Spring on the Farm

Spring is in full swing here on the farm thanks to some incredible floral displays taking center stage in the hills of Rainbow. The season's colorful leucadendron along with bright leucospermum, gorgeous grevillea flowers, and our favorite waxflowers create a bountiful harvest. We're especially excited to welcome back spring favorites like isopogon, waratahs, boronia in an assortment of colors, verticordia plumosa, and eriostemon with its distinctive buds of apple-blossom pink. Best of all? When these gorgeous flowers are mixed into a bouquet or tucked into a arrangement, they are simply ‘Breathtaking’ and ready for gifting and decorating!

Inspirational News: Field To Vase Dinner Tour | Sun Valley Floral Farms | Arcata, California

If you don't know what the Field To Vase Dinner Tour is please check out the link! I'm still going to give a little info here, but there's more on their site and it's very much worth checking out. Field To Vase, in short, is a series of private, intimate, gatherings that place seasonal, local and sustainable American Grown flowers at the center of the table. But it's also so much more than that. It's about connecting people with the areas they live in, and even giving a little education on our countries floral economy. Buy local is a very real thing for Humboldt County, and we're blessed with a vast community of people who are passionate about preserving and sustaining local businesses. Read the rest of this blog at JM Photography.

Instagram: Photos We Dig

10 Inspirational photos from oldewildflowers. David lives on Olde Wildflowers farm, 30 acres of botanic parklands in Oakdale NSW. This property houses one of the largest private collections of native plants in Australia. They grow natives for the flower markets and also offer an accommodation experience on the property for guests to explore the gardens and discover rare and unique Australian Natives.

On the Farm | Office: Meet Paulette

My name is Paulette Sierra, Sales & Office Assistant at Resendiz Brothers. I am currently pursuing my Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, Marketing. I am of Mexican and Colombian descent and am fluent in Spanish. I was born and raised in Southern California. I lived in Colombia during my early childhood, and “The Land of Eternal Spring” holds a dear place in my heart. I have a “mild” obsession with Beyoncé, so much so that my dog’s name is Yoncé! I love to take my adorable dog hiking and see all of the beautiful California views.

My favorite place to hike is Torrey Pines in San Diego. My interest in flowers was peaked the summer of 2015 when I visited family in Medellin, Colombia and attended their annual Flower Festival. I was taken aback walking into the Resendiz Brothers’ Farm, I got to see so many flowers that I had never seen before and now I get the chance to share them with all of you! I look forward to working with all the customers of Resendiz Brothers.

The Thrill of Lobbying: Experiencing Democracy in Action

This month the Society of American Florists (SAF) held its 36th annual Congressional Action two-day event in Washington D.C. A 90 member delegation gathered to lobby and advocate on behalf of the needs of the floral industry. On the first day, attendees learned about the issues and how to use their influence as constituents while preparing for day two, when they headed to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and their staffs to advocate for the industry.

The event was held at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City located just minutes from downtown Washington. Upon arrival attendees were greeted with flowers and a welcome card which read: You are about to experience the thrill of democracy in action! Get ready for the thrill of grassroots action in Washington. Over the next two days we’re going to hear from fascinating political insiders, talk about critical industry concerns, and learn how to influence decision makers in Congress. Thank you for taking the time to represent your business and make a difference for the industry. When we speak as one, our voice will be heard across Capitol Hill!

There’s no doubt ‘Lobbying’ is definitely a thrilling experience, especially if it’s your first time on the Hill. This experience was made much easier by the experts that SAF brought in to help attendees learn about the two issues they would be discussing in meetings with their congressional offices: immigration reform and the STARS Act. Immigration reform is an issue the floral industry is very familiar with and has been advocating for years. However, SAF recognized that corrections to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were needed to reflect the realities of today’s workforce, introducing the STARS Act which would define “seasonal employee” as a worker who is employed on a seasonal basis for six months or less during a calendar year, consistent with Department of Treasury regulations. The act also would simplify the methods for seasonal employers to determine business size and ultimately whether the business and seasonal employees are subject to required offers of coverage under the ACA’s employer mandate.

As far as the political insiders, their lobbying tips were all about persuasion and selling a point of view. Here are a few highlights: Former lobbyist Kevin Burke, president and CEO of the Airports Council International North America, reminded attendees that Lawmakers care mostly about how the legislation affects voters in their district. Lobbyist Lynne Jacquez, CJ Lake LLC, provided some advice on how to talk about immigration reform with those who oppose it. And Stephanie Vance, of Advocacy Associates, gave some hard and fast best practices for approaching members of Congress and their staff.

In the Field: Eriostemon

Eriostemon or also called Philotheca Myoporoides ‘Flower Girl’ or Long-leaf Waxflower is a beautiful Australian Native plant. This hardy evergreen shrub blooms from March through May producing beautiful white star-shaped flowers which emerge from distinctive buds of apple-blossom pink. And being from the Rutaceae family, like lemons or boronias, Eriostemon foliage has glands that release a sweet citrusy scent when touched - making it a particularly appealing cut flower.

What to look for: 

• Buy when flowers are just opening and buds are light pink. 
• Avoid bunches with yellow leaves.

Flower Care:

1.  Keep cool at all times.
2. Strip leaves from the bottom half of each stem and clean thoroughly. 
3. Recut at least ¼” off the stems and place in water immediately. 
4. Do not bash or split stems. 
5. Always use a preservative as this will help buds to open. 
6. Replace vase water with fresh preservative every 2 to 3 days. 
7. Very sensitive to ethylene.

Whether enjoyed alone or mixed with other flowers and foliage, Eriostemon adds a touch of spring to any home or office!