Sustainability in the Cut Flower Industry

Co-founder of Ecofficiency.org, Chrissy Gray, has spent the last few months abroad in South America and I'm excited that she is finally back!  While overseas, she had the opportunity to visit Cayambe, Ecuador, and get a peak into the thriving cut floral industry there. What she learned was that the actual impacts of farming practices on these flower plantations are alarming. Detrimental practices include the use of pesticides that are illegal in the US which, in turn, are affecting the community's children born with physical deformities and mental deficiencies...not to mention the use of non-biodegradable materials just to package the roses.  (I can't even tell you how much cellophane I have stored away for future design use off of cut flower packaging. I don't even purchase cellophane.)  Chrissy's article (which you can read here) tells an eye-opening view into what goes behind some of the flowers you purchase.  

Sustainability in the floral industry has been a difficult push.  Thankfully, the demand for environmentally safe floral farming has led to the development of certifications such as Veriflora and Rainforest Alliance. For Floral Sense, this makes the conscientious purchasing of our fresh goods much easier.  This also means that not all the flower breeds we want will be available within the certification which calls for some creative substitutions.  You, as a retail consumer, have the option to make better choices in where and how you purchase your designed arrangements.  My hope is that you are empowered with enough information to ask your florist the right questions.  At the end of the day, where we put our money is what we inadvertently demand.

If you have any questions regarding this topic or would like to further the discussion, please leave a comment below.  I would love to here you thoughts.

Yours truly,

Joanna

Avanti Cafe

Sustainable Living means different things to different people.  For me? My journey has been all about making small, consistent choices that are conducive to promoting a healthier life with the environmental impact in mind.  In particular, green farming practices are a huge component to my interests especially with flowers being a main component of floral design. And naturally, my research of organic floral farms have given me more reason to focus on consuming organically grown food. Needless to say, I am IN LOVE with slow food! One of my favorite restaurants that focuses on "eating responsibly" is Avanti Cafe in Costa Mesa, CA.  They use produce that is grown organically AND locally.  Avanti is vegetarian and vegan friendly.  Oh, and their food is truly dynamic (not to mention, the recent remodeling is well suited for the cafe).

 

You gotta love the fact that water is served in wine bottles.

 

I was lucky enough to take my boys out on a mommy/son date last week so here's a sampling of their menu:

Onion Jam and Garbanzo Flatbread

 

Custom Kid-friendly Cheese Pizza:

 

Arugula and Spinach Pesto Pasta

 

Banana Chocolate Strudel with House-made Peanut Ice Cream

 

I just want to add that my 4 year old had no qualms about eating arugula, spinach, garbanzo beans or onion jam, which emphasizes against the argument that kids won't eat healthy foods that don't look like canned nacho cheese and greasy fries. Its just a matter of how the food is presented. You may recall the event I covered in San Diego of Cooks Confab's presentation of School Lunch where healthy, delicious food was presented in a way that kids will love.  So, to the school districts that want to fight against school food reform based on an erroneous assumption, I say BOLOGNA! (But please don't feed that to my kid.)

So back to Avanti. Right. 

See this picture below of the baskets of gorgeous organic produce?  You can affordably purchase them through your local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).  South Coast Farms is behind this particular branch in which Avanti serves as a pick up location.  You can order on a weekly or bi-weekly basis anywhere from $31 to $42 a basket depending on if you pick up from the farm or one of their pick-up locations. See? Sustainable living choices don't have to break the bank!

 

And you know you would rather be eating this than what's sold in the grocery stores.

Hope this inspires you to seek out an organic meal this week!

Your truly,

Joanna

The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, CA

Every year, I like to make a trip down to The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, CA to soak in the yummy colorful rows of ranunculus. Pictures truly do no justice to the beauty of experiencing the floral blooms in person. Here are just a few shots from their website:



The best part of this year is that the fields will be open to the public until May 15th! Check out the The Flower Field website here for more info.

It'll cost $10 per adult and $5 per child to get in. And it is totally worth it!

Fibonacci's Dirty Little Secret

Alright, so maybe it's not really a secret but its dirty! Fibonacci's Campus Pointe Bistro has its own farm from where they harvest their own produce. And its just a walk away from the restaurant on a patch of real dirt! Check it out:







Just a little side thought - The florals on this dill plant look so much like a filler flower I like to use called Queen Anne's Lace. So what's to say that I can't use the florals from an edible garden to design with?


There is also a composting area. All composting material begin in the first bin and is moved/turned once a week into the following bin.


The progression eventually moves here where the soil is sifted. Its so easy, even the kids can do it!


So what even compelled me to visit the garden during my visit at Fibonacci's on Sunday? I noticed that all the disposable plates and utensils were made of raw, biodegradable material which was enough cause for applause. Then I had to find the trash cans after I was done with my meal.


I found a small crowd of people by the trash receptacle sorting through their garbage. Standing ovation? Getting there.


There were four different compartments: Compost, Fibonacci's Compostable Dinnerware, Recycle and Trash. Each label included a description of acceptable materials.


This composting material can be used for Fibonacci's very own garden! I love it! The system has been set up to sustain itself. (Insert standing ovation here)

Well done!

Cooks Confab Presents: School Lunch! at Fibonacci's by Waters Fine Catering

Clear sunny skies at a crisp 68 degrees set the perfect backdrop for Sunday's event at Fibonacci's Campus Pointe Bistro by Waters in San Diego for the Cooks Confab School Lunch event.


I had been looking forward to this event for several weeks after getting the heads-up from Chef Andrew Spurgin of Waters Fine Catering. There were 2 main reasons this event perked my interest. The first - I was shocked to hear that a school district was openly working with the community of local farms and chefs to create better school lunches. I have seen the intense resistance that public schools have made toward such needed changes. So, I absolutely needed to see how these changes were being implemented and who was at the forefront of making these big steps. Second - Sourcing ingredients from local farms is an issue that is close to my heart and my business. I wanted more opportunities to chat directly with the local farmers and hear their voice.

I was excited to see the actual farmers who supply the produce to the school districts showcased upon entering the building.






We were greeted with a cocktail area that included samples from: Tolosa Winery (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)


Snake Oil Cocktail Co. (Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice; Strawberry “Milkshake”)


Waters Bar Service (Housemade Beet "Vermouth"; Hibiscus Extract, Raisin Reduction, Pressed Apple Foam, Micro Radish)

This one was my personal favorite because of the innovation in its unique mix of ingredients. The flavor profile was rather intriguing and the presentation was hard to pass up.


We were eventually lured away from bar service into the restaurant for a presentation on the topic of school lunches with the needs and challenges that are faced daily.

I realized part of the resistance from many school districts to changing lunch menus lies in the immense limitations. For example, all nutrition regulations must fit within $1 for each meal. The lunch items need to be convenient, healthy and desirable. The time to prep lunch for a school of students is limited with limited prep space. In addition, The time to serve these meals is limited to usually 30 minutes. And many schools have around 2000 to 3000 students to feed! Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg of issues.

Here's a chart that speaks volumes for itself:


However, it can be done and it is being done. Broccoli was finally introduced to the San Diego schools with local farms contributing approximately 1000 pounds a week. The response has been very positive allowing for more forward momentum.

(A side note - this event is reflective of what is happening in the San Diego county school district. I'm curious as to what Orange County and Los Angeles County have going on, if anything at all. If any of you readers have insight, please leave me a message below. I would love to hear from you!)

Skipping forward to lunch. Standing in the long line made me feel a bit nostalgic to the school lunch days with my tray in hand. I remember, as a kid, being excited that my mom had to hand me lunch money because she didn't have time to make me a sandwich. But looking back, I'm not sure what the hype was all about. The food was horrible: packaged tortilla chips with canned nacho cheese, chalupas (still not sure what that was), greasy chimichangas, dry tater tots, cardboard pizza. Oh, and I can't forget the chocolate milk in a plastic bag. So wrong in so many ways.



Here are few snaps of the stations before the crowds. I was spying for those plastic milk bags but didn't find any. It looks like we're off to a good start.






Whew, just look at the color on these plates! Each healthy lunch menu item passionately created by some very talented chefs using local produce. Its exciting to think that my own kids would be eating from this menu at school! I definitely want their school lunch to look like this.


Yep, those are edible flowers! I was kinda' tempted to make an arrangement with the flowers and salad into my coffee cup.


And of course - dessert!

This is the Blood Orange Juice Box bar.


See if you can match the menu item description to the picture:
Beef & Broccoli with Brown Rice
by Jason Knibb – NINE–TEN

Chicken & Local Vegetable "Pot Pie"
by Jeff Jackson & TK Kolanko – A. R. Valentien

Cream of Tomato Soup with Parmesan Cream & Bread Crumbs; Lentil–Barley Soup with Mint Yogurt; Strawberry Yogurt with Chocolate Dipping Sticks
by Trey Foshee & Lori Huffman – George’s California Modern

“Fish & Chips” Wild Striped Bass, Baked Vegetable Chips, Tartar Sauce
by Paul McCabe – KITCHEN 1540
by Donald Coffman – Paradise Point

Suzie's Farm Vegetable "Lasagna"; Jidori Chicken Roulade; Handmade Focaccia; Strawberries n' Cream
by Katie Grebow – Café Chloe
by Amy DiBiase – Chef/Consultant

Salad Bar from Waters’ Organic Garden with “a Bunch of Stuff That’s Good For You;” Fava Bean Tops and Beans, Peas and Tendrils, Garden Herbs; Roasted Vegetables and House Made Pickles; Tofu “Caprese” with Suzie’s Farms’ Cherry Tomatoes, Shiso Sesame Soba with Ginger-Sesame; Trio of Citrus with Strawberry Spherification, Black Sesame
by Andrew Spurgin – Waters Fine Catering
by Melissa Mayer – Martini Media

Wheat “Macaroni ‘n Cheese;” Carrot Turmeric Purée; Diced Vegetables; Gruyère Cheese
by Olivier Bioteau – Farm House Café

Nathan's Natural Alpine Chicken Satay; Thai Almond Sauce; Cucumber Relish
by Antonio Friscia – Stingaree

Potato-Cauliflower Tostada, Yellow Cherry Tomato, House Queso Fresco, Pickled Broccoli Stem, Salsa Verde
by Guest Chef Ricardo Heredia – Alchemy

Cashew Nut Ice Cream Cups with Honeyed Quinoa
by Jack Fisher – Jack Fisher Confections

Spring Flavored Paletas: Blood Orange Juice Box; Choco Banana Milk; New School Tangerine and Cream; Yogurt Honey Granola Pop
by Guest Chef Lisa Altman – Viva Pops

Surprisingly, my favorite was the salad bar of raw and roasted vegetables. So simple and clean!

My other surprise favorite station - the coffee! I have never seen coffee served this way and didn't expect the flavors to stand out so much. You probably won't see this happening in a school cafeteria but you can't kill the coffee lover in me.


There is another component of Fibonacci's that I will share about on Thursday but I'll leave the topic in suspense until then. And there were some very important organizations with tables set-up in the cocktail area which I will cover separately. In the meantime, I hope this has given you more food for thought....literally and figuratively.

A special Thank You to Chef Andrew Spurgin for the invite! You're a true inspiration and your passion is contagious!


Cheers!

Know Where Your Cut Flowers Come From

As my knowledge of sustainable living increases, so does my appreciation for all that encompasses sustainable floral design. In truth, at times, I find it overwhelming trying to apply all the eco-friendly changes necessary to call any floral arrangement "green." However, I am learning that a great place to start is getting to know the farms and farmers behind the cut flower industry. Inherently, we assume that flowers are great for the environment because they naturally decompose. But just as in any agriculture, farming practices have significant impacts on our environment.

I have come across two major arguments on where I should source my flowers.
1) The flowers should come from farms that are 100% organic whether they are grown locally or internationally.
2) The flowers should come only from local farms because the transportation emissions released into the environment would not offset the sustainable farming practices.

These two viewpoints have given me a lot of food for thought. So, in the meantime, I have decided to take time in researching the farms and farmers in which I receive my flowers. I currently use a wholesale distributer called Mayesh Wholesale and I work very closely with my account manager Shana who does her best to get me sustainably grown flowers. I've got my work cut out for me as I begin introducing you to these farms in which these flowers are grown.

Just a little FYI, I currently stand with Arguement #1. But my research may change my mind later on down the road. Ideally, I would love to get all of the flowers that Floral Sense uses from local farms that also have sustainable practices. So, if you are a farm in Southern California that meets that criteria, hit me up with an email or phone call! I would love to chat with you!

Any thoughts, ideas, questions? Feel free to comment below!