Dead Dirt

Years ago I read a book by chef, Dan Barber, called The Third Plate. It was shortly after my two sons were diagnosed with celiac disease. Managing the disease is super simple–just don’t ingest gluten! Discovering why celiac disease and other autoimmune disorders are on the rise was a little more complicated, but I felt a lot of clues were in Dan Barber’s book. Barber writes about living soil (as opposed to dead dirt) and thriving heritage crops (as opposed to genetically modified crops sustained by chemicals).

Living Soil

The more research I do, the more I am convinced that creating and sustaining healthy living soil through regenerative farming practices is the key to so much of what ails us and our planet. If you want some inspiration on how transformative healthy soil and regenerative farming can be, just watch Kiss the Ground and The Biggest Little Farm!

This blog post from Heirloom Soul Florals outlines these practices and the benefits that they bring: 

“Very literally, ‘Regenerative’ Farming means we are rebuilding and rejuvenating life on earth. The ‘re-’ is critical for our understanding, because our land, at one time, was full of incredible life. We humans have spent millennia, and most notably the past few decades, effectively destroying life on earth. Through Regenerative farming and gardening, we can restore that lost life. We won’t be able to fully restore it to what it once was, but we can make it 100-fold better than it is now and guarantee a habitable planet for our future generations.”

Local Flower Farmers

The local flower farms we purchase from through Old Dominion Flower Cooperative are all organic and many incorporate regenerative practices such as no-tilling and cover-cropping. This short but illuminating video by Grateful Gardners, one of our local flower farmers, does a great job of explaining how and why farms like theirs make a difference. 

By supporting our local family-owned flower farmers, we are supporting the bigger initiatives of regenerative farming and moving away from a dependence on flowers flown in from other countries. Local flowers are not inexpensive, but we feel the uniqueness and quality of the flowers as well as the monumental benefits of regenerative farming practices are worth every penny we invest. 

Stay tuned for part three!

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pixabay on stockvault

As winter melts into spring, the flower growing season is upon us! Here at Fantasy Floral, that means we start receiving shipments from Old Dominion Flower Cooperative, a group of local women-owned flower farms that practice organic sustainable farming. With most of our cut flowers coming from overseas, the US floral industry is in dire need of more sustainable practices. This is the first of three articles in our series on Sustainability.  

Buying Local

“Locally-grown” doesn’t just apply to the veggies you get from the farmer’s market! Supporting local flower growers is a big step towards sustainability in the flower industry. For a couple of years, Margie and Trevor imagined ways to work with local flower farmers as a source for cut flowers. None of the options seemed feasible, but it continued to be on our wish list.

At the same time, local flower farmers imagined ways to work with local florists, but none of the options seemed  feasible. This is one of the silver-linings of the pandemic! It inspired creative solutions and thinking-outside-of-the-box. In this case, a local flower farmer cooperative was born. By combining their farms, knowledge, and resources, flower farmers overcame the two biggest hurdles–reaching enough florists and offering enough variety.

According to Modern Farmer, in 2015, “80 percent of all flowers sold in the U.S. [were] imported, primarily from South American industrial flower farms that have a history of using harsh chemical fertilizers, toxic pesticides and unfair labor practices.” 

From a sustainability aspect, buying local eliminates the need for airplanes and the chemicals needed to preserve the flowers during transport. From an economic aspect, buying local strengthens the local economy by keeping our dollars here instead of sending them overseas. From a humanitarian aspect, buying local means supporting families, not large corporations with questionable labor practices.

Buying local also increases a sense of community. We are meeting our neighbors who supply the flowers and learning what goes in (or more importantly what doesn’t go in) the flowers we are purchasing. We learn about other florists in the area who are also embracing more sustainable practices. Through social media, we are connecting with the larger flower farmer and florist community–one farmer and florist at a time–throughout the country. It’s a larger community than we imagined and totally dedicated to sustainability. We’re proud to be part of it!

Douglas Perkins on Wikimedia Commons

Higher Quality

Imported flowers are sometimes harvested weeks before florists receive them. This leads to a decreased quality and vase life according to Farm Bureau Financial Services. You can especially witness this decline in quality during Valentine’s Day. Because of the high demand for red roses, farmers start cutting their red roses weeks earlier than normal in order to meet the demand during Valentine’s Day week. The result is red roses that often do not meet our normal standard for longevity. This year we actually steered our customers to other arrangements for that reason. 

A recent arrangement by Kristi!

In contrast, flowers coming from local farms are harvested just days before we receive them. Partnering with local farmers through Old Dominion Flower Cooperative allows us to use the freshest possible flowers in our arrangements. When we do have to purchase from overseas farms, we carefully select the farm for flowers with the highest quality and longevity. When cared for properly, our flowers last much longer than those purchased at the grocery store!

In the same article, FBFS outlines some other benefits to buying local. One in particular is access to seasonal flowers that thrive in your climate! This is super important to us at Fantasy Floral, as we love the variety we get from ODFC. You can read more about what we do with flowers from the co-op in Margie’s blog post! 

Hussein Twabi on Wikimedia Commons

Protect our Pollinators

Local flowers also help sustain pollinator populations. Many species of insects, especially bees and butterflies, are going extinct at an alarming rate. According to Brightly, habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, and disease all contribute to declining pollinator populations. Local flower farms help ensure that bees and butterflies have flowers to pollinate, and they also ensure that those flowers aren’t sprayed with harmful chemicals! 

Buying local is just one step! Stay tuned for the next two blog posts in our sustainability series!

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Shape

Our first order had bicolor snapdragons in pink and coral. The snapdragons we get from our wholesalers are tall and very straight. These snapdragons dipped and curved. You could see their progress following the sun in each curve of their stems! The arrangement that our designer created took these dips and curves into account. Instead of being vertical, the design was more horizontal and asymmetrical. The addition of the whimsical billy balls perfectly compliment the asymmetry.

Varieties

As summer progresses, the flowers offered each week change. This week there are a lot of varieties of dahlias, zinnias, and celosia as they come into their own. Along with these familiar flowers are varieties of flowers and greens that I associate with our local woods and fields. Fern, chicory, and porcelain vine are all things I see when I run at Walney Pond. I found myself smiling at a childhood memory when I saw pokeberry on this week’s list. As a little girl, I used to forage in the woods near my house and come back loaded with “ingredients” to make “dinner.” Of course these dinners weren’t edible, but I had fun making them. Pokeberry was one of my favorite ingredients!

What Sets Us Apart

I love the artistry in our flower arrangements. You can find beautiful flower arrangements at your local grocery store, but you won’t find the floral works of art that Trevor and Kristi create. They are truly inspiring! We are so excited to be offering one more aspect that sets us apart from other florists. Our goal of incorporating greater sustainability practices led us to purchase from local flower farmers. To our delight, the unexpected bonus is that these local flowers lend a unique signature look. What a wonderful combination—amazing artistry and unique flowers! Give us a call or place an online order! We’re ready to create YOUR beautiful Summer Designer’s Choice!

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Did you know that 80% of the flowers in cut flower arrangements in the US actually come from outside the US? We understand the need to source our food locally. For the last year, Trevor and I have been discussing ideas to source our flowers locally.

We want to source flowers locally for all the same reasons we subscribe to CSA’s for our fruit, vegetables, and eggs. As fewer flowers are flown across the ocean, the carbon footprint is reduced. By incorporating organic growing practices, local flower farmers focus on healthy living soil, not chemicals. As family owned and operated farms, they add to the local economy. In addition, by supporting them we help them survive and thrive! Sourcing locally also means less time being transported. This translates to more time in your vase!

We are researching local organic flower farms. Our hope is to incorporate local flowers into our arrangements this summer. I’m so excited by this new adventure into sustainability practices! Local flowers—good for us, good for the farmers, good for the planet!

(photo courtesy of local flower farm, Wild Blue Farm)

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I had so much fun wandering the meadow and the tree line and taking pictures of the flowers I found. When I returned to the campsite, my fiancé, PT, asked me where I had gone. I showed him the photos I had taken. “Where did you find all those flowers?” I laughed! Like I was before working at the flower shop, PT was unaware of the wildflowers surrounding him at that very moment. Once I started pointing them out to him, of course they were obvious.

If you follow this blog, you know I’ve made it a priority to fill our yard with pollinator friendly flowers. I’ve also tried to focus on perennials so our flower beds grow fuller each year. As I’ve been buying pollinator friendly perennials, I discovered most of the plants I’m buying are yellow or purple. Initially I put it down to my love of the color purple. Once you start to notice the wildflowers around us, you might also start to notice that most of them are in shades of yellow and purple. Coincidence?

It turns out it’s not a coincidence! Bees can’t see red. Red looks black to bees. They can see yellows and oranges. But according to scientists, the most likely colors to attract bees are purple, violet and blue. My photo shoot around the meadow resulted in pictures of yellow and purple flowers, and when I researched them, of course they are all favorites of pollinators.

There’s something really peaceful about taking photos of wildflowers. First, you have to slow down enough to notice the wildflowers around us. Then you have to break away from what you’re doing to get close and focus on the unique beauty of each blossom. I have seen details of flowers through the lens of my camera that I’ve never noticed before.

As we head into Memorial Day weekend, maybe you’ll take a hike through the woods. Maybe you’ll notice the wildflowers around you. Maybe you’ll even stop and take some photos. I hope so! It’s guaranteed to feed your soul and bring a smile to your face!

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I am resilient, born to be brilliant

You’ll see me grow right through the cracks, yeah

‘Cause you’re gonna watch this flower grow right through the cracks

We’ve all seen those photos of ugly canvases of grey concrete and asphalt with that one brightly colored flower somehow growing out of a crack from the middle of nothingness. I think this is one of the reasons flowers always brighten someone’s day. Among a flower’s many wonderful qualities, they are so resilient that flowers grow right through the cracks!

Mint growing under our shop’s front door

Another testament to flower resiliency is in my pollinator garden at home. A couple of springs ago I sprinkled a package of wildflower seeds over part of the garden. Because I had no idea what seeds were in the mix, I downloaded an app for my phone called Picture This. The app identifies a plant using a photo of a leaf or flower. Using the app, I was able to distinguish flower seedlings from weed seedlings.

My pollinator garden is well-established now so I know what flowers will re-emerge each year. When weeds do come up, I quickly pull them. A couple of weeks ago, a plant started to come up that didn’t look like a weed so I took a photo of it. Picture This identified the random plant as a Peruvian Zinnia. As part of that initial sprinkling of wildflowers, the zinnias came up the first year. I haven’t seen any since until this year and not until the summer was almost over! Talk about resilient!

2020, especially, is a year that we all need an extra dose of good vibes. Flowers are the perfect way to deliver joy and resiliency to family and friends. Not only do they epitomize resiliency themselves, according to studies, flowers bring positivity and productivity to both men and women. So don’t forget the men in your lives! As Katy Perry sings, ” Won’t let the concrete hold me back, oh no…’cause you’re gonna watch this flower grow right through the cracks.”

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Dried Flower Projects

Drying the Flowers

There are three ways you can dry your flowers, depending on how you want to use them. The easiest way is to hang them upside-down in a well ventilated area. You can hang a single stem or several stems held together by twine or rubber bands.

A second way to dry flowers is to press them between absorbent paper using old books or an actual flower press. There are lots of instructional videos online showing how to do this, including this one from the University of Illinois. The best flowers for this kind of drying method are ones that don’t have a lot of bulk to them and will flatten easily. Daisies, snap dragons, black-eyed Susans, gladiolas, will all press nicely. Flowers like roses or carnations that have a bulky base do not press well.

A third way to dry flowers is using silica gel. This is a great method if you want the dried flowers to essentially look the same as the fresh flower version. You can get silica gel at any local craft store or through Amazon. Again, there are a lot of instructional videos online, including this one from MonkeySee.

Projects Using Dried Flowers

Epoxy Resin

A.K. Art & Creations

One of my good friends is a jewelry maker and just started experimenting with resin. Epoxy resin can be purchased at any local craft store or through Amazon. She has come up with gorgeous pieces from pendants to earrings. She has also created some beautiful serving trays and bowls. The resin allows her to embed different objects such as metallics, shells, and flowers.

A.K. Art & Creations

What to do when stuck at home with your children? Take a walk around the neighborhood and collect wildflowers. There are a lot of apps you can download to your phone that will identify the flower for you. Wildflowers are intrinsic to our pollinators so it’s a great opportunity to help children understand the roll pollinators play. Some wildflowers are a source of energy for hummingbirds, some food for caterpillars, and some, like milkweed, are the sole provider of shelter and a place to lay eggs for the monarch butterfly. It’s amazing what flowers you will see once you start looking for them to collect.

Preserving Bride’s Bouquets and Corsages

A lot of brides want to preserve their wedding bouquets. The two best methods for this are the hang and dry method for a vintage look or the silica gel method if you want the bouquet to look similar to the way it did on your wedding day. The stems of a bouquet are wrapped very tightly. While air and silica gel will be able to circulate between the greens and flowers on the outer-most edges of the bouquet. Air and silica gel will not be able to get between the wrapped stems. Over time, moisture at the base of the bouquet and between the stems will cause mold and deterioration.

With both methods, you will need to take the bouquet apart, dry the individual stems, and reconstruct the bouquet. While there are several local companies that preserve bouquets, it’s a fun project to do, especially when stuck at home. Just make sure to take a photo of the bouquet before you take it apart and at various points during deconstruction. These photos will help you put the bouquet back together again once the stems have dried.

You can do the same thing with your corsages from Prom or Homecoming or Daddy-Daughter Dances. If you have purchased your corsage from us, the stems are already individually wrapped with floral tape and should dry well without deconstruction. I still have my corsage from my high school Prom. I hung it upside down from my mirror the night I got home. It’s a bit brittle now so I have it in the original clam shell, but I love the vintage pink color…and of course the memories!

Memories

Another project you do with your children is more long-term. I have several copies of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I loved exploring nature and “adventuring” as a little girl so this was a well-loved book. One of my copies is a big heavy large print book that became my flower press when I was a little girl. I chose it because it was the heaviest book I had that wasn’t a Bible. Now the choice seems so poetic–wildflowers from my adventuring pressed into a book about adventuring. I included little notes with the flowers indicating where and when I collected them. Now I can flip through the pages of Huck Finn and relive my own adventures.

One of the first arrangements I made at Fantasy Floral included peonies. I wanted to save the peonies as a memory and because they were so full and gorgeous. I just wrapped kitchen twine around the end of the stems and hung them from the curtain rod at our sliding glass door. As the peonies dried, they did lose some color, but that’s what I like about them–the vintage color look. It gives the room a cottage feeling.

Once you have dried your flowers, the projects are endless! You are only limited by your imagination in what to do when stuck at home!

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Butterflies

According to National Geographic, “The eastern population of monarchs has declined over 80 percent, and the western population is nearly extinct, with just 3 percent of its population remaining.” There are a lot of contributing factors, but the biggest and most immediate cause is the loss of milkweed.
“Milkweed, often considered a nuisance by farmers and residents, is the lifeblood of the monarch butterfly, which uses the plant for food and breeding. But herbicides and development have wiped out milkweed across the Midwest, compromising one of the monarch’s most critical habitats,” explains an Indianapolis Star article. The article does goes on to highlight farmers who are swapping out their cash crops for milkweed. Good news!

Weeds

I was on the phone yesterday with a woman who was placing an order for flowers to celebrate the birth of a baby boy. She wanted to focus on blue and yellow and white, but she was very specific about which flowers she wanted to include in the arrangement. I mentioned salidago, also known as goldenrod. It’s a beautiful, tall, filler flower that adds gorgeous yellow color and texture to arrangements. “No salidago please. It always reminds me of a weed.” This is a common sentiment.

As I little girl, I didn’t know the difference between flowers and weeds. I remember walking to elementary school at the end of summer. I loved milkweed! It went from tall flowers that were almost eye level, to hard pods, to this wonderful angel hair filling the pods. I loved cracking open the pods and watching the silk waft away on the breeze. Now I realize I was helping mother nature sow next year’s milkweed seeds. As sometimes happens, the adult in me did not appreciate milkweed as much as the child in me did, until now. Like so many others, I considered it a weed. This week, I planted three milkweed plants in my yard and hope to plant more. I haven’t seen a monarch butterfly since my boys were little. I hope that changes soon!

Flowers

We’re always taking pictures of our arrangements at the flower shop. Once I started looking at an arrangement through the lens of a camera, I started to notice the exquisite beauty of each individual flower. This actually prompted me to start taking videos of some arrangements so I could highlight each flower. Every bride loves peonies and ranunculus. Orchids and calla lilies lend elegance and a touch of the exotic. Hydrangeas add a soft summery feeling. But it’s the wild flowers that add texture and uniqueness to an arrangement. They make arrangements fun and help to highlight the showier flowers. Yes, arrangements can be fun!

Bees

I think a lot as I drive to and from work. The other morning I was pondering what to write for the next blog post–something about flowers, of course! I was sitting at a traffic light and looked absently out the passenger window. On the side of the road was a stretch of the most beautiful wild flowers. I turned down a side street and parked to get photos. There were a lot of bees and butterflies enjoying the flowers so I had to step carefully. All of the photos above are the wild flowers I saw from my car.

As I was planting my own wild flowers last weekend, I was smiling at the full circle I had come from the little girl who loved milkweed, to the adult that thought it was just a weed, to a more understanding adult that not only loved the flower but appreciated its important place in our little world. A delicate white butterfly hovered around me the whole time I was planting–never more than 8 inches off the ground or more than a few feet from me. I like to think it was thanking me for understanding and appreciating.

“One man’s weed is another man’s flower,” ~Gloria Naylor

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