# Origin Matters ~ California Cut Flower Commission

And The Rain Just Keeps Coming Last weekend, I took my son down to the Nimbus Dam to show him something I hope he remembers forever. I wanted him to see the water roaring through the dam near our house. The water situation in Northern California has become pretty extreme, with the situation in Oroville making national news. So, to go to our nearby dam to see just how high the river has risen was pretty incredible.  (Read more here.) Martha Stewart Features the American Grown Field To Vase Dinner Tour National Dinner Tour Highlighted on Marthastewart.com Over the past couple year's, the American Grown Field to Vase Dinner Tour has enjoyed some remarkable publicity. The Wall Street Journal highlighted it in the "Top 50" things for the summer of 2015. Food and Wine Magazine called it the "Ultimate Al Fresco Dinner Party" and Sunset Magazine has made a number of mentions of the tour, including co-hosting one of our dinners in Sonoma last year. Now add this month's mention by Martha Stewart to the list of examples of national media attention the tour is creating for our farms.  (Read more here.) One Week Until Washington Largest Flower Farmer Delegation Ever   A week from today, a delegation of American flower farmers will descend on Washington,D.C., for an action-packed, issue-filled couple of days. As is our tradition, every farmer will don an American Grown boutonnière to help highlight our cause as we walk the halls of Congress next week. This will be the largest delegation of flower farmers we've ever had for our annual fly-in. Of course, it isn't just the number of farmers that makes this year's trip so impressive, it's the "who" is joining us.  (Read more here.) 2017 Farm & Flower Guide Is Underway This Will Be Our Best Year Yet! The botanical look of our new online directory i s based off of our annual Farm and Flower Guide. This guide has been a tremendous resource for wholesalers, designers and floral educators who seek out and count on the updated information, design ideas and farm profiles. A survey of readers was recently done and the response was amazing. Respondents told us that they'd like to see the guide twice a year! (Read more here.) Kasey Cronquist, IOM                                                CEO & Ambassador New!                                                               916.468.4246 New! 1415 "L" Street, Suite 460 Sacramento, CA 98514  Note: CCFC's mailing address remains PO Box 90225, Santa Barbara, CA 93190

Christina Burton-Fox AIFD floral artist & instructor

Register Now for AIFD's 2017 Symposium

Thank you to our 2017 Elite Partners! DIAMOND PARTNERS   PLATINUM PARTNERS   GOLD PARTNERS Registration Open for 2017 AIFD Symposium "X" AIFD's National Symposium "X"July 1-5, 2017 *Full day workshop also offered on July 6Washington State Convention CenterSheraton Seattle Get ready for Xceptional inspiration and Xciting events in "The City of Flowers!" Join your fellow floral designers at the 2017 National Symposium "X" in Seattle, Washington from July 1-5. "X" is a five day event that will feature high-level stage presentations from the most talented international and USA designers in the industry. Symposium also includes a welcome reception, two celebratory dinner events, education sessions, hands-on classes, and a Partners' Expo. Events will take place in the Washington State Convention Center and the Sheraton Seattle Hotel. Reserve your hotel room now! Rooms are filling up fast so don't wait, click here to book your hotel room now. Tell your friends you are going! Go ahead, brag a little and get your friends to join you! Share on social media that you will be in Seattle this summer and don't forget to use #AIFDX2017. Registration Tuition (before May 15)   MembersGeneral: $599Premium: $749Single Day (education only): $250 Non-MembersGeneral: $649Premium: $799Single Day (education only): $250 *Several other registration options available including hands-on workshops, July 6 workshop, additional dinner tickets, etc.          American Institute of Floral Designers   9 Newport Dr. Suite 200 | Forest Hill, MD 21050  443-966-3850 ●info@aifd.org●www.aifd.org

American Institute of Floral Designers, 9 Newport Drive, Suite 200, Forest Hill, MD 21050 info@aifd.org | About our service provider Sent by info@aifd.org in collaboration with Try it free today

Christina Burton-Fox AIFD floral artist & instructor

Mayesh Minute: Dutch Orchid Nursery

Christina Burton-Fox AIFDfloral artist & instructor

Florists Review Tip of the Week

Feb 6, 2017  Calling All Valentines With Valentine’s Day so near, now is the time to do everything you can to make the most of this major opportunity. To ensure you don’t let any past customers slip by, call them directly to remind them to place their orders. Sort through your POS system’s data for every customer who placed an order last year during the week surrounding Feb. 14. Then divide that list among your staff, and have them call to offer this year’s specials. While men buy primarily flowers and plants at Valentine’s Day to give to a significant other, women are more likely to buy for a wide array of loved ones—spouses and sweethearts as well as mothers, friends, children and even themselves. When female customers call or stop in to place holiday orders, have staff members ask, “Have you treated yourself this Valentine’s Day?” and suggest some specific menu items for such purchases.

Christina Burton-Fox AIFD floral artist & instructor

CMG Chroma Zone Forecast

Mark your Calendar for a

Color Marketing Group® recently revealed the 2018+ World Color Forecast™ during last year's International Summit and now we begin to forecast color directions for 2019 and beyond.  This year members will convene in ChromaZone® Color Forecasting Workshops being held in North Carolina, Ohio, Ontario, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas and California.  International events will be held in Singapore, Italy, Spain and China.   The final results from these color forecasting events will be revealed later this year at the annual International Summit being held in Portland Oregon, November 10th to 12th.

What's new this year? The cornerstone of our events is the color forecasting process which is why, this year, we are offering 2-day Super ChromaZones in Cleveland and Boston.  These 2-day events are exclusive to CMG members and, in addition to the color forecasting process, will offer an educational component, more opportunities to connect with your tribe, and more time to share and collaborate on what matters most - trends, influences, and color!

Check out our 2017 Calendar of Events CMG's Workshops offer a unique opportunity to work with some of the world's leading color specialists; experts who forecast color directions across all industries; who connect the dots on leading global trends, identifying what will influence color, and how this will impact consumer buying.

Color Sells & The Right Colors Sell Better® Each ChromaZone® Workshop is a collaboration of minds; a joint effort to understand and interpret what is happening in the world around us and how this will influence color.  Participants identify 16 colors, along with the influences and inspirations that define them, that they believe will trend in 2019.  These final colors are then further curated from each of the regions to form CMG's World Color Forecast™, representing color directions from North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

What makes our forecasts unique? CMG's forecasts are created by members in collaborative multi-industry Workshops.  They are cross-industry, applicable across  multiple industries and multiple product lines - and they are directional, focusing on the directional change in colors and color families.  Our final Forecasts are the collaborative output of hundreds of color design specialists who have come together during the year to discuss, share, think, participate and collaborate in color!

Who can participate? Workshops are also open to Non CMG Members involved in either the application or analysis of color.  Participants are industry icons, leading brands, visionaries, forward-thinkers and the next generation ... united by their passion for color and their need to know WHAT'S NEXT?

How to prepare for a ChromaZone® Each participant is asked to plan and prepare in advance; to research; identify influences, trends and drivers; and to bring samples and color stories to support their findings.  This research is then shared, discussed, and narrowed down to common themes, trends and ideas.  The final product - a digital Forecast of 16 colors that will trend in 2019 - is distributed to all participants.

How do I register for a ChromaZone® Workshop? Registration is simple; choose the Workshop closest to you and sign-up!  A full list of the Workshop dates and locations can be found on the CMG website.

Christina Burton-Fox AIFD floral artist & instructor

CMG Color Alert

Color Marketing Group presents "Edo Eau" from CMG's 2017+ Asia Pacific Forecast Color continues to refresh and invigorate the world of design and living with Edo Eau, CMG's  Asia/Pacific key color for 2017. From a small stream to a wide ocean, to the most intimate of spa experiences, water is the source for cleansing, refreshing, and sustaining life. This bold, water-based aqua is robust with energy and adds a buoyant color addition to wardrobe and home. It adds "color pop" to whatever it graces, making handbags and accessories come alive, and creating a kitchen focal point that entices the eye. In home decor, it can grace a statement piece of furniture, or accent a surface. From pebbled leather, to enamel finishes, to subtle textiles, Edo Eau will add a bright color, and remind you of its watery origins. Take a moment to refresh yourself with Edo Eau. Download the full Alert®

Christina Burton-Fox AIFD floral artist & instructor

Mayesh Best Practices for Roses 2017

M ayes ROSES: PREP, CARE & HANDLING

EST. 1978Ma BEST PRACTICES for Rose Care        by Mayesh Wholesale The night(s) prior to your roses arriving prepare buckets with water and stage inside your cooler. The day the roses arrive, open boxes and spread roses on rack in the cooler for at least an hour and up to four hours prior to cutting and placing in water that has a correct dose of hydrating solution (Floralife; or equivalent from Chrysal etc.). Do not use flower food at this stage. Alternatively, prepare buckets of water with professional floral hydrating solution and stage in a cool part of the shop. Let roses acclimatize to ambient temperature of the shop where the buckets are staged, and then cut and place in water. The key is to ensure that the roses and the water are more or less the same temperature. Do not plunge cold stems into warm water or warm stems into cold water as the shock could cause a blockage in the stems, and they may not hydrate properly. Do NOT unwrap the roses until they have hydrated for at least an hour, and preferably two to three. If you hydrated the roses outside of the cooler, after about an half hour or so put into the cooler. By leaving the wrappers on, the water can hydrate the stems and restore them to a turgid and stable state, restoring strength and elasticity to the stems and flowers. After two or three hours you may loosen the cardboard sleeve and remove it. It is suggested that you keep the plastic sleeve in place. It is not recommended that you leave the cardboard sleeve on longer than 24 hours once they are in water as the hydrating blooms will start to swell against the packaging and the other roses. When cutting the stems of roses, it is suggested that you use very sharp and clean cutting equipment, blades and knives. Because of the high volume at this time of year, bench-cutters are normally used by many floral businesses, but make sure they are sharp and cleaned regularly throughout the processing task. If you like to hydrate each stem with an individual cut on each stem, it is recommended that you cut the whole bunch and hydrate with the sleeve in place, and then after two or three hours has elapsed, process as you would usually do. Maintain your roses in buckets that may be full but not packed tightly. Keep roses away from breezes, drafts and fans, and where necessary tent them with a clean plastic cover (drop cloth from Home Depot is ideal and inexpensive). If necessary, change the water and re-cut the stems every two to three days. This step is normally not necessary except when large volumes of flowers are being processed and also during holidays where roses are a large investment: Any stem that perhaps was not drinking water properly, was inadvertently not cut or had a clogged stem is afforded an opportunity to be perfectly hydrated. Remember to remove any leaves that will fall below the water line in the buckets as this can cause copious amounts of bacteria and organic material to block stems from drinking water properly. Leave the guard petals on until you are close to using for an order. Guard petals protect the inner blooms from damage due to handling but also inhibit a flower’s ability to open. Removing them initiates a signal to the flower to start opening.

Christina Burton-Fox AIFD floral artist & instructor