In This Issue ...

1. City College of San Francisco Student Receives CalFlowers Scholarship
2. CalFlowers Board of Directors Ballots
3. Save The Date
4. The California Events Coalition Is Pushing Support For The Restart Act
5. Fill The Distance With Flowers Campaign
6. Featured New Members
7. Transportation
8. New Members 

Upcoming Events:

September 2020
IFE - Floral Connect / Digital Event
September 15 - 18
The Doral, Miami, Florida

February 2021
WF&FSA 2021 Floral Distribution Conference
February 22 - 24
The Doral, Miami, Florida

July 2021
AIFD Symposium - "DNA"
July 5 - 10
Washington Marriott
Warden Park
Washington, DC

August 2021
CalFlowers Presents:
All About Flowers
August 25 - 28
Hotel del Coronado
Coronado, CA

Latest Legislation
Updates:

Click Here to read the latest Legislative updates.

New Mailing Address For Dues Payments:

First Advantage Business Solutions
Attn: CalFlowers
10727 Paramount Blvd.
Ste. 8
Downey, Ca. 90241

CalFlowers
Social Media

Visit the CalFlowers Facebook page 

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

September
Flowers Of The Month:

THE ASTER

Asters are mainly symbols of powerful love. Perhaps because of their positive symbolism, according to folklore they were once burned to ward off serpents.

Asters add a punch of color to the late summer and early fall landscape and require minimal care. 

THE MORNING GLORY

The other September flower is the morning glory. Morning glories are simple symbols of affection.

Those who rise early may be able to watch their lovely blooms open. Morning glory flowers generally curl closed later in the day, hence their name! 

For Members Only Access

Past CalFlowers Newsletters

Click Here to view past CalFlowers Newsletters, now available on our website.

CalFlowers News

City College of San Francisco Student Receives CalFlowers Scholarship 

Nichole Davidson, (pictured left) a senior at City College of San Francisco, has been selected to receive the third annual CalFlowers Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded every year to an undergraduate student who demonstrates a commitment to working in the floriculture industry.

Nichole Davidson, expects to graduate in December, with an associate degree in Nursery and Garden-Center Operation and Commercial Cut Flower and Greenhouse Production.  Following graduation, Davidson will seek a career in greenhouse and nursery management.

For the past two summers, Davidson has interned in Italy at Cascina Borgofrancone in Colico, and at Villa Boccanegra in Ventimiglia. She has served as a lab aide at the City College of San Francisco for three years. “My next step in education is to find and attend graduate school for ethnobotany. I am also writing a book on the edible and medicinal plants of the bay area and where to find them and how to grow them,” said Davidson. She plans for this to be the first of a series featuring various travel destinations.

The fourth year of the CalFlowers scholarship quickly approaches, and applicants are encouraged to watch for information about the application process on the American Floral Endowment (AFE) website in early 2021.  Applications will be due May 1, 2021.  AFE is the administrator of the scholarship program.

The CalFlowers Scholarship is for undergraduate students attending an accredited California college or university or an undergraduate California resident attending an accredited college or university elsewhere in the U.S.

Click here to see all of the AFE scholarship award winners.

CalFlowers Board of Directors Ballots 

Ballots for the CalFlowers Board elections will be emailed to all Floral Members' “voting representative" on file in the coming weeks.  If there is no “voting representative” on file, the ballot will be sent to your company’s primary email, which is usually the billing email address on file.  Only Floral Members in California will be receiving a ballot. Out-of-state members do not vote in Board elections. 

If you are the "voting representative" or primary contact for your company and you wish to update your email address on file, please contact Lani Conklin via email: [email protected] or by calling (831) 479-4912 Ext. #2.

Save The Date: 

The California Events Coalition Is Pushing Support For The Restart Act

The events industry needs urgent action. Millions will lose their jobs. Hundreds of thousands of businesses will close, and the creators of the events that celebrate our milestone moments could be gone forever.

Together we are stronger, and your voice is needed to strengthen our cause. Please sign these letters, create a video when possible, and tweet these elected officials. We welcome all who wish to support.

Click Here to read more. 

Click Here to read the article "The Gala Industrial Complex Is Broken" By Catherine Bigelow.

Fill The Distance With Flowers Campaign

Flower Council Holland has graciously shared their latest campaign "Fill The Distance With Flowers".  There is a lot of content that you can download and make your own.

Boost your sales by taking advantage of their marketing campaigns. Let your customers encounter the inspiring message they see on the internet or a banner in your store as well. It doesn't take much effort, it's great fun and it is effective! A summary of all the Flower Council of Holland's current and future campaigns can be found here. Download the free in-store material and get to work with it.

Click Here to learn more.

Click Here to watch their latest video.

Featured New Members

Cal Coast Orchids was founded in 2019 by husband-and-wife duo Alison Glasco and Bas van Eijk.  Born and raised in the Netherlands, head grower Bas descends from a long ancestral line of farmers and horticulturalists. Pursuing his passion, Bas has traveled the world growing orchids, ultimately settling down in Los Osos.  Before co-founding Cal Coast Orchids with her husband, Los Angeles-native Alison earned a B.S. in Engineering Physics from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, during which she met Bas and stepped foot in a greenhouse for the first time.  After finding a love for horticulture, she now gets to channel her passion for efficiency and excellent customer service into her own company, as she handles operations and sales for the business.

Cal Coast Orchids specializes in producing sustainably grown, exquisite orchids of the highest quality.  As consumers and businesses alike become increasingly conscientious about the environmental impact of their choices, Cal Coast is proud to be a certified California Green Business as well as offering a full line of recycled pottery and planters.

As COVID-19 has unexpectedly upended the plant industry (in ways both unsettling and also oddly encouraging), Cal Coast has expanded their offerings to include unique species of orchids including Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium, Intergenerics, and Paphiopedilum as well as an expansive inventory of in-demand houseplants.

You can find more information at CalCoastOrchids.com or request a catalog from [email protected]. 

Fox Hollow Peonies is owned and operated by Milt and Wanda Haken.  Milt is a retired Law Enforcement officer and Wanda is a retired School Counselor.  Their farm is in Nenana, Alaska, which is halfway between Denali Park and Fairbanks.  They grow 14 different varieties of peonies which are available late June thru mid-September.  Fox Hollow Peonies ships all over the U.S!

Fox Hollow Peonies came about as the result of a near tragedy! 
In 2006 their home was almost consumed by a huge forest fire that started down the highway south of us during a very dry summer.  With the help of the Wildland Fire fighters, they saved their home, but the woods surrounding them was burned.  After clearing the burned woods, and using it for firewood for several years, they found that they had a large, open field in need of a mission!  In 2010 Wanda (pictured right) attended an agriculture class for teachers and was introduced to the newest Ag opportunity in Alaska – growing peonies! Both of them come from generations of farmers in the Midwest so this seemed to strike a chord with them.  Wanda came home and told her husband, “I know what we are planting in that cleared field!”  Their empty field now had a mission!  They planted their first 250 peony roots that fall.  They named their farm “Fox Hollow” because they have a family of foxes that have lived in a den beside their field since they planted their first roots!  The burned trees have now been replaced by 5,000 beautiful peony plants! 

Flower friends can follow them on Facebook and Instagram.  Website coming this winter.  

Transportation

As many of you may know, the Overnight Carriers are experiencing huge volumes during this COVID-19 pandemic.  Many are operating at record volumes and are working hard to cope with the added stresses on their systems.  With these volumes, it’s a good idea to look carefully at the service level you choose when evaluating delivery time options.  Many have found that choosing a service that delivers earlier helps to keep your expectations and your customers in line with the current environment.

Also, Wildfires across the west coast may result is service delays in some affected areas.  Consult your carrier for the latest pick-up and delivery updates.

As a reminder, current shipping rates and program information is on the 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].

To all of our new members who are just starting with FedEx shipping, FedEx has 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 members wanting to contact their local FedEx representative, feel free to contact me and I will put you in touch.  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.  

As a reminder, the Money Back Guarantee (MBG) is still suspended until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the very large shipping volumes resulting from it.  Also, bear in mind, when the MBG is reinstated, shippers must make the request no later than 15 days from the invoice date.  Requests after the 15 day time period will not be honored.

We also want to remind members that FedEx SameDay is also available to members who require SameDay delivery options.  For more information, please contact Chris Johnson at [email protected]

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.

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].      

For members looking for service into Colorado, OnTrac offers 2 day service from California at no extra cost.   Delivery areas are limited so be sure to check 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.

Airlines:

In Airline news, for those members that missed our announcement, CalFlowers has put together a new program with JetBlue Cargo.  JetBlue offers CalFlowers members exceptional express prices out of LAX to Boston, New York, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Puerto Rico. These new rates are some of the best we’ve see in some time.  For more information, please contact Chris Johnson at [email protected] or Mark Friedenthal at JetBlue Blue Cargo (310) 490-2659.

Recently we added Air Canada Cargo rates to our transportation portfolio.  Our discounted pricing offers good value to Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton out of LAX and SFO.  For more information on these new rates from Air Canada, visit our website or contact me anytime at [email protected].

If you haven’t yet heard about the new CalFlowers/Alaska Airlines shipping program, this exclusive offer is now available for CalFlowers members.

Beginning immediately, Alaska Airlines has lowered the minimum charge from $75 to $50 per waybill.  This improvement should significantly add more value to this already value packed shipping program.

The new Priority Rates are the best we have seen in years and with the Virgin merger completed, Alaska Airlines has an extensive network servicing major popular destinations all across the U.S. Our program works outbound and inbound out of SAN, LAX, and SFO.  To take advantage of this exceptional program, interested members must sign up.  Please contact Chris Johnson to get started at (760) 533-5580 or [email protected].

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.

New Members

We are pleased to welcome the following new CalFlowers members from August 18 - September 14:

www.cafgs.org 

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