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In her recent Slow Flowers Journal column, “The Business of Flowers,” Brooke Palmer of Jenny Creek Flowers shared how and why she embraces winter tulip production. Our conversation today explores Brooke’s considerations through the lens of her Slow Flowers sustainability ethos while also forcing thousands of tulips into bloom during the off-season. Brooke and I discuss how she balances building a large customer base around winter-grown tulips with her desire to run a floral enterprise that’s also sustainable from a fiscal perspective – during the time of year when outside temperatures dip to the low teens.

Today’s episode is super timely, as most of us are deep into our fall bulb planting. Brooke Palmer owns Jenny Creek Flowers, a boutique cut flower farm based in Trumansburg in the Finger Lake Region of upstate New York. My conversation with Brooke originated earlier this year when I received an email from her. She wrote:

“From April through October, my farm offers local, seasonal, and sustainable blooms. From January through April, it offers local and sustainable blooms as I force thousands of tulips into bloom. Does my farm remain aligned to the Slow Flowers mission?” she asked.

Brooke went on to evaluate our mantra: Local, Seasonal and Sustainable – through her practices.
Local?: “Hundreds of people in my community are able to get locally grown flowers during winter and early spring rather than buying imported flowers.”
Sustainable?: “Because I only use LED lights and no additional heat source, my tulip program is sustainable.”
Seasonal?: Here’s the rub. . . There are hundreds of flower farms now doing this around the country (and likely hundreds more giving it a try this coming winter). Is there a place for tulip forcing within the Slow Flowers Society?”

I was impressed that Brooke asked these questions and our subsequent correspondence and conversations led to me asking her to write a column on Winter Tulip Bulb Forcing for the Fall 2024 issue of the Slow Flowers Journal. The edition dropped last week and I would love you to read Brooke’s full essay in our “Business of Flowers”” column — I’ve included the PDF below.

We dive even deeper into Brooke’s story in today’s episode and I know you’ll love meeting her and hearing how this former HS English teacher and lifelong gardener has transitioned to a full-time, year-round specialty cut flower grower – yes – while living in upstate New York – also known as USDA Zone 6a.

By the way, Brooke’s early email was so encouraging and I’d love to share it as my parting sentiments. She wrote:

“I have so much respect for the work you have done to bring attention to local flowers. I’ve wrestled through the implications of forcing tulips into bloom and am comfortably situated in a place where it makes perfect sense from a global/local perspective. What’s more is that my customers absolutely adore winter tulips. They send me love notes about how having flowers in their home during winter boosts their mood and gives them something hopeful and beautiful to get through the dark season with. I am confident that I am doing something good and wonderful for my community. Yet I recognize that posting a photo of winter tulips and using #slowflowers is a contradiction of sorts.”

Well, Brooke, let’s put that concern to rest! We will share your social media places so our listeners can find and follow you – and cheer you on when you use that hashtag #slowflowers. Here’s to a bountiful tulip season!

Find and follow Jenny Creek Flowers on Instagram and Facebook.

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Please check out the upcoming Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2025 – it’s coming up in the New Year – January 9-11^th to be precise, and that’s when we’re going to do something entirely different. After staging seven consecutive, live and in-person Summit conferences, we are bringing this amazing event to the virtual, online environment. You can enjoy fifteen hours of online education for just $279 – and Slow Flowers members always receive a $50 off discount on their registration.

Please check it out – in addition to the presentations, you’ll be able to engage personally with each of our floral experts, who will be in the virtual session to chat live and answer questions. I hope to see you there.

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Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.

Thank you to Store It Cold, creators of the revolutionary CoolBot, a popular solution for flower farmers, studio florists and farmer-florists.  Save $1000s when you build your own walk-in cooler with the CoolBot and an air conditioner.  Don’t have time to build your own?  They also have turnkey units available. Learn more at storeitcold.com. 

Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in New Albany, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.

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I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com

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I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!

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Music Credits:

Drone Pine; Gaena; Over the Fence
by Blue Dot Sessions
http://www.sessions.blue

Lovely
by Tryad 
http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

At this time of year, I’m feeling those back-to-school vibes — and more importantly, seeking more knowledge – so I’m happy to feature floral educator Sarah Berquist, who teaches sustainable flower farming and floral entrepreneurship to college students at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Join me to learn about her inspiring approach to educating farmer-florists of the future.

I’m so happy today to share an extended episode that introduces our community to what’s happening in flower farming and floral design education at the university level.

Over the past two years, I’ve so enjoyed getting to know Sarah Berquist, a Slow Flowers member based in Amherst, Massachusetts. She originally joined as a member under her business name, Flowers by Sarah B, but I later learned that she is a floral educator at University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

While Sarah’s entre into floral design began as a fun side-gig, she has taken a leadership role at U-Mass’s Stockbridge School of Agriculture in developing floral design and farmer-florist curriculum for college students in the Sustainable Food and Farming program.
Here is the Stockbridge Floral Program’s new home on the Stockbridge website!

I’ve been so inspired to learn about the first credited Retail Floral Design course, which is in its second year, as well as the farmer-florist practicum that will also be offered again next semester.

I invited Sarah to share the story of her emerging floral education program. After you hear our 30-minute conversation, you’re in for a treat. Last week, during the first week of the fall semester, Sarah gathered with some of her returning students to record their insights about growing and designing through a sustainability lens. You’ll hear their voices in the podcast audio, but if you have time, I encourage you to watch the video above, where you’ll see them in the field harvesting, and follow them into the drying room. I know you’ll be as inspired as I was to hear from the future leaders of our Slow Flowers Movement!

Let’s jump right in and welcome Sarah Berquist of Stockbridge Floral Design at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Head’s up – we’re going to be working with Sarah and her students to identify internship opportunities, so if you’re interested to learn more, I’ll share Sarah’s contact information in our show notes, as well.

Follow Stockbridge Floral Design on Instagram

Download Sarah’s recap of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture Floral Design Program (2023-2024 Summary)

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Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up for September

And a quick note to remind you that coming up this Friday, September 13^th (9 am PT/Noon Eastern), we are resuming our monthly Slow Flowers Member Virtual Meet-Up. Join me in the Zoom Room! Our special guest experts will be Casey Schwartz and Kit Wertz of Flower Duet, an LA-based studio. The sisters will share how they have built a special niche serving corporate and event clients – you’ll be sure to learn something new!

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Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.

Thank you to Red Twig Farms. Based in New Albany, Ohio, Red Twig Farms is a family-owned farm specializing in peonies, daffodils, tulips and branches, a popular peony-bouquet-by-mail program and their Spread the Hope Campaign where customers purchase 10 tulip stems for essential workers and others in their community. Learn more at redtwigfarms.com.

Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwest has to offer in cut flowers, foliage and plants. The Growers Market’s mission is to foster a vibrant marketplace that sustains local flower farms and provides top-quality products and service to the local floral industry. Visit them at seattlewholesalegrowersmarket.com.

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I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com.

---

I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!

---

Music Credits:

Drone Pine; Gaena; Turning on the Lights; Homin Brer
by Blue Dot Sessions
http://www.sessions.blue

Lovely
by Tryad 
http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

Emily Pek of Frayed Knot Farm recently contributed an essay to Slow Flowers Journal’s Summer 2024 issue, sharing her philosophy on the importance of community connections for sustaining a vibrant cut flower business that has served the greater Cleveland area for the past seven years. We invited Emily to discuss her story and her journey with the Slow Flowers Podcast – and I’m excited for you to join us today.

Let’s jump right into today’s interview with Emily Pek of Frayed Knot Farm.

The mission of Frayed Knot Farm is to grow beautiful, diverse, cut flowers and herbs that share stories, bring joy, and support equitable and regenerative farming.

As owner-founder Emily has a passion for systems thinking and agriculture, both of which led to an apprenticeship in Brooklyn, NY in 2016 where she learned how to farm while studying food justice. Upon returning to her deep roots in Cleveland, she worked at various farms and started Frayed Knot in 2017. The land that Frayed Knot resides on was previously stewarded by her grandparents, who have been part of the community for close to a century.

Frayed Knot Farm is located 30 miles east of downtown Cleveland and grows over 100 varieties of annual and perennial flowers and foliage on less than an acre. Using hand scale and regenerative farming practices, the flowers produced and foraged are offered in CSA bouquet subscriptions, wholesale for purchase by florists, and supply events and workshops.

Follow Frayed Knot Farm on Instagram and Facebook

Read Emily’s “With Heart” essay, recently published in Slow Flowers Journal.

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Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 750 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to our new lead sponsor for 2024-2025, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu.

Thank you to Johnny’s Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds — supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com.

Thank you to The Gardener’s Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important than ever, and you’ll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.

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Slow Flowers Podcast Turns 11!

Today is cause for celebration – we are commemorating the 11^th anniversary of the Slow Flowers Podcast, the original floral podcast that we’ve produced and hosted for you ever since our debut on July 23, 2013! That means today’s episode is our 574^th consecutive weekly program highlighting the people, farms, florists, and flowers of the Slow Flowers Movement. Thank you for supporting this storytelling project for more than a decade – now, in its 11^th season!

I’m so glad you joined us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com.

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I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I’ll see you next week!

---

Music Credits:

Drone Pine; Gaena; Camp Fermin; Flattered
by Blue Dot Sessions
http://www.sessions.blue

Lovely
by Tryad 
http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

In The Field
audionautix.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Podcast Index | RSS | More

My guest today is Colorado-based flower farmer and educator Briana Bosch. We recently met in person when Briana attended the Slow Flowers Summit and I’ve been wanting to host her on the show – so we finally got this conversation on the calendar to share with you.

Just a little bit of background: Armed with an MBA from the University of California, Briana established Blossom & Branch in 2019 with her husband.  As she writes on the Blossom & Branch website:

“. . . cubicle life has just never been a fit for me.  Farming runs in my blood: I am a fifth generation farmer, but I myself never thought I would get a chance to start up my own farm!  We got lucky when we found 1.7 acres in the suburbs of Denver and moved to the farm in 2018.”

The farm name Blossom & Branch refers to the unique site, which is half field (home to field-grown flowers such as annuals, roses and peonies), and half woods–where Briana and her husband focus on providing habitat for wildlife and pollinators through native plants such as chokecherries, american plum, currants, and serviceberries.

Let’s jump right in and meet Briana and learn about her farm, her focus on regenerative farming processes and carbon sequestration – and how she shares her flowers with her community of flower lovers and wedding clients.

Find and follow Blossom & Branch:
on Instagram and Facebook
On-Demand Workshops
Sign up for Blossom & Branch’s newsletter (scroll to bottom of the page)

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News for You

FREE Slow Flowers Webinar
Madison Square Park Conservancy Lecture Series
August 18, 2022

The Slow Flowers Movement is a response to the disconnect between humans and flowers in the modern era. Slow Flowers connects consumers with the source of their flowers, putting a human face of the flower farmer and floral designer behind each bouquet or centerpiece. 

Join Slow Flowers Society founder Debra Prinzing and Slow Flowers member Janet Kramka, proprietor of Backyard Blooms for a free webinar 3-4 pm PT/6-7 pm ET on Thursday, August 18th. The conversation will focus on the importance of the Slow Flowers Movement, and how their work has both supported and been inspired by it. The Madison Square Park Conservancy Program is free and will be hosted on Zoom.

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Slow Flowers Member Discount
Sustainable Flowers Project Workshop
September 18-20, 2022

SUSTAINABLE FLOWERS PROJECT: Slow Flowers has signed on as a partner in the September workshop produced by two of our members, Becky Feasby and TJ McGrath — the Sustainable Flowers Project. The three-day intensive + creative workshop explores sustainability with some of the biggest leaders in sustainable floristry today. The location: Jardin de Buis, in Califon, New Jersey; the dates: September 18-20, 2022.
You’ll learn from Ingrid Carozzi, Tin Can Studios; British Designer Shane Connolly, Shane Connolly + Co.; flower farmer and social justice activist Amber Tamm, as well as Andrea Fillippone and Eric Fleisher, environmental designers and owners of Jardin de Buis, as well as from Becky and TJ. They have created a special $150-off promo code for Slow Flowers members who sign up. Register here with SF150.

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Thank you to our Sponsors

This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms.  It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

Thanks to The Gardener’s Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important this year than ever, and you’ll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.

Thanks to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.

Thanks to Johnny’s Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds — supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnysseeds.com.

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Thanks so much for joining us today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 874,000 times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too.

If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com and consider making a donation to sustain Slow Flowers’ ongoing advocacy, education and outreach activities. You can find the donate button in the column to the right.

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I’m Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization.  Next week, you’re invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. 

---

Music credits:
Enter the Room; Turning on The Lights; Gaena
by Blue Dot Sessions
http://www.sessions.blue

Lovely
by Tryad 
http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentals
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

In The Field
audionautix.com