This episode is all about quality control in the local flower supply chain. To share some insight on this topic, Katy Beene, market manager for the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market joins us.

Founded in 2011, the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market is really a frontrunner in the local wholesale cooperative model that has inspired so many flower collectives like the Philadelphia Floral Guild. With 18 growers, thousands of florist customers, and an annual sales volume topping 2.5 million, the SWGM is moving a lot of stems! To help educate their growers and foster consistent quality across all their products, they compiled and published a Floral Standards book. You can purchase that book here from SWGM or we have it for sale at the Philadelphia Floral Guild.

Right now there’s lots of buzz in the industry about tariffs. Florists may be wondering if they can really trust local growers to provide the quality and the volume they are used to with imports. We feel strongly that product from the Philadelphia Floral Guild is higher quality than most imports. And, as you’ll hear in this conversation with Katy, local farmers are working hard to meet demand for more volume. Local is growing and we are excited to serve you!

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This podcast is brought to you by the Philadelphia Floral Guild, a collective of flower farms in the mid-Atlantic region selling together to florist and other wholesale buyers. We help you elevate your design work and manifest a better tomorrow with locally-grown stems. Visit philadelphiafloralguild.com to learn more and follow us on Instagram @phillyfloralguild for regular inspiration.

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on what's in season, tips and tricks for design, and the latest episodes.

Not near Philadelphia but would like to source local flowers for your business? Check out localflowers.org and rootedfarmers.com to find a flower farm near you.

What Can Locally Grown Stems Do For Your Floral Business?

Less Shrink: Without the stress of a long ride in the global supply chain, our stems are superior in quality with much less breakage and far better hydration.

Less Labor: Our growers do all the work of a studio assistant, stripping stems and making fresh cuts on stems that go directly into water and never leave a water source. This means you do not have to process anything!

Less Trash: There are no boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, box straps, plastic sleeves, and all the other usual trash that comes with a flower delivery from the traditional wholesaler.

More Inspiration: Designing with the seasons sparks creativity. No two weeks are the same.

More Community: Workign with local growers is a very personal connection. You'll grow your community every time you buy local.

Today we are hearing the story of how Jessica Cummings built her floral event business, We Are Wildflowers. Jess has had a unique approach to growing her business slowly through friendships and now does 80+ weddings a year with a merry band of floral freelancing friends. The We Are Wildflowers crew is committed to sustainable floristry that highlights locally-grown stems and uses zero floral foam. Lots of great tips for event design workflow in this episode! Jess is also a musician and finds being in a band (Boozewa) a great way to release stress from flowers and recharge her creativity.

This podcast is brought to you by the Philadelphia Floral Guild, a collective of flower farms in the mid-Atlantic region selling together to florist and other wholesale buyers. We help you elevate your design work and manifest a better tomorrow with locally-grown stems. Visit philadelphiafloralguild.com to learn more and follow us on Instagram @phillyfloralguild for regular inspiration.

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on what's in season, tips and tricks for design, and the latest episodes.

Not near Philadelphia but would like to source local flowers for your business? Check out localflowers.org and rootedfarmers.com to find a flower farm near you.

What Can Locally Grown Stems Do For Your Floral Business?

Less Shrink: Without the stress of a long ride in the global supply chain, our stems are superior in quality with much less breakage and far better hydration.

Less Labor: Our growers do all the work of a studio assistant, stripping stems and making fresh cuts on stems that go directly into water and never leave a water source. This means you do not have to process anything!

Less Trash: There are no boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, box straps, plastic sleeves, and all the other usual trash that comes with a flower delivery from the traditional wholesaler.

More Inspiration: Designing with the seasons sparks creativity. No two weeks are the same.

More Community: Workign with local growers is a very personal connection. You'll grow your community every time you buy local.

Attention Florists!

We’re back with another episode on how to sell local flowers, this time with a closer look at building a retail customer base who understands what local is and helps you tell the story of the stems. Unlike events, retail is all about building a relationship that lasts for life. A handful of dedicated customers evangelizing about how awesome your business are what you need. Not droves of social media followers.

Guest Ellen Frost, owner of Local Color Flowers in Baltimore, has a YouTube channel and a valuable weekly education email. Check them out!

This podcast is brought to you by the Philadelphia Floral Guild, where we're building community around sustainable local flowers. If you're a florist in the Philadelphia area, we'd love to have you shop with us! Click here to learn how.

Sign up for PFG's newsletter to get regular updates about what's in season.

Not a Philadelphia area florist? Look for flower farms near you on the Rooted Farmers website or through localflowers.org.

Why use local flowers? In addition to give your shop or studio a unique value proposition that will galvanize and inspire your customer base, local stems mean:

• Less Shrink: Without the stress of a long ride in the global supply chain, our stems are superior in quality with much less breakage and far better hydration.
  
  
• Less Labor: Our growers do all the work of a studio assistant, stripping stems and making fresh cuts on stems that go directly into water and never leave a water source. This means you do not have to process anything!
• Less Trash: There are no boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, box straps, plastic sleeves, and all the other usual trash that comes with a flower delivery from the traditional wholesaler.

• Less Carbon Burned: Imported flowers in the US typically travel 2,500 or more miles in refrigerated planes, trucks and boats to reach you.