Debra Prinzing

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Episode 634: Marigolds and Succulent Pumpkins, autumn botanical design with Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Gardens and Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers

Wednesday, November 1st, 2023

We’re releasing today’s episode on Wednesday, November 1st, and this means you’ve probably just wrapped up your Halloween festivities. But as we turn our attention to harvest, home, and the November holidays, the seasonal decorations continue — and of course with that, orange-gold-and-rusty color palettes are ever present. With that our minds, today’s episode shares plant passions and design ideas that are perfect for this time of year.

Succulent pumpkin design by Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers (left) and Marigold Garland by Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Garden (right)
Succulent pumpkin design by Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers (left) and Marigold Garland by Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Garden (right)

You’ll enjoy the creative session with two seasonal autumn botanicals: pumpkins + marigolds, featuring Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Gardens in Ithaca, New York, and Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers based in Orlando.

Eileen and her students
A recent FarmGal Flowers succulent pumpkin workshop with Eileen Tongson (far right) and her students.
succulent pumpkin design
A favorite succulent pumpkin design

We learn from Eileen, who shares her succulent pumpkins design, and discusses how she has developed her very successful autumn workshops and private classes during the entire month of October. Watch Eileen’s step-by-step designs for decorating pumpkins and gourds with a rainbow of local, Florida-grown succulents.

Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Gardens
Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Gardens
marigold inspiration
Marigold inspiration in color and form – from The Marigold Gardens

And we gain inspiration from Caitlin, as she shares about growing, harvesting, and preserving marigolds for autumn celebrations and beyond. You’ll learn how to make a marigold and fall foliage flower crown (which Caitlin calls a “wearigold”) and also watch hows she strings fresh marigold garlands (and discusses how to dry them).

Download The Marigold Gardens’ list of all 66 varieties of marigolds that Caitlin grows

Download Eileen’s succulent pumpkin worksheet, including a supply list.


News of this Week

Slow Flowers Summit 2024

In news of the week, It’s TIME! We’ve opened up tickets sales today, November 1st, for the 2024 Slow Flowers Summit Early Bird Registration.
Save $100 off your Slow Flowers Summit registration, now through December 31st.
General registration is $799 USD ($899 on January 1st)
Slow Flowers Members registration is $699 USD ($799 on January 1st). 
Head over to SlowFlowersSummit.com to find all the details for our dates – June 23-25, 2024, the venue, beautiful Banff Centre for Art & Creativity in Banff, Alberta, Canada, surrounded by the Canadian Rockies, and read all about our speakers and program. We have eleven inspiring speakers, an extensive hands-on design immersion, and presentations on flower farming, floral design, floral entrepreneurship and sustainability. I can’t wait to see you there!


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.

Farmgirl Flowers 2022

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

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. Learn more at storeitcold.com   

Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.

Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.


Slow Flowers Podcast Logo with flowers, recorder and mic

I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com.


Debra in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden
Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography

I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization.  Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!


Music credits:

Drone Pine; Greyleaf Willow; Turning on the Lights; Gaena
by Blue Dot Sessions
http://www.sessions.blue

Lovely
by Tryad 
http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Episode 633: Building a Community of Local Flower Farmers Over Pie and Coffee, with Jodi Logue of Moss and Madder Farm

Wednesday, October 25th, 2023

We’ve just wrapped up our celebration of the 10-year Anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast with a retrospective of a decade that brought you more than 500 original episodes of interviews. Whew! I am in awe of the amazing guests we have featured, their passion for local flowers, their ingenuity, dedication, and contributions to the Slow Flowers Movement. Let’s see what the next decade brings!

Jodi Logue, Moss and Madder Farm
Jodi Logue, Moss and Madder Farm

Today, we resume our weekly ritual of bringing you a new podcast episode on Wednesday. After listening to my interviews, be sure to click on over to slowflowerspodcast.com to watch my video conversation with each week’s guest or guests. We are also posting these “vodcasts” as our social media team calls them to YouTube, Facebook Live and Instagram Live – and we always try to share the link via Instagram.

Jodi at a flower popup sale
Jodi at one of her local flowers pop-up events

This past weekend, I traveled to the opposite side of Puget Sound from my home – south to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and then over to the Kitsap Peninsula to a town called Olalla. I took the 45-minute trip at the invitation of farmer florist Jodi Logue, owner of Moss and Madder Farm.

Flower Farmer Gathering at Moss and Madder Farm
“Pie and Coffee,” an autumn Flower Farmer Gathering at Moss and Madder Farm

I first got to know Jodi when she joined Slow Flowers Society and earlier this year attended the Slow Flowers Summit – it was so nice to have so many new members, many of them from the Seattle area, attend that wonderful event. Not long after the Summit, I received an email from Jodi inviting me to a gathering at her farm. She wrote: “I’ve been occasionally hosting a flower farmer meet up for folks in our area and we have a good little group of people who come out pretty regularly. We met monthly through the off season. My main goal in hosting these get-togethers has been to mostly build community but as we’ve been meeting, we’ve all voiced a common wish for a flower hub/collective type opportunity in our area. It’s something I’m working on getting started this fall. I think the flower farmers would totally be excited to if we put on a get-together and included you and any other flower friends in the area. We would love to work around your schedule to make it happen.”

Meet Jodi and Aaron Logue of Moss and Madder
Meet Jodi and Aaron Logue of Moss and Madder

What a tempting invitation! It took me a few months, but this past weekend, the date was set for a gathering at Moss and Madder Farm. It was lovely to connect with a few Slow Flowers members in attendance and several people who are new to me – their farms range from 1-year-old to a farm in its 9th season; from people who have, like Jodi, recently quit full-time jobs in careers like nursing, oceanography, and teaching; and others who are flower farming while also caregiving or parenting or working off-farm jobs. The unifying thread connecting us all was women entrepreneurs who have been drawn like bees to honey to the age-old human practice of growing flowers or tending to plants.

Moss and Madder Farm with Jodi Logue
Moss and Madder Farm with Jodi Logue

It was a wonderful gathering and you’ll hear more in my conversation with Jodi. You see, I couldn’t join her party without inviting myself to come early and record an interview. Listen, watch, and you’ll learn all about Moss and Madder Flower Farm and the emerging floral community in and around this region south and west of Seattle.

George the Ford
Jodi, with George the Ford, her vintage flower truck

Learn more about George the Ford, Jodi and her husband Aaron’s vintage 1947 one-ton Ford pickup truck – beautifully restored and painted “Greenfield Green” with “Tacoma Cream” trim – another fun marketing arm of Moss and Madder Farm and available for weddings, photo shoots and party rental.

Follow Moss and Madder Farm on Facebook
Find Moss and Madder Farm on Instagram


This Week’s New

NWFGF 2024 logo

In news of the week, Slow Flowers Society is returning to the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival as the floral stage producer, an honor we have held for more than five years. The venerable show, the West Coast’s largest indoor consumer flower and garden festival, takes place February 14-18, 2024. We’re so excited that so many Slow Flowers members will be teaching and lecturing at next year’s event and I’m especially thrilled that Teresa Rao of Belle Petale and Sarah Nayami of Grow Girl Seattle will teach the hands-on floral design workshops on the Blooms & Bubbles Stage. On the seminar stage, we’ll see Misty VanderWeele of All Dahlia’d Up Flower Farm, Stefani Bittner of Homestead Design Collective, Riz Reyes of RHR Horticulture and Heronswood Gardens, Janice Cox of At Home Beauty and Tracy Yang of JARN Co. Flower Farm will all make appearances! Hope to see you there!


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.

Farmgirl Flowers 2022

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

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.

Our next sponsor thank you goes Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system–Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details’ all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.

Our next sponsor thank you goes to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.


Slow Flowers Podcast Logo with flowers, recorder and mic

I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com.


Debra in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden
Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography

I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization.  Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!

Music credits:

Drone Pine; LaBranche; Turning on the Lights; Gaena
by Blue Dot Sessions
http://www.sessions.blue

Lovely
by Tryad 
http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Related posts

Episode 632: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an Encore of Episode 566 with Joanna Letz of Bluma Flower Farm

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023
10th Anniversary Slow Flowers Podcast

This is our final encore episode as part of the 10-year celebration of the Slow Flowers Podcast being on the air as the original floral podcast since our debut in July 2013. Thanks for celebrating with me as we returned to the archives and shared a few of the special the stories and voices of flower farmers and florists featured in the past decade.

This week, I’m sharing a favorite encore episode from the 10th year of the Slow Flowers Podcast, a video conversation with Joanna Lutz of Bluma Flower Farm based in Berkeley, California, recorded in July 2022.

Joanna Letz Bluma Farm

At Bluma Farm, located on a Berkeley rooftop, Joanna and her team produce hyperlocal, certified-organic flowers. Joanna grew up in Oakland and Berkeley, California, attended Berkeley High and then ventured across the country to Bard College where she majored in history and human rights.

During a study abroad program that spanned five countries in eight months, she looked at the impact of globalization on small farmers, realized the importance of small organic and diversified farms, and was inspired to create a farm of her own. She started farming in 2008 working with and learning from many long-time organic farmers in California.

rooftop overview
Rooftop overview of Bluma Flower Farm in Berkeley, California

Bluma Farm was born in the fall of 2014. I am so happy today to re-introduce you to Joanna and her story. She recorded our interview from her farm, located six stories high and silhouetted by a brilliant summer sky.

Harvesting flowers
Harvesting flowers

It’s so impressive to learn how this beautiful and sustainably-focused micro farm is cranking out gorgeous blooms on only 1/4-acre of growing area. And it’s incredibly inspiring to witness Joanna’s focus on community and on sharing Bluma Flower Farm with others.

Find and follow Bluma Farm:
Bluma Farm on Instagram
Bluma Farm on Facebook


News of the Week

Slow Flowers Summit 2024
Banff Centre for the Arts
Banff Centre for the Arts

We’ve just announced all the details, including dates, venue, program and speakers, for the seventh annual Slow Flowers Summit – It’s going to be our first international Summit, taking place June 23-25th 2024 at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

This will be such a special conference and we will have much, much more to share in the coming weeks, including speaker interviews, video tours, and travel tips for all of our folks – like you, dear listener – who might want to dust off that passport and make plans for a spectacular destination. Take note, Early Bird ticket sales open November 1st and continue through December 31st, during which time you will save $100 off the registration. And as always, Slow Flowers members always receive $100 off as a member benefit. We can’t wait to see you there!


Succulent pumpkin design by Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers (left) and Marigold Garland by Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Garden (right)
Succulent pumpkin design by Eileen Tongson of FarmGal Flowers (left) and Marigold Garland by Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Garden (right)
Slow Flowers Meet-Up Logo Art

Next up, it’s October and our monthly Member Meet-Up will take place this Friday, October 20th at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. What’s on tap? It’s all about harvest and holidays – and we’re focusing on two iconic botanicals for the October-November season – pumpkins and marigolds.

You’re invited to Lean into Halloween, Harvest, and Home Decor and learn from two Slow Flowers members who will share their tips. Meet Eileen Tongson of  FarmGal Flowers as she talks about designing succulent pumpkins, and from Caitlin Mathes of The Marigold Gardens as she dives into growing, harvesting, and preserving marigolds for autumn celebrations and beyond.


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.

Farmgirl Flowers 2022

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

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.

Thank you goes 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 johnnysseeds.com.

Thank you to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we’re thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.


Slow Flowers Podcast Logo with flowers, recorder and mic

I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com


Debra in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden
Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography

I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization.  Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!

Music credits:

Drone Pine; Chymique; Le Marais; Turning on the Lights; Gaena
by Blue Dot Sessions
http://www.sessions.blue

Lovely
by Tryad 
http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Episode 631: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an Encore of Episode 529 with David Brunton of Right Field Farm

Wednesday, October 11th, 2023

This week, I’m sharing an encore episode from the 9th year of the Slow Flowers Podcast, a conversation with David Brunton of Right Field Farm based in Millersville, Maryland, recorded in October 2021.

David and Lina
David and Lina of Right Field Farm, growing local and sustainable cut flowers in year four!
10th Anniversary Slow Flowers Podcast

2021 was the first season during which we incorporated video interviews as part of the Slow Flowers Show; each week’s show later posted as audio-only for our Podcast listeners.

It has been so rewarding to celebrate our 10-year retrospective, featuring one guest per year during the entire past decade to commemorate this storytelling project.

Adding a video component enhanced our weekly programming, bringing viewers and listeners to flower farms, floral shops and studios, as guests of each episode brought additional “show and tell” content to you.

the Brunton family
Growing up! Flowers and kids, with Lina and David Brunton (c) Jamie Horton Photography

And that is what you’ll hear about and see today. When David and I recorded video in our Slow Flowers virtual studio, he was in the midst of designing bouquets for Right Field Farm’s weekly subscription customers. It was so fun to actually see the bouquet come together as we discussed decisions about growing and designing for a small, home-based family flower farm.

I know you’ll enjoy the episode. Listen to my conversation with David, a longtime Slow Flowers member, and then watch the video replay posted at the top of these show notes.

Pearl of Opar
RFF’s Pearl of Opar – a favorite bouquet ingredient recommended by David Brunton (c) Jamie Horton Photograph

Thanks so much for joining us today! I’ll be hosting an IG Live conversation with David today, October 11th, so check it out @slowflowerssociety. You’ll find my conversation with David and all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.


News of the Week

Slow Flowers Newsletter October 2023

First, the new October edition of our monthly newsletter – recently dropped and you’ll want to check your in-box to find it! Follow this link to read the full issue.

2024 Slow Flowers Member Survey

Earlier this week, we opened the Annual Slow Flowers Member Survey, which will run through November 3rd. We value your insights and feedback, so please check out this link to find the short survey that asks you about your floral enterprise, the shifts you’ve experienced in the current year and the changes you anticipate for the next.

The first 100 members who complete the survey and share their mailing address will receive a special 3-pack seed collection curated by our friends at Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

    In addition, each Slow Flowers Society member who completes our survey will be entered into a drawing for:

    (1) Complimentary Premium membership for 1 year – A standard member will be upgraded to complimentary Premium Level; if a Premium member’s name is drawn for this promotion, the member’s next 12-month period (from the current renewal date) will be complimentary.


    Thank You to our Sponsors

    This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 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.

    Farmgirl Flowers 2022

    Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

    Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.

    Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.

    Thanks you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.


    Slow Flowers Podcast Logo with flowers, recorder and mic

    I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com.


    Debra in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden
    Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography

    I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization.  Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!

    Music credits:

    Drone Pine; Chymique; Lissa; Turning on the Lights; Gaena
    by Blue Dot Sessions
    http://www.sessions.blue

    Lovely
    by Tryad 
    http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals

    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

    In The Field
    audionautix.com

    Episode 630: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an Encore of Episode 475 with Talia Boone of Postal Petals

    Wednesday, October 4th, 2023

    I hope you have been enjoying our 10-year retrospective as I have. It has been so fun to reconnect with some of our Slow Flowers members who shared their stories on the Slow Flowers Podcast over the past decade.

    Talia Boone by Nancy Hernandez
    Postal Petals founder and CEO Talia Boone @ Nancy Hernandez

    This week, I’m delighted to revisit my Fall 2020 interview with Talia Boone of Los Angeles-based Postal Petals. Postal Petals has a social impact mission through flowers and I’m excited to re-introduce Talia and her story in our conversation today.  Talia is a self-described floral enthusiast and DIY floral arranger.

    Talia Boone (right) of Postal Petals
    Talia Boone (right) of Postal Petals

    Based in Los Angeles, Talia often shopped at the Los Angeles Flower Market during public hours, bringing home flowers to arrange and enjoy — as part of her personal creativity and mental health practice. Postal Petals’ origins date to the start of COVID when Talia sought out a direct-from-the-farm source for the flowers she yearned to have. In the subsequent three years, the venture has made inspiring strides for the local flower community, especially communities of women (and some men) for whom flowers are now a source of healing and wellness.

    American Flowers Week with Postal Petals
    American Flowers Week with Postal Petals – June 2021 @randyschwartzphoto

    Let’s revisit my October 2020 conversation with Talia Boone. I can’t wait to share it with you as an encore episode in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast.

    Thanks so much for joining us today! I’ll be hosting an IG Live conversation with Talia today, October 4th, so check it out @slowflowerssociety – She promised me there’s a lot of news to update our Slow Flowers Community. You’ll find my conversation with Talia and all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.

    Postal Petals

    And here’s a bit of a Postal Petals’ update:

    During our IG Live conversation, Talia and I discuss Postal Petals’ current campaign to raise support for its series of free community wellness events. These are monthly events intended to provide a therapeutic experience that seamlessly weaves together the harmonious practices of yoga, meditation, and floral arranging to marginalized communities. While Postal Petals has been underwriting the costs of the free events for the last year and a half, a new crowdfund campaign will help continue making these events free and accessible and expand the offering to even more people in cities across the country. Check out the link to Postal Petals’ campaign here.


    Thank You to Our Sponsors

    This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 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.

    Farmgirl Flowers 2022

    Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

    Thank you to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system–Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details’ all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.

    Thank you to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.

    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. Learn more at storeitcold.com.   


    Slow Flowers Podcast Logo with flowers, recorder and mic

    I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com


    Debra in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden
    Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography

    I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization.  Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!

    Music credits:

    Drone Pine; Chymique; Highway 430; Turning on the Lights; Gaena
    by Blue Dot Sessions
    http://www.sessions.blue

    Lovely
    by Tryad 
    http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

    In The Field
    audionautix.com

    Episode 629: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an Encore of Episode 445 with Mara Tyler of Pennsylvania’s The Farm at Oxford

    Wednesday, September 27th, 2023
    Mara Tyler (c) Taken by Sarah
    Mara Tyler (c) Taken by Sarah

    10th Anniversary Slow Flowers PodcastI hope you have been enjoying our 10-year retrospective as I have. It has been so fun to reconnect with one of our guests dating back to the Slow Flowers Podcast’s first episode in 2013, and pick up where I left off with one of our amazing Slow Flowers Members who appeared as a guest on the show.

    This week, we turn the dial back to early March 2020, literally on the eve of the Covid 19 Pandemic. I interviewed Philadelphia farmer-florist Mara Tyler of The Farm at Oxford about her diversified floral enterprise and the word Covid did not occur in our conversation a single time. Just days (moments?) later, our lives changed dramatically. And in many ways, we still have not shed the ominous presence of the pandemic.

    But the seasons continue to roll along, as witnessed with this past week’s Fall Equinox, the continued blooming of our floral crops and cutting gardens, and the awareness we all have of our dependence on nature and a healthy planet.

    In the dahlia fields at The Farm at Oxford (c) Mariya Stecklair Photography
    In the dahlia fields at The Farm at Oxford (c) Mariya Stecklair Photography

    I re-listened to my 2020 interview with Mara last weekend, while walking along the Puget Sound shoreline. The earbuds delivered such an inspiring conversation—I was delighted to listen to Mara’s story once again and I can’t wait to share it with you as an encore episode in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast. I’ll be hosting an IG Live conversation with Mara today, September 27th, so check it out @slowflowerssociety – I’m excited to ask Mara to share an update about The Farm at Oxford with us. You’ll find all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.

    Mara Tyler of The Farm at Oxford
    Mara Tyler of The Farm at Oxford

    In This Week’s News

    Shane Connolly Seattle Lecture

    As soon as I wrap up my IG Live with Mara, I’m heading to the airport to pick up a very special Slow Flowers guest – Shane Connolly arrives today. We have eagerly anticipated Shane’s arrival from the UK to lecture about Sustainable Floristry, his recent commission to flower the Coronation at Westminster Abbey, and his seasonal approach to design. Shane will lecture this coming Friday, September 29th in Seattle and tickets are still available. Shane will be demonstrating several floral pieces after his lecture, and we are ready to be inspired. 

    Both of the weekend workshops are sold out, but I promise to post images of some of the beautiful florals that Shane and his students create over at our IG feed, and we will publish a recap story with photos in the fall issue of Slow Flowers Journal – stay tuned.


    Thank you to our Sponsors!

    This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 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.

    Farmgirl Flowers 2022

    Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

    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 johnnysseeds.com.

    Thank you to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we’re thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.

    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 this year than ever, and you’ll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.


    I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too.

    If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com

    I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization.  Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!

    Music credits:

    Drone Pine; Chymique; Turning on the Lights; Gaena
    by Blue Dot Sessions
    http://www.sessions.blue

    Lovely
    by Tryad 
    http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

    In The Field
    audionautix.com

    Episode 628: Jennifer Jewell’s love letter to seeds and her new book, “What We Sow”

    Wednesday, September 20th, 2023

    Today’s conversation is both timely and inspiring; compelling and important. I want to welcome Jennifer Jewell back to the Slow Flowers Show. You are in for a very special hour with this gifted human.

    Jennifer Jewell (c) Caitlin Atkinson
    Jennifer Jewell (c) Caitlin Atkinson

    Jennifer Jewell is a gardener, garden writer, and gardening educator and advocate. Since 2016, she has written and hosted the national award-winning, weekly public radio program and podcast, Cultivating Place. She is particularly interested in the intersections between gardens, the native plant environments around them, and human culture.

    Jennifer is also a gifted author and her third book was released yesterday on September 19th. I titled this episode “Jennifer Jewell’s love letter to seeds,” and I’m delighted to share the story of her magnificent opus: WHAT WE SOW: On the Personal, Ecological, and Cultural Significance of Seeds.

    A deeply insightful and thoroughly engaging storyteller, Jennifer explores the natural history of seeds, the loopholes in the seed supply chain for growing “organic” plants, how agribusiness has patented genomes of staple foods like corn and soy, and the efforts of activists working to regain legal access to heirloom seeds that were stolen from Indigenous peoples and people of color.

    As Jennifer marvels at the beautiful, wild seeds she encounters on her daily walks, she shares with the reader how, “to know and care for seeds ourselves [is] one of the most proactive steps we can take to rebuilding our human food systems, our social systems, and the global ecosystems of biodiversity on which we all depend.”

    Jennifer's Seed Grown Zinnias
    Jennifer’s seed-grown zinnias and veggies
    Cosmos Seed
    Cosmos seed
    What We Sow

    Order your own copy of What We Sow here

    See below: Calendar of Jennifer’s upcoming author appearances, lectures, and book-signings – perhaps there’s an event close to you! Be sure to tell Jennifer you heard her here on the Slow Flowers Show!

    Event Calendar

    Thank you to our Sponsors!

    This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 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.

    Farmgirl Flowers 2022

    Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

    Thank you to Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.

    Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.

    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.


    Slow Flowers Podcast Logo with flowers, recorder and mic

    Next week, we’ll resume our 10-year anniversary celebration of the award-winning Slow Flowers Podcast, featuring an inspiring past guest who originally appeared in year seven. I can’t wait to share that episode with you! I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com


    Debra in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden
    Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography

    I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization.  Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!

    Music credits:

    Drone Pine; Lady Marie; Gaena
    by Blue Dot Sessions
    http://www.sessions.blue

    Lovely
    by Tryad 
    http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

    In The Field
    audionautix.com

    Episode 627: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an Encore of Episode 396 with Whit McClure of Los Angeles-based Whit Hazen

    Wednesday, September 13th, 2023
    Whit McClure at the Slow Flowers Summit 2019
    Whit McClure at the Slow Flowers Summit 2019

    In April 2019, I met up with today’s encore guest, flora artist Whit McClure of Los Angeles-based Whit Hazen. Studio floral designer Whit McClure moved to Los Angeles in 2015 and almost immediately dove into the floral community there.

    Her introduction to flower farming and floral design is rooted in connections made through food justice and the local culinary community in Washington, D.C. Whit spent years after college working on farms, in community gardens, and in the nonprofit world, teaching folks of all ages and walks of life how to grow their own food.  Eventually she found floral design as the perfect blend of working with plants, crafting beauty, and collaborating with others, while remaining committed to social justice in her free time. Ever-inspired by nature’s abundant beauty and driven to respect and protect its resources, Whit Hazen is motivated to bring more beauty in the world for others.

    I hosted an IG Live conversation with Whit today, September 13th, so check it out @slowflowerssociety — and you’ll find all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.

    Here are links to Whit’s past Slow Flowers’ appearances:

    Florists' Review December 2018 article about Whit McClure of Whit Hazen
    Florists’ Review December 2018 article about Whit McClure of Whit Hazen

    Whit McClure Slow Flowers Journal Volume One (2020)
    Whit McClure, featured in Slow Flowers Journal Volume One (2020)

    Watch: Whit McClure at the 2019 Slow Flowers Summit (Capstone Presentation)

    Thank you to our Sponsors

    This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 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.

    Farmgirl Flowers 2022

    Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

    Thank you to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.

    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. Learn more at storeitcold.com   

    Our next sponsor thank-you goes to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.


    10th Anniversary Slow Flowers Podcast

    The celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast continues today as we look back at the sixth season! Our audio storytelling resonates with so many listeners — people like you who love local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers and who are joining in the Slow Flowers Movement as members, supporters, and allies!

    Today is the 6th Encore Episode of our retrospective to highlight one episode from each year of the past decade and bring the best of the Slow Flowers Podcast to you. If you’re a longtime listener, you might recognize these flower folks; if you’re new to the Slow Flowers Podcast, I’m excited to introduce you to them for the first time.

    Remember, you’re invited to share your story of how the Slow Flowers Podcast has been an inspiring companion to you over the years! Post or send us a video tagged #slowflowerspodcast and we may feature you in our Slow Flowers social media feed! Check out our IG stories on @SlowFlowersSociety, which we will run for the next 10 weeks — you could win one of two priceless prizes! We’ll select two winners among eligible entrants:
    1 – win a featured guest spot on a future episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast; and
    2 – win a chance to co-host an upcoming monthly Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up. We’ll post the details on social media for you to follow along and participate.


    Slow Flowers Podcast Logo with flowers, recorder and mic

    I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com


    Debra in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden
    Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography

    I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization.  Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!


    Music credits:

    Drone Pine; Gasland; Chymique; Turning on the Lights; Gaena
    by Blue Dot Sessions
    http://www.sessions.blue

    Lovely
    by Tryad 
    http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

    In The Field
    audionautix.com

    Episode 626: Celebrating our 10th Anniversary! From the Slow Flowers Podcast Archives – an Encore of Episode 304 with Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm in Ontario, Canada

    Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

    Today is the 5th Encore Episode of our retrospective to highlight one episode from each year of the past decade and bring the best of the Slow Flowers Podcast to you. If you’re a longtime listener, you might recognize these flower folks; if you’re new to the Slow Flowers Podcast, I’m excited to introduce you to them for the first time.

    Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm
    Janis, known in her community as the “flower lady”

    In July 2017, we turned attention to the Slow Flowers Movement in Canada, where there is amazing flower farming and floral design community, with equally passionate kindred spirits like my guest Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm.

    Harris Flower Farm logo
    This week’s encore guest: Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada

    Here’s a little more about Janis and her family’s flower-filled business. There’s a twist, and that’s the other “crop” grown at their farm — husband Mark’s pasteurized pork livestock enterprise. You’ll hear more about THAT — and how flowers and piggies live in harmony in my conversation with Janis!

    2017 portrait of the Harris family
    Janis and Mark with their three young children in 2017.
    Harris Family (c) Jenn Eggelston Photography
    Harris Family growing up! 2023 (c) Jenn Eggelston Photography

    Janis and Mark Harris and their three youngsters, Cameron, Nathan and Megan, live and farm just north of St. Thomas, Ontario. They have been going to the local market with their fresh cut flowers since 2010

    Both Janis and Mark grew up on a family farm. Janis’ parents have an organic vegetable, poultry and beef farm and Mark’s parents have a cow/calf beef farm. They hope to instill the farm life and values to their children. Cameron already loves the farming life; he can be found playing with his tractor toys. Nathan loves helping in the fields picking and hauling in the flower harvests. Megan is already picking up tips on arranging flowers.

    Janis and Mark Harris and their family.
    Janis and Mark Harris and their family, 2020.

    The fresh cut flower business is a family affair, everyone picks, packs and sells flowers. Cameron and Nathan have grown up at the market, they look forward to introducing Megan to the ins and outs of selling market bouquets.

    Mark and Janis purchased Janis’ Grandparents former dairy farm where Grandma and Grandpa’s love of flowers is apparent throughout the property. There are many established flower gardens filled with collections of lilies, irises, peonies and lilacs. Currently with 3 acres in flower production, the farm is flourishing. Former corn and soyabean fields have been turned into sunflower fields. Lawn has been turned over for perennial beds. The farm is being revitalized and beautified with every growing season. Every year the flowers we grow have increased in number and variety.

    A Janis Harris-designed bouquet ~ beautiful!
    A Janis Harris-designed bouquet ~ beautiful!

    As I mentioned, along with the flowers, pastured pigs are raised on the farm. Healthy, happy and MUDDY pigs. The pigs have access to outdoors and are cared for in the best way possible, hands on and one on one with each animal. You will often find Mark in the sows’ pens brushing them. Janis designs — literally – with her “Grandma’s garden” of flowers, as well as field production of flowers.  She sells her mixed bouquets at the Horton Farmer’s Market every Saturday from Mother’s Day to Canadian Thanksgiving.

    I’m so happy to share this Encore episode with you today. Let’s jump right in and welcome Janis Harris!

    Find and follow Harris Flower Farm on Facebook and Instagram

    Thanks so much for joining me today! I’ll be hosting an IG Live conversation with Janis today, September 6th, so check it out @slowflowerssociety — and you’ll find all of my Slow Flowers Podcast 10th anniversary Live Chats in the archives there.


    In this week’s news:

    We’re resuming the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast! Our audio storytelling resonates with so many listeners — people like you who love local, seasonal, and sustainable flowers and who are joining in the Slow Flowers Movement as members, supporters, and allies!

    We invite you to share your story of how the Slow Flowers Podcast has been an inspiring companion to you over the years! Post or send us a video tagged #slowflowerspodcast and we may feature you in our Slow Flowers social media feed! Check out our IG stories on @SlowFlowersSociety, which we will run for the next 10 weeks — you could win one of two priceless prizes! We’ll select two winners among eligible entrants:
    1 – win a featured guest spot on a future episode of the Slow Flowers Podcast; and
    2 – win a chance to co-host an upcoming monthly Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up. We’ll post the details on social media for you to follow along and participate.


    Slow Flowers Newsletter for September 2023

    First up, our September issue of the Slow Flowers Newsletter dropped on the first and if you missed it, check out our show notes at slowflowerspodcast.com to find the link. If you’re a Slow Flowers member, there is a final call for submissions for our Slow Flowers Journal fall editorial stories – we’d love to see your flowers and styled shoots, so check it out. The submission deadline is September 15th!


    Shane Connolly, British Sustainable Florist
    Shane Connolly, British Sustainable Florist (left); Shane’s installation for a private event at the V&A Museum in London (right)

    I also want to alert you to the Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up, resuming after our summer break! This Friday, September 8th, we are gathering again in the Zoom Room at 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. Our very special guest is celebrated British Florist Shane Connolly! He has graciously accepted Slow Flowers invitation to lecture and teach in Seattle at the end of the month, so the September 8th virtual meet-up will preview Shane’s inspiring story. We’ll do a little Q&A and you should bring your questions about how to stay sustainable, shift to sustainability in your floral business, and keeping your sourcing in the seasons. Pre-registration is required, so check out our show notes to find the signup link. I’ll see you there!


    Thank you to our Sponsors!

    This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 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.

    Farmgirl Flowers 2022

    Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

    Thank you to Mayesh Wholesale Florist. Family-owned since 1978, Mayesh is the premier wedding and event supplier in the U.S. and we’re thrilled to partner with Mayesh to promote local and domestic flowers, which they source from farms large and small around the U.S. Learn more at mayesh.com.

    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 this year than ever, and you’ll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.

    Thank you to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system–Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details’ all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.


    Slow Flowers Podcast Logo with flowers, recorder and mic

    I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com


    Debra in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden
    Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography

    I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization.  Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!

    Music credits:

    Drone Pine; These Times; Chymique; Turning on the Lights; Gaena
    by Blue Dot Sessions
    http://www.sessions.blue

    Lovely
    by Tryad 
    http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

    In The Field
    audionautix.com

    Episode 624: Brooklyn in Bloom with Suzanna Cameron of Stems Brooklyn Florist

    Wednesday, August 23rd, 2023

    Today we’re taking a pause on the 10-year retrospective to bring you a fun video episode — a shop tour, interview, and floral design demonstration that I filmed on August 4th at Stems Brooklyn.

    Suzanna Cameron of Stems Brooklyn
    Suzanna Cameron of Stems Brooklyn
    stems brooklyn team 2023
    Stems Brooklyn team

    It had been many years since I first visited Stems and spent time with founder Suzanna Cameron, and so much has changed since then. Stems began life 10 years ago in the tiny foyer of a Brooklyn bar called Sycamore. Today, the flower shop is much larger. It’s still in Brooklyn – in the Bushwick neighborhood — and is a spacious, light-filled destination for local flowers and houseplants, where you can shop for gifts, vessels, art and flowers by the stem; and where you can take a group workshop from Suzanna or one of her team members.

    2015 Stems Brooklyn
    August 2015 front window of Stems Brooklyn’s original site

    More about Stems Brooklyn:

    Stems Brooklyn was founded in 2013 by Suzanna Cameron in the front of a tiny, darkly-lit speakeasy bar and has since grown into the bright and beautiful warehouse style studio and retail shop it is today!

    Stems is all about family, community values and working towards a more equitable and sustainable future in floristry. Taking care of Mother Earth is vital to ensuring a better future for tomorrow which is why we go above and beyond to practice the following eco conscious operations; sourcing local florals, recycling/upcycling, excluding floral foams, chemical dyes and bleach and composting our organic floral waste! As a team we are always doing our best to support each other’s needs and take so much pride in what we do by holding ourselves accountable for each and every interaction and design.

    Stems Brooklyn shared photography of some of its recent event design work:

    (c) Christian Oth Studio
    smStems Brooklyn_Lindsay Lazare_LLPF1531 (1)
    (c) Lindsay Lazare
    Stems Brooklyn design Mel Barlow & Co
    (c) Mel Barlow & Co.

    Celebrating 10 years of the Slow Flowers Podcast

    10th Anniversary Slow Flowers Podcast

    For the past four weeks, we’ve featured return guests who originally appeared on the Slow Flowers Podcast during the first four years of this show. These encore episodes are part of the 10 year anniversary celebration of this award-winning Podcast, which launched in 2013.

    The Podcast was broadcast audio only for the first eight years, reaching hundreds of thousands of listeners around the globe, as the first-ever podcast devoted to the floral profession. We incorporated video episodes in 2021, adding a new layer of content for both viewers and listeners.


    Thank you to our Sponsors

    This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 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.

    Farmgirl Flowers 2022

    Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

    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. Learn more at storeitcold.com.    

    Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in Johnstown, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.

    Thank you to Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.


    Slow Flowers Podcast Logo with flowers, recorder and mic

    I love all this floral goodness and I am so happy you joined me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com


    Debra in the Slow Flowers Cutting Garden
    Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography

    I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization.  Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!


    Music credits:

    Capering; Gaena
    by Blue Dot Sessions
    http://www.sessions.blue

    Lovely
    by Tryad 
    http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

    In The Field
    audionautix.com