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Summer of 2014 Part I

I know it's been a long, long while since a sat down and blogged.  I almost forgot how to get into my blog account.  Summer of 2014, full of ups and downs, so I am grateful that we are all healthy and happy once again.  So without further wait I give you Part I Summer of 2014 in pictures

Cut Flower Workshop Wrap Up

What a great day with awesome attendees and weather.  A great deal time goes into planning the details of workshop and I'm so glad that Erika was here to help.

OK, so I have to show off the Cafe au Lait dahlias

We had a garden tour....

 Then class instruction

Our students are very talented

By Norma

By Peggy

By Janet

By Beth

Deer Oh, My!

Summer is happening right now.  Weather has been so nice, dry and some sunny, mostly overcast but I'll take it.  Of course, with warm weather comes bugs, disease and animals.

What would have been lilies are just now stems

On the bright side things are really coming along great.  Getting ready for a wedding that will include all of these flowers....

Dusty Miller and Cerenthe

Blue Bachelor's Buttons

Sun Flowers

Lots more beauties blooming...

Cafe Au Lait dahlias

Sweet Peas, poppies, sunflowers

Locally Grown Flowers

Gearing up for Mother's Day

Last week's heat wave has provided us with a bounty of beautiful flowers.  A nail bitter at times with the heat in the greenhouse reaching 100+ degrees.  Just a reminder of the services we provide:  full service floral design, custom floral arrangements with delivery, Business Floral Design Service for work spaces, weddings, dinner parties, birthdays and anywhere only the freshest, local flowers can provide that special touch.

We use only Locally Grown Flowers in our designs and grow our own flowers with organic practices to provide quality and freshness.

We belong to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers and a contributor to Field to Vase

We are a partner with Slow Flowers and have taken a pledge only to use American Grown Flowers

You might ask why is it important to use American Flowers?  If you are interested in making a difference then I would recommend reading Flower Confidential and 50 Mile Bouquet.  I have a friend that worked in the floral business for many years and her and fellow workers came down with strange symptoms, dibiliating diseases to find out over years they had been exposed to very harmful chemicals used on imported flowers. People don't realize that imported flowers are treated with chemicals before being shipped thousands of miles to the consumer. Please ask your florist where the flowers have came from before your buy!  Eye Opener.

 

Mother's Day Flowers

Flower Farming Oregon Coast

Anemones are really going to town!  

Pictures from first photoshoot more to come......

Magnolia in all its glory

Flower Farmers

Another AWESOME weekend spent with flower farmers from Oregon, Washington and a couple from back East from Illinois and Maryland.  We enjoyed a tour of J. Foss Flower Farm.  Owner, flower farmer Janet Foss and she is a one woman show.  Janet has 5 or so high tunnels and 5 acres of cut woodies and flowers it was truly amazing to see the variety of stuff she had.  A huge selection of clematis and she makes these gorgeous wreaths from her pussy willow she grows several variety on the farm.  I know there was a flower farmer that had to stay home on the farm and missed this tour so here you go a few pictures.............

Janet Foss with freshly picked gorgeous tulips

 Janet's very cut "Honor System," flower stand

 Amaryllis she had several varieties

 Her special Callas she grows

 We visited another farm owned by Gonzalo his small walk-in cooler was Super Cool

One of several hoop houses this one was full of Bleeding Heart starts

Purple Bleeding Heart, hmmm.....would like to have

Field of thousands of Peonies, daylilies, iris, tulips and several other plants very impressive 

Local Flowers

Wow, what a weekend I got to meet some of the flower farmers I look up to and it was amazing.  I attended a workshop for Flower Farmers put on by the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market in Hillsboro at Peterkort Roses.

I got the book  The 50 Mile Bouquet from a friend back when it first came out and soaked up every bit of it. Go here for in depth information about the MOVEMENT called Slow Flowers and I highly recommend reading the book.

Well, this weekend I got to meet several Flower Farmers that I have been following on social media for years and several that are showcased in the above book. Read on..........................

First of course, Bare Mtn. Farms in Shedd, OR., owned by Tony and Denise Gaetz, very nice people, willing to share with you, just fun to be with and talk the dirt (of course the actual soil type).  Joan Ewer Thorndike, Le Mera Gardens very nice, knowledgeable and willing to share, I think we have the same taste in flowers.  Diane Szukovathy from Jello Mold Farm very spunky I wish I had her energy she went to Washington D.C. recently check this out http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/27/3963608/ailing-flower-growers-air-complaints.html. Janet Foss of J Foss Garden Flowers a wealth of information 30+ years in the flower biz.  Then new comers Elizabeth at Rose Hill Flower Farm and Erin at Rain Drop Farms.  Of course, our hosts Sandra Peterkort Laubethal and Norman Peterkort from Peterkort Roses.

Next week will be in Chehlis at Janet Foss's farm and I know I will meet up with more awesome flower people.

This is what I've been up to adding beneficials to hoop houses some come by mail and some are living in your water timer

Beautiful Anemones have started to put on a show

Bouquets delivered twice a week to the Astoria Co op and Flower Share Program which is either a weekly flower bouquet or monthly delivered straight to you.  It is never too late to sign-up for the share program go to Erika's Fresh Flowers Share Program

Oregon Coast Snow Day

It's hard to believe last week we had a wildfire going South of us.  Yesterday it snowed about 1 1/2" here, oh now I look out my window and see the flakes that were promised to us today start to fall.  This morning started out sunny and then became overcast around 11:30 a.m., waiting and waiting for this snow they said was coming.  Well, it's finally here.  I have been tuned into the FB and IG keeping up with other flower farmers around the area and their updates.  The main thing everyone is worried about, keeping the snow off the hoop houses.  Corvallis is getting hit hard with snow Mother Nature needs to GIVE THEM A BRAKE

This was yesterday I was trying out my new camera

 

Some pictures I took this morning

My husband just called to tell me he was headed home from work and it just started to snow.  Everyone stay warm and safe it will all be melted by Sunday.

Valentine's Day Flowers

Bouquets will be available at the Astoria Co-op starting February 4th through Valentine's Day.

Please see my website for more information on personalized bouquets and arrangements

Erika's Fresh Flowers