Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers

Reminder: ASCFG Grower Grant Applications Due
2023-03-01 | PA
The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers periodically awards funding to cut flower growers for on-farm research. Results of the research should benefit specialty cut flower growers in the field or greenhouse. The program is open only to current ASCFG members who have grown cut flowers commercially for at least three years.

Application Materials: Learn more about the application process and materials here.
Application Deadline: March 1, 2023
Questions? If you have any questions, please email them to mail@ascfg.org.

Manipulating Light Quality and Duration to Improve the Greenhouse Production of Specialty Cut Flowers
2023-03-07 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Part of the ASCFG Research and the Flower Farmer Webinar Series!
Dr. Roberto Lopez, Michigan State University
Caleb Spall, Michigan State University
Event Details
A recent recipient of an ASCFG Grant, this project seeks to determine the ideal lighting conditions, in both the intensity and duration of lights, for growing flowers in greenhouse settings. In response to the growing market for specialty cut flowers throughout North America, crop growth and management in greenhouses can help meet the year-round demand for flowers. Dr. Lopez and Mr. Spall will discuss the exciting outcomes of their research and answer questions from audience members.
Presenter Biography
Dr. Roberto Lopez
Dr. Roberto Lopez is an associate professor and controlled environment/floriculture extension specialist with a 45% research, 30% teaching, and 25% extension appointment in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University. His research focuses on propagation and production of young and finish plants (floriculture, leafy green, and culinary herb crops) in greenhouses, growth rooms/containers, warehouse-based plant factories, and vertical farms. The primary objective of his research is to determine how light (quantity, quality, and duration), substrate and air temperature, and carbon dioxide in controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) production influences crop timing, rooting, yield, quality, flavor, nutrition, and subsequent performance.
About the Research and the Flower Farmer Webinar Series
The goal of this webinar series is to connect ASCFG members with the latest research in cut flowers and to inspire new ideas for crop, farm, and business management. During these online events, recent recipients of the Research Foundation’s Competitive Grants will share synopses of their research, along with the exciting applications of the results, before a short Q and A session with attendees.
Can’t attend a presentation? Don’t worry – the webinar will be recorded and be accessible in the ASCFG Members Only portal after the event.
Zoom instructions will be emailed to members on the day of the event. A recording of this session will be archived in Members Only.

Ask an Expert: Selling Flowers to Florists
2023-03-13 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Join the March 2023 Ask an Expert session for an exciting conversation between Maya Kosok and Ellen Frost, farmer and florist! This session will dig into the nitty gritty details of selling to florists, touching on such topics including variety selection, availability lists, approaching florists, bunch sizes/stem length, pricing, and more.
Maya Kosok is the owner of Hillen Homestead, an urban cut flower farm in Baltimore City now in its 10th season. Hillen Homestead sells primarily to local florists in the DC/Baltimore region and grows a wide range of annuals, perennials, woodies, and more using sustainable practices. Maya is passionate about building community and relationships with neighbors, customers, fellow growers, and anyone walking by who stops to chat at the farm. Maya has presented at many conferences and garden clubs, including the Pennsylvania Alliance of Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), Future Harvest, Just Food, and Garden Clubs of America, and she loves sharing tangible and specific information that will help other growers.
Ellen Frost is the renowned florist of Local Color Flowers shop in Baltimore, MD, and co-contributor of The Cut Flower Quarterly column, “The Farmer and The Florist.” She is passionate about using local flowers in her work and in 2016, she was awarded the Allan M Armitage Award for Leadership by the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. She has been featured on The Flower Podcast, the Slow Flowers Society, and much more.

Zoom instructions will be emailed to members on the day of the event. A recording of this session will be archived in Members Only.

Sponsored by

H-2A for Cut Flower Growers: Could it Work for You?
2023-03-20 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Lori Whitten, the founder of Poetry Flower Farm, and her team have significant experience in H2A legislation. ASCFG members are invited to join this complimentary webinar to go over compliance with H2A legislation and a strategy for small flower farms to form a cooperative that allows them to share employee labor. They will discuss the H-2A temporary seasonal non-immigrant visa program to include: Criteria to qualify for the program, and what Joint Employment means and how small farm operations could share the cost, benefits and liabilities of the program. They will then segue into a brief compliance overview and provide a contact to answer questions for those already using the program. Then we will wrap up with a live Question and Answer Session. The webinar will be recorded and available for viewing in the ASCFG Members Only learning portal after the event.

Digging Deep: Climate Change, Soil Health, and its Impact on Agriculture in North America
2023-03-27 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
About the Webinar Series
The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers is pleased to announce a four-day educational intensive called Digging Deep: Topics in Cut Flower Farming. This intensive features four 90-minute, Zoom-based presentations given by experts in farming, floral design, and agricultural law. Registrants can attend the virtual live events, have the opportunity to participate in Q and A sessions, and will receive access to the webinar recordings after the events for the duration of 2023. Attendees must register by noon on Friday, March 24, 2023.
Monday’s Event

Climate Change, Soil Health, and its Impact on Agriculture in North America
Sarah A. Isbell, Research Scientist for PASA Sustainable Agriculture
Monday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eastern

Description
Join Sarah A. Isbell as she presents her work for Pasa Sustainable Agriculture’s Soil Health Benchmark Study. Sarah recently earned a Ph.D. in Ecology from Penn State University where her research focused on cover cropping and reducing tillage in organic grain cropping systems, nitrogen management, and soil ecology. Sarah has also worked as a farm-based educator in Massachusetts, grown vegetables in New York’s Hudson Valley, and spent a summer researching soils and agro-silvo-pastoral systems in Sardinia, Italy. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Dickinson College.
Sponsored by:

Registration

Digging Deep: Lean Farm Methods for Cut Flower Farming
2023-03-28 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
About the Webinar Series
The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers is pleased to announce a four-day educational intensive called Digging Deep: Topics in Cut Flower Farming. This intensive features four 90-minute, Zoom-based presentations given by experts in farming, floral design, and agricultural law. Registrants can attend the virtual live events, have the opportunity to participate in Q and A sessions, and will receive access to the webinar recordings after the events for the duration of 2023. Attendees must register by noon on Friday, March 24, 2023.
Tuesday’s Event

Title: Lean Farm Methods for Cut Flower Farming
Speaker: Ben Hartman of Clay Bottom Farm
Time: Tuesday, March 28, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eastern

Description
In this presentation, Ben Hartman, author of The Lean Farm, will explain how the lean system can be applied to cut flower operations to minimize waste, increase efficiency, and maximize value and profits with less work. Specific topics covered will include: using 5S to organize a farm, how to precisely identify value, the 7 mudas (wastes), and kaizen (continuous improvement). Ben will share concrete tips that farms of any size and type can start applying right away along with photos showing lean principles in action on flower farms and on other farms. Lean is a production system that originated in Japanese production and is now widely used in all types of industries.
Sponsored by

Registration

Digging Deep: Designing Funeral and Celebration of Life Flowers
2023-03-29 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
About the Webinar Series
The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers is pleased to announce a four-day educational intensive called Digging Deep: Topics in Cut Flower Farming. This intensive features four 90-minute, Zoom-based presentations given by experts in farming, floral design, and agricultural law. Registrants can attend the virtual live events, have the opportunity to participate in Q and A sessions, and will receive access to the webinar recordings after the events for the duration of 2023. Attendees must register by noon on Friday, March 24, 2023.
Wednesday’s Event

Title: Designing Funeral and Celebration of Life Flowers
Speaker: Carole Patilla of Tuckshop Flowers
Time: Wednesday, March 29, 7:00 — 8:30 p.m. Eastern

Description
Carole Patilla is the owner of Tuckshop Flowers in the United Kingdom. An award winning florist and instructor, Carole has a passion for crafting customized funeral floral designs that celebrate the unique individuality of the departed. In this presentation, she will present on advanced floral designs for funerals and other end of life events with a special emphasis on using green and earth-friendly techniques. The presentation will include a lecture, a demonstration of designing a casket spray, and a question and answer session with attendees. Registered attendees will also receive a discount code that applies to her online workshops.
Sponsored by

Registration

Digging Deep: Planning for the Future
2023-03-30 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
About the Webinar Series
The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers is pleased to announce a four-day educational intensive called Digging Deep: Topics in Cut Flower Farming. This intensive features four 90-minute, Zoom-based presentations given by experts in farming, floral design, and agricultural law. Registrants can attend the virtual live events, have the opportunity to participate in Q and A sessions, and will receive access to the webinar recordings after the events for the duration of 2023. Attendees must register by noon on Friday, March 24, 2023.
Thursday’s Event

Title: Planning for the Future: Legal Strategies for Retirement & Farm Transitions.
Speaker: Pamela Epp Olsen of Pamela Epp Olsen Law
Time: Thursday, March 30, 7:00 — 8:30 p.m. Eastern

Description
As a wife and daughter of farmers/ranchers, lawyer and estate planner Pamela Olsen understands how agricultural operations function, from family dynamics to commodity cycles. Over the past two decades, she has worked extensively with farmers and ranchers to provide creative estate planning and business transition solutions in this professional sector. In this presentation, she will provide an overview of planning strategies that can optimize retirement and farm transitions for cut flower farmers.
Sponsored by

Registration

Ask an Expert: Breeding Unique Zinnias
2023-04-10 20:00 - 21:00 UTC | Zoom
Join us for the April 2023 Ask an Expert session, taught by zinnia expert Tiffany Jones of Blomma Flower Farm. Attendees can expect an overview of how to get started breeding zinnias, including the overall process; how to determine the breeding goal(s); and discover surprising details like the magic of “green seed” as well as the business advantages and benefits of breeding zinnias.
Tiffany Jones studied Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Architecture in college and started a small suburban farm in the very crowded Southern California market about 6 years ago. For business reasons she spent several years digging into professional papers, graduate studies, books, online forums and spoke with prominent farmer-breeders in order to gather the information she needed to successfully breed her own zinnias, simultaneously experimenting with that knowledge on her farm. Her online presence and simple videos have inspired people all over the world to begin breeding zinnias for their own purposes. Jones’ comprehensive how-to book based on her research is coming soon in late 2022.
Farm: https://blommaflowerfarm.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blommaflowerfarm/

Zoom instructions will be emailed to members on the day of the event.
A recording of this session will be archived in Members Only.
Sponsored by

Longterm Subzero Storage of Specialty Cut Flowers
2023-04-18 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Part of the ASCFG Research and the Flower Farmer Webinar Series!
Dr. John M. Dole, North Carolina State University
Jennifer Kalinowksi, North Carolina State University

Event Details
Dr. John Dole and his colleague Jennifer Kalinowski will present their research on the best practices for postharvest cold storage of cut flowers across multiple species. By developing effective long-term cold storage procedures for cut flower growers and farmers, this research has direct benefit for ASCFG members. The researchers will discuss the exciting outcomes of their research and answer questions from audience members.
Presenter Biography
Dr. John Dole
Dr. John Dole received his B.S. from Michigan State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, with both degrees in horticulture. Dole was on the faculty of Oklahoma State University for 11 years before moving to North Carolina State University’s Department of Horticultural Science in 2000. He became director of graduate programs for the department in 2004, department head in 2011, and is the former president of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS). Currently, Dole serves as the executive advisor for the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, a 2,900-member national organization devoted to the production and use of cut flowers.
About the Research and the Flower Farmer Webinar Series
The goal of this webinar series is to connect ASCFG members with the latest research in cut flowers and to inspire new ideas for crop, farm, and business management. During these online events, recent recipients of the Research Foundation’s Competitive Grants will share synopses of their research, along with the exciting applications of the results, before a short Q and A session with attendees.
Can’t attend a presentation? Don’t worry – the webinar will be recorded and be accessible in the ASCFG Members Only portal after the event.
Zoom instructions will be emailed to members on the day of the ev
ent. A recording of this session will be archived in Members Only.

Reminder: The Cut Flower Quarterly Submission Deadline
2023-05-15 | PA
The Cut Flower Quarterly is the only periodical dedicated to informing growers about the production, postharvest care, and marketing of cut flowers. Are you contributing an article or a feature to the next issue? Or do you wish to purchase an advertisement or sponsor an event? All submissions for the Summer Issue are due on May 15, 2023. Vendors and suppliers are welcome to explore our different advertising and sponsorship options.

Have a question? Contact us at operations@ascfg.org.

Ask an Expert: Cultivating Native Species in Cut Flower Farming
2023-05-15 20:00 - 21:00 UTC | Zoom
Climate change, species decline and ecological breakdown brings renewed attention to what farms grow and how they grow them. One big question growers face is how do my crop and production choices affect my environment? And are there changes I could make to minimize negative impacts or even create positive ones?
In this presentation, Matthew Dell of Treadlight Farm will look at how floriculture and horticulture has a unique opportunity to create productive spaces that also serve local ecological systems. By choosing more native species over exotic species, growers can create habitat for local fauna while also bringing unique products that command a premium to floral markets. He will also discuss production methods for maximum profit and impact, challenges, and sourcing.
Treadlight Farm grows on 15 acres in New York’s Rondout Valley, and sells wholesale specialty cuts throughout the greater NYC metropolitan area. They are certified organic and passionate about native plants, and have been in business since 2015. Website: https://www.treadlight-farm.com/

Zoom instructions will be emailed to members on the day of the event. A recording of this session will be archived in Members Only.
Sponsored by

Tunnels for Improving Timing, Yield, and Quality of Five Cut Flowers
2023-05-16 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Part of the ASCFG Research and the Flower Farmer Webinar Series!
Dr. Melanie Stock
UPDATED: Event Details
Dr. Melanie Stock
Join Dr. Melanie Stock from Utah State University as she presents highlights on her research on several crops in high desert conditions. This talk will detail season extension with flowers, including all the ways Dr. Stock and her team use high tunnels and low tunnels. She will discuss her research on tunnels with dahlia, peony, ranunculus, stock, and snapdragons.
Please look for Dr. Stock’s article on early season cultivation of freesia in cold and mountainous regions that are vulnerable to drought during late summers in a future issue of The Cut Flower Quarterly.

Presenter Biography
Dr. Stock is a soil scientist. Her lab focuses on high-value crops and resource use efficiency to improve the environmental sustainability and economic viability of small farms. Her research interests include adapting cut flower crops for Utah from basic cultivation methods to nutrient management and physics-based season extension, overwintering, and water-use efficiency. Visit the Small Farms Lab at smallfarmslab.com and on Instagram (@usu_smallfarms)!
About the Research and the Flower Farmer Webinar Series
The goal of this webinar series is to connect ASCFG members with the latest academic research in cut flowers and to inspire new ideas for crop, farm, and business management. During these online events, recent recipients of the Research Foundation’s Competitive Grants will share synopses of their research, along with the exciting applications of the results, before a short Q and A session with attendees.
Can’t attend a presentation? Don’t worry – the webinar will be recorded and be accessible in the ASCFG Members Only portal after the event.
Zoom instructions will be emailed to members on the day of the event. A recording of this session will be archived in Members Only.

ASCFG Farm Tour: Farm Lot 59
2023-05-23 09:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Farm Lot 59, 2714 California Ave., Long Beach, CA, United States
Quick Details

Host: Sasha Kanno
Address: 2714 California Ave., Long Beach, California
Website: www.farmlot59.org
Date and Time: May 23, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Attendance Cap: Limited to 100 attendees. Lunch included.

From the Host
Farm Lot 59 is a 501(c)3 working urban farm that specializes in growing rare and unusual varieties of flowers and organic vegetables. We envision a world where we serve as a center for community engagement and wellness – it is not our farm, it is yours. We provide a local Food Hub with the vegetables we grow. Our goal is to serve vulnerable populations in our community, to help with immediate food needs, and inspire them to eat and live healthily. We use our diverse farm to host educational, volunteer, and other events that bring together our community to learn about the benefits and possibilities of urban farming and so much more. We fund our efforts through our Farmstand sales of the unique flowers we grow, and through generous donations.
Our year-round farming operation has two high tunnels, drip irrigation, grey water produce washing station, and rain barrels to collect water. Our practice is minimal till to no-till. We use cover cropping, tarping, and have a shed full of small farm tools.
Sasha Kanno is the founder and farmer of Farm Lot 59. Before it was founded in 2010 Sasha was a floral designer working in film and for prestigious shops in LA and OC. Her designs have been featured in People magazine, The Knot, and other publications. She has been awarded numerous grants and awards for her work in the community as a leader, innovator, and driving force in the local food and floral movement. She is a member of Slow Flowers, the Association of Specialty Cut Growers, and an active member of the USDA Farm Service Agency County Committee serving Los Angeles County.
Attendees will be able to see our off-season greenhouse improvements (version 5.0 ) and how we grow in our two high tunnels. By the end of May, we will be wrapping up spring and planting our first round of summer annuals. We look forward to sharing with you!
Register

ASCFG Farm Tour: CA & J Farm
2023-05-31 13:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | CA & J Farm, 5620 East River Road, Foster, VA, United States
Quick Details

Host: Jean Howard
Address: 5620 East River Road, Foster, Virginia
Website: www.cajfarm.com
Date and Time: May 31, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m.
Attendance Cap: Limited to 50 attendees.

From the Host
We are an example of all you can do with only five acres! We opened in 2017. We are an off-grid solar, educational, herb, egg, cut flower, and music farm in Mathews County, Virginia. We do everything small scale, using organic practices. We also present programs on farm, off farm and online; offer an annual herbalist course. We share knowledge on natural wellness, living simple and self-sustaining, farm skills, and healing music. Our farm includes chickens, ducks, rabbits, beehives, 3 big dogs, herb and cut flower gardens, hoophouse, grow room, indoor education and music center, large outdoor stage, meditation areas, Yellow Barn Store, refreshment area, large firepit gathering area. We are open to the public—a good example of adding agritourism to your farm model. We have a Non-Profit Fiscal Sponsor for the Music at the Farm.
We will discuss our efforts to produce cut flowers organically, as well as an herb talk, “Staying healthy at any age – so we can do the work we love!” There will be time to enjoy the labyrinth, peace pole, and woodland wellness walk.
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ASCFG Farm Tour: Leap Frog Flower Farm
2023-06-01 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Leap Frog Flower Farm, 4919 Miller Road, ,, Earlysville, VA, United States
Quick Details

Host: Liz Faucher
Address: 4919 Miller Road, Earlysville, Virginia
Website: www.leapfrogflowerfarm.com
Date and Time: June 1, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Attendance Cap: Limited to 25 attendees.

From the Host
I have been growing for 5 years. My method until recently has been mostly “throw it against the wall and see what sticks.” I’ve tried pretty much everything: CSAs, small farmers’ markets, big farmers’ markets, DIY weddings. I didn’t have a cohesive plan and vision until I helped found Central Virginia Flower Collective in spring 2022. Being a part of a cooperative selling model has helped me hone and fine-tune my growing and sales plans. Not only does the Collective provide extensive stem metrics through Rooted Farmers, it provides weekly feedback on what is and isn’t a saleable item.
I’d like the focus of this tour to be on the collective model. I am in central Virginia, where we have faced an uphill battle to encourage the use of local flowers. After attending a Johnny’s webinar on flower cooperatives in 2021, I contacted every local farm listed in the ASCFG directory. Seven of us came together and started CVFC.
For the farm tour, I’ll showcase the farm and steps that I’ve taken to turn a former cow field into a working flower farm. Then, several of our collective members will form a panel to discuss how joining a collective has impacted their growing and sales plans for 2023.
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SPONSORED BY

ASCFG Farm Tour: Harmony Harvest Farm
2023-06-08 08:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | PA
Quick Details

Host: Jessica Hall
Address: 201 Little Run Road, Weyers Cave, Virginia
Website: www.hhfshop.com
Date and Time: June 8, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern
Attendance Cap: Limited to 75 attendees. Lunch included.

Details coming soon!
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SPONSORED BY

Ask an Expert: Growing Superb Celosia -- Strategies and Tips
2023-06-12 20:00 - 21:00 UTC | Zoom
Join us for the June 2023 Ask an Expert session, taught by Laura Beth Resnick of Butterbee Farm. Laura Beth grows celosia a million different ways: Inside, outside, pinched, not pinched, many successions, and lots of varietals. During this talk, Laura Beth will focus on the different approaches used at Butterbee Farm, the end goal of each strategy, favorite varieties, and problems she’s faced along with solutions. She’ll also discuss ideal harvest and postharvest processes. Celosia is fairly easy to grow, but having great quality at harvest isn’t quite as simple. Having great quality celosia is an easy way to set yourself apart as a trustworthy grower to customers.

Laura Beth Resnick is the founder and owner of Butterbee Farm, a five acre flower farm in northern Maryland. Following regenerative practices, Butterbee Farm provides locally grown flowers for florists and flower lovers from Baltimore to Washington, D.C. Growing in greenhouses, high tunnels,
and fields, Butterbee Farm specializes in high quality cuts for use in design. Laura Beth has served as President of the MCFGA (Maryland Cut Flower Growers Association) and Secretary for the Board of the ASCFG (Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers), and continues to write for their quarterly magazine. She speaks regularly at conferences, garden clubs, and arboretums, and mentors new growers through Future Harvests Beginning Farmer Training Program.
Farm: https://www.butterbeefarm.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butterbee_farm/
Zoom instructions will be emailed to members on the day of the event.
A recording of this session will be archived in Members Only.
Sponsored by

ASCFG Farm Tour: Vashon Peony Co.
2023-06-13 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Vashon Peony Co, Wax Orchard Rd SW, Vashon, WA, 98070, United States
Quick Details

Host: Tinuviel Lathrop
Address: Wax Orchard Rd SW, Vashon, WA 98070
Website: www.vashonpeonyco.com
Date and Time: Tuesday, June 13, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Attendance Cap: Limited to 125 attendees.

From the Host
Vashon Peony Co. is a climate-forward farm located on Vashon-Maury Island near Seattle, Washington operating on 12 acres of Preservation Farmland. Our main goal as a medium-sized grower is to improve the quality and quantity of cut flowers while improving the environmental impact of cut flower sales in the U.S. We are a new farm, started in 2021 and are very excited to host a tour and foster discussion about how growers, designers, and brokers can collaborate to meet and expand domestic demand for domestic flowers. We will discuss: the climate impact of the transcontinental cut flower trade; risk and instability within transcontinental cut-flower reliance; logistical concerns and disaster mitigation for cut flower growers and purchasers; environmental concerns from the cut flower purchasers’ perspective; opportunities for communicating how locally grown flowers have unique climate benefits; ways to improve our climate impact as growers and purchasers; sustainable and beneficial farming techniques; radical transparency and collaboration as industry movers; and brainstorm together any climate concerns for attendees farms or businesses.
Register Here

ASCFG Farm Tour: Butterbee Farm
2023-07-21 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | PA
Quick Details

Host: Laura Beth and Jascha Resnick
Website: https://www.butterbeefarm.com/
Date and Time: July 21, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Attendance Cap: Limited to 20 attendees.

From the Host
Butterbee Farm is a five acre flower farm in Maryland, specializing in quality cuts for designers and florists, and using no-till farming methods. After ten years in business, farmers Laura Beth and Jascha bought their own land and moved the farm. Join them at Butterbee 2.0 for an in-depth tour of their brand new farm, including heated greenhouses, annual and perennial fields, livestock, and infrastructure. Discussion topics will include moving the farm, deciding on farm layout, no-till farming, and selling to florists. The tour will end with Q&A and chit chat over light snacks and beverages. Parking is limited, please consider carpooling. Address and directions will be sent closer to the date; the farm is about 10 minutes north of Ladew Gardens in White Hall, Maryland.
Registration Coming Soon!

Ask an Expert: Wedding Floral Design
2023-07-24 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Join Julie Raymond of Bittersweet Gardens for a wedding design demonstration during the July 2023 Ask an Expert session! During this Zoom-based presentation, Julie will design a wedding centerpiece and walk attendees through her process for customer engagement, project management, and design workflow. Julie has completed graduate work in horticulture at University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has also engaged in landscape design studies at Radcliffe, giving her a unique background in science and design. Julie has farmed throughout Massachusetts since 1998, and in addition to growing flowers and designing floral arrangements for brides, she also markets to the Boston Wholesale Flower Exchange.
Zoom instructions will be sent out on the day of the webinar. This presentation will be recorded and included in the ASCFG Members Only Video Library.

ASCFG Farm Tour: Floriculture Gauthier, Inc
2023-07-26 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Floriculture Gauthier, Inc, 8645 rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada
Quick Details

Host: Claude Gauthier
Address: 8645 rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec
Website: www.gauthierfj.qc.ca
Date and Time: July 26, 2023, 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Attendance Cap: Limited to 25 attendees.

From the Host
We have about 60,000 sq ft of field production and 3 hoops for cut flower production. We own a garden center and a flower shop, where we sell all our cut flowers, about 6 minutes from our field. My father started the flower shop and garden center 76 years ago. We have started producing cut flowers in a field, just by our greenhouse production zone, 5 years ago. I studied landscaping and greenhouse production at the University of Guelph in Ontario, 30 years ago and it helps me a lot every day in my flower production. Our specialty is zinnias, but we have a lot of different varieties and species.
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ASCFG Farm Tour: Trademarks Flower Farm
2023-08-08 14:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Trademarks Flower Farm, 654 Larue Road, Clifton Springs, NY, United States
Quick Details

Host: Jennifer Marks
Address: 654 Larue Road, Clifton Springs, New York
Website: www.trademarksflowers.com
Date and Time: August 8, 2023, 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Attendance Cap: Limited to 100 attendees.

From the Host
Trademarks Flower Farm is a 22.5 acre farm, with approximately 1 acre in intensive cut flower production (zone 6a). We grow specialty cut flowers primarily for one farmers’ market, our 100+ member flower CSA, and wholesale to florists. Each year we are taking steps to narrow our niche specifically to winter production for early spring flowers, with a major focus on ranunculus. We currently have one 20 x 40 propagation greenhouse, two 17′ x 96′ caterpillar tunnels, two 30′ x 96′ high tunnels, and will be constructing two additional 30 x 96′ high tunnels in winter 2022/23 (they will likely be erected by the time of the farm tour). We also have a newly-built 40′ x 60′ barn that serves as a work space for flower processing, storage, and office. When we purchased our farm in 2015, there was not a single piece of infrastructure on the farm, as it had been abandoned for 7 years and was completely overgrown/uncared for during that time. I am glad to discuss building and growing in hoophouses for those of us in northern climates.
We grow “year round,” however, our marketing (selling) season starts mid-April and extends to late October/early November. Our main crops include ranunculus (~9,000/season), lisianthus (~10,000/season), and dahlias (~1500/season), however, we also grow smaller amounts of hardy annuals such as campanula, dianthus, and snapdragons, in addition to summer annuals such as zinnias, celosia, ageratum, etc. We’ve transformed one 17′ x 96′ caterpillar tunnel into a semi-permanent eucalyptus house, home to approximately 1300 perennial eucalyptus plants. We are careful to grow only flowers that we know we make money on each season, and keep close tabs on profit per crop in order to track overall profitability to ensure the sustainability of our farm.
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SPONSORED BY
https://gronsell.com/

Ask an Expert: Floral Photography for Farmers
2023-08-14 20:00 - 21:00 UTC | Zoom
A photograph speaks volumes to the viewer. A good photograph can boost sales, strengthen customer relationships (as they feel more a part of your farm with good images that tell an effective story), and increase the perceived value of your flower farm. A poor or non-existent photo can do the exact opposite. Learning to take good photos doesn’t have to be hard or expensive, but it is very important.
Attendees of this session will learn the importance of taking beautiful photos of their farm, how to choose a consistent photography style for their farm, and how to choose a camera that fits their style, budget and knowledge level. Furthermore, ASCFG members will learn about the basic composition of a good photo, how to take one, and how to edit the image.
Teri ran a successful photography business for over 10 years and taught various classes on journaling and plant care. She is the planner, purchaser, grower, harvester, and marketer behind the flower farm. Muddy Fox Flower Farm is located on a 48 acre property in Pennsylvania.

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Reminder: The Cut Flower Quarterly Submission Deadline
2023-08-15 | PA
The Cut Flower Quarterly is the only periodical dedicated to informing growers about the production, postharvest care, and marketing of cut flowers. Are you contributing an article or a feature to the next issue? Or do you wish to purchase an advertisement or sponsor an event? All submissions for the Fall Issue are due on August 15, 2023. Vendors and suppliers are welcome to explore our different advertising and sponsorship options.

Have a question? Contact us at operations@ascfg.org.

ASCFG Farm Tour: Bloom Hill Farm
2023-08-15 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | PA
Quick Details

Hosts: Judd and Shannon Allen
Address: 10475 Hoover Avenue NW, Uniontown, OH 44685
Website: www.bloomhillfarm.com
Date and Time: August 15, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Attendance Cap: Limited to 75 attendees.

From the Hosts
We are Judd and Shannon Allen We have the honor and privilege of farming our land together and creating a lot of beauty in this world. When we started, we had 1/4 acre and three children under three. We’ve learned so much since we planted those seeds 6+ years ago! We’ve expanded the farm every year and now it includes eleven acres of cut flowers. Our children have grown right along with the farm and now we get to live our dreams together everyday,
Bloom Hill Farm is a specialty cut flower farm growing on over eleven acres. This includes nine acres of annuals, one acre of perennials and woody cut shrubs, and four greenhouses. Our season runs late March through October starting with specialty tulips and ending with mums and other fall tunnel flowers. We plant over 10,000 dahlias each year and specialize in other crops such as sunflowers, ranunculus, anemone, and lisianthus. Our farm utilizes biodegradable plastic as our main weed control method. Over the last six years, we have grown our farm from 1/4 acre to over eleven acres and attribute that success to a lot of hard lessons learned, perseverance, and business focused decision making.
Our current sales outlets include: wedding and event design, on farm events, farm stand, retail florals, florists, grocery and wholesale accounts. The farm also supports an over 125 person CSA model.
In 2022, our farm was featured in a national John Deere advertisement. Shannon is the co-host of flower farming podcast, The Dirt on Flowers, and together they mentor other farmers with on farm consulting.
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ASCFG Farm Tour: Whipstone Farm
2023-09-07 14:00 - 18:00 (America/Denver) | Whipstone Farm, 21640 N. Juniper Ridge Road, Paulden, AZ, United States
Quick Details

Host: Shanti Rade
Address: 21640 N. Juniper Ridge Road, Paulden, Arizona
Website: www.whipstone.com
Date and Time: September 7, 2023, 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Attendance Cap: Limited to 75 attendees.

From the Host
“Come visit our farm! We have 15 acres in production spread over two farm locations where we grow a wide variety of vegetables and cut flowers. We grow in greenhouses and fields with vegetables production 12 months of the year and flower production 9 months. This tour will focus on tools and equipment that can be employed on larger scale/mixed operations, employee management, and growing technique for a high-desert climate. We will talk about production and marketing for Farmers markets, CSA’s, Florist and wholesale outlets, growing for dried and on-line sales.”
Registration

Ask an Expert: Growing Ranunculus
2023-09-11 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Learn the basics of growing ranunculus in high tunnels, including high tunnel best practices, variety selection, the pre-sprouting process, transplanting, crop timing, spacing, pest and disease management, along with tips and tricks for producing ultra-high quality large blooms with long stems.
Jenny Marks is owner of Trademarks Flower Farm, located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. She specializes in growing early spring flowers (primarily Italian ranunculus) for markets, a CSA, and direct sales to florists, but also grows a variety of flowers April through October. Jenny grew up immersed in agriculture on her family’s farm, and has worked in many different aspects of agriculture since she was young including working on dairy & livestock farms, vegetable CSA farms, orchards, for the USDA, and finally settled on choosing a career in flower farming. She has taught farmers through cooperative extension beginner farmer programs and workshops, and enjoys connecting and sharing with many different kinds of growers in all regions.
Zoom instructions will be emailed to members on the day of the event. A recording of this session will be archived in Members Only.
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Balancing Farm and Family: Meet the Researchers!
2023-09-18 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Drs. Becot and Inwood conducted a study about how farm families balance children and work. Having heard from over 860 farm families from 47 states, the authors are now generously presenting this webinar about their research results to the members of the ASCFG! Come hear about how farm families around the country are navigating taking care of their children and getting the work done on and off the farm. There will also be an opportunity for you to share about your own experiences and what solutions would make it easier taking care of the children and running your business.
Dr. Florence Becot is a rural sociologist and researcher at the National Farm Medicine Center (USA). Marking a departure from previous work on the economics of local food, her research agenda is centered on the safety, well-being, and economic viability of the farm population. Her current work includes health insurance, healthcare, and childcare for farm families and responses to the farm crisis.

Dr. Shoshanah Inwood is a rural sociologist and an associate professor in SENR at Ohio State University. She holds degrees in rural sociology, environmental science and biology. Her career has focused on the intersection of agriculture, environment, and society in the context of community and economic development. Shoshanah has maintained a dual focus studying both the role of communities in food system development and the socio-cultural household level processes that underlay the American food and agriculture system.
This webinar is complimentary to ASCFG members. Zoom instructions will be sent out the day of the event. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the ASCFG Members Only Learning Portal.

Ask an Expert: Branding and Logo Development for Flower Farmers
2023-10-09 20:00 - 21:00 UTC | Zoom
Join us for the October 2023 Ask an Expert presentation on branding and logo development! Jan Trent will share the basic steps flower farmers can take to develop and assess designs in order to develop a strong logo for their business. The steps would include how to prepare a creative brief, how to approach assessments of design concepts with creative professionals such as graphic designers/illustrators, and ideas on how to make your final selections. While the presentation will be most relevant to new farmers, the same principles apply to those needing to update or refine an existing logo.
Jan Trent operates The Blossom Farm in Virginia and has over 30 years experience in consumer research working for Fortune 500 companies, including Hershey Chocolate, ConAgra, and Wendy’s. While working for those companies, she was involved with developing logos/brandmarks for new products (including but not limited to Hershey’s Nutrageous, Cookies ‘N Creme, Wolfgang Puck Pizzas) and updating existing brandmarks (Marie Callender’s, Healthy Choice, Kid Cuisine wordmark and icon, and Wendy’s wordmark and icon). In her last position at Wendy’s she was a key member of the Image Activation Team, providing consumer driven insights to the creative team for logo and brand mark updates, restaurant architectural design/aesthetics, and menu board optimization.
Zoom instructions will be emailed to members on the day of the event. A recording of this session will be archived in Members Only.

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