Presenting

16 July | 2022 Feature Field to Vase U.S. fl ower farmers put a lot of love, time and hard work into growing beautiful cut fl owers for fl orists to design with, and relationships between farmers and fl oral designers is key to helping both segments fl ourish. Growers decide what to produce, incorporating their knowledge of local growing conditions and experimenting with new cut fl ower types and varieties. Florists know what fl owers are in demand and work best for specifi c designs and occasions. If growers know what fl orists want, need and will buy, there is a high possibility they will start growing those items; therefore, it is important for growers and retail fl orists to forge strong relationships and work together to support each other. "What's not to love about American-grown fl owers?" asks Jennifer Reed, owner of Jennifer Designs in Mantua Township, N.J. "Not only are 'locally' sourced fl owers beautiful and long lasting but buying them also supports local communities and economies—and so much more. I also love getting to know the farmers and their families and why they are passionate about fl ower farming." If you regularly stock cut fl owers that are domestically or "locally" grown, be sure to market that fact to your current customers and other consumers; doing so can lead to increased sales, including more frequent purchases, and new customers. Many consumers today care about sustainability and the origin of the products they buy, so educate your community about where your fl owers come from and your support of "local" farmers. "As a grower, I am supporting my local economy and ecology," shares Marly Surena-Llorens, owner of Fenimore & Rutland, a micro fl ower farm that sells both wholesale and retail and also off ers design services in Allentown, Pa. "My customers are impressed when they learn that locally grown fl owers last longer than fl owers that have to be shipped long distances. And, for me, as a designer, I appreciate the creative challenge that using only local fl owers and foliage presents." Kitayama Brothers/KB Farms, a renowned cut- fl ower-growing operation and fl ower broker based in Watsonville, Calif., has more than 1 million square feet of greenhouse space and has been in business for 74 years. In addition to selling the fl owers it grows, the company also sources around 80 other types of fl owers, herbs, fi llers, foliages and branches from smaller local growers in the Santa Cruz area. "When you buy from KB Farms, you are supporting not only our family business but also many other small family businesses across the region," notes Robert Kitayama, president. "We source fl owers that we don't grow from boutique growers in our area; they produce specialty types of varieties of fl owers, greens and branches that would otherwise not make it to market. We have them to thank for the excellent product diversity we have available. Without a focus on buying American-grown products, growers—small and large— would likely fi nd themselves closing their doors, as so many growers already have."

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