In This Issue ...

1. CalFlowers Announces Date of The "Member Appreciation" Meeting 
2. CalFlowers Welcomes New Board Member Jason Kendall
3. Partner with "Life In Bloom" 
4. Service First Processing Offers Rebate To CalFlowers Members
5. Featured New Members
6. Transportation
7. Welcome New CalFlowers Members

Upcoming Events:

June 2021

2021 Texas Floral Expo
June 25 - 27
West Galleria in Houston, TX

Slow Flower Summit 2021
June 28 - 30
Filoli Historic House & Garden
Woodside, CA

August 2021

CalFlowers "Member Appreciation" Meeting
August 6
San Diego, CA

September 2021

SAF Orlando
September 21-23
Loews Royal Pacific Resort
Orlando, FL

World Floral Expo 2021
September 22 - 24
Jacob K. Javits
Convention Center
New York, NY

November 2021

California State Floral Association Presents:
CaliFlora 2021
November 6 & 7
Carlsbad Floral Trade Center
Carlsbad, CA

2022 SAVE THE DATE

Fun 'N Sun
"All About Flowers"
Aug. 29 - Sept. 1, 2022
Hotel del Coronado
Coronado, CA

Click Here to Rediscover the California legend - Hotel del Coronado.

Latest Legislation
Updates:

Click Here to read the latest Legislative updates.

 CalFlowers
Social Media

Visit the CalFlowers Facebook page 

Check in for news, upcoming events, photos, and topical items.  

June
Flowers of The Month:

June’s birth month flowers are among the most fragrant of all, the rose and the honeysuckle. 

THE ROSE

There’s a reason that roses have inspired poets and painters for centuries. And if you only know about “grocery store” roses, think again.

There are roses for every imaginable taste, from climbing roses and shrubs to long-stemmed roses.

Symbolically, the rose has more meanings than one can count!

• A pink rose means perfect happiness, while a red rose means “I love you.”
• A white rose signifies innocence, purity, and new beginnings. 
• A yellow rose conveys jealousy.

A bouquet of roses means sincere gratitude, whereas a single rose amplifies the meaning of the color (a single red rose means “I REALLY love you”).

THE HONEYSUCKLE

The other June flower is honeysuckle, which is a
strong symbol for the everlasting bonds of love.  

Honeysuckle flowers are magnets for hummingbirds!
There are shrub forms of honeysuckle (Lonicera
fragrantissima), which make great hedges, and there
are vining forms such as the trumpet honeysuckle
(L. sempervirens).

CalFlowers
Featured
"New Member" Spotlights

To see all of our past Featured "New Member" Spotlight stories Click Here.

Past CalFlowers Newsletters & COVID-19 Updates

Click Here to view past CalFlowers Newsletters and COVID-19 Updates, now available on our website.

CalFlowers News

CalFlowers Announces Date of The 2021"Member Appreciation" Meeting 

Please Mark your calendar and plan to join us for the August 6 "Member Appreciation" Meeting.  More Information coming soon!

CalFlowers Welcomes New Board Member Jason Kendall

CalFlowers is pleased to announce that Jason Kendall of Kendall Farms in Fallbrook, CA will join the Board of Directors.  Executive Director Steve Dionne said, “The CalFlowers board is a dynamic group with experience in numerous industry segments, and we are consistently seeking strong voices to the room.  Jason’s long tenure in the industry and deep knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing California flower farms will be a tremendously valuable perspective.  We’re really excited to have Jason on board.”

Jason Kendall is the Chief Pilot at Kendall Farms in Fallbrook, CA.  He has 25 years of experience in the floral industry in growing, wholesale and mass market.  Jason serves on the board of the Fallbrook Food Pantry and is an Advisory Board member of Samaritan Aviation.  He also has real estate investments in multifamily and single family residences in 6 states.  He lives in Fallbrook with his wife Danielle and his two children.  He enjoys travel, surfing, mountain biking, tennis and pickleball.

Partner with "Life In Bloom" 

Let’s BLOOM TOGETHER!!!

We are thrilled with the success of “J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom” on Public Television. The show has been aired continuously – for over 115 weeks – since its initial premiere in April of 2019.

What does that mean – for Flowers, for YOU, and for our Great Flower Industry?

• Millions (yes, you read that correctly) of viewers are watching “Life in Bloom” – approximately 88 million households – every week on Public Television!  

• This audience includes a broad range of ages (see pie chart left) – Gen Z (Kids and Young Adults), Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers. Everyone loves flowers- and that’s a great reason to partner with “Life In Bloom” in the name of flowers!

• We are currently filming Season 4 of “Life in Bloom.” Thirteen NEW episodes that will be added to the 39 previous episodes, all of which continue to be broadcast repeatedly – adding new flower fans every day.

We appreciate CalFlowers’ commitment as an underwriter, however, as you may know, it doesn’t cover all of the costs to produce a show of this quality and offer it to Public Television stations free of charge. 

There are several ways to support the show, while also promoting your flower business and flower products – which help more Americans enjoy more flowers more often! 

1. Become an Underwriter of “J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom”

Your logo is included and attached to the front and back of all 13 episodes of Season 4 and stays with the show in perpetuity - no matter how many times (or years) its broadcast on Public Television stations across the country!  Cost $30,000.00.

Join industry leaders like Albertsons Companies, CalFlowers, and Dollar Tree – for a formal proposal contact [email protected]

2. Become a Sponsor of “uBloom.com”

Your company’s products can be featured in uBloom videos and flower projects. Your name and logo appear in the direct-to-audience intros on “Fun with Flowers and J” and “At Home with Flowers” videos. Sponsor opportunities start at $5,000 and are customized for your business.

3. Advertise on uBloom.com, the home of “J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom”

FLOWER POWER is real, and these opportunities allow you to partner with J and the Flower Power nationwide success of “J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom,” that is sweeping the country. Don’t miss out, join us and Burst into Bloom!

Service First Processing Offers Rebate To CalFlowers Members

Did you know?

As a CalFlowers member company, you can get an annual rebate on Credit Card Processing Fees as well as free enhanced reporting, loaner equipment and a dedicated member help line.

• CalFlowers members receive an annual 10% rebate on the net processing revenue SFP generates from the account
• Free loaner equipment
• Free Enhanced Online Reporting
• Dedicated Help Line for CalFlowers members. Always get a live person when you need it most
• 60 day trial period / 90 Day Pilot Program for Members New to Credit Card Acceptance

The average cost savings for CalFlowers members is $3,727 or a 20% reduction in cost, before rebates.

Call 866.372.5551 or go to www.sfprocessing.com/cafgs to learn more about this exclusive member benefit.

Additionally, members have access to a suite of electronic payment tools to help streamline electronic payments.

AP Automation

• Pay vendors from anywhere, at any time
• Reduce the time and money spent on A/P processing
• Enhance your security and control of the payables process

ACH Tools

• Stop waiting for checks
• Accept ACH payments via phone and online
• Accept ACH (like a check) by debiting client’s account with virtual authorization
• Next day funding

Online Invoicing

• Custom branded invoice design
• Huge variety of customizations available
• Quickly and easily provide payment information to customers

www.sfprocessing.com
(866) 372-5551
1315 N. Federal Highway, Suite 200
Boynton Beach, FL 33435 

Featured New Members

Magical Blooms
Floral Caterer to the Stars

Jenny Barker (pictured left) opened her first store Magical Blooms, at age 18  with $500 in waitressing tips, and three years later moved to her current location where she continues to run her thriving business today, Magical Blooms, in her hometown of Redondo Beach, California.  During this time her business rapidly expanded, and as her reputation flourished, she became known as the Flower Doctor for her uncanny ability to understand and express the healing powers of flower emotion, known as her Flower Prescription.

Her floral compositions range from small, unique arrangements to providing over 400 artistic bouquets for large gatherings and floral designer for well-known television shows.  Magical Blooms supplies television and movie productions, luxury hotels, and rock stars with perfect arrangements.  She sources globally, from Thailand’s Vanda Orchids to brilliantly colored roses from Ecuador as well as rare tulips from the Netherlands.

But destiny would move her from florist to celebrity.

In 2003 she was recruited to star in a series on TLC called “For Better or Worse”, an early reality show highlighting the tensions of wedding planning.  Jenny, of course, provided the floral arrangements.  Twenty-three episodes which ran through 2005, securing her place as a smart, high energy media celebrity.  This was followed by appearances on other programs such as “Merge”, “Live Like a Star”, and “The Arrangement”. Most recently (2021) Jenny was a featured star on “Full Blooms Season 2”, an extremely popular HBO Max show.

Magical Blooms can be found at www.magicalblooms.com.

NEW AGE Laboratories analyzes everything from seed to harvest for customers seeking to increase their agricultural production.  From backyard gardeners to family farms to commercial farmers, NAL tests plant sap, soil, and water for all crops including flowers.  We specialize in leaf sap analysis, comparing nutrients from newest yet fully developed leaves and the oldest yet viable leaves.  Nutrient mobility can be assessed for N, P, K, Mg, Na and Cl which fine tunes fertilization or nutrient deficiencies.  Looking to cut down on nitrogen inputs?  Sap gives special insight on the types of nitrogen being taken up into the plant and how it is utilized by comparing nitrate, ammonium and total nitrogen uptake.  (Pictured above: Jenny Garley leaf sampling in pistachio orchard.)

Click Here to learn more about NEW AGE Laboratories.

Picture above is of leaf sap extractions

Whistle Stop Peonies

It began in 2017, when, Mona Tague, owner of Whistle Stop Peonies, turned her love for flowers into a business in the pursuit of sharing the true and pure beauty of the peony flower. While the flowers alone bring her immense joy, she receives insurmountable joy when they are shared. Mona is the mother of four daughters and the grandmother of two little girls. All of whom bring her great pride and jubilation. She grew up in Gorin, Missouri where the whistle of the train can be heard for miles and where its presence brings a sense of community and nostalgia.

The name for Whistle Stop Peonies struck Mona when she was in the garden pulling weeds and overheard the train bustling through. It then took on the name, where the whistle and the garden, both symbols of home for her would come together as one and bloom into so much more. It’s all about community and connection and she is devoted to helping individuals, florists, event planners and many more find the flowers they are in search for and desire. Mona’s retirement plan is under way and the next 3 to 4 years will fly when you love what you are doing. The bare roots are sold in the Fall, and the flowers are ready to bloom in the Spring. 

Mona can’t wait to serve you and brighten your life with these flowers. She can be contacted at (660) 216-1378 and via email [email protected].

Click Here to learn more about Whistle Stop Peonies.

Transportation

Our overnight carriers are still struggling with record volumes and this challenging time is expected to continue in the near-term future.  With that, it’s a good idea to look carefully at the service level you choose when evaluating delivery time options.  We strongly suggest choosing a service that delivers earlier, as this helps to keep your customers expectations in line with the current environment.

As you may have noticed, we signed our latest contract with FedEx for 2021 and beyond.  Our Express blended discount has now improved to 72.7%. You will see significant price reductions on Express.  But that’s not all, we have improved all discounts on all contract services including FedEx Ground.  These rates and complete FedEx program information are now available on our  CalFlowers Members' Only website.  Members using their log-ins can access this information anytime.  Rates on FedEx, GLS, OnTrac, and airlines can all be found, as well as other handy information.  For questions or comments on any of our programs, please contact Chris Johnson for assistance at (760) 533-5580 or [email protected].

As is normally the case in June, weather can still be an issue.  We recommend checking with FedEx for any Service Alerts that can affect shipping:  https://www.fedex.com/en-us/service-alerts.html.  These Service Alerts are issued daily and can be helpful in managing your expectations during inclement weather

For those members wanting to reference the latest Surcharges and Fees for 2021, we have posted this information on our website or members can CLICK HERE.  You will find a handy summary of what to expect for the year.  Remember, CalFlowers members have many significant discounts off of these surcharges which add excellent value to our program.  For a list our surcharge discounts, please refer to the FedEx Program Summary on our website

To all our new members who are just starting with FedEx shipping, they have a nice “Customer Training” service that is available upon request.  This service offers shippers direct one-on-one assistance from FedEx covering many of the questions new shippers may have.  If you are interested in signing up, please contact Chris Johnson [email protected].  FedEx also has some excellent information for new shippers on their website.  Visit: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/get-started.html for a good summary of what FedEx offers.

For qualifying members wanting to contact their local FedEx representative, feel free to contact me and I will put you in touch with the right person.  It’s always a good idea to establish a relationship with your local FedEx field representatives who can help out when you need them or have questions.  

For members needing FedEx Tech Support, this phone number takes your right into the department (877) 339-2774.  They can help with many tech related issues including guidance regarding on-line shipping platforms.

We would also like to remind members to stay current with their FedEx Express shipping invoices. FedEx payment terms are 15 days.  All members shipping on FedEx Express are expected to stay within the FedEx payment terms.  To obtain your invoice details and payment options, please contact FedEx Customer Service.

For members who wish to move PALLETIZED freight on FedEx, CalFlowers can help direct you to customized solutions and pricing.  FedEx Freight is an excellent option when your shipments call for pallets. Interested members should contact Chris Johnson at [email protected] for more information. 

GLS is also reporting very strong member volumes at this time which can affect on-time deliveries in some areas.  With the heat of summer with us, using extra cooling measures in your boxes is a good idea and we recommend doing so.

The CalFlowers GLS program is one of our fastest growing, most value-priced offerings, with discounts over 70% off standard rates.  GLS offers later pick-ups and earlier deliveries while providing express door-to-door services covering CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, NM, UT and ID.  Members who want to ship on GLS must sign up in advance. It’s easy and just takes a few minutes.  Please contact Chris Johnson for more details at (760) 533-5580 or [email protected].   

Please use the Delivery Rates & Times Calculator to view delivery dates and estimated.

The Money-Back-Guarantee is still currently suspended at GLS.  We hope this will be re-instated soon. We are monitoring the situation closely and will post updates as appropriate.

For members looking for the 2021 OnTrac program and rates, they are now available at www.cafgs.org.  Our program this year features many reductions in various surcharges that offer great value to customers.  Be sure to check out what’s new with OnTrac.

We know that OnTrac got their start in California and services every ZIP code within California, but did you know OnTrac also services seven other Western States?  OnTrac has 2-day service into WA, OR, ID, NV, UT, AZ, and CO.  And to help understand the service parameters, OnTrac has a very nice “Time and Transit Map” under Zip Tools on their website.  This handy map loaded from YOUR zip code helps you understand OnTrac’s overnight commitment areas.  To download your map, please visit: https://www.ontrac.com/servicesareas.asp.

Changes to Our Service Guarantee
The Money-Back Service Guarantee on OnTrac is still suspended.

Airlines: 

If you have been taking advantage of our new CalFlowers/Alaska Airlines shipping program, you know this offering really delivers when it comes to value.  Our program offers excellent pricing to many areas of the country from California, while adding a few new destinations such as Seattle, Portland and Anchorage. Check out all the program details on our website.

For those members looking for airline service to Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton out of LAX and SFO, consider Air Canada Cargo.  Our discounted pricing offers good value and frequent service.  For more information on these new rates from Air Canada, visit our website or contact me anytime at [email protected].

In Delta Cargo news, our CalFlowers special rate promo with Delta has ended.  We are currently working with Delta on a new revised promotion but due to extended labor difficulties and operational challenges at LAX, we don’t expect the new program until August.  Meanwhile members can use the standard Delta shipping rates.

As a reminder, JetBlue offers CalFlowers members exceptional express prices out of LAX / SFO to Boston, New York, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Puerto Rico and now NEWARK (EWR). 

These new rates are some of the best that we’ve see in some time.  For more information, please contact Chris Johnson at [email protected] or Mark Friedenthal at JetBlue Cargo (310) 490-2659.

NOTE: Transportation Rate information and documents are viewable/downloadable as PDFs on the CalFlowers Members Only site. Please note that these documents are considered sensitive material and are available to the primary contacts for Ag Buddy, Associate Floral, Associate Grower, and Floral members.

Welcome New CalFlowers Members

We are pleased to welcome the following new CalFlowers members from May 19 through June 22, 2021:

www.cafgs.org 

Ph. 831-479-4912 | Fax 831-479-4914