<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:660/450;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1734387889/203605b8_fdf9_4631_a878_a79e60bf1b30_t_Flower_Exchange00111_1_012cad5fc4.webp" alt="203605b8-fdf9-4631-a878-a79e60bf1b30-tFlower_Exchange00111 (1).webp" width="660" height="450"><figcaption>Missouri Flower Exchange, 2022 Grant Recipients</figcaption></figure> Rooted Farmers is offering grants to developing communities of growers.Our team has been working closely with dozens of regional groups across the country who are at various stages of forming or growing a cooperative/hub/collective, and we continue to be inspired by your passion and determination. This grant is designed to assist your group financially using micro-capital awards, and provide mentorship opportunities as you navigate the ins and outs of growing your farmer community.Grants range from $500 - $1,500 in a reimbursement-structured funding opportunity. &nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><custom-testimonial-carousel ids="[&quot;51&quot;, &quot;49&quot;, &quot;52&quot;, &quot;50&quot;]"></custom-testimonial-carousel></div><h2 style="margin-left:0px;">What is a Collective?</h2>Other names: Cooperative; Farmer Hub; Flower ExchangeA selling collaboration among growers; Collectives serve as an aggregator with the goal of streamlining relationship management, communications, sales, and logistics operations for both buyers and sellers (farmers).<h2 style="margin-left:0px;">Who is this designed for?</h2>Groups of four or more growers who are working to organize and formalize into a collaborative selling group.<h2 style="margin-left:0px;">When should we apply?</h2><a href="https://www.rootedfarmers.com/static/assets/2025-rooted-farmers-collective-grant-rfa.pdf">Applications are due by March 1, 2025</a><h2 style="margin-left:0px;">Where do we submit applications?</h2>All applications should be submitted to <a href="mailto:reachout@rootedfarmers.com">reachout@rootedfarmers.com</a>.<h2 style="margin-left:0px;">How do we find out more?&nbsp;</h2>Review the <a href="https://www.rootedfarmers.com/static/assets/2025-rooted-farmers-collective-grant-rfa.pdf">Request for Applications (RFA</a><a href="https://www.rootedfarmers.com/static/assets/Rooted_Farmers_RFA_Floral_Collective_Grant_Opportunity_2024.pdf">)</a> for full eligibility requirements and application submission details, and the <a href=" https://www.rootedfarmers.com/static/assets/2025-rooted-farmers-collective-grant-terms-and-conditions.pdf">Grant Terms and Conditions (TOC) </a>for additional requirements information.&nbsp;Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to touch base to discuss the grant further.<a href="https://www.rootedfarmers.com/for-hubs">Read more about how Rooted works</a> with collectives!

Are you working to develop or grow a farmer hub or collective in your community?  This post is for you! 

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Grant Opportunity 2025:  Calling all Collectives and Hubs!

We recently connected with the team at <a href="https://pressedfloral.com/">Pressed Floral</a>, a studio dedicated to preserving cherished memories through handcrafted pressed flower art. Based in Utah, Pressed Floral transforms wedding bouquets and other meaningful blooms into stunning, framed keepsakes that last a lifetime. With a commitment to sustainability and a deep appreciation for nature’s intricate details, Pressed Floral celebrates the beauty and significance of every petal.&nbsp;Discover more about their exquisite work on their <a href="https://pressedfloral.com/">website</a>, and don’t forget to follow them on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pressedfloral_/">Instagram</a> for a glimpse into their creative process and breathtaking designs!<figure class="image"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/duetflowerstudio/"><img style="aspect-ratio:1067/702;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1731918005/2_40dccb2bce.png" alt="2.png" width="1067" height="702"></a><figcaption>Floral credit: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/duetflowerstudio/">Duet Flower Studio</a></figcaption></figure><h1>Talk about your flower journey - How did you get started??&nbsp;</h1>The journey of Pressed Floral started in 2019 in Provo, Utah! Sarah Ebert–founder and CEO of Pressed Floral–started preserving flowers for close family and friends in a small Lifetime Shed in her apartment complex parking lot in 2019. She has always been a creative and expressive spirit–her younger days were spent dancing, singing, acting, scrapbooking, party-planning, cooking, decorating, and almost every other creative hobby you can think of! When Sarah started preserving flowers, she grew a passion for the art, science, and meaning behind the practice. Eventually, she started getting orders from all over the state and then all over the country. Although Pressed Floral came from humble beginnings and initially exclusively preserved wedding bouquets, it has become a symbol and staple for the sentimentally inclined looking to create an art piece from not only weddings, but births, graduations, memorial services, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.<figure class="image"><a href="https://pressedfloral.com/"><img style="aspect-ratio:1296/1624;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1731917715/1_Screenshot_2024_11_12_at_12_26_26_AM_37da223142.png" alt="1Screenshot 2024-11-12 at 12.26.26 AM.png" width="1296" height="1624"></a><figcaption>Photo credit: Pressed Floral</figcaption></figure><h1>Tell us about your dried flower process!</h1>Our preservation process is very personal, delicate, and precise. As flower lovers surely know, every variation of flower is different in sensitivity and longevity once they are cut from the stem. We have spent years perfecting (and continue to work on) the preservation process of flowers and botanicals, and we have seen almost every variation enter our shop. Every time flowers come into our shop, we have trained preservation specialists who are passionate about flowers and who are well-versed on the anatomy of botanicals to press and preserve them with gentle, caring hands.&nbsp;&nbsp;Something that stands out about the way we preserve is that although we work to make the preservation process seamless, we want the flowers to be designed in their most natural form. We use no dyes or preservatives to “enhance” any of our flowers, as we believe that would unnecessarily change the flower’s inherent nature to fade and wrinkle. We find that having an art piece that can naturally age with you is beautiful and symbolic.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><a href="https://pressedfloral.com/"><img style="aspect-ratio:1480/1532;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1731917714/1_Screenshot_2024_11_12_at_12_27_54_AM_dbcf41da14.png" alt="1Screenshot 2024-11-12 at 12.27.54 AM.png" width="1480" height="1532"></a><figcaption>Photo credit: Pressed Floral</figcaption></figure><h1>Do you have any tips for someone getting started with pressed flowers themselves?&nbsp;</h1>Sarah started by pressing flowers in the pages of books! We have developed a product, our <a href="https://pressedfloral.com/collections/journal/products/pressed-floral-journal">Pressed Floral Journal</a>, that allows you to press flowers, with detailed instructions, on the go! As chaotic as the internet can be, it is a GREAT resource for those who want to learn more.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><a href="https://pressedfloral.com/"><img style="aspect-ratio:7008/4672;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1731917721/1_DSC_05823_54bcadeac6.jpg" alt="1DSC05823.jpeg" width="7008" height="4672"></a><figcaption>Photo credit: Pressed Floral</figcaption></figure><h1 style="margin-left:0px;">Talk about local flowers from your unique POV. Have you seen an uptick in the usage of local flowers lately in the bouquets you work with?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h1>We receive flowers from all over the country in every season, so we see a lot of local flowers in respect to their own regions come in throughout the year.&nbsp;&nbsp;We love seeing local flowers be used in bouquets from all over the country. I think we are seeing an influx of sentimental clients who realize the value of hiring local florists or even friends and family in their area to create stunning arrangements. What really matters is that you have a bouquet on your special day that you love– although we think the use of local flowers in arrangements not only benefits local businesses, but symbolizes a unique location and moment in time where your sentimental moment takes place.&nbsp;&nbsp;Because flowers tend to be fragile, we offer bloom protection to our clients, so that if their flowers don’t make it in optimal condition, we will replace them with our own freshly pressed flowers sourced locally!&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><a href="https://pressedfloral.com/"><img style="aspect-ratio:1214/1578;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1731917688/1_Screenshot_2024_11_12_at_12_24_46_AM_5795b93602.png" alt="1Screenshot 2024-11-12 at 12.24.46 AM.png" width="1214" height="1578"></a><figcaption>Photo credit: Pressed Floral</figcaption></figure>HUGE thanks to the team at Pressed Floral for taking the time to chat with us, AND for supporting locally grown flowers. Be sure to check out their <a href="https://pressedfloral.com/">website</a> &amp; follow along on their <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pressedfloral_/">Instagram</a>.

We recently connected with the team at Pressed Floral, a studio dedicated to preserving cherished memories through handcrafted pressed flower art. Based in Utah, Pressed Floral transforms wedding bouquets and other meaningful blooms into stunning, framed keepsakes that last a lifetime. 

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Designer Feature: Pressed Florals

We recently connected with Cara Schmidt, floral designer and owner of <a href="https://www.threenotchflorals.com/">Three Notch Florals</a>, based in Bloomington, NY. Three Notch Florals is a floral studio specializing in romantic, lush, and whimsical designs for weddings in the beautiful Hudson Valley and Adirondack areas. Cara is passionate about celebrating seasonality, and using native and locally grown flowers in her breathtaking designs.You can learn more about Cara and her gorgeous floral design work on <a href="https://www.threenotchflorals.com/">her site.</a> Be sure to follow along on her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/threenotchflorals/">Instagram</a> too!<figure class="image"><a href="https://sasithonphotography.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaaHvPE70l0AOAXCwqQoIDnAupBcPnFFLDyW6ao6Gvqc3I-yeuD5M4YKqwM_aem_QtP0qO5PcFT6X6YlV2ZMoA"><img style="aspect-ratio:950/1184;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1727935843/b3db73_215604d726f54d73b4149d6504a24aa3_mv2_0b3406ffbf.webp" alt="b3db73_215604d726f54d73b4149d6504a24aa3~mv2.webp" width="950" height="1184"></a><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://sasithonphotography.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaaHvPE70l0AOAXCwqQoIDnAupBcPnFFLDyW6ao6Gvqc3I-yeuD5M4YKqwM_aem_QtP0qO5PcFT6X6YlV2ZMoA">Sasithon Photography</a>&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><h1>3 words to describe your floral style.</h1><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-family:&quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Web (West European)&quot;, -apple-system, &quot;system-ui&quot;, Roboto, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;">Soft, delicate, textured.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:838/976;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1727937792/1271830801_1351428768626233_1516393032000647490_n_jpg_stp_dst_jpg_e15_and_nc_ht_scontent_lga3_6bb92ee48e.webp" alt="1271830801_1351428768626233_1516393032000647490_n_jpg_stp=dst-jpg_e15&amp;_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-.webp" width="838" height="976"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://www.katiesalerno.com/">Katie Salerno</a></figcaption></figure><h1>Tell us your flower story. What drives your love of flowers?&nbsp;</h1>My flower story is kind of standard -- helped a few friends with their wedding flowers, until a friend of a friend reached out to hire me for my first paid job. So I started an Instagram, and things grew from there.&nbsp;My love of local flowers is an extension of my values. It must have been all that Captain Planet and Fern Gully growing up! As I learned about how far flowers are shipped and the pesticides that need to be used on them in order to ensure we don't bring in invasive pests, I began to explore locally grown flowers. But it was really the pandemic that allowed me to make the switch to using almost entirely local product. There was something about that moment in time where we realized how fragile everything was. That we could lose so many businesses we cared about if we didn't support them. I didn't want to lose our local flower farms. And with the slow down in events, it allowed me the space to connect with farms and switch to using their flowers.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:948/1184;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1727936077/Gather_Greene_Fall_Wedding_32_c2ecc7abdb.webp" alt="Gather Greene Fall Wedding 32.webp" width="948" height="1184"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://www.katiesalerno.com/">Katie Salerno</a></figcaption></figure><h1>Any advice for designers getting started with local flowers?&nbsp;</h1><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:hsl(0, 0%, 0%);font-family:&quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Web (West European)&quot;, -apple-system, &quot;system-ui&quot;, Roboto, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;">The practical tip is: ask to see inspiration photos before an initial call. If the flowers in their pictures are not in season when the couple is getting married, bring that up immediately. Most of the time the couple will say the photos they chose are more for color or style, and not for the specific flowers in them. But if a September couple wants Icelandic poppies no matter what, it is better to find that out before either party gets too invested.<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:hsl(0, 0%, 0%);font-family:&quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Web (West European)&quot;, -apple-system, &quot;system-ui&quot;, Roboto, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;">But the real emotional tip is: be ok with saying "no" to weddings. It is terrifying to turn down business. Even 7 years in, I still get scared when I do it. But working with a couple who has different values will make you miserable. No amount of money fixes that. Whereas working with couples who value the investment in community and sustainability that comes with local flowers will buoy you through all the dirty buckets and wax covered glassware!<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1068/1600;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1727935843/1eileenmenyphoto_b4d2af4134.jpg" alt="1eileenmenyphoto.jpg" width="1068" height="1600"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://eileenmenyphotography.com/">Eileen Meny Photography</a></figcaption></figure><h1>Tell us your favorite local flowers. Maybe something underrated you would encourage others to check out? What can't you get enough of when it is in season?!</h1>All the beige phlox forever always! Cherry caramel, dulce de leche, creme brulee. I love them all!&nbsp;But I also love that the new frontier in locally grown flowers is moving toward more natives. In the spring I love wood anemones (anemone virginiana) and penstemon digitalis. In the summer, I can't get enough of spotted bee balm (monarda punctata). And in the fall, all the varieties of asters are so incredible.We're really in a crisis when it comes to declining numbers of insects. Aside from being sad I barely see any monarch butterflies anymore, it also affects the whole food chain. But supporting farms that are growing native plants (and don't use pesticides!) is a great way to help combat that. You can design a beautiful arrangement and help out the bees and butterflies all at the same time. :)<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1000/1438;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1727936029/1sasithonphoto2_5fe7e634ad.png" alt="1sasithonphoto2.png" width="1000" height="1438"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://sasithonphotography.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaaHvPE70l0AOAXCwqQoIDnAupBcPnFFLDyW6ao6Gvqc3I-yeuD5M4YKqwM_aem_QtP0qO5PcFT6X6YlV2ZMoA">Sasithon Photography</a>&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>Thank you, Cara, for sharing your story and design wisdom with us! Be sure to check out Three Notch Florals' <a href="https://www.threenotchflorals.com/">website</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/threenotchflorals/">Instagram</a>.

Cara Schmidt, floral designer, and owner of Three Notch Florals specializes in designs that celebrate seasonality, beautiful and non-traditional details, and full of locally grown flowers - including natives.

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Designer Feature: Three Notch Florals

What a joy to catch up with the hard-working and humble Martha Lojewski, executive director of the <a href="https://alaskapeonycooperative.com/">Alaska Peony Cooperative</a> and owner of Mt. McKinley Peonies.Research into peonies as a specialty cut flower in Alaska began in 2001 and interest quickly spread throughout the state. Several adventurous individuals and families ventured out to explore becoming commercial flower farmers in the unique climate.Now there are more than 40 commercial peony farms spread out across the great state, working together to bring their buyers exquisite flowers. Alaska boasts a reputation for rugged wilderness and unsurpassed beauty with a people as tough as the climate. These farmers are no exception, and are true adventurers in a blooming industry with limitless potential.The Alaska Peony Cooperative was established in the spring of 2015 to allow many farms to achieve more collectively than as individuals. We highly recommend checking out their website and <a href="https://www.alaskapeonycooperative.com/blog/">blog</a> for in-depth resources on all things peonies including a detailed guide featuring 24 varieties!You can learn more about the Alaska Peony Cooperative by checking out their <a href="https://www.alaskapeonycooperative.com/blog/">website</a> and keep up with them on their <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alaskapeonycooperative/">Instagram</a>.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:2592/1728;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1718156005/Martha_Harvesting_SB_614326419a.jpg" alt="Martha Harvesting SB.jpg" width="2592" height="1728"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://alaskapeonycooperative.com/index.html">Alaska Peony Cooperative</a></figcaption></figure><h3> What is your production season?</h3>We sell peonies as cut flowers during the&nbsp;months of July and August. Growing anything in Alaska is fun and unique with the growing season. The snow melts in May, we enjoy nearly round the clock sun in June and July, and by late August fall starts to creep in. Peony bushes shoot up tall and quick, many reaching shoulder height with ample sun, water and moderate temperatures. We harvest several times a day, even into the night because the sun never rests - and neither do we! Our climate produces big, beautiful peonies with vibrant colors. Sharing our flowers with people near and far motivates us to keep going during the hardest moments of harvest.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1537/1537;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1718156000/Kansas_field_8126d48052.jpg" alt="Kansas field.jpg" width="1537" height="1537"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://alaskapeonycooperative.com/index.html">Alaska Peony Cooperative</a></figcaption></figure><h3>What is your collective's origin story?</h3>The first discussions about working together began in 2014. Farms were popping up all over our region, but marketing, selling and shipping individually didn't make sense at all. We wanted something different, but needed a framework that gave every member the same level of ownership in the organization and how it was managed. After a year of research and developing ideas into a strong foundation we were officially a Cooperative! Although our membership changes as farms develop and retire, our mission and vision have remained the same since the beginning.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:4032/3024;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1718156017/GRG_fields_20cbb91784.jpg" alt="GRG fields.JPG" width="4032" height="3024"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://alaskapeonycooperative.com/index.html">Alaska Peony Cooperative</a></figcaption></figure><h3>Why is being in a collective valuable?</h3> The support of each member! Each person brings a skill to the table and problem solving with everyone's ideas on the table is so much more effective. We share expenses and all reap the benefits of success. But beyond the business and financial benefits of working together the most valuable benefit of the cooperative is the camaraderie. We all lean on each other during hard times, even if it isn't related to farming. Growing flowers is stressful and difficult work. Having the support of each member behind you is what brings you out of the trenches and back into the enjoyment of the whole process.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:3456/5184;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1718156018/Brethour_5cae2e72d3.jpg" alt="Brethour.jpeg" width="3456" height="5184"><figcaption>Brethour. Photo credit: <a href="https://alaskapeonycooperative.com/index.html">Alaska Peony Cooperative</a></figcaption></figure><h3>What features or aspects of Rooted do you find most valuable or unique?</h3>No spreadsheets! Our process before Rooted was a mess, it was complicated and time consuming. We couldn't grow, we couldn't even sustain the workload we had. Rooted has given us our time back, and time is the most valuable thing we could ever gain. It is so simple to fill an order with multiple farms which cuts down on email communication. It is accessible by buyers and sellers to streamline entire the process. Inventory management is real time which makes sales more reliable. Absolutely everything about using Rooted has been a positive experience.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:960/960;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1718155998/Duchesse_bouquet_af9a1b7543.jpg" alt="Duchesse bouquet.jpg" width="960" height="960"><figcaption>Duchesse bouquet! Photo credit: <a href="https://alaskapeonycooperative.com/index.html">Alaska Peony Cooperative</a></figcaption></figure><h3>What would you say to a group that is considering joining Rooted as a collective?</h3>Without hesitation, it is the right choice. Beyond the software being a comprehensive solution for flower farmers, the support team behind Rooted is the cherry on top. Any question or problems are quickly answered. They are constantly developing upgrades and request feedback on how to improve. And they offer regular office hours and trainings that you can count on for personalized help. Occasionally there is even a small banner of support written at the top of the screen encouraging us all to be the best we can be. Rooted has the big stuff, and small stuff covered!<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1224/1632;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1718156002/Farmers_Market_Bouqs_1_4b0e8efdab.jpg" alt="Farmers Market Bouqs 1.jpg" width="1224" height="1632"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://alaskapeonycooperative.com/index.html">Alaska Peony Cooperative</a></figcaption></figure> Thank you Martha and the Alaska Peony Cooperative for sharing your story! Want to get your hands on their peonies?!<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(51,65,85);font-family:&quot;DM Sans&quot;, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, sans-serif, &quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;, &quot;Noto Color Emoji&quot;;"> <a href="https://www.rootedfarmers.com/profiles/alaska-peony-cooperative"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(51,65,85);font-family:&quot;DM Sans&quot;, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, sans-serif, &quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;, &quot;Noto Color Emoji&quot;;">Check out their shop page!</a>

The Alaska Peony Cooperative is a group of over five peony farmers across Alaska that provide premium fresh-cut peonies during July and August. They ship nationwide with overnight delivery.

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Collective Feature: Alaska Peony Cooperative

We are so excited to feature the fabulous <a href="https://www.sjflowercollective.com/">San Joaquin Flower Collective</a> - growing in the Central Valley of California. We caught up with founders, Natalie Geehr of <a href="https://www.januaryandjune.com/">January &amp; June Flower Farm</a> and Darci Hovsepian of <a href="https://www.dhfloral.com/about">dh floral</a>, to hear their reflections on the first few growing seasons as a collective. You can learn more about their <a href="https://www.sjflowercollective.com/meet-the-growers">nine flower farms on their website</a> and follow them on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sjflowercollective/">Instagram</a> for the latest updates and gorgeous floral inspiration.&nbsp;The San Joaquin Flower Collective is a partnership amongst specialty cut flower growers to support and streamline access to local flowers to the floral design community in Fresno, Clovis, Visalia, Bakersfield, and Modesto. They bring the best of the season's Central Valley blooms to one convenient pickup location in Fresno, California. They are passionate about growing the most inspiring, highest quality product fresh from their fields to support their designers, the planet, and the small farm community.&nbsp;<h3>What is your production season?&nbsp;</h3>March - November!&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1536/1524;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1712012515/sweet_acres_SJ_0be9218334.png" alt="sweet acres SJ.png" width="1536" height="1524"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sweetacresflowerfarm/">Sweet Acres Flower Farm</a></figcaption></figure><h3>What is your collective’s origin story?&nbsp;</h3>We're a tight-knit group of flower farmers that began collaborating in 2021 to pool our availability to local florists. We believe strongly in working together to support each other's businesses, and saw that by collaborating we'd also improve our local florists' access to our flowers. Many spreadsheets and meetings later, we took the leap to form the San Joaquin Flower Collective. We've been so thankful for the positive response from our community and the strengthened relationships among our farmers!<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:480/720;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1712383856/l1_EQ_Ox_B4_f387387cbf.jpg" alt="l1EQOxB4.jpg" width="480" height="720"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://www.sjflowercollective.com/">San Joaquin Flower Collective</a></figcaption></figure><h3>Why is being in a collective valuable?&nbsp;</h3>Making a profit as&nbsp;a small-scale flower farmer is tough. We're competing for market share against the convenience and low prices of the wholesalers, and large-scale farms that can offer larger quantities than our tiny farms. By pooling our availability and resources, we're able to serve our florists with what they really need - larger quantities of top-notch local product with one convenient ordering process and pickup location.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1075/1075;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1712384159/IMG_1103_7acc5fa9b2.jpg" alt="IMG_1103.jpg" width="1075" height="1075"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://www.sjflowercollective.com/">San Joaquin Flower Collective</a></figcaption></figure><h3>What are you most proud of as a collective?&nbsp;</h3>I'm proud of the way our farmers banded together to support each other not just in business, but in their personal lives as well. Each one of us faced crises - crop loss, family, and health - and we were able to find support from our group. Whether it was helping each other with a pickup or drop-off, harvesting for a member when they were sick or unable, or working together to move flowers that a member hadn't had time to market, I'm truly in awe of our members' ability to work together compassionately and professionally.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:480/720;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1712383856/W_Ase_CMA_e1fa2c0462.jpg" alt="W-AseCMA.jpg" width="480" height="720"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://www.sjflowercollective.com/">San Joaquin Flower Collective</a></figcaption></figure><h3>What are some tips you'd recommend for floral designers who want to make the switch to buying more local flowers?&nbsp;</h3>Leave room in your budget for local flowers as you get used to the ordering process, then slowly start allocating more room for local flowers in your plans. Collectives will always have your back during the growing season, and we do a great job of finding a way to get you what you need!&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:480/720;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1715879804/l_E_AO_1_IF_0c406619db.jpg" alt="lE_AO1IF.jpg" width="480" height="720"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://www.sjflowercollective.com/">San Joaquin Flower Collective</a></figcaption></figure><h3>What do you love about Rooted?</h3>Oh gosh, where do we begin?! We were originally pooling our resources on Google Sheets each week - so time intensive. Rooted allows us to keep inventory updated in real-time, and allows our growers to post photos and highly detailed descriptions for our florists tdo know exactly what they're buying (as opposed to the sterile excel sheet you get from most wholesalers). Being able to quickly make substitutions or additions on orders, see detailed reports on sales each week, and share all of this information with our members has been so amazing.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:800/1199;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1715881720/tfs_Yj_TYS_108b0a59f5.png" alt="tfsYjTYS.png" width="800" height="1199"><figcaption>Photo credit: <a href="https://www.sjflowercollective.com/">San Joaquin Flower Collective</a></figcaption></figure>Thank you, Natalie, Darci, and the San Joaquin Collective for sharing your story! In the greater San Joaquin area? <a href="https://www.rootedfarmers.com/profiles/san-joaquin-flower-collective">Check out their shop page!</a>

The San Joaquin Flower Collective is a partnership amongst nine specialty cut flower growers to support and streamline access to local flowers to the floral design community in Fresno, Clovis, Visalia, Bakersfield, and Modesto.

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Collective Feature: San Joaquin Flower Collective

We were thrilled to catch up with <a href="https://www.piedmontwholesaleflowers.com/">Piedmont Wholesale Flowers</a> (PWF) Market Director Julia Carpico to hear the cooperative's origin story, how they differentiate themselves from traditional wholesalers, and exciting changes for their upcoming 2024 season. (Spoiler: they moved into a larger new location that shares space with a coffee bar!)Based in Durham, North Carolina, the cooperative is celebrating its 8th season and focused on providing designer-quality stems for florists, floral designers, and wholesale buyers "looking to source the freshest cuts that represent a seasonal sense of space."<a href="https://www.slowflowerspodcast.com/2024/03/13/episode-653-piedmont-wholesale-flowers-celebrating-its-8th-season-and-a-new-facility-with-flower-farmer-stephanie-hall-of-sassafras-fork-farm-and-market-manager-julia-carpico/">Listen to the Slow Flowers podcast</a> to hear more from PWF farm member Stephanie Hall of Sassafras Fork Farm and Julia Carpico!You can learn more about their <a href="https://www.piedmontwholesaleflowers.com/our-farmers-1">14 flower farms on their website</a> and follow them on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/piedmontwholesaleflowers">Instagram</a> for the latest updates and inspiring floral imagery.&nbsp;<h3>What is your collective's origin story?</h3>Piedmont Wholesale Flowers (PWF) started under the direction of two of our amazing members: Kelly Morrison of Color Fields and Katy Thielen of Happy as a Coneflower Farm. Launched in 2017, we have grown to include 14 flower farm members. We continue to grow but remain focused on keeping to our roots: a farmer-owned cooperative that provides designer-quality, sustainable florals to our community of local supporters. We are committed to maintaining and preserving our authentic, Durham-based feel while providing exceptional, personal service to our customers. I joined&nbsp;PWF in 2019 and am honored to be entrusted with ushering our grower’s flowers into the hands of our designers. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1284/772;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1710354479/IMG_7309_ec2d90dc82.jpg" alt="IMG_7309.jpg" width="1284" height="772"><figcaption>Pictured above: Julia Carpico, Market Director of PWF</figcaption></figure><h3>Why is being in a cooperative valuable?</h3>Participating in a cooperative is extremely valuable for both our customers and our farms.&nbsp;&nbsp; For Customers:&nbsp;The cooperative model allows customers the convenience of a one-stop shop for locally grown product from multiple, carefully vetted farms. It allows customers to know where their product is grown, how it is being grown, and what farmer is growing the items they are procuring.&nbsp;Our live market provides our customers a location to form a community with their peers (we witness designers lending supplies to one another, free-lancing for each other, etc. - it is such a beautiful thing!).&nbsp;For Farms: Our farms learn best practices from one another, they substitute for each other if someone experiences shortages, they share tools and equipment, they help each other in all farm practices. The cooperative takes on the burden of billing, delivery, marketing, and more. It's a true win-win for everyone.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:842/1053;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1710355218/Unknown_536cb0197d.jpg" alt="Unknown.jpeg" width="842" height="1053"><figcaption>Pictured Above: Anna Alexandre of <a href="https://www.humbleumbelfarm.com/">Humble Umbel Farm</a> and Cheryl Gibson of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vineandbranchflower">Vine and Branch Flower Farm</a></figcaption></figure><h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1710354481/IMG_7313_55044e964b.jpg" alt="IMG_7313.jpg" width="1284" height="1596"> What are some ways you intentionally build trust with your growers and buyers?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>We have set quality standards for all items we sell, which builds trust for both our customers and farmers.&nbsp;We are always performing quality control reviews of our product to ensure our customers receive consistent,&nbsp;top-quality product from all our farms. With this, our farms also maintain trust that their product is co-mingled with other equivalent, top quality product.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; We pride ourselves on our great response time for our customers, and we work hard to provide even unexpressed wishes for our busy designers. We develop relationships with our buyers to know and understand their businesses.&nbsp;At the heart of things, trust is developed, especially when buyers meet our growers each week at our market.&nbsp; &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:979/1044;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1710355342/Unknown_1_31f8cf2a68.jpg" alt="Unknown-1.jpeg" width="979" height="1044"><figcaption>Pictured above: Katherine Hoke of <a href="https://www.orlayaflora.com/">Orlaya Flora</a></figcaption></figure><h3>What are you focused on improving/changing this year?</h3>Extended hours:&nbsp;Our discussions&nbsp;with customers revealed a demand for more days/hours for our live market, so we will be open 3 market days this year vs. one. We are now open Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings (Fridays for last-minute product needed for the weekend).New and&nbsp;larger location: This move will not only provide our customers with more room to explore and shop but also allow us to expand the volume of our product offerings. The icing on the cake: a coffee bar is located within our new shop space - offering local coffee and beverages. So, it’s a win-win for everyone - we are excited to welcome everyone to our new location.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1710353162/Screenshot_2024_03_13_at_2_05_49_PM_52a285866b.png" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-13 at 2.05.49 PM.png"><h3>What specific problem or challenge were you facing that led you to seek a solution like Rooted?</h3>The platform we used before Rooted was not designed for flower cooperative usage, i.e.:&nbsp;facilitating sales of a&nbsp;perishable product line with a weekly sales cycle. This led to many challenges. The Rooted platform is designed by farmers who have a detailed understanding of and experience in this business and who clearly have the capability of designing tools needed for success.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>What features or aspects of Rooted do you find most valuable or unique?</h3>To begin:&nbsp;the Rooted Farmers team! We significantly benefit from this incredible technology team that knows us well and provides quick assistance and unparalleled support. We receive superior training, planning, motivation, and goals from the Rooted experts, a true game changer to our business.This well-designed platform provides our customers with an easy process for ordering from all 14 of our farms in one place and allows the customer to know what farms are providing their items - setting us apart from other wholesalers. This platform provides beautifully displayed farm-captured photos and a cart hold time of one hour (another huge game-changer for us!).&nbsp;&nbsp; Another valuable aspect of working with Rooted are the connections we’ve made with other cooperatives and collectives across the country. I've spoken with and had the opportunity to meet other collective leaders at the Root:ED 2023 Workshop. Now, we support and share best practices with one another.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1710354482/IMG_7305_601e278421.jpg" alt="IMG_7305.jpg"><h3>How has our platform improved or streamlined your workflow?</h3>In just about every way possible! The method of publishing product to our shop, handling billing, maintaining customer history, and the ability of both customers and farms to pull their analytics - all examples of the many ways Rooted streamlines our workflow! All of the streamlining on the back end allows us all more time to focus on the customer and less time on administrative tasks.<h3>What would you say to a group considering joining Rooted as a new or existing collective?</h3>DON’T WAIT! Whether you’re an established co-op or just starting, I would 1,000% encourage you to join Rooted! I don't believe there is a better platform out there for our line of business.&nbsp; A big thank you to Julia for sharing her thoughts with us, we can't wait to see what's in store for PWF this season! For those in the Durham, NC area you can check out <a href="https://www.rootedfarmers.com/profiles/piedmont-wholesale-flowers">their shop page here</a>.

Piedmont Wholesale Flowers, a cooperative founded in 2017, remains focused on their mission of being a farmer-owned cooperative that provides designer-quality sustainable florals to their local community in the Durham, NC region. We recently connected with their Market Director, Julia Carpico, who shared insights into their origin story, how they differentiate themselves from traditional wholesalers, and exciting changes for the 2024 season.

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Collective Feature: Piedmont Wholesale Flowers

The 'off-season' is a perfect time to kickstart your new year and take stock of your business – what's working well, what isn’t working as well, and what you may want to shift for the seasons ahead.Whether you’re busy soil blocking and seed starting, or you’re a designer gearing up for Mother’s Day and wedding season, these podcasts are for you! &nbsp;Explore some of our favorite podcasts about leadership, business, marketing, and much more.<h2>Marketing (aka telling the world how awesome you are)</h2>1. Duo On Air - "<a href="https://duoonairpodcast.podbean.com/e/the-do-s-and-don-ts-of-using-canva-for-your-business/">The Do’s and Don’ts of using Canva For Your Business</a>" (23 mins)<figure class="image image-style-side image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1400/1400;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1709664066/Duo_Podcast_Cover_1400_1400_px_50b67332f2.webp" alt="Duo-Podcast-Cover-1400-×-1400-px.webp" width="1400" height="1400"></figure>Marketers, business mentors, and friends Abbey Oslin and Courtney Petersen talk about Canva – why they love it and how to use it best. Hint: refrain from using everything the platform has to offer! &nbsp;Any business owner will gain insight and concrete tips from this episode. Whether you’re a farmer who’s never thought about branding, or a designer who lives and breathes aesthetics, Canva is a powerful tool for you to leverage in your business if you use it right!&nbsp;2. Business Made Simple - "<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ug/podcast/marlee-joseph-the-secret-to-making-better-marketing/id1092751338?i=1000629881782">The Secret to Making Better Marketing Decisions with Marlee Joseph</a>" (18 mins)<figure class="image image-style-side image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:640/640;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1709661799/ab6765630000ba8a618b345a96a4b831e5b0e33e_1ad8900231.jpg" alt="ab6765630000ba8a618b345a96a4b831e5b0e33e.jpeg" width="640" height="640"></figure> Donald Miller, well-known author of Building a Story Brand, and host of the Business Made Simple podcast, talks with his director of marketing, Marlee Joseph about the ICE method of evaluating marketing decisions.&nbsp; As a small business owner, &nbsp;there are infinite things you could do to “move the needle forward” as Marlee says. &nbsp;How do you choose which projects to tackle? How can you take tasks on confidently while intentionally leaving others to the side? Hear Marlee break down how she prioritizes marketing ideas using 3 factors: Impact, Confidence, and Ease. &nbsp; This short, easy-to-digest, and actionable episode is a must-listen!<h2>Business Development (Sales!) and Management</h2>3. Problem Solvers – "<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jonathan-b-smith-how-to-be-heard-by-improving-your/id1265289056?i=1000638942992">How to be Heard by Improving your Listening Skills with Jonathan B. Smith</a>" (26 mins)<figure class="image image-style-side image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:640/640;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1709661798/ab6765630000ba8a290a621d0bea8842adde6889_45f1b9f630.jpg" alt="ab6765630000ba8a290a621d0bea8842adde6889.jpeg" width="640" height="640"></figure>This podcast episode is life-changing and a delight to listen to. We’re often taught that one of the most important skills to have in life is communication, which means that you need to get other people to listen to what you have to say. Whether that is with marketing, interacting with your co-workers, or within your personal relationships, Jonathan Smith, business strategist, and Chris Voss, best-selling author and former FBI hostage negotiator invite us to do the opposite of talking and simply listen – really listen – to those around us. He walks us through 5 levels of listening and how they can improve how we are heard by others.This episode is not only a fundamentally human conversation that would benefit anyone, but is also applicable to your business. Strategic listening and the sometimes difficult act of just being quiet are skills that will help you better connect with and convince people. For a farmer, this may relate to how you communicate with your farm crew. For a hub manager, it may assist in how you work with your growers and buyers. For a designer or florist, active listening can make your clients feel truly heard, and create a more authentic partnership.This one is worth an (active) listen! &nbsp;<h2>Being an Entrepreneur (or just a human!)</h2>4. The Goal Digger - "<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-goal-digger-podcast/id1178704872?i=1000640883018">How To Take Back Your Time and Get Back Your Life</a>" (54 mins)&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:640/640;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1709661799/ab6765630000ba8a162616322ce4ffd9f04331c7_2b7c10f23c.jpg" alt="ab6765630000ba8a162616322ce4ffd9f04331c7.jpeg" width="640" height="640"></figure>Jenna Kutcher is one of our favorite podcasters because she gets it. While her experiences may differ from yours, she constantly centers the themes of time management, the challenge of balancing work, life, family, and self-care, and speaks directly to the listener. In this episode, Jenna speaks with her mentor Marie Forleo who teaches you her “life-changing mindset on how she grows her business (and herself!) while having time to actually LIVE”. &nbsp;Many of us small business owners feel like we are chickens running around with our heads cut off, just putting out one fire after the other with barely enough time to look up and breathe. This is common, and it's not your fault. Jenna helps us see that we can choose ways and mindsets that begin changing how we think about time because she claims that “time is your currency.” Listen to this podcast to start your journey from being Time Stressed, to being a Time Genius!5. How I Built This - "<a href="https://www.npr.org/2017/08/15/534771839/spanx-sara-blakely">Spanx: Sara Blakely</a>" (30 mins)&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1198/1194;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1709852499/Screenshot_2024_03_07_at_6_01_14_PM_bed82ecfbb.png" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-07 at 6.01.14 PM.png" width="1198" height="1194"></figure>"How I Built This" never fails to leave us inspired and wanting to listen to the next episode. This is “a podcast about innovators, entrepreneurs, idealists and their stories about the movements they&nbsp;built.” We had a hard time choosing just one episode (there’s so many good ones!) but we landed on the first ever episode of this podcast.Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, describes the story of how she went from a 27 year old selling fax machines to a self-taught entrepreneur. From identifying the gap in the market, to cold calling manufacturers, to writing her own patent, Sarah takes the listener through her journey in all of its ups and downs. If you want to be inspired, or if you’re an entrepreneur in the middle of the very journey Sara went through, you’ll love this episode!&nbsp;Do you have a favorite podcast? We’re only as good as our collective knowledge, so drop us a line at <a href="mailto:reachout@rootedfarmers.com">reachout@rootedfarmers.com</a> and let us know about it!&nbsp;

Podcasts are one of our favorite ways to take in new information. We've compiled a list of podcasts that we think would be helpful to any business owner! Whether you're in the field or studio, listen in to continue the life-long process of learning. 

Stay tuned for more recommendations to come, and happy listening!

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Top 5 Marketing & Entrepreneurial Podcasts to Kickstart your Farm Business

Our new buyer analytics tool for wholesale buyers offers a valuable and in-depth way to understand your purchasing trends, plan for future events, and facilitate conversations with your local growers and collectives (best of all, this feature is free to all wholesale buyers on our site!)&nbsp; There are several ways you can delve into this flexible tool to analyze past purchases and to help you plan for future events. Let's take an in-depth look at how powerful this tool can be – it’s something you'll want in your toolbelt next to those snips and zip ties! <a href="https://vimeo.com/915833869">Watch a quick video overview!</a><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:88.4%;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/915833869"><img style="aspect-ratio:1274/699;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1709222045/Screenshot_2024_02_29_at_10_53_29_AM_b9d4e9e589.png" alt="Screenshot 2024-02-29 at 10.53.29 AM.png" width="1274" height="699"></a></figure><h3> Overview Stats</h3>At the top, you'll find your all-time stats: total purchases, number of orders, and the number of stems purchased. Below, you can set a date range to dive into a year, a quarter, or a month at a time and get a sense of your trends and purchasing habits. If you’ve purchased local flowers on Rooted over a few years, you can set the date filter to “all time” to compare the years.<h3>Review Purchases by Flowers</h3>Curious about your top 5, 10, or 20 purchased flowers? The answers might surprise you! You can adjust both the date range and the number of flower genera displayed on the pie chart.&nbsp; Pro-tip: Hover over each slice to get a quick overview of data for that flower type!<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:71.97%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1080/1080;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1709160427/buyer_s_analytics_IG_2024_1_8c4d1af10b.png" alt="buyer's analytics IG 2024 (1).png" width="1080" height="1080"></figure><blockquote>As someone who loves diving into data, the new flower analytics tool is pure gold!&nbsp; Being able to drill down into a specific timeframe and effortlessly identify the varieties and colors I used in the previous year is incredibly valuable when I’m in the design, planning, and proposal process for future events.</blockquote><ul><li><a href="https://www.photosynthesis.bz/about">Rhea Calpeno, Photosynthesis Floral Design</a>&nbsp;</li></ul>Below the pie chart, you'll see a table with more details, including stems purchased, bunches purchased, and what percentage of that flower genus comprises the total purchased for the date range selected. Dig even deeper by clicking any of the genera to see all the varieties within that flower genus! Maybe you weren’t surprised by the amount of ranunculus you purchased (we love a good ‘nunc!), but having the breakdown of the varieties might surprise you!&nbsp; Use the data and charts to help you plan for future events! For example: imagine it’s January, and you are writing a proposal for a September 15th wedding. You're trying to remember what is generally in season during this time to provide examples of potential flowers for the event. You can set your dates for September 8 - September 22 by using the arrows to toggle between the months. (It’s best practice to give a 1-2 week buffer around the date of your upcoming event to account for seasonal shifts and weather for local product.) Once your dates have been selected, dive into the pie chart and table to explore what flowers and varieties you previously purchased.&nbsp;<h3>Dive into Purchases by Color</h3>Do you think in color before you think of specific varieties when you are planning and proposal writing? We’ve got you covered. Continuing with the September wedding scenario, click over to the “Purchases by Flower Color” tab to see a graph showing the proportions of colors you purchased. Just like the “Purchases by Flower Type” tab, you can explore each color to find all the flowers that match that color!<img class="image_resized" style="aspect-ratio:1080/1080;width:71.5%;" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1709233718/8_c41f010803.png" alt="8.png" width="1080" height="1080"><blockquote>Rooted has these new buyer analytics that I personally will depend on. I don't know about you, but I can't remember what I did yesterday! So I cannot remember what I ordered in what shade of burgundy last June ... but these analytics can remember that.&nbsp;</blockquote><ul><li><a href="https://www.marystuartflowers.com/">Kim Delgado, Mary Stuart Flowers</a></li></ul>You can also use these tools to initiate conversations with your local growers and hubs. Providing growers with an idea of colors and varieties you will be looking for during the early winter months can be incredibly helpful as they are crop planning for the following season. Local growers know their product best, and can offer neat substitutes and new textures and blooms within your color palette.&nbsp; Related: <a href="https://www.rootedfarmers.com/blog/local-staples-a-substitution-guide-for-popular-flowers">See this article for seasonal flowers by color palette </a>and this handy guide to local substitutions for commonly imported flowers!&nbsp;

Dig into your data to view the total stem count, colors, and varieties purchased during a specific timeframe. 

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Say Hello to Buyer Analytics and Start Planning!

We were thrilled to catch up with the <a href="https://www.maineflowercollective.org/">Maine Flower Collective</a>, a member-owned and member-run group of flower farmers across the state of Maine.They strive to cultivate a collaborative and sustainable floriculture industry of local flower growers and professionals interested in selling and purchasing seasonal blooms as a reliable alternative to imported wholesale flowers.Their “why” includes a belief that it should be convenient to sell and purchase local flowers, and that their community and local economy benefits from growers reaching a larger network of buyers and vice versa. They believe in building community and in achieving more by working together, while also prioritizing exceptional freshness and high-quality flowers. They set high standards for the blooms and products sold through their collective - and it shows!Read more about the collective, the members, and the local flower movement in the feature article, “The Maine Flower Collective Wants You to Pick Locally Grown Bouquets,” in <a href="https://downeast.com/home-and-garden/maine-flower-collective-maine-grown-flowers/">Down East magazine</a>!You can learn more about Maine Flower Collective by checking out their <a href="https://www.maineflowercollective.org/">website</a> and keep up with them on their <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MaineFlowerCollective/">Instagram</a>.<h3>What is your production season?</h3>April to early November.<h3>What are some ways you intentionally build trust with your growers and buyers?</h3>Consistent, clear communication and maintaining our quality standards are a must! Recognizing and featuring the amazing products that our growers are selling and highlighting the beautiful work that our buyers produce with that product is great, but making sure our focus is on delivering the highest quality product is critical. It is ultimately the quality of our product that keeps people coming back and wanting to continue to participate.Investing time into developing relationships with our growers and buyers individually, and creating opportunities for collaboration, education, and networking shows that we care about the success of their businesses in working to strengthen the ties between us and the local floriculture movement as a whole.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1708112913/Flower_subscription_gift_certificate_copy_ea382c1210.png" alt="Flower subscription gift certificate copy.png" width="1090" height="795"><h3>What are some things you’ve improved on this past year?</h3>This was our first season, so it took some tweaking of our weekly ordering and delivery schedules to figure out what worked best for everyone, but we can tell many of our growers have improved in their ability to predict their availability a week out.We were able to gather so much helpful data through the Rooted analytics tools and our member surveys, which have been published into reports, bloom calendars, and even helped us to update our quality standards with new varieties!This data has been priceless in helping our growers tweak their growing plans for this season, and for buyers to build their business plans and proposals knowing what local varieties will be available at what points throughout the growing season.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1708059842/Screenshot_2024_02_09_at_2_29_01_PM_aea8cbd5cb.png" alt="Screenshot 2024-02-09 at 2.29.01 PM.png" width="1470" height="1458"><h3>What features or aspects of Rooted do you find most valuable or unique?</h3>The analytics are incredibly useful! The data are extremely useful in helping growers plan for production, helping buyers plan their budgets, and forecasting variety availability, and they’ve been an invaluable tool for us as a collective to track our sales, volume, and many other important patterns.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1708059853/Screenshot_2024_02_09_at_2_31_18_PM_67b72ab900.png" alt="Screenshot 2024-02-09 at 2.31.18 PM.png" width="1476" height="1456"><h3>How has the Rooted platform improved or streamlined your workflow?</h3>It streamlines our invoicing, grower payouts, and breaks down all of the information into easily digestible and organized categories. Having pack lists, availability, and invoices be so easy to update creates a well-structured workflow when we are aggregating orders at the hub, helping keep everything running smoothly.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1708059846/Screenshot_2024_02_09_at_2_30_27_PM_13619da356.png" alt="Screenshot 2024-02-09 at 2.30.27 PM.png" width="1532" height="1456"><h3>What would you say to a group that is considering joining Rooted as a new or existing collective?</h3>Rooted is an incredible option to connect with local growers and buyers to streamline your operations, keep all of your data in one place, and keep everything organized and efficient. The educational opportunities and support that their team provides are priceless. You won’t regret it, you’ll just wish you had joined sooner!<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1708059838/carolyn_snell_851671fc6b.png" alt="carolyn snell.png" width="1234" height="1546"> &nbsp;

The Maine Flower Collective is a member-owned cooperative that provides Maine flower growers and wholesale buyers with a centralized sales network and product delivery system.

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Collective Feature: Maine Flower Collective

One of the biggest floral holidays in the US, Valentine’s Day is a tricky holiday for many local flower growers striving to offer fresh blooms. We’re taking a page out of a flower farmer’s handbook, and leaning into the joy of planning for flowers. This time of year flower farmers often are immersed in stunning seed catalogs filled with hope, beautiful photographs, and tantalizing descriptions of varieties. It’s a slower time, full of intention, self-care, and daydreaming of flowers to come.For this year’s Valentine’s Day book recommendations, we’re leaning into indulgent and fun. We’ve compiled a list of books full of floral eye candy, so you can treat yourself, a loved one, a friend, a co-worker, and, of course, a fellow flower farmer! From incredible sugar flowers, juicy portraits of stems, romantic DIY, and fascinating Victorian flower folklore, our book list this year will inspire and carry you through the last final weeks before the local flower season begins!<h3>1. The Flower School: Principals and Pleasures of Good Flowers</h3>by Joseph MassieA comprehensive must-have with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions accompanied by gorgeous photography for 25 different floral projects.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1706810822/Joseph_Massie_The_Flower_School_book_on_Thursd_3cb94e57fd.jpg" alt="Joseph-Massie-The-Flower-School-book-on-Thursd.png" width="1200" height="1600"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-flower-school-joseph-massie/1140413669">Buy It Here</a>Learn more about the author: <a href="https://www.learnjosephmassie.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/josephmassie">Instagram</a><h3>2. A Sweet Floral Life: Romantic Arrangements for Fresh and Sugar Flowers (A Floral Décor Book)</h3>by Natasja SadiA showcase of Natasja’s passion and musings on fashion, photography, flowers, and sumptuous sugar floral art. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1706823729/Sweet_Floral_Life_copy_e658d58690.png" alt="Sweet_Floral_Life-copy.png" width="1089" height="1219"><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/710077/a-sweet-floral-life-by-natasja-sadi/">Buy It Here</a>Learn more about the author: <a href="https://natasjasadi.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cakeatelieramsterdam">Instagram</a><h3>3. Flower Color Guide</h3>by Putnam &amp; PutnamA stunning portfolio of juicy, minimalist photographs of single stems organized in an ombre.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1706823879/Flower_Color_Guide_6ef18a84a5.jpg" alt="Flower Color Guide.jpg" width="800" height="577"><a href="https://www.phaidon.com/store/home-and-garden/flower-color-guide-9780714877556/">Buy It Here</a>Learn more about the author: <a href="https://putnamflowerchannel.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/putnamflowers">Instagram</a><h3>4. Flowers Forever: Celebrate the Beauty of Dried Flowers with Stunning Floral Art</h3>by Bex PartridgeA celebration of everlasting flowers with tips on color, design, and sourcing sustainably.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1706806852/flowers_forever_355aef68a8.jpg" alt="flowers forever.jpg" width="2000" height="2500"><a href="https://www.powells.com/book/-9781784884345/1-0">Buy It Here</a>Learn more about the author: <a href="https://www.botanicaltales.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/botanical_tales">Instagram</a><h3>5. The Complete Language of Flowers: A Definitive and Illustrated History (Volume 3) (Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia, 3)</h3>by S. Theresa DietzAn elegantly presented encyclopedia of flower illustrations paired with historical folklore and the stories behind the symbolism and meanings of flowers.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/djd5ioypi/image/upload/v1706810707/BOOK_Thecompletelanguageofflowers_1080x_020c83ec81.webp" alt="BOOKThecompletelanguageofflowers_1080x.webp" width="1080" height="1080"><a href="https://www.lettersbookshop.com/product/131689/NEW-The-Complete-Language-of-Flowers-A-Definitive-and-Illustrated-History-Volume-3-Complete-Illustrated-Encyclopedia-3">Buy It Here</a>Related: Looking for more local flower gift ideas? Check out our article: <a href="https://www.rootedfarmers.com/blog/6-ways-to-green-up-your-valentines-purchase">6 Ways to Green Up Your Valentine’s Purchase</a>

We've curated a shortlist of books chock-full of floral eye candy and inspiration to gift yourself, a loved one, a fellow farmer friend, or a co-worker!

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Valentine's Day Gift Guide: 5 Books for Flower Lovers

Rooted Farmers is offering grants to developing communities of growers.Our team has been working closely with dozens of regional groups across the country who are at various stages of forming or growing a cooperative/collective, and we continue to be inspired by your passion and determination. This grant is designed to assist your group financially using micro-capital awards, and provide mentorship opportunities as you navigate the ins and outs of growing your flower community.Grants range from $500 - $1,500 in a reimbursement-structured funding opportunity.<h2>What is a Collective?</h2>Other names: Cooperative; Floral Hub; Flower ExchangeA selling collaboration among growers; Collectives serve as a floral aggregator with the goal of streamlining relationship management, communications, sales, and logistics operations for both buyers (florists/designers) and sellers (farmers).<h2>Who is this designed for?</h2>Groups of four or more growers who are working to organize and formalize into a collaborative selling group.<h2>When should we apply?</h2><a href="https://www.rootedfarmers.com/static/assets/Rooted_Farmers_RFA_Floral_Collective_Grant_Opportunity_2024.pdf">Applications are due by March 15, 2024</a><h2>Where do we submit applications?</h2>All applications should be submitted to <a href="mailto:reachout@rootedfarmers.com">reachout@rootedfarmers.com</a>.<h2>How do we find out more?&nbsp;</h2>Review the <a href="https://www.rootedfarmers.com/static/assets/Rooted_Farmers_RFA_Floral_Collective_Grant_Opportunity_2024.pdf">Request for Applications (RFA)</a> for full eligibility requirements and application submission details, and the <a href="https://rootedfarmers.com/static/assets/Rooted_Farmers_2024_grant_toc.pdf">Grant Terms and Conditions (TOC)</a> for additional requirements information.&nbsp;Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to touch base to discuss the grant further.

Are you working to develop or grow a flower hub or collective in your community?  This post is for you! 

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