ASCFG Mentor Program

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers radically reimagined our Mentor Program and in Fall 2025, we launched our online cohort model. This Zoom-based program matched one expert with fifteen newer and aspirational growers based on their shared primary sales outlet/business model. We are thrilled to share that we are continuing the program for the 2026-2027 cohort.

Please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at the bottom of this page for more information.

Registration opens September 16, 2026, at Noon Eastern / 9:00 a.m. Pacific.

Meet the Mentors!

Here are our cohort leaders for the 2026-27 round of the ASCFG Mentor Program.

Jennifer and Scott Joray, Eastern River Farm (Farmer-Florists, Events & Weddings)

Scott and Jennifer Joray have been growing flowers sustainably since 2018 in Pittston, Maine, with their two daughters, Violette and Chloe, at Eastern River Farm. They practice regenerative farming methods, use zero harmful chemicals on their farm (not even organic-approved ones), and involve animals in their daily rotation. Their main market is weddings, and they grow 100% of the material used in their designs. They are starting their 8th farming season, 7th for wedding design, and their growing zone is 5 on heavy, wet clay. Scott and Jennifer are seasoned mentors, having participated in the inaugural version of the revised ASCFG Mentor Program.

Program Overview

Week One (Wednesday, October 21): Attracting Your Ideal Client — Pricing, Marketing, Branding. During this week, mentees will learn how to identify their ideal sales venues and clients and begin building their farm operations around selling to these customers.
Week Two (Wednesday, October 28): Selecting Flower Varieties for Wedding Work — It’s All About Timing. During this week, mentees will hear from Scott and Jennifer on the importance of crop selection and succession planning.
Week Three (Wednesday, November 4): Selling to Florists (Retail and Wholesale). During this week, mentees will learn how to approach florists, the importance of communication, and the necessity of pricing for profit.
Week Four (Wednesday, November 18): Field and Farm Set Up. During this week, Scott and Jennifer will share strategies for setting up your farm for optimal and efficient operations, from a single field to the overall farm.

All meeting times are 7:00 p.m. Eastern. All meetings are recorded and will be available to the cohort.

Cassie Plummer, Jig-Bee Flower Farm (Wholesale)

Cassie Plummer owns Jig-Bee Flower Farm in Corinth, Vermont, where she grows specialty cut flowers and open-pollinated seeds using sustainable methods. After spending eight years farming and designing flowers in Philadelphia, she moved to Vermont in 2022 to focus on seed production, choosing varieties, and breeding new plants. She has extensive hands-on experience in growing flowers, floral design, wholesale sales, and seed production. Cassie especially enjoys helping other growers use seed saving and selection to build stronger crops and develop their own varieties.

Program Overview

Week One (Thursday, October 29): Welcome, Introduction, Flower Varieties and Building Relationships. During this week, mentees will learn about Cassie’s growing background and current role. She will then discuss different flower varieties, the pros and cons of different cultivars and strategies for working with and building relationships with florists and floral designers.
Week Two (Thursday, November 12): Growing Practices. During this week, mentees will learn crop planning, and the advantages of buying plugs or starting from seed for different crops. Mentees will learn necessary infrastructure for a cut flower farm, as well as considerations for irrigation, fertilization, and pest management.
Week Three (Thursday, December 3): Harvesting, Pricing & Marketing. During this week, mentees will learn how to harvest, bunch and price their flowers for sale. We will discuss different methods for communicating availability lists and collecting orders and payments. We will discuss the pros/cons of pick-up and delivery options (bucket route, delivery fees etc).
Week Four (Thursday, January 7, 2027): Putting It All Together. During this week, we will build our weekly marketing/order fulfillment schedule and finalize our outreach plan to connect with floral designers/florists. Mentees will learn about other sales venues like farm stands, DIY Bucket sales, wholesale market/grocery bouquets, etc.

All meetings are at 6:00 p.m. Eastern. All meetings are recorded and will be available to the cohort.

Rachel Ryall, River and Sea Flowers (Retail / Direct to Consumer)

Rachel grew up on a farm in BC and later became enamored with cut flowers while working in organic mixed vegetable production. With a degree in visual arts and keen interest in botany and sustainable agriculture, cut flower production seemed like a perfect fit. She started River and Sea Flowers in 2016 and now produces 2 acres of certified organic cut flowers on Westham Island, 30 minutes outside Vancouver, Canada. She and her team sell their crops at farmers markets and to florists, as well as through DIY bulk buckets, a CSA and a shared farm gate stand.

Program Overview

Week One (Tuesday, October 20): Origin Story and What I’d Do Differently. During this week, mentees will learn about Rachel’s prior experiences and current role in cut flower farming before hearing about big picture strategies she recommends for early career farmers to avoid wasted time, energy, and money.
Week Two (Tuesday, November 3): Exploring Sales Channels and Pricing. During this week, Rachel will share an overview of sales channels found in retail-centric cut flower farms, along with pricing for each of these channels.
Week Three (Tuesday, November 17): Crop Planning for Retail Sales. During this week, mentees will learn about ideal cultivars, crop planning, and succession planning for retail-centric cut flower farms.
Week Four (Tuesday, November 24): Logistics — Postharvest, Transportation, and Customer Service. During this week, Rachel will cover important components involved in selling and transporting flowers to clients in retail settings.

All meetings are at 4:00 p.m. Pacific / 7:00 p.m. Eastern. All meetings are recorded and will be available to the cohort.

April Vomfell, Flathead Farmworks (Weddings & Events)

April is a flower farmer and floral artist in northwest Montana near Glacier National Park. Her business, Flathead Farmworks, has been providing specialty cut flowers to her local area for a decade. She currently focuses primarily on weddings using 100 percent local flowers, typically from her urban farm. With a background in publishing, public libraries, technology and marketing, April enjoys both the creative and practical sides of running a small business. April reports the following: “My hope and goal is that [after this program] mentees will gain confidence to offer weddings, find their niche, hone their systems and learn how to avoid overwhelm during the growing season.”

Program Overview

Week One (Monday, October 19): The Big Picture. During this week, mentees will learn what to expect during mentorship, hear April’s story and what she wishes she knew 10 years ago, and start to think about why and how they want to incorporate wedding/event work into their businesses.
Week Two (Monday, November 2): Crop Planning & What to Grow. During this week, mentees will learn about crop planning for weddings, recommended flowers to grow, succession planting and lessons learned.
Week Three (Monday, November 16): Pricing, Marketing & Contracts. During this week, mentees will learn about the admin aspects of weddings and events, including how to find their ideal customers.
Week Four (Monday, November 23): Inside a Wedding, Start to Finish. During this week, mentees will get an inside look at a real wedding, from inquiry to delivery, and all the nitty-gritty details in between.

All meeting times are 3:00 p.m. Pacific / 6:00 p.m. Eastern. All meetings are recorded and will be available to the cohort.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why does the ASCFG have a cohort model for the Mentor Program?

Simply put, there are more prospective mentees than available mentors.

Thus, in order to meet the demand, the ASCFG matches a mentor with several mentees in an online group setting, all organized by business model rather than growing zone or microclimate. Cohorts are capped at fifteen participants each and this ensures that mentees can learn from both the mentor and from other mentees in the group. All mentees are limited to one cohort that best aligns with their sales model, and all participants should be prepared to engage with the mentor and fellow mentees during Zoom sessions and work between the meetings. The ASCFG anticipates a commitment of 20 to 30 total hours over the course of 14 months (a little over two hours per month).

May I register for more than one cohort?

No.

We appreciate your enthusiasm but wish to make this program accessible to as many members as possible.

Why is the ASCFG Mentor Program organized by business model?

A business model is how a business serves its customers, makes money, manages costs, and organizes the products and activities it needs to run well. For cut flower farms, your business model and sales channels shape the crops you grow, your farm set up and operations, and much more. The ASCFG Mentor Program is designed to be as practical and actionable as possible, ensuring that you can apply the information you learn directly to your flower farm.

Who should enroll in the Mentor Cohort Program?

The ASCFG Mentor Program cohorts are focused on helping early career farmers learn the skills and knowledge needed to run a successful business. In this context, early career or beginning refers to three or fewer years of full-time farming. Each instructor is designing curriculum and gathering educational resources for beginning agricultural professionals. If you are an intermediate farmer or beyond, this program may not suit your needs.

How long are the webinars?

During the first four weeks, each ASCFG Mentor Program webinar is 90 minutes with roughly sixty minutes of lecture and 30 minutes for questions. During the 2027 quarterly check-ins, each session is also 90 minutes long but structured differently.

How much does the program cost?

The ASCFG Mentor Program costs $250 per mentee. The program includes four 90-minute lecture sessions with active and experienced flower farmers, four quarterly check-ins, guest lectures from industry legends and experts, and a dedicated online space for accessing recorded lectures, audio files, educational resources, and more.

Do I have to be an ASCFG member to register?

Yes.

All mentees must have a current ASCFG membership and have been a member for a full calendar year prior to registering for this program. All registrants must maintain their ASCFG membership during the course of the program.

I completed this program last year. May I register for a second year?

No.

This program sold out in less than 24 hours during its first year and many prospective mentees were unable to participate due to cohort size constraints. In an effort to ensure that all members have an opportunity to participate, we are not allowing consecutive mentee registrations. Thank you for understanding.

Are there scholarships for the ASCFG Mentor Program?

Yes.

The ASCFG will offer two professional development scholarships per cohort. Please watch your email for the announcement and instructions for applying.

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