by Debra Prinzing
The Slow Flowers Podcast is the award-winning, long-running show known as the “Voice of the Slow Flowers Movement.” Airing weekly for more than 9 years, we focus on the business of flower farming and floral design through the Slow Flowers sustainability ethos. Listen to a new episode each Wednesday, available for free download here at slowflowerspodcast.com or on iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
6/6/2018
Email Addresses
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Phone Numbers
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April 16, 2025
https://youtu.be/02kn4dOI2tg?si=M1TUm5AjdtUwbr_z<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Just in time for gardening and farming season, I’m thrilled to introduce you to The Flower Farmers, my new book co-authored with longtime collaborator Robin Avni. The Flower Farmers delivers a visually compelling collection of stories and flower-growing wisdom to inspire gardeners and flower lovers alike. Immerse yourself in the stories of 29 flower farms, including the people and places where flowers are planted, harvested, arranged and brought to market. Join me in a conversation about HELLEBORES -- Best Practices and Best Varieties to Grow and Design. Three of the talented Slow Flowers members featured in The Flower Farmers book -- Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall of Jello Mold Farm, and Rizaniño "Riz" Reyes of RHR Horticulture -- pay homage to the hellebore -- the "it" flower of the season. It’s only fitting, because a beautiful portrait of the luxury perennial graces the cover of The Flower Farmers -- straight from Jello Mold Farm.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Helleborus HGC Ice N' Roses 'Rosado' (left) and Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall (right) (c) Mary Grace Long<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Rizanino "Riz" Reyes, owner of Seattle-based RHR Horticulture (left) (c) Amber Fouts and a garden-foraged spring posy, designed and photographed by Riz (right)<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Today’s episode is excerpted from our monthly Slow Flowers member meet-up for April, which took place last week. We invited Diane Szukovathy and Dennis Westphall to share their expert hellebore growing advice and Riz Reyes, an accomplished plantsman, to discuss gardening and designing with hellebores. You’ll learn more about their work with hellebore crops and floral and design with hellebores and companion blooms, and get inspired for the season's best blooms.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> All three are featured in the pages of The Flower Farmers: Inspiration and Advice from Expert Growers. Robin Avni and I spent the past 18 months gathering images and interviews with 29 floral experts across North American – Slow Flowers members whose passion and know-how fill 272 pages of this gorgeous book – which will be published on May 6th.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> In the hellebore high tunnel at Jello Mold Farm (c) Mary Grace Long<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Find and follow Jello Mold Farm on Instagram and at Seattle Wholesale Growers Market<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Find and follow Riz Reyes on Instagram and at Heronswood Garden<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Thank you to our Sponsors<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Thank you to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farmer-owned cooperative committed to providing the very best the Pacific Northwe...
April 9, 2025
https://youtu.be/AMujMVQSGkM?si=2ZjthEzgpVZzdUH_<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> It’s early in the season, but Amy Linhart already has been harvesting from her crop of 13,000 daffodils to supply her main wholesale customer, an upscale regional grocery chain in the Seattle-Tacoma region. I visited Humming Harvest Farm in late March for a tour of the fields and new high tunnel, both of which allowed me to envision the bountiful year to come, Amy’s sixth farming season. She started farming flowers as a side venture to her full-time position as an environmental educator at Pierce College, and I’m so inspired by the ways this young flower entrepreneur is building a meaningful and sustainable lifestyle involving teaching and farming.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Amy Linhart of Humming Harvest Farm (c) Rylea Foehl photography<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Today’s episode was so much fun to record because I was able to get away from the computer and visit my guest in person. It’s early in the season, but the drive was worth it. Amy Linhart of Humming Harvest Farm isn’t too far from my home – about 45 minutes to the Key Peninsula, near the shores of Puget Sound. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Casey and Amy (left), (c) Katelin McDermott Photography; outdoor production studio (right)<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Fortunately, Amy’s daffodil season has begun, so we walked the fields to see those crops, and toured the future growing areas where cover crops are now thriving. We also visited the new high tunnel that Amy’s husband Casey Linhart recently constructed with the help of friends. They have set themselves up for a successful expansion to add more early season crops with the new structure.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Humming Harvest Farm<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Amy Linhart is an environmental educator turned flower farmer who has spent the majority of her professional career learning from and sharing inspiration from the natural world. From working as a national park ranger in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, to her current position working as an environmental educator at Pierce College, Amy has a deep respect for the ecosystems that she calls home.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Dried and fresh florals (left) and Grocery Bouquets (right)<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> She and Casey met in Alaska, where they fell in love with exploring wild spaces… and with each other. They moved to Washington so that Amy could pursue a Master’s in Marine Affairs at the University of Washington. Soon after graduation, they moved out of the city to purchase land and dig in the dirt. Much of this land was covered in thick, invasive blackberries and now, after a lot of sweat equity, houses an abundance of flowers and vegetables.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The annual fields at Humming Harvest Farm<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> With big dreams and inspired by the local farming movement, Amy continually researches new ways to treat the earth more gently through her sustainable farming practices. You’ll hear us discuss some of these endeavors during my visit and our subsequent sit-down interview. I know you’ll be inspired.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Find and follow Humming Harvest Farm on Instagram and Facebook<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Amy is a member of Slow Flowers Society, but her farm is also affiliated with:Gig Harbor Flower Farmers Guild and she distributes flowers through West Sound Floral Exchange, operated by Slow Flowers member Jodi Logue of Moss & Madder Farm, past guest of this podcast.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Amy holds a signature mixed bouquet from Humming Harvest Farm<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> And I can’t end this episode without sharing a little update on Amy and Casey, and yes, the news that their baby Alder Kay Linhart arrived on April 1st. I have Amy’s permission to share this wonderful news. She recently texted me to say: “Our world has just changed for the better. She’s just the sweetest. She’s met the cows from afar and has explored the daffo...
April 2, 2025
https://youtu.be/00GygVX1-oY?si=RNAkJecm0tqTCNyR<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The Southern California farm synonymous with breathtaking blooms and gorgeous flowers and foliage is celebrating its 100th year in business this year. Founded by Giovanni Mellano in 1925, Mellano & Company is embarking on “Blooming into a New Era,” a year-long celebration highlighting the generations of families and faces who have played an integral role in the company’s success throughout the years, while also looking ahead to its next century of leadership in the floral industry. I sat down with 3rd generation flower farmer Mike A. Mellano to reflect on this huge accomplishment and to discuss both memories and highlights of this influential, family-owned American floral enterprise.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Mellano & Co. is a Certified American Grown flower farm.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> We all know that successful flower farming requires passion, grit, and endurance. It’s so rare that any U.S. flower farm can sustain those traits for a century, but Mellano & Co., is one of the few.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Early days at the Los Angeles Flower Market. The Mellano family has been involved for more than 90 years.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> From their humble beginnings in the bustling Los Angeles Flower Market to becoming a trusted name in the floral industry, Mellano & Co.’s flowers and foliage are present in every niche of the floral marketplace. They are based in Southern California, but their botanicals can be found in all 50 states, from wholesale to mass market outlets.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Mike A. Mellano, photographed at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, California<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Today, I’m sharing a wonderful conversation with Mike A. Mellano, a third-generation family farmer, longtime CEO, and new Chief Science Officer. We’ll reflect on the past and look to the future of domestic floral agriculture.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> https://youtu.be/9s3VxbOMgp8?si=68mNhXErwK6CmXzM<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ABOVE: Watch the inspiring 15-minute documentary that Mellano & Co. produced to celebrate their centennial. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> LISTEN: Mike Mellano’s first appearance on the Slow Flowers Podcast, when he was a guest on Episode 244 in 2016. I know you’ll enjoy learning more about the company whose flowers and foliage is widely used and loved.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Thank you to our Sponsors<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Thank you to A-ROO Company, your one-stop shop for in-stock floral packaging. From sleeves and wraps to labels and tags, visit www.a-roo.com for their full selection of eco-friendly items or to start the process of developing a look that is uniquely yours. Learn more at www.a-roo.com.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />
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