It's here! With all of its beauty, color, warmth and pollen, it’s here...Spring!
And yet this year there’s a cloud of uncertainty overhead that threatens to strip the joy and hope of spring from us. The flower industry, as many other business sectors, has been hit hard by the COVID19 virus. International flower growers have literally been destroying or (hopefully) composting, thousands of beautiful cut flowers because they cannot ship them. There are no orders for their product. The wedding and event industry is on hold, travel bans, hotel closings and fear have delayed or cancelled events altogether. Some florists here in the US have been ordered to close or have needed to quickly adjust their business practices to get arrangements out to customers. However, with the lack of product from international wholesalers florists are limited in their offerings.
This all leaves a significant opportunity for small flower farms across the country who serve their communities with fresh cuts from their fields. The ability to fill the gap where and when the international industry cannot is a huge asset to the growers who even now have product to sell and would love nothing more than to get it to consumers.
All of the events of the past weeks have led everyone to consider doing things a bit differently in the future. As we all move forward and recover from this our hope is that you would consider your purchasing power and how much it impacts your local small businesses and family farms that sell to the community, whether it be food or flowers.
The hope of spring is indeed upon us, let us not forget that through all of the recent events.
Our fields are planted with tiny spring seedlings and the greenhouse is full of the next round of beauty for early summer. When you send a gift of flowers to a loved one or to yourself, always ask for American Grown. Better yet, get to know your local flower farmer.