers’ "Source Guide" for American-grown roses.
It is based on more than 12 interviews with the most active rose growers in the country and includes farms that sell, deliver or ship to a national or regional customer base of retailers, wholesalers or wedding and event florists. These are the people whose talents and passion have kept American roses alive and available in the marketplace.
 
 
Click here to read the full American Rose Report►
 
 

Made in the U.S.A. : Anatomy of a Vase

The art and science of creating a flower-worthy vessel 
Syndicate Sales is a leader in the manufacturing and distribution of floral hard goods in the United States, employing nearly 300 team members in Kokomo, Indiana.
Syndicate has taken new steps to feature and promote its vast selection of made-in-the-USA vases for florists and continues to invest in state of the art equipment and manufacturing techniques to provide innovative products and services to the floricultural industry.
But what are the elements of a successful vase? We each might have a favorite compote, pitcher or bowl for our flowers, but do you know there is a functional purpose for each element that goes into its design? I asked Trent Harshman, Syndicate's director of product development, to share behind-the-scenes of how a vase is developed.
 
 
Click here to read the entire story►
 
 
 
SLOW FLOWERS in the News 
 
 
Debbie Arrington, award-winning gardening journalist for the Sacramento Beehas just launched the blog, "Sacramento Digs Gardening." She attended our Sacramento area Meet-Up in early June and filed a locally-themed report about American Flowers Week.
 
 
Click here to read the full article ►
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mackenzie Nichols' interview with Debra Prinzing is featured in the July-August 2018 issue of The American Gardener, the publication of the American Horticultural Society.
The article discusses the origins and growth of the Slow Flowers Movement for which AHS has recognized Debra with the Frances Jones Poetker Award.
Mackenzie writes:
"Prinzing's work is helping to change the American floral industry and its environmental footprint for the better."
 
 
Click here to read the full article ►
 
 
 
Alaska Beauty Peony Cooperative provided this alluring cover photo

SuperFloral - July Issue 
Our Slow Flowers feature in the July Issue of SuperFloral is devoted to the flower of the moment -- Alaska-grown Peonies! The cover story heralds "It's Alaska Peony Season" and Debra's article introduces the people, peonies and retailers who've joined the peony craze.
Slow Flowers members appearing in the editorial package include: Chris Beks of Arctic Alaska Peonies; Rita Jo Shoultz of Alaska Perfect Peony; Allison Gaylord of Alaska Beauty Peony Co-op; Martha Lojewski of Alaska Peony Cooperative; Gerri Martin of Diamond Ridge Peonies; and Beth van Sandt of Scenic Place Peonies.
Contact Debra if you want to share how you sell or design for the Grocery Marketplace! I'm always looking for great story ideas!
 
 
Click here to read the full article from SuperFloral's June issue ►
 
 
LISTEN: Slow Flowers Podcasts for JULY
 
 
 
 

Each week the Slow Flowers Podcast releases a new episode featuring timely interviews with flower farmers and floral designers whose wisdom and insights will inspire you!

In July, the Slow Flowers Podcast reached a MAJOR MILESTONE -- our 5th Anniversary! Check out Episode 359 for all the fun! Thank you, listeners and subscribers! You have downloaded nearly 350,000 episodes to date!

Check out the wide range of guests introduced to you last month and join the thousands of listeners we educate and inform each week:

 
 
Click here to subscribe to the FREE weekly SLOW FLOWERS Podcast►
 
 
Welcome to our New Slow Flowers Members
 
 
 
We welcomed 21 new & renewing members representing 17 states to Slowflowers.com in June! Check them out and be sure to follow and say hello on social media!

*Blue Lace Design, Bellevue, WA
Bows & Arrows, Dallas, TX
*Compost in My Shoe, Charleston, SC
Crimson & Clover, Baltimore, MD
Earth Blooms Inc., Mountain Rest, SC
*Grey Tabby Gardens, Lake Mary, FL
Grown | Gathered, Seattle, WA
*Hops Petunia, Kingston, NY
*Laurel Creek Florals, Sunset, SC
*Little Island Flower Co., Cathlamet, WA
*M&M Plants, Comus, MD
*Meadow Wilds, Kingston, NY
Pegs Plants and Pottery, Cuddlebackville, NY
*Persephone Farm, Indianola, WA
Simon Says Grow, Greenwood, SC
*Sweet Earth Co., Pound Ridge, NY
TG Flower Farm, Carlinville, IL
*WilMor Farms, Metter, GA
*Denotes Renewing Members
 
 
Click here to Create Your SLOWFLOWERS.COM Listing►
 
 
Sponsor Thanks
 
 
 
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Christina Burton-Fox AIFD floral artist & instructor