https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VocQnTiLjts&t=2177s

Earlier this month, for our March Slow Flowers Member Meet-Up, we invited several members who incorporate what I like to call "Slow Pottery" into their floral enterprises.

What is "Slow Pottery?"  I originally wrote about Slow Pottery in our 2018 Slow Flowers Floral Insights & Industry Forecast, inspired by a New York Times article entitled: Why Handmade Ceramics Are White Hot. The story noted: Handcrafted small-batch ceramics are everywhere these days; and discussed how the rejection of factory-produced sameness in dinnerware and vases reflected a desire to get back to something more essential.

In the mass-market sea of sameness, it feels timely and exciting to track the creative work of floral artists and those they collaborate with to make one-of-a-kind vessels for their flowers. Our Meet-Up featured several creatives who share their collections while also discussing sustainability, supply chain issues, and a desire among Slow Flowers members to celebrate artisan pieces rather than throw-away vases.

This was a great meeting we head From:Kelsey Ruhland, of Foxbound Flowers;Katie Tolson, of Seed-on-HudsonHolly Lukasiewicz, of Distric 2 Floral Studio + ceramic artist Anna StoysichAndee Zeigler, of Three SepalsSarah Nayani, of Grow Girl Seattle

You'll enjoy meeting all of these talented members, as they share their vases, flowers, and discuss collabortions between clay and blooms. Here's to artisan pottery for artisan flowers!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers.

Thank you to our lead sponsor, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

Thank you to The Gardener's Workshop, which offers a full curriculum of online education for flower farmers and farmer-florists. Online education is more important this year than ever, and you'll want to check out the course offerings at thegardenersworkshop.com.

Thank you goes to Details Flowers Software, a platform specifically designed to help florists and designers do more and earn more. With an elegant and easy-to-use system--Details is here to improve profitability, productivity, and organization for floral businesses of all shapes and sizes. Grow your bottom line through professional proposals and confident pricing with Details' all-in-one platform. All friends of the Slow Flowers Podcast will receive a 7-day free trial of Details Flowers Software. Learn more at detailsflowers.com.

Thank you to CalFlowers, the leading floral trade association in California, providing valuable transportation and other benefits to flower growers and the entire floral supply chain in California and 48 other states. The Association is a leader in bringing fresh cut flowers to the U.S. market and in promoting the benefits of flowers to new generations of American consumers. Learn more at cafgs.org.

Thanks so much for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than one million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too.

If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com

Thank you for listening! Sending love,