Fresh flowers lift spirits and brighten the home and office, so what’s not to love?
The answer depends on provenance. That little celebration of nature in the foyer nook or on the dining table could be responsible for widespread environmental degradation tied to toxic pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides, unwise land use decisions, long-term refrigeration, and fossil fuel pollution from greenhouse operations and transportation.
“A lot of people look at flowers as natural, beautiful things but they don’t have the benefit of knowing all of the steps in the production process,” said Monica Palumbo, owner of the independent Indigo & Ivy Farm in Savage. “Local flowers are better for the environment and keep money in the local economy, which is just as important.”
Palumbo is among an increasing number of local growers who are seeking to give florists and floral designers a sustainable alternative to a standard industry practice that relies heavily on imported flowers.
Ten of these growers have even banded together to form the Chesapeake Flower Exchange, headquartered at Tanglewood Farm in Ashton, which pools their available products and increases selection options for purchasers who prefer to buy from a single source.
Grown, not flown
Lisa Derx, owner of Apricity Flowers, a boutique grower in Dayton, is one of the founders and the current president of the Chesapeake Flower Exchange.
After realizing that many local growers were counting on each other to fill orders if something was missing, Derx invited her collaborators to formalize their relationship. The Exchange formed officially in January 2023 and launched in April.
Read more at Business Monthly.
