Book Review: The 50 Mile Bouquet

I have not been this inspired by a book since Amy Stewart’s Flower Confidential in 2007. Flower Confidential inspired me to start Local Color Flowers back in 2008 and the 50 Mile Bouquet is going to inspire me to grow LoCoFlo into the business I always envisioned.

The 50 Mile Bouquet is a beautifully written and photographed book about local flower farmers, designers that specialize in using locally grown flowers and clients that choose to buy local for their weddings and special events.

The grower section was great to read because I ACTUALLY KNEW some of the growers! How cool is that to see people you know in a book?

Much of the book focuses on the progressive growers in California, Oregon and Washington State. I loved learning about a urban LA flower farm called Silver Lakes Farm that grows beautiful flowers in the middle of Los Angeles! I’ve already referred two west coast friends to them! I was super excited to read about Flora Grubb and the Cutting Garden, an amazing spot that my dear friend Susannah took us to the last time we were in San Francisco.

While I LOVED reading about the growers, I was truly inspired reading about so many amazing designers that value local flowers…many of whom, like me, have built their business on buying local. I suddenly felt less alone when I read about designers with untraditional spaces like Lila B. Design, that works out of a loading dock in the Mission in San Francisco. (made me feel better about our garage studio). I felt less like a freak when I read about the ladies at Artis and Greene who have totally rejected floral foam and chemical preservation of flowers. I knew I was on the right track when I read about Max Gill, the floral designer from Chez Panisse that forages in his Berkeley neighborhood for interesting design ingredients.

I actually cried several times while reading the book because I felt so…included! I was so proud of these growers and designers I was reading about and I was proud of the community we are building at Local Color Flowers. I was proud that we are building a business on beautiful local products and inspired relationships with our growers and clients.

If you get the chance, read the 50 Mile Bouquet! You won’t be disappointed!

Book Review: The Nature Principle

Like many of you, I grew up in a city. In fact, I’ve lived in cities my whole life: Buffalo, San Jose, San Francisco and Baltimore. I’m pretty sure I have suffered from what author Richard Louv had termed “Nature Deficit Disorder”.  Nature Deficit Disorder is described as a lack of routine contact with nature. Louv argues that this disconnection from nature has alls sorts of negative consequences on us. For many of us, it manifests itself in a desire to get reconnected with nature-even in small ways-like planting a small garden or taking a walk outside.

In the Nature Principle, Louv makes a strong case that a connection with nature  (and all the plants and animals and creepy crawlies that live in it) is necessary for us to survive. It’s something deep in our psyche that we may not be able to explain-but we feel it. He also explains all of the great mental, physical and emotional benefits to spending time in nature.

I have thought for a while that this inherent desire to reconnect to nature is part of the  reason I started Local Color Flowers. There were lots of small steps along the way including planting a garden and working on a farm that got me started along the path.  Starting a business that allowed me to visit farms regularly, grow and pick flowers and share them with other people has been amazing. I also believe (and have been told this by clients) that this feeling is one of the reasons people want to work with us. People want to know where their flowers come from. They want to see pictures of the farms. They want to go to the farms. They want to connect with nature.

I loved reading the Nature Principle and would definitely recommend it. It was inspirational reading about the stories about how nature can positively influence our lives. It was also motivational because it reminded me that connection with nature does not have to be a 2 week camping trip at a National Park (although it could be). Reconnecting with nature can be as easy as going for a walk in the park or checking out all of what’s going on in my compost or gardening or picking flowers. Take some time today to get reconnected.

Book Review: The Brother Gardeners

While on vacation this past week, I read The Brother Gardeners by Andrea Wulf. Flower lovers, garden enthusiasts and growers of all sorts will enjoy this book. Wulf tells the story of a small group of botanists, flower hunters and  gardeners, known as the Brother Gardeners, that were responsible for creating the gardening craze in England in the 1700’s.

The book begins with American John Bartram. Bartram was a Pennsylvania farmer who sent plants, seeds, trees,  and more to his “pen pal” Peter Collinsworth in London. American classics such as kalmia, Echinacea, monarda, lady’s slipper and many more could now be seen throughout English gardens. This introduction of American plants changed the English garden landscape forever. The friendship between Bartram and Collinsworth lasted for over 40 years-even though they never met face to face.

While loads of new flowers and plants were being discovered, the botanical world  was having heated debates about how to identify and categorize the new varieties. While Swedish Botanist Carl Linneaus seemed like a pompous ass that everyone hated, his system for standardizing the naming of plants was the easiest to use and the most widely used. While his protégé ditched him and moved to London, while the community of European gardeners cursed him every chance they got, Linneaus is the one whose name will be remembered in history.

The last third of the books tells the adventurous tales of the team of Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander-botanists and plant hunters from England who traveled the world bringing exotic flowers and plants to England for the first time. Flowers that seem common to us today like birds of paradise or the bread fruit tree were coveted as the most unique plants ever seen.

The Brother Gardeners was captivating, interesting and even laugh out loud funny in parts. This is a great read for anyone interested in flowers and gardening.

Book Review: The Dirty Life, On Farming, Food and Love

In The Dirty Life, Kristin Kimball tells the story of her transition from single Manhattanite to married rural farmer. The story starts with Kimball visiting an organic farm in Pennsylvania for a story she is writing. She shows up in designer jeans and high heels and is immediately put to work by her future husband. The work seems impossibly hard (especially in that get up) but after a few days, Kimball start to feel the pull. She likes the how her body starts to feel as a result of manual labor, she's amazed at the produce the farm produces, she is calmed by the purposeful "chores"...and she finds she's got a crush on the farmer.

Within a few months, Kimball and the farmer (Mark) get engaged and decide to start a farm. The plan is that they will start a CSA that will be a "full diet" CSA. As you probably know, most CSA's have a vegetables, fruit and maybe some odds and ends (honey, flowers). This CSA would be different. It would be created to provide everything the share holder would need for their year round food needs. Meat, dairy, sweetener (maple syrup), vegetables, fruits, beans, grains and FLOWERS!

As I was reading I was thinking-these people are crazy! The story describes their first year on the farm in great detail. Working 18 hours a day, everyday...broke, exhausted, snippy...it doesn't sound...idyllic.

But then, like in most "back to the land" books I've read recently, they say it's worth it. The amazing food, the camaraderie, the connection to the land, the strong community, the sense of purpose. They say they couldn't imagine living any other way. And then I start to think-maybe it's the rest of us who are crazy.

Definitely worth a read-especially if you have ever dreamed of farm life as an option!