The floral industry hit the streets on October 11th to Petal It Forward, and Fallbrook was among 459 cities in all 50 states, plus DC and Canada where florists, wholesalers and farmers brightened the days of random passersby. It was all part of the nationwide ‘Petal it Forward’ program, in partnership with the Society of American Florists (SAF). This program is in response to SAF’s 2015 omnibus research which showed that while 80 percent of people said flowers make them happy, even more, 88 percent said that giving flowers makes them happy.
Petal It Forward teams from 459 cities not only spread happiness to lucky people who received the flowers, but armed the recipients with the tools they needed to Petal It Forward and spread happiness to others: An extra flower bouquet to share with the person of their choice. We joined in on the fun and headed to the local cafe where we spread some happiness too!
This was a win-win for all the happiness ambassadors but, more importantly, it was a win for creating positive buzz around flowers in the communities that were reached.
Another Society of American Florists’ (SAF) Outstanding Varieties award winner: Eucalyptus Tetragona. This fabulous foliage was dubbed Best in Class - Decorative Foliage during the 132nd Annual Convention in Maui, Hawaii. The entry was among the 184 different varieties from 20 farms. Judges scored each entry based on color and commercial appeal, stem and foliage, bloom form and size, and overall presentation. The judging panel included three retailers, three farmers and three wholesalers.
Here's a few fabulous ways we’ve seen Tetragona used in designs.
The Society of American Florists’ (SAF) Outstanding Varieties Competition has always been a great way for us to help increase visibility and demand for the flowers and foliage we grow, especially for the ‘newer’ varieties. During this year’s annual SAF convention in Maui, wholesalers, florists, designers and farmers awarded Serrruia ‘Best in Class’ in the Other Cut Flower category, and we were Thrilled!
Floral Management Magazine’s November issue states, “Attendees and judges alike had one thing – weddings- on the brain when discussing the prize-winning protea. “I love this one for its texture, white and pale pink color and vase life,” which can extend up to four weeks, said James McArdle of McArdles’s Florist and Garden Center in Greenwich, Connecticut. “I see it being a great filler in a low and lush arrangement.” Mitchell said ‘Blushing’ would be the ideal flower to show a bride who wants to blend an “edgy and cool” aesthetic with soft, feminine colors. The unique beauty also delivers in cost per stem, said Chivery, noting “the stems were laden with flowers.” Serruria, one of the most delicate flowers in the Proteaceae family, was technically extinct in the wild for almost a century until an accidental fire germinated seeds in South Africa’s Franschoek Mountains, according to Roy. “Conservation efforts in the 1960s and 70s saved it,” she said.
To learn more about Serruria and our first harvest – Click here:
The floral industry hit the streets on October 19th to Petal It Forward, and Fallbrook was among 225 U.S. cities in 50 states where florists, wholesalers and farmers brightened the days of random passersby. It was all part of the nationwide ‘Petal it Forward’ program, in partnership with the Society of American Florists (SAF) of which Resendiz Brothers is a member. ‘This program is in response to SAF’s 2015 omnibus research which showed that while 80 percent of people said flowers make them happy, even more, 88 percent said that giving flowers makes them happy.
Each Petal It Forward team not only spread happiness to lucky people who received the flowers, but armed the recipients with the tools they needed to Petal It Forward and spread happiness to others: An extra flower bouquet to share with a loved one, coworker or even a stranger.
Spreading the positive message about flowers, through the unique strategy behind the “keep one, give one” giveaway, as well as generating news coverage and social media buzz, is the goal of SAF’s Petal It Forward campaign. SAF’s happiness ambassadors encouraged bouquet recipients to spread the happiness by gifting their extra bouquet and sharing their experiences on social media with the hashtag #petalitforward.
This was a win-win for all the happiness ambassadors but, more importunately, it was a win for creating positive buzz around flowers in the communities that were reached.
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.
