Come holiday season, we’re busy elves here on the farm. While brainstorming ideas for our holiday bouquets and wreaths, we decided to break out the clippers and wire, and get hands-on. Here’s what an afternoon of arts and crafts (and plenty of laughs) looked like at our recent Cornucopia workshop.
Aren’t fall wreaths the best? We sure think so, which is why we recently hosted the 2nd annual wreath making workshop for California Women for Agriculture – San Diego Chapter (CWA). This event helps CWA raise funds for the organization and lets members create something special for their home. With a mixture of proteas in an array of colors and shapes to leucadendron and colorful fall foliage and fruit, wreaths were made by the dozens and good times were had by all.
It’s always a treat to attend ‘Farm to Fork – Field to Vase' events, but this week, in a vineyard right on the 50-yard line between Napa and Sonoma, CA, the human spirit came together in a very unique and special way. Over 500 people gathered in the Napa-Sonoma Wine Country community to honor and support people affected by what was the largest wild fire in the history of California. Farmers, chefs, floral designers, and tourism officials, were in attendance and most importantly, the first responders, the fire fighters, police force, EMTs, even dispatchers who received 1000’s of phone calls for help amidst the October blazes.
Visit California, Outstanding in the Field and destination partners Visit Napa Valley, Sonoma County Tourism, and Visit Mendocino County sponsored what was called ‘The Grateful Table’. In many ways this event marked the beginning of the recovery in the wine country with 100 percent of the proceeds going towards fire recovery efforts.
It was the perfect fall day, blue skies and a vineyard shimmering in vibrant autumn hues. The flowers that garnished the table ‘fit for a King’ were simply stunning. We're grateful to the California farms that donated all the flowers, Syndicate Sales Inc. for the vases, Jessup for providing the transportation and Torchio Nursery who kindly received the boxes. And, a huge thank you to the lead floral design team Venn Floral and the amazing designers who volunteered their time to help make sure the flowers at the center of the table are as beautiful as our treasured wine country! It was a fabulous way to start the Thanksgiving week and let the world know that the Napa-Sonoma communities spirit is uncrushable.
Absolutely Love Protea? If so, then you need to check out the new International Protea Association (IPA) Facebook Page and Instagram. In September I traveled to South Africa to attend the IPA Conference and Pre-Conference Tour. During my visit I had the opportunity to tour several protea farms and meet some amazing farmers from across the globe. Feeling extremely inspired by my new friends and hating the idea that it would be at least two years before we’d meet again, I wanted to find a way to stay in touch. After reaching out to the IPA members in attendance, creating an International Protea Association Facebook Page and Instagram was the solution. It’s our hope that these platforms would provide us all a way to stay connected between conferences.
Finally, after two months, the Facebook Page and Instagram are up and running... and we couldn't be more excited.
Since 1984, the IPA has served as a link in the Value Chain of global commercial protea production. It offers researchers, propagators, farmers, marketers, breeders and educators an open forum of communication and friendship to promote and expand the industry for the benefit of all.
From protea farms to nurseries, marketers, florists and designers... we invite you into the world of protea from around the globe and ask that you like us, follow us and join in on the conversation.
