Meet the Farmers
A warm thank you to Debra Prinzing and David Perry for contributing writing and photography for this page. For a flower lover's treat, visit their blog www.afreshbouquet.com.
Alaska Hardy Peony
Owners: Rita Jo and Leroy Schoultz and their son Shannon Schoultz
Web site: www.alaskahardy.com
Size of farm: 26 acres, with approximately 5 acres of flower fields
Main crops: 8,000 peony plants with 16 excellent varieties of white, coral, pink and red blooms. "Our 'Red Charm' peony is almost chocolate- colored," Rita Jo says.
Web site: www.alaskahardy.com
Size of farm: 26 acres, with approximately 5 acres of flower fields
Main crops: 8,000 peony plants with 16 excellent varieties of white, coral, pink and red blooms. "Our 'Red Charm' peony is almost chocolate- colored," Rita Jo says.
Growing Practices: Conventional
History: The Schoultz family has deep horticultural roots on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, about 8.5 miles from the community of Homer. Rita Jo and Leroy and their son Shannon own Fritz Creek Gardens, a commercial greenhouse that operates from April 15 to August 15 each year. With more than 500 varieties of "Alaska hardy" trees, shrubs and roses, and 16 unique display gardens, the nursery is a destination for busloads of visitors each summer.
In 2006, Rita Jo was inspired to plant peonies as a new Alaska-friendly crop. Her initial excitement felt after planting her first 1,000 peonies has multiplied in the ensuing years, as she added thousands more plants."I was on the advisory council for the local Cooperative Extension Service and through that work I learned about a graduate student at the University of Fairbanks who wrote his thesis on growing peonies as a new market for Alaska farmers. Nobody had ever thought about it before, but the professor encouraged me to do something here," she says.
This is a communal effort to develop and supply market demand, with about 40 local farms in Alaska now raising peonies for the cut flower trade. "The moose won't eat our peonies," Rita Jo says. "I'm not sure yet about the rabbits, though."
Charles Little & Co.
Owners: Charles and Bethany Little
Contact information: charleslittle@comcast.net
Size of farm: 40 acres in Eugene, Oregon
Main crops: Over 250 varieties of fresh flowers, fillers, wildflowers and herbs, as well as ornamental grains and grasses, seasonal berries, pods and branches.
Growing practices: Charles and Bethany demonstrate a smart approach to combining conventional and organic methods, adhering to permaculture or sustainable land-use design. Perhaps 70% of the acreage is populated by naturalized woody shrubs, trees and herbaceous perennials that "require little care, little fertilizer or weeding, and are self-sustaining," Charles explains. The Littles use a spader rather than a plow and cover crop extensively to retain soil health.
History: This established Oregon flower farm began in 1986 when Charles Little raised everlasting, or dried flowers for the floral trade. Ever since, he and Bethany have celebrated the joy of flower farming in every season. "I was one of those young men who wanted to create a hippy commune and be a farmer," Charles jokes. "I've always wanted to live on the land and make my living there."
Today, the flowers harvested from Charles Little & Co.'s fields satisfy demand for nearly every color, form and type of flower used in floral, wedding and event design. There's always an eye-popping assortment of specialty cut-flower ingredients to choose from, including woody shrubs and trees, evergreen wreaths, and yes, a small percentage of dried flowers.
On the west coast, wholesale buyers snap up Charles Little & Co.'s local, field-grown flowers at the Los Angeles Flower Market and the Portland Flower Market. Now Seattle area designers and florists can buy from these prolific and passionate growers. Find their products at Oregon Coastal Flowers' booth.
In the summer, customers are invited to shop at Charles and Bethany's U-Cut flower fields in Eugene, Oregon, which operate as Sparhawk Farms, www.sparhawkfarms.com.
Dan's Dahlias
Owners: Dan Pearson
Contact information: www.dansdahlias.com
Size of farm: 4 acres
Main crops: Dan grows over 600 different varieties of dahlias for cut flowers and exhibition. In the fall, he also sells mixed bouquets with dahlias, sunflowers, asters, zinnias, statice and seasonal greens.
Growing Practices: Dan's Dahlias are sustainably grown without the aid of chemicals or pesticides. Located in the heart of dairy farm country, this flower farm has easy access to organic fertilizer. Dahlias are relatively pest-free and Dan says he has no need to spray for insects or disease, thanks in part to his farm's distance from other agricultural crops.
History: Dan Pearson has the same job today as he did at age 10 when he first sold $1 bunches of dahlias to customers who drove by the family dairy farm in Oakville, Washington. As a young boy, he demonstrated his affection for the flowers that his father Clarence planted along the edges of the vegetable garden by memorizing the names of more than 30 varieties.
By 1984, when he was 11 years old, his parents helped him establish a presence (and a loyal following) at the Olympia Farmer's Market "To help with the flower sales, my mother Colleen hand-painted a sign that simply read 'Dan's Dahlias,'" he recalls. Dan still sells tubers and cut flowers at the market.
By the time he was ready for college, Dan financed his education with the proceeds of his boyhood dahlia sales. He studied landscape architecture and later worked as a licensed landscape architect while also building Dan's Dahlias.
With his wife Mieke, Dan has built the farm into an international source for dahlia tubers. He is a popular vendor at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show and San Francisco Flower & Garden Show each year and continues to sell fresh cut bouquets at the Olympia Farmers market in the fall. Twenty-five years of experience in selecting and growing dahlias have helped Dan raise gorgeous flowers that are long-lasting, have strong stems and upright heads.
Everyday Flowers
Owners: Vivian Larson
Contact information: everydayflowers@live.com
Size of farm: 3 acres
Main crops: Dahlias, Kordes garden roses, Asiatic and Oriental lilies, trumpet lilies, mixed perennials and annuals.
Growing Practices: Everyday Flowers uses sustainable growing practices. No herbicides are used on the farm and in the rare instance when insecticides are used, they are OMRI-approved (Organic Materials Review Institute). "I have a good beneficial insect population, and I grow cover crops to suppress weeds and add more organic matter back in the soil," Vivian explains. "I also have 'Sassy' my horse who does her share by producing great compost."
History: Based in Skagit County, Vivian is the daughter of farmers who taught her those intangible skills of building good soil and caring for the land. "I always had a patch of earth where I grew flowers as a child", she recalls. When Vivian's own children were small, in 1990, she asked her husband to prepare a large area of ground. She began growing flowers and selling her bouquets at a nearby farmstand. "People would wait there to get my flowers or I'd have standing orders," Vivian recalls. "Good flowers sell themselves-I've never had to advertise."
Experience has taught Vivian to know which varieties are successful as cut ingredients, which colors are reliable over time and which flowers produce the longest stems. "I've always known there were certain types of flowers that lasted better than others, especially if cut at the right time, and treated properly post-harvest," she explains. "The fact is, I have a choice of what to grow and I choose to grow plants that are going to be happy at my farm and hold well in the vase." For example, Vivian grows larger quantities of white, pink and yellow lilies because they are more popular with buyers. Similarly, the Karma dahlias have been bred for 18-20 inch-long stems and longer vase life, so she focuses on those. And Vivian has a special affection for Kordes roses, of which she grows 15 varieties -- favorites of brides.
Working frequently with wedding designers, Vivian has a good idea of what wedding designers and their clients are looking for and how they use each flower. While she has in the past done some of her own design work, the bottom line is that Vivian is first of all a flower farmer. "Honestly, I just enjoy growing more than anything else!"
Glacier Peonies
Owners: Shelley Rainwater and Chris Graupe
Contact information: www.glacierpeonies.com
Size of farm: 20 acres
Main crops: Peonies
Growing Practices: "We work to promote a sound, ecological environment for all that live here," Shelley explains. "That includes the microbes and earthworms, as well as the pair of Sand Hill Cranes that have lived and nested here for over fifteen years." To enhance their soil, Shelley and Chris use locally-made fish compost rather than commercial fertilizers. "We also make use of mycorrhizae to enhance plant health and availability of nutrients," she says.
History: Shelley has an eclectic background that includes working as a mate on Alaska's tugboat circuit and managing a commercial greenhouse's tree inventory. She owns a 20-acre farm in Homer, Alaska, located on the tip of the Kenai Peninsula. When she first acquired the land in 1993, Shelley says, "All I knew is that I wanted outrageous flowers everywhere."
In 2009, the dream to grow acres of her own blooms became a reality when Shelley and her partner Chris Graupe planted 3,500 peonies. As it takes a few years for peony plants to produce enough blooms for production, 2011 will be Glacier Peonies' first flower-selling season.
What makes these peonies so incredibly special? In addition to their mindful growing practices, Glacier, like other Alaska peony growers, enjoys a unique position in the flower world. Says Shelley: "Due to our Northern latitude and cooler temperatures, our peonies bloom at a time of year when these flowers have previously been unavailable to the cut flower market - late June through September."
Shelley is enthusiastic about joining the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market. She sees it as a way to connect her beautiful environment with appreciative customers. "After all, I'm growing flowers, but it's still farming."
Gold Peak Flowers
Owner: John Yates
Contact: john@goldpeakflowers.com
Size of farm: 6 acres
Main crops: Perennial and woody ornamentals, vines, ornamental berries, willows, crab apples. Special crops include 2,500 peonies, hundreds of hydrangea, lilacs and snowball viburnums.
Growing Practices: A combination of sustainable and conventional practices are used at Gold Peak Flowers. "I try to focus on plants that will naturally grow strong and healthy here on the Oregon coast." The farm has a drip irrigation system on the woody ornamental shrubs to conserve and efficiently control water usage. Manure, straw and wood chip-based compost is acquired from local dairy farmers to feed the crops and improve the soil.
History: Based in Tillamook, Ore., on the bank of the Trask River where you can see the salmon running each summer, Gold Peak Flowers is the personal endeavor of John Yates. John says he was motivated to start his farm "for the sole purpose of happiness and fulfillment."
The work of a flower farmer "is an amazing feat," he continues. "It unites labor with nature, builds character and calms the soul. I find that even on the worst of days, some sweat and hard work cleanses all that is distracting and gives me the opportunity to reflect on how wonderful life really is."
All of the flowers harvested from Gold Peak Flowers will be available through the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, although John also supplies bouquets to friends and businesses in the local Tillamook community, "and for my own kitchen table," he adds.
John is enthusiastic about his role as a founding member of Seattle Wholesale Growers Market. "I think that each of us involved has found something within ourselves we had no idea existed," he says.
Greenwood Wholesale Floral
Owner: Melissa Feveyear
Contact:www.greenwoodwholesalefloral.com,
Business Practices: Through Terra Bella Flowers and Greenwood Wholesale Floral, Melissa's mission is to have the journey of the flower remain untainted and beautiful, from the seed to the vase. Whenever possible, she sources locally and organically-grown flowers, or ingredients that otherwise comply with strict growing standards that minimize the use of pesticides, protect their workers, and carefully monitor any run-off that could affect the community.
History: Floral designer, flower-grower and now vendor at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, Melissa Feveyear appreciates the traditional definition of a florist: "The word used to be a person who grew and sold their own flowers," she explains. By choosing and gathering botanical ingredients with that old-fashioned notion, the Seattle florist considers a flower from a grower's point of view. She asks "Where was it grown?" "How was it cultivated?" and "When does it reach peak bloom?"
Most of Melissa's design work with clients is centered at Terra Bella Organic Floral & Botanical Design, her 1,000-square-foot shop in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood. "The business model for Terra Bella Flowers is based on being able to source local and sustainable floral ingredients," Melissa explains. Frustration trying to source a regular supply of local and sustainable flowers has led her to help found the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, developing relationships with local flower farmers and introducing her own design customers to the idea of uncommon, fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. Many of Melissa's regular clients have chemical sensitivities, so she is particularly careful about using sustainably-grown flowers, foliage and other botanicals.
Acting as a distributor, Greenwood Wholesale Floral represents a variety of regional growers who otherwise would not be able to sell crops on a regular basis at SWGMC. "The goal is to bring more floral selection and diversity for buyers," Melissa says. She has also recently begun growing some of her own woody and perennial flowers.
"Working with the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market gives me an opportunity to put on my own 'farmer hat.' People have forgotten where flowers really come from. I want to see our farmland being preserved and used to create beauty for the customer."
J. Foss Garden Flowers
Owners: Janet Foss
Contact information: www.jfossgardenflowers.com
Size of farm: 5 acres of flowers on a 20-acre farm
Main crops: More than 200 varieties of flowers and floral ingredients, including Astrantia, Calla Lily, Campanula, heirloom Chrysanthemum, Cosmos, Dahlia, Delphinium, Garden Roses, Gentiana, Grasses, Hypericum, Lady's Mantle, Ninebark, Ornamental Wheat, Pussy willow, Saponaria, Scabiosa, Sunflowers, Sweet Peas and Zinnias.
Growing Practices: A hands-on farm, Janet says she tries to use organic practices whenever possible. "Our growing practices involve using lots of cow manure from the local dairies and making compost tea from beneficial microorganisms. We rotate our crops and monitor for any pest or disease problems so we can tackle them early with sustainable practices. We want to be able to safely harvest and sell our products everyday of the week without the worry of harmful chemicals. We also select plants that are as disease and pest resistant as possible."
History: Janet Foss has a 30-year history as a Washington flower farmer, but her passion began when she was 10 years old. "I remember asking for my own flower bed," Janet recalls. "My grandmother was a cut flower grower and florist - it's a big thing in our family."
As an adult, Janet and her husband Jim first raised unusual garden flowers on a 20-acre farm in Everett; since 2003, they have farmed in Onalaska, alongside the Newaukum River.
Her natural ability to grow things has paid off. Janet is known in flower farming circles as an expert in heirloom chrysanthemums. For several years, she popularized vintage varieties of specialty mums through a mail-order venture. After selling that business to another grower, Janet now focuses exclusively on raising uncommon cut flowers. It doesn't mean she's forgotten those gorgeous chrysanthemums, though. "I kept many to grow for cutting and I'll have them at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market in the fall," she promises.
"Something different" is her guiding principle when it comes to choosing which crops to grow. "We specialize in high-quality flowers that are different and unusual from the standard garden flowers normally available." That includes 3,000 dahlias and rare pussy willows.
Janet regularly sells bouquets at the Longview Farmer's Market and the Chehalis Farmer's Market. But one of her most popular outlets is the self-service roadside stand on Hwy 508, just beyond her own garden gate.
Jello Mold Farm
Owners: Dennis Westphall and Diane Szukovathy
Contact information: www.jellomoldfarm.com
Size of farm: 7 acres
Main crops: More than 150 varieties of specialty perennials, ornamental grasses, fruiting vines and branches, peonies, dahlias, garden roses and woody ornamentals.
Growing Practices: Jello Mold Farm is certified Salmon Safe and the farm embodies ecological stewardship. "Sustainably grown" at Jello Mold Farm means using only organic-certified fertilizers and pest controls, wise water use and erosion control, a vibrant composting program that makes smart use of available resources, recycling of used farm materials and selling local!
History: Based in Mt. Vernon, Washington, Jello Mold Farm takes its name from a building in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood that Diane once covered with 400 copper-hued Jello molds of all shapes and styles. When the couple met at the Ballard U-Frame-It in 1995, she owned Jello Mold Landscape and he was a founder and director of Tickle Tune Typhoon, a much loved and nationally renowned children's music company.
After years of estate gardening in and around Seattle, the couple yearned to put their creative energy into a venture that combined their sustainable values with an obsession for plants. Their hearts, souls and the intense but satisfying labor of 30-hour days (okay, maybe 16) are poured into the flower farm. Jello Mold Farm began selling cut flowers in 2008 and by 2009, the farm was making regular deliveries to Seattle florists and retail customers.
Jello Mold sells straight bunches and seasonal mixed bouquets to floral designers and retail outlets in Seattle. Education is threaded through everything Diane and Dennis do as farmers. "When consumers value the health benefits (to themselves and to the planet) of bringing home a sustainably-grown bouquet of flowers, demand will grow," she explains.
Diane is the Northwest Regional Director for the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers and the president of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market Cooperative. She works closely with other flower farmers in the region with the belief that by combining their efforts through a centralized marketplace, local farms will attract more buyers and, in turn, be able to expand the varieties and quantities of flowers they grow. Plus, she says, "Coopetition is fun!"
North Fork Gardens
Owners: Gail and Sam Parlatore
Contact information: www.nfgardens.com
Size of farm: 6.5 acres
Main crops: Kordes roses, lisianthus, dianthus, ornamental oregano, sweet peas, heirloom perennials, woody ornamentals, trellis cantaloupes and trellis tomatoes.
Today, Gail and Anselm "Sam" operate North Fork Gardens in Deming, Washington (about 17 miles east of Bellingham). This beneficent flower-farming location is due in large part to the unique microclimate, Gail explains. "We enjoy 80 to 90 degrees in the summer but we don't have any horrible winds because we're sheltered by Mt. Sumas." The Nooksack River North Fork outflow valley provides the farm's loam-rich soil, which Gail describes as "fabulous" for growing flowers and other crops.
North Fork Gardens originally began as a local vegetable, flower, fruit and herb farm and farm stand in 2005. The farm has grown and sold food through Bellingham's Sustainable Connections and has sold flowers and edibles at the Bellingham Farmer's Market and other outdoor markets.
Gail's excitement is contagious as she describes some of the uncommon flowers she plans to offer this season. "I have about 4,000 plants going in," she says. These include 800 Dianthus 'Green Ball' - a long-stemmed flower "with a three-inch-ball-sized flower in that fabulous green color." Then there's 1,800 of the Lisianthus "ABC series," in white, yellow, green, dusty pink and purple-blue, as well as two beautiful ornamental oregano varieties - 'Kent Beauty' and 'Amethyst Falls.'
Orchidaceae Inc.
Owners: Joan Bateman and Mark Srull
Sales Representative at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market: Rusty Blackwood
Contact information: www.orchidaceae.com
Size of farm: 10,000-square-feet under cover on a 14-acre farm
Main crops: Unique, specialty potted orchids, including Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilums, Vandas, Oncidiums and Cattleyas.
Growing Practices: Orchids are grown in an inert medium of sphagnum moss and sterilized fir bark. "Instead of pesticides, we use Safer Soap or horticultural oil," Mark says. "We have a greenhouse cat and people coming in and out, so we work very hard to make sure of a safe and clean environment."
History: Based in Walla Walla, Washington, Orchidaceae is an award-winning Northwest grower exclusively dedicated to offering quality orchids. With over 30 years of experience, Mark and Joan grow and supply orchids for weddings, special events, interior plantscaping, floral arrangements and to collectors around the country in search of esoteric orchid varieties.
In 2002, the couple moved their nursery from Seattle to Walla Walla and embarked on a rural, flower farming lifestyle. They brought with them extensive experience in graphic design and marketing, and Mark's enthusiasm for growing orchids, originally as a hobby that's earned him numerous floral quality awards from the American Orchid Society.
Orchidaceae has a reputation "for having the most interesting new orchid hybrids," Mark acknowledges. “We have a broad ranging breeding program that includes Paphiopedilums, Zygopetalums, Angraecums, Cattleyas and a variety of unique species. The Phalaenopsis are selected to give floral stylists a distinct design edge with stunning color, interesting patterns and unique styles.”
Why Walla Walla? "Even though our major markets are in Seattle and Portland, the growing conditions are very positive here, because of the light," Joan says. "We're excited to be a part of the market and have such a broad variety of our orchids available to Seattle buyers."
In 2002, the couple moved their nursery from Seattle to Walla Walla and embarked on a rural, flower farming lifestyle. They brought with them extensive experience in graphic design and marketing, and Mark's enthusiasm for growing orchids, originally as a hobby that's earned him numerous floral quality awards from the American Orchid Society.
Orchidaceae has a reputation "for having the most interesting new orchid hybrids," Mark acknowledges. “We have a broad ranging breeding program that includes Paphiopedilums, Zygopetalums, Angraecums, Cattleyas and a variety of unique species. The Phalaenopsis are selected to give floral stylists a distinct design edge with stunning color, interesting patterns and unique styles.”
Why Walla Walla? "Even though our major markets are in Seattle and Portland, the growing conditions are very positive here, because of the light," Joan says. "We're excited to be a part of the market and have such a broad variety of our orchids available to Seattle buyers."
Oregon Coastal Flowers
Owners: Patrick and Monika Zweifel
Contact information: www.flowersbulbs.com
Size of farm: 64 acres
Main crops: Calla lilies, hydrangeas, fancy Gloriosa lilies and Sandersonia (Chinese lantern) lilies; specialty forest products (flowering branches and natural twig/branch wedding arches).
History:
Since that time, Oregon Coastal Flowers has evolved into America's premier supplier of calla lilies and hydrangeas, along with numerous other specialty cut flowers and bulbs. A coastal microclimate nurtures these crops, but the success of Oregon Coastal is due in large part to the high level of personalized service Patrick and his wife Monika give to customers. They specialize in the wedding trade, working with individual brides, wedding planners, florists and flower wholesalers.
"We are a small company, adding a special touch of quality and service with every box of flowers or bulbs shipped," Patrick says. "We take great pride and interest in making sure that we supply the very best flowers."
Since 2002, Patrick and Monika have farmed on 64 acres in Tillamook. The surrounding fields where they live with their daughter Nina are filled with a rainbow of calla lily fields and the beautiful purple-blue spectrum of hydrangeas. "We produce the kind of hydrangeas that South America can't mimic - dark purples, blues and antique hues," Patrick says. Brides and their floral designers are drawn to these romantic blooms, which are at their peak during wedding season. In the past few years, Oregon Coastal has obtained permits to harvest ingredients from 250,000 acres of forest land, much of it right across the river. The company's responsible foraging of branches, twigs, moss and other natural ingredients has created quite a following, especially for woodland wedding arches and Chuppas.Oregon Coastal also markets flowers and forest products at the Los Angeles Flower Market and the Portland Flower Market. Joining the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market is an exciting new venue for connecting directly with Northwest buyers.