Episode 690 – Elizabeth Fichter of Queen Bee Blooms shares how to have the conversation that will change perceptions around local flowers

https://youtu.be/5IsESlnFzIY?si=ySgAiO3LNUIpvvTd Every day for more than a decade, Mary Jo Hoffman has made a photograph of found nature – no subject too small or too ordinary. For Mary Jo, a former aeronautical engineer, this daily ritual cracked open profound revelations about the connectedness of all things, the importance of place, and her own life. She joined me to talk about her daily practice that led to more than 4,000 consecutive days of images filled with surprise, play, wonder, and joy as she paid attention to the natural world. We discuss STILL, The Art of Noticing, Mary Jo’s stunning new book -- a fabulous holiday gift for yourself or someone you love. Today, we have a very special episode to share with our creative community as we welcome Mary Jo Hoffman, a botanical photographer, writer, and artist, whose eyes and camera capture intimate portraits of the flora and fauna in her world. Every day since January 1, 2012, for 12-and-a-half years, Mary Jo made a photograph of found nature, capturing it in an alluring minimalist style. Mary Jo Hoffman Her daily ritual cracked open profound revelations about the importance of place, the passing of time, the connectedness of all things, and the trajectory of her own life. Here’s a bit more about Mary Jo Hoffman: Mary Jo Hoffman is an artist-photographer renowned for her unique and personal engagement with the natural world. Best known for her project, "STILL” -- where every day (every single day) for over a decade, she made a photograph of found nature – no subject too small or too ordinary. Inside pages from STILL by Mary Jo Hoffman Her book, STILL: The Art of Noticing, features 275 of the most stunning photographs the author-artist has accumulated over thousands of consecutive days of daily shooting accompanied by perceptive, deeply felt, and often humorous essays illuminating the insights gained through this daily creative practice. Mary Jo lives in Shoreview, Minnesota, on Turtle Lake, with her husband, Steve, a food writer and author, and her indulged puggle, Jack, who accompanies her on her daily foraging walks to find new subjects. Pink tulips opening I received a review copy of STILL when it was published earlier this year in May, and I wanted to save it for a special episode. We usually feature Slow Flowers members as our guests, so the exception I make is to host artists and creatives whose work moves me personally. Now that we’ve arrived at the gifting season, sharing my conversation with Mary Jo will, I hope, inspire you to check out STILL. There’s still time to purchase your copy. Follow Mary Jo Hoffman on InstagramSubscribe to Mary Jo's newsletterView her Pinterest GalleriesOrder your copy of STILL Ferns from STILL I will leave you with a passage from one of her essays, which spoke to me, from page 50. I hope it resonates with your own mindful practice: “You are what you do. If you show up every day and make a little bit of art, however incomplete or unsatisfying or misguided or not how Georgia O’Keefe would have done it, you are an artist.”Mary Jo Hoffman, STILL: The Art of Noticing Thank you, Mary Jo, for helping us notice the places where we find ourselves – and to see them with new eyes. Slow Flowers (Virtual) Member Meet-Up on December 13th Aurora Zinnia from Johnny's Selected Seeds In our news of the week, you’re invited to attend our December Slow Flowers Meet-Up, coming up Friday, Dec. 13th - 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. The topic for this month’s session: New Cut Flower Seeds for 2025 + Breeding News. We will be joined by three floral experts from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. We recorded a similar presentation one year ago when Hillary Alger and Joy Longfellow unveiled the new flower seed varieties for 2024. The replay video has been viewed more than 5,000 times on YouTube – it was our most popular episode of 2024.This time around, we are again welcoming Hillary and Joy to the Meet-Up to re...

https://youtu.be/14Tb-BfiW6U?si=-oTJseUbcNEP22uU It’s Willow Week here at the Slow Flowers Podcast and Alana Karam of Willamette Willows is my guest. Learn about the three distinct categories of willow plants and their markets – including cultivars suitable for basketry and woven garden structures, as well as the many varieties of curly willow and pussy willow loved by floral designers. Alana breaks it all down and I for one am wondering why more flower farmers aren’t getting into the willow market!? You’ll learn all about the potential offered by Salix, this unique and beautiful genus. Alana Karam (left) and leafy willow plants (right) Earlier this year, Alana Karam and I started corresponding about her specialty micro farm – Willamette Willows. Based outside Eugene, Oregon, Alana shared with me that willow is a great investment for flower farmers because it provides florists with a local option in late fall and winter, when other botanicals can be scarce, and when so many florists are tempted to order non-local options. As Alana mentioned, “curly willows provide reds, oranges, and yellows. And pussy willow in early spring is so sentimental for so many people…” Willamette Willows in Oregon's beautiful Willamette Valley After I visited Willamette Willows in October, I was even more intrigued. I learned that willow plants are inexpensive to establish and easy to grow. Alana explained that there’s some misinformation out there that makes growing willow so much harder than it needs to be. The blue sky at Willamette Willows Today, we’re diving into the world of willows with a two-part episode. It begins with an extensive conversation that I recently recorded with Alana, and if you’d really like to see what we’re talking about, you can watch the second portion, a Willow Tour that Alana and her husband Michael recorded in their growing area. Woven Willow Here’s a bit more about Willamette Willows: Willamette Willows is a small family farm located in the southernmost tip of the Willamette Valley in Oregon. The farm, nestled in the convergence of the foothills, and containing an amazing combination of pasture, orchard, meadow, evergreen forest, wetlands, and ash grove, has been home to many animals, including horses, rescue donkeys, goats, pigs, cows, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and several rescue pups. In this dreamlike setting, Alana and Michael, (along with their faithful farm dogs, Figg, Maggie, and Thor), are privileged to research, plant, grow, harvest, sort, and ship willow to other growers. Since discovering that both they and the property were perfectly suited to growing willow, Alana and Michael have devoted themselves to learning everything possible about the genus Salix, choosing the best varieties for the myriad uses of willow, and planting thousands and thousands of cuttings. No pesticides or commercial fertilizers are used, and most of their work is done by hand. Willow, with its prehistoric roots, has played incredibly diverse and important roles in human history and culture, but like many natural resources, it has been somewhat neglected in the new age of plastics and modern conveniences. Alana and Michael are pursuing a mission to be ambassadors for this amazing plant, and to make it, and its uses, familiar and accessible to everyone who is interested in things renewable, sustainable, and beautiful. Winter at Willamette Willows Find and follow Willamette Willows on Instagram and Facebook SLOW FLOWERS WORLDWIDE SUMMIT 2025 In Slow Flowers News, we’ve extended our Cyber Sale Event for the SLOW FLOWERS WORLDWIDE SUMMIT through this Friday December 6th. That’s right! When you register, you’ll receive $50 Off your ticket. The Summit takes place online – January 9-11, 2025 – and you will enjoy 15 hours of amazing floral education from experts including Holly Chapple, Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht, Amy Stewart, Sarah Statham, Pilar Zuniga, Briana Bosch,

https://youtu.be/mu0JH_Pj4XE?si=Z3BS5eQRfw56DE7N Wondering what's NEXT in your portfolio of floral products and services? Today’s topic – the art and business of flower pressing -- promises to inspire you. I’m thrilled to share our recent November Slow Flowers Meet-Up with Kate Punnett, who’s based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She is a pressed flower artist dedicated to sustainability and she crafts custom pressed floral art, greeting cards and fine art with botanicals she grows and sources from fellow farmers. Her studio, The August Press, also creates professional-grade flower presses inspired by the timeless art of pressing flowers – listen and watch to learn more about her techniques and how you can get started pressing flowers in your own studio. Kate Punnett, The Pressed Florist A few weeks ago, we held November’s Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up, a virtual Zoom gathering that showcases experts among our community who generously share their talents and knowledge with fellow Slow Flowers Members. Our session featured Ottawa-based floral artist Kate Punnett, owner of The August Press. As a longtime specialty cut flower grower who has spent the past several years perfecting her personal flower pressing technique, Kate now sells original and digitized pressed flower artwork, takes commissions, sells her custom-designed presses, and teaches others about the wonders and joys of pressing the flower we love. Kate Punnett of The August Press It felt like a great time of year – especially for those of us who want to slow down and explore a new facet of our lives in flowers -- and I invited Kate to lead this session. Flower pressing is an age-old practice. Think about placing a violet in the pages of a thick dictionary – and months later discovering its perfect, papery form! Kate is pushing the methods and elevating the art form far beyond dictionary pressing. This is definitely one of our Podcast episodes that calls for you to click over to our show notes at slowflowerspodcast.com to find the video link – in which you’ll watch Kate demonstrate some of the techniques she employs. It is especially cool to see how Kate breaks down thick buds and blooms like roses and sunflowers so they can press flat, and to learn how she utilizes a bloom or stem’s most natural angles, much as you might observe them growing in the garden. SO much to consider and I’m delighted to share our conversation with you today! Pressed Floral Art by Kate Punnett You will also see more photography of Kate’s pressed florals and products, including her new version of the Handbook for the Pressed Floral Artist, a digital guide that you can order online for a modest investment. Follow The August Press on Instagram Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2025 In more news, if you’re listening to this episode when it drops on Wednesday, November 27th, it’s time to take advantage of our Black Friday through Cyber Monday ticket promotion for the upcoming Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, taking place online in the New Year – January 9-11th. That’s right, starting this Friday, November 29th through Monday, December 2nd, we are rolling back the Summit ticket prices to our $50 off introductory Early-Bird rate. And remember, Slow Flowers members always receive an additional $50 off their ticket purchase as a member benefit. Check out the link in our show notes, or click on the bio in our IG account -- @slowflowerssociety, or visit slowflowerssummit.com. Enjoy fifteen hours of online education from some of the top floral experts in the Slow Flowers community and I hope to see you there! Grab Your Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit Tickets Here Bonus Episode Sarah Statham of Simply by Arrangement By way of previewing our amazing speakers, we just posted a bonus to today’s episode -- an encore interview I recorded in 2015 with Sarah Statham of Simply by Arrangement, based in Yorkshire England.

Hello everyone, Debra Prinzing here from the Slow Flowers Podcast. I hope you have been following along for the past few months as we have been posting Instagram live conversations with our amazing Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit speakers. Sarah Statham of Simply by Arrangement Today, I have a fun conversation to share and it will introduce you (or possibly re-introduce you) to Sarah Statham of Simply by Arrangement, who is based in the north of England in the Yorkshire region. Sarah will be one of our 15 inspiring presenters at the 2025 Summit, taking place January 9-11, 2025. Her presentation: Creating a Workshop Destination for Flower Lovers will share more about how Simply by Arrangement has become a must-visit venue for floral enthusiasts around the world – I can’t wait for you to attend and learn more! A cuppa with Sarah In 2015, I was so fortunate to visit this beautiful, history-rich area as Sarah’s guest. Home to the Brontë sisters, and the beautiful RHS Harlow-Carr Botanic Garden, the architecture and landscape took my breath away. Sarah’s design studio and cutting garden are the source of all the incredible, natural beauty that she shares with followers around the globe who love her @simplybyarrangement feed on Instagram. Sarah and her husband James, often called “Mister Simply” in her IG posts, were exceedingly generous hosts for my mom and me. We met many other flower farmers, including Gillian Hodgson, founder of Flowers from the Farm, who organized my entire itinerary and brought together the local flower farmers for me to meet while enjoying high tea. It was an unforgettable visit, and today I’m sharing the encore replay of my 2015 podcast interview with Sarah. This is from Episode 198 – originally posted on June 16, 2015. I know you’ll enjoy the conversation as Sarah tells me how she left a stressful legal career for a life in flowers. In it, she refers to Christie Buchanan, her original business partner in Simply by Arrangement. When she launched Simply by Arrangement, Sarah's original vision paired excellent food with seasonal flowers. Christie (aka Mrs. B.), prepared exquisite menus for workshop guests, and when I met her, I was smitten by both the woman and her handcrafted savory and sweet dishes. Now, Mrs. B. is busy with young grandbabies, so Sarah draws provisions from other cooks and chefs. Debra at Cambo Estate I reunited with Sarah in 2022 when I attended two days of floral workshops at the Cambo Estate outside Saint Andrews, Scotland. You can find the PDF of my story from the Fall 2022 issue of Slow Flowers Journal (below), to read and learn more about Simply by Arrangement: Autumn in East NeukDownload Please Join Us at the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit! This year's online Worldwide Summit is our first ever, inviting attendees to join us from across the international Slow Flowers Movement. Inspired by the great success of the previous seven live, in-person conferences, Slow Flowers Society is staging an expansive and inclusive Slow Flowers Summit for attendees across the globe! This event will take place over three days early in the New Year - perfectly timed for floral professionals and flower lovers to fill their toolboxes with skills and techniques, and to uplift their goals and ambitions for the coming season. Join Slow Flowers' doers and thinkers for three days of progressive ideas, connections and inspiration - online! - January 9-11, 2025. Registration is now open! Tickets and Details Here

https://youtu.be/nybZzD1_cEw?si=_UqeABJ7nSfMrKTe In her recent Slow Flowers Journal column, “The Business of Flowers,” Brooke Palmer of Jenny Creek Flowers shared how and why she embraces winter tulip production. Our conversation today explores Brooke’s considerations through the lens of her Slow Flowers sustainability ethos while also forcing thousands of tulips into bloom during the off-season. Brooke and I discuss how she balances building a large customer base around winter-grown tulips with her desire to run a floral enterprise that’s also sustainable from a fiscal perspective – during the time of year when outside temperatures dip to the low teens. Brooke Palmer of Jenny Creek Flowers Today’s episode is super timely, as most of us are deep into our fall bulb planting. Brooke Palmer owns Jenny Creek Flowers, a boutique cut flower farm based in Trumansburg in the Finger Lake Region of upstate New York. My conversation with Brooke originated earlier this year when I received an email from her. She wrote: Brooke's winter tulips - a vivid burst of joy! “From April through October, my farm offers local, seasonal, and sustainable blooms. From January through April, it offers local and sustainable blooms as I force thousands of tulips into bloom. Does my farm remain aligned to the Slow Flowers mission?” she asked. Brooke went on to evaluate our mantra: Local, Seasonal and Sustainable – through her practices.Local?: “Hundreds of people in my community are able to get locally grown flowers during winter and early spring rather than buying imported flowers.”Sustainable?: “Because I only use LED lights and no additional heat source, my tulip program is sustainable.”Seasonal?: Here's the rub. . . There are hundreds of flower farms now doing this around the country (and likely hundreds more giving it a try this coming winter). Is there a place for tulip forcing within the Slow Flowers Society?” I was impressed that Brooke asked these questions and our subsequent correspondence and conversations led to me asking her to write a column on Winter Tulip Bulb Forcing for the Fall 2024 issue of the Slow Flowers Journal. The edition dropped last week and I would love you to read Brooke’s full essay in our “Business of Flowers”” column -- I've included the PDF below. Slow Flowers Journal FINAL 11_11 FALL 2024-24-25Download We dive even deeper into Brooke’s story in today’s episode and I know you’ll love meeting her and hearing how this former HS English teacher and lifelong gardener has transitioned to a full-time, year-round specialty cut flower grower – yes – while living in upstate New York – also known as USDA Zone 6a. When Brooke isn't growing winter tulips at Jenny Creek Flowers, she grows fields of dahlias and other summer crops. By the way, Brooke’s early email was so encouraging and I’d love to share it as my parting sentiments. She wrote: “I have so much respect for the work you have done to bring attention to local flowers. I've wrestled through the implications of forcing tulips into bloom and am comfortably situated in a place where it makes perfect sense from a global/local perspective. What's more is that my customers absolutely adore winter tulips. They send me love notes about how having flowers in their home during winter boosts their mood and gives them something hopeful and beautiful to get through the dark season with. I am confident that I am doing something good and wonderful for my community. Yet I recognize that posting a photo of winter tulips and using #slowflowers is a contradiction of sorts.” Well, Brooke, let’s put that concern to rest! We will share your social media places so our listeners can find and follow you – and cheer you on when you use that hashtag #slowflowers. Here’s to a bountiful tulip season! Find and follow Jenny Creek Flowers on Instagram and Facebook. Please check out the upcoming Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2025 – it’s coming up in the...

https://youtu.be/2d9_GRnbSrI?si=_UjIQWQALrUv-8OJ Owner of Queen Bee Blooms in St. Louis, Missouri, Elizabeth Fichter is a farmer-florist who has given a lot of thought to how she can differentiate her business from the conventional alternative. In today’s episode, she will outline six important actions you can take to better discuss the value and benefits of locally grown flowers with your B2B and B2C customers, as well as share specific things she does to keep her flowers front and center in her marketplace. Elizabeth Fichter of Queen Bee Blooms A few months ago, Elizabeth Fichter reached out to me about an article she was writing for the well-known farming publication, Growing for Market. The topic was a familiar one to the Slow Flowers community – how to change perceptions of local flowers with our customers. Elizabeth wanted to include the message and mission of the Slow Flowers movement in her piece, so we had a back-and-forth discussion as she worked on her article. Writing her story was an exercise that helped Elizabeth fine-tune her message and understand what makes Queen Bee Blooms’ brand authentic and unique. In doing the contemplative work on this piece, Elizbeth discovered what she wanted to share with others – and I invited her to join me on the Slow Flowers Podcast to continue the conversation. I know you'll find it relatable -- and I hope it will inspire you to make some creative changes in your own floral enterprise. Here's a bit more about Elizabeth and Queen Bee Blooms:Elizabeth is an artist and a life-long lover of flowers. She is an event designer, wedding planner, writer, dreamer and of course, farmer. For more than a century, her family has farmed the land that is now home to Queen Bee Blooms. As she writes on her website: Queen Bee Blooms with Elizabeth and her gorgeous flowers The flower fields at Queen Bee Blooms “This-164-acre farm has been in my family for over 100 years. When my great-grandfather purchased it, it had already been a working dairy and crop farm since the mid-1800's. Over the years, it has been taken care of by generations before me. As a small girl, I grew up here, moved away, saw the world, worked jobs that I loved, started a family, and visited on holidays and weekends. Until my mom passed away, I never thought it would or could  be mine alone. Given the opportunity (when remaining family wanted to sell it), I stopped everything in my life to return to where I began. In over 15 years, I've never looked back. I believe you end up exactly where you are supposed to be…I've followed my passion for flowers to create a farm that does things differently. “I grow flowers not because I have to. I grow them because it feeds my soul like nothing else. Spending my days amongst this splendor is a gift that I don't take lightly.  I have a responsibility of stewardship of not just this land, but especially the awe-inspiring beauty and magic it nurtures and grows. “ https://vimeo.com/916480526/02a3221db3?share=copy Click above to watch Elizabeth Fichter's video, "Why Local Flowers?" I’m excited to share our conversation with you today, And a special thank you to Andrew Mefferd, editor and publisher of Growing for Market, who generously shared a free link to Elizabeth’s October 2024 article, "How to have the conversation that will change perceptions around local flowers," with the Slow Flowers community so you can read it, too. Read Elizabeth's article in Growing for Market Find and follow Queen Bee Blooms at these social places:Instagram and FacebookCheck out Queen Bee Blooms on Pinterest Join the Slow Flowers Member (Virtual) Meet-Up Kate Punnett of The August Press In news of the week, be sure to sign up to join our November 15th Slow Flowers (Virtual) Member Meet-Up for the month. It’s a timely and creative subject and I’m excited to welcome our member expert, Kate Punnett of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,

https://youtu.be/KeVZQ9knkCM?si=um0NyuWq-JNw-KAM Izzie Klingels of Marigold and Mint Botanicals (cover photo (c) Sean O'Neill) Marigold and Mint is a brand quite familiar to Seattle’s local floral aficionados. It was originally a flower farm and tiny shop owned by Katherine Anderson, who later opened The London Plane, a beautiful café & floral shop. During that time, Katherine teamed up with Illustrator/florist Isvald Klingels and designer Christian Petersen to create Marigold and Mint Botanicals, originally a line of candles with custom scents inspired by the Marigold and Mint organic farm. With the closing of The London Plane at the end of 2022, Marigold and Mint Botanicals’ third iteration has emerged in the lobby of a historic Pioneer Square building – with Izzie as owner and florist. Izzie continues to support the values to which she and Katherine always adhered: using locally sourced, seasonal flowers and foliage wherever possible, with an eye toward the most unusual, wild and beautiful flora that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Join me for a conversation with Izzie, followed by a gorgeous design demonstration! Izzy Klingels at Marigold & Mint Botanicals; left image (c) Kyle Johnson I first met Izzie Klingels more than a decade ago when I wandered into a jewel box of a flower boutique in an old building on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. The shop was called Marigold & Mint, and was owned by landscape architect Katherine Anderson, past guest of this podcast. Izzie Klingels and her florals; left image (c) Sean O'Neill The shop was curated with lovely items and focused exclusively on locally-grown flowers. Izzie’s illustrations of marigolds and other blooms communicated the brand on signage and the shop’s website. I later featured Izzie in a feature on Fashion as influence on Home Design for the October-November 2013 issue of Gray Magazine, in which we asked Northwest style makers for their personal take on fashion's role in culture, art, architecture and decor. Design by Izzie Klingels of Marigold & Mint Botanicals (c) Kyle Johnson Izzie studied Fine Art at Chelsea School of Art in London. After graduating she founded Lazy Eye, making videos and tour visuals for bands such as Death in Vegas and Beth Orton. She has worked commercially as an illustrator and director for a diverse range of clients including Topshop, Oasis, Volvo, Cowshed, Random House and Italian Marie Claire. She now focuses equally on non-commercial work, recently exhibiting  in Los Angeles, London and Seattle. Seasonal Florals by Marigold & Mint Botanicals Relocated to Seattle, Izzie finds inspiration in the damp lushness of the region and the dark mystery of the old growth forests and mountains that surround it.I loved visiting Izzie at the newest iteration of Marigold and Mint Botanicals, located in the vestibule at 401 1st Ave S, between two neighbors, both independent retailers, Flora & Henri and General Porpoise Doughnuts. Find and follow Marigold & Mint Botanicals on Instagram and Facebook illustrations by Isvald Klingels View Izzie Klingels art and illustration website Listen to past episodes featuring Katherine Anderson of Marigold & Mint and The London Plane SLOW FLOWERS Podcast: Marigold & Mint’s Katherine Anderson – a leading eco-floral entrepreneur (Episode 134) Episode 456: Lessons from The London Plane Flower Shop with founder Katherine Anderson and manager Jeni Nelson Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit News Last week, we reminded you to grab your ticket for the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, scheduled for January 9-11, 2025. And congratulations to 55 of you who took advantage of the Early Bird special. We’re so excited to see you in the virtual, online conference that features 15 expert sessions on all of topics that are important to the Slow Flowers Movement – ranging from sustainable business methods, to community building, to flower farming, floral design, and weddings.

https://youtu.be/azIvryBpa9U?si=AeFTkOqj5-PE9EcB There are small and sizable ways to improve on the practices and habits we’ve relied on for far too long. Today’s guest, wedding and events designer Blair Lynn of Sweet Blossoms, has done tons of research to bring a zero-waste focus to her studio – and she’s sharing those tips with us today. The conversation draws from a guest column Blair wrote for Slow Flowers Journal’s Summer 2023 issue, and we tease out those details in our conversation. From Blair’s perspective, your sustainable choices are good for the planet, but they can also be great for client development and help your bottom line. As a bonus, Blair filmed a late autumn floral design demonstration using chicken wire mechanics and all locally-grown and foraged ingredients. You’ll love what she has created! This conversation builds on a Business of Flowers column Blair contributed to the Summer 2023 issue of Slow Flowers Journal, called “The Sustainable Studio.” Blair has devoted many seasons to challenging herself to eliminate waste and single-use plastic, not to mention sourcing domestically as much as possible for her designs.  Blair  is a Maryland-based floral designer whose business focuses on green and sustainable practices wherever possible. She places a high priority on ordering flowers from domestic farms and works to cultivate relationships with as many local farmers as she can. She composts all organic waste, and recycles at least 75% of all materials used in the studio. All designs are foam free. She has been featured in Slow Flowers Journal, Washingtonian Magazine, and Florist’s Review. She wraps up our conversation with a seasonal design demonstration using flowers from fellow Slow Flowers members Grateful Gardeners, a flower farm owned by Sarah Daken and Tom Precht. You’ll see dahlias, zinnias, cosmos, celosia, forged field grasses, not to mention hydrangeas from Blair’s own shade garden. It’s a beautiful inspiration to wrap up an inspiring conversation. Thanks so much for joining me today! Find and follow Sweet Blossoms on Instagram and Facebook Here's your free download of the PDF of “The Sustainable Studio,” Blair’s column written for Slow Flowers Journal. The Business of FlowersDownload Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit And for a bit of Slow Flowers NEWS: On October 15th, we announced the details about the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, scheduled for January  9-11, 2025. This will be an entirely virtual, online conference, so no worries about exhausting your travel budget. You will enjoy 15 expert sessions on all of topics that are important to the Slow Flowers Movement – ranging from sustainable business methods, to community building, to flower farming, floral design, and weddings. You’ll hear from a diversity of speakers representing floral enterprises in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia – not to mention panels from groups around the globe who are emulating the Slow Flowers Movement. And if you grab your ticket by midnight Pacific Time on October 31st – that’s tomorrow night – you can save $50 off the already very affordable ticket price. If you miss the deadline, remember, Slow Flowers Society members always receive a discount off of the general registration pricing. You’ll hear much more in the coming weeks – I can’t wait for you to dive into the amazing content we are curating for you and your floral journey. Thanks to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability,

https://youtu.be/8HdQwcsoIfo?si=bUuM9g2uKCT5y1Hx We’re diving deep into the world of lily growing, with two experts who share their advice and know-how. Today’s episode was recorded as our October Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up and we have had many requests for the replay video and audio – so you’re in for a real treat. Gretel Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm and Ko Klaver, a plant and bulb specialist at Zabo Plant discuss LA hybrid lily planting and harvesting methods and more. You’ll also learn how Sunny Meadows Flower Farm uses lilies in their mixed bouquet program for mass market and grocery customers. It’s a true lily fest to inspire us all! In love with liilies (c) Flowerbulb.eu for all images Thanks to the team at Flowerbulb.eu, we have a fabulous episode to share with you today – and yes, it’s all about lilies! Lilies and Dahlias - a beautiful combination Gretel Adams is a longtime Slow Flowers member, who with her husband Steve Adams, owns a thriving and diversified flower farm in Columbus, Ohio – Sunny Meadows Flower Farm. We asked Gretel to team up with Ko Klaver, Zabo Plant's bulb specialist who’s well known in growing circles as a bulb and plant supplier for farms of all sizes. Double lilies (rose lilies) Together, they presented a fabulous tutorial for our community’s October member meet-up and we want to share the video and audio with you today. We’ll start with Gretel’s presentation about Sunny Meadows Farms’ lily-growing program, learn about her favorite cultivars (and why she loves them), as well as her planting calendar for a 33-week program that allows her to have lilies basically from Easter to Thanksgiving – amazing. Armloads of lilies -- who could resist?! Enjoy Gretel's Slide Show here: Sunny Meadows Flower Farm_Lilies PresentationDownload Ko adds his expertise as a lily bulb broker, as he walks us through the recently published Lily Master Class resource developed with funding from Flowerbulb.eu. Download the Lily Master Class PDF here: Grower's Guide LiliesDownload Also, Gretel and Steve Adams teach a great course called Growing Cut-Flower Crops in Hoop and Greenhouses, offered by our sponsor The Gardener’s Workshop. You can find a link in today’s show notes to Sign Up for a FREE sneak peek into the course, including special tips for growing lilies in greenhouse environment, maintenance and ventilation. Learn more:Follow Sunny Meadows Flower Farm at these Instagram accounts: @sunnymeadowsflowerfarm, @flowerfarmer  and @flowerfarmette Follow Flowerbulbsdotcom on Instagram Follow Zabo Plant on Instagram Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com. And thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists.  Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner.  Don't have time to build your own?  They also have turnkey units available.

https://youtu.be/XPwCOnCEJQ4?si=QvkEM8TfN2ZhNilS “Diamond Day” is a charming 1970s folksong by English singer-songwriter Vashti Bunyan. The lyrics about a sweet family farm inspired Caitlin Carnahan, today’s guest, to borrow its title for her business, Diamond Day Bouquet. The farm specializes in unique and old-fashioned, garden-style flowers grown organically and with love. Caitlin has developed an expertise growing for the grocery and wholesale market, which we discuss in our conversation. Join me on a visit and be inspired by the many botanical varieties that thrive in this idyllic place.I first met Caitlin Carnahan of Diamond Day Bouquet through my dear friends, Karen and Kristina, who subscribed to Caitlin’s CSA flower service – back when she had time to offer one. They are neighbors of Diamond Day Bouquet, since all live on Egg & I Road in Chimacum, Washington, a tiny town with population of 1,500, located outside Port Townsend. Caitlin Carnahan of Diamond Day Bouquet Egg & I is both a location and also a piece of agricultural history, the title of a humorous 1940s memoir by American author Betty MacDonald about her adventures living on a chicken farm. The story later hit the big screen as a 1947 film starring Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert. Needless to say, while they do keep chickens, the farm on Egg & I Road is now Diamond Day Bouquet, known for growing unique specialty cut flowers with character, and Caitlin loves to share the story of her blooms that far surpass big-box-store options. Seasonal flowers at Diamond Day Bouquet Here’s a little more about Caitlin: After working several years painting scenery for Seattle area theatre productions, Caitlin began her agricultural life as a vegetable farmer. She and her partner Greg Reed ran away from the city in search of the good life. After much adventuring they landed on Vashon Island, where they managed a small vegetable farm. Every season the flower patch grew a little larger, and after relocating to the Olympic Peninsula they were able to realize their dream and buy five acres to grow on - Diamond Day Bouquet was born, as well as their two beautiful children. Greg is a teacher at the local high school and Caitlin calls him the farm’s handyman, its voice of reason and saving grace.Follow Diamond Day Bouquet on Instagram Where you can find Diamond Day Bouquet flowers: The Port Townsend Food Co-opThe Chimacum Corner FarmstandThe Seattle Wholesale Growers Market. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Rooted Farmers. Rooted Farmers works exclusively with local growers to put the highest-quality specialty cut flowers in floral customers' hands. When you partner with Rooted Farmers, you are investing in your community, and you can expect a commitment to excellence in return. Learn more at RootedFarmers.com And thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com. I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor,