Podcast appearances and mentions of erin benzakein

Erin Benzakein of Floret Flower Farm needs little introduction to most garden-minded listeners. She has been so instrumental is cultivating a flower-farmer and flower-farming economy in our country. Her innovative and dedicated seed research and breeding work of the past almost decade, however, is whole new lens through which to appreciate her work. Back in 2017, when I first interviewed Erin for the program & for The Earth in Her Hands, she was already a tireless advocate for local flowers, and for supporting more flower farmers and local-flower florists in our everyday lives here in the US. Through her on-farm and subsequently online flower farming Floret Workshops, for more than a decade, she has been renowned for encouraging and training eager new flower-farmer-florists in order to transform the cut flower industry from the multi-billion dollar large-corporate-owned international import (with little ecological or economic oversight) behemoth it had become, back into the more lovely, and loving, organic, locally-based circular and community oriented economy she envisioned it could be – and should be. Floret - once a flower farm and training center – is now more fully (and perhaps even more beautifully) described as “a family-owned flower farm and seed company specializing in breeding new cut flower varieties for gardeners, farmers & designers.” They add: “ Our thriving research & education farm is dedicated to giving flower lovers the tools & information they need to grow the gardens of their dreams.” In honor of the Autumnal Equinox, and its seeds of the next season feeling - I am so pleased to once again welcome Erin to Cultivating Place – just as Floret's free seed saving mini-course launches on their website. Erin shares much more about this newest heart of Floret's growing work. Join us! Cultivating Place now has a donate button! We thank you so much for listening over the years and we hope you'll support Cultivating Place. We can't thank you enough for making it possible for this young program to grow even more of these types of conversations. The show is available as a podcast on SoundCloud, iTunes, and Google Podcast. To read more and for many more photos, please visit www.cultivatingplace.com.

Have you ever marveled at how a tiny seed encapsulates not just life but also the past, present, and future? Dive deep into this concept with Erin Benzakein, the founder of Floret, one of the most influential flower farms and seed companies globally, on this episode of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast.Erin's love for flowers sprouts from cherished childhood memories and blossomed into a profound passion that would redefine her life's path. Starting with a modest garden while raising her young children, Erin's journey is a testament to how a simple backyard project can evolve into a pioneering enterprise in sustainable agriculture and floral education.Throughout our conversation, Erin opens up about the parallel growth of her business and her children, sharing how each stage of their lives influenced her strategies and decisions. She discusses the delicate balance of motherhood and entrepreneurship, revealing her personal philosophy on taking things slowly and embracing patience.Erin also delves into the dynamics of building a supportive team, highlighting how recognizing her own limitations allowed her to focus more on her strengths—cultivating flowers and fueling her creativity.Join us for a truly enlightening dialogue with Erin Benzakein, filled with enduring lessons on perseverance, leadership, and the joys of flower farming. Tune in to get inspired by Erin's flowering journey and her passionate commitment to the beauty of blooms. Plus, be sure to sign up for her free Seed-Saving-Mini-Course!Show Notes: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/2024/08/27/ep-35-floret/Learn More About Floret: Floret https://www.floretflowers.com Email Sign up https://www.floretflowers.com/newsletter/ Seed Saving Course https://workshop.floretflowers.com/2024-seed-saving-mini-course-opt-in Instagram https://www.instagram.com/floretflower/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@floretflowerfarm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/floretflowers/ Annual Floret Workshop: https://www.floretflowers.com/workshops/online-workshop/******3 Types Of People Are Replacing Their Income With A Digital Course… Are You One Of Them?Take the quiz: https://bit.ly/3typesofpeoplereplacingincomewithadigitalcourse******Sign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/thefloweringfarmhousenewsletter***Rate, Review, & Follow The Backyard Bouquet***If you enjoyed this episode, will you please consider leaving the podcast a review? I'd love to know what you enjoyed most about the episode.New episodes every week to help keep your garden blooming!

Welcome to Bri Books! On today's episode, we're talking about falling in love with the garden this spring, first-time gardening secrets, and how to get kids excited about gardening. Almost everyday, Carla of @gardenplot.57 treats us to vibrant photos of her cut flower garden, homemade skincare products, and dozens of veggies she's growing in her backyard garden in Cornwall, England. In this episode, Carla gives tips on how to start (and maintain) a garden in a small space, and shares tips on DIY gardening projects we can do right now to get a jump on the season. Carla and I bonded over the amazing book “Floret Farm's A Year in Flowers: Designing Gorgeous Arrangements for Every Season” by Erin Benzakein, an amazing resource that'll inspire you to step up your flower arranging (and flower growing) game. Carla also shares the secret to getting kids interested in gardening and how to lure them away from the XBox and towards the garden box.   Carla's guide to gardening in a small space:  1. Utilize your patio by planting pots with salad greens, herbs, and dwarf tomatoes.  2. Go high! Make use of vertical space by creating vertical planters. Archways and trellises allow you to grow “up,” and make use of tiny amounts of space for things like beans, peas, cucumbers and tomatoes.   More gardening resources recommended by Carla and Brionna: Huw Richards YouTube channel and book, “Grow Food for Free” Sandria of A Beautiful Nest Misilla of Learn to Grow Adam Yn Yr Ardd, a wildly talented Welsh gardener   If you're new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud! Please tell me what you're growing by using #bribooks on Instagram, and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter.Follow @theBriGarden on Instagram for garden tours, growing hacks, and gardening secrets.

Erin Benzakein pioneered connecting with people who want to support local farms through social media. In this podcast we talk about how to use your own story to connect with potential customers. Read more in an article she wrote for Growing for Market Magazine called “Become the face of your farm,” linked in the show notes.We also talk about the years of work that went into breeding the first round of seeds for Floret Originals that were released this winter, including dahlias, celosia and zinnias. We discuss the mechanics of breeding, including converting many of Erin's hoophouses to net houses, and filling the net houses with flies for pollination. In addition to details about how you can breed and save your own seeds, Erin will be releasing a free seed saving mini-course this summer! Link to article: Become the face of your farm by Erin Benzakeinhttps://growingformarket.com/articles/become-the-face-of-your-farm Connect With Guest:Email: support@floretflowers.comWebsite: https://www.floretflowers.comInstagram: @floretflowerFacebook: Floret Flower Farm YouTube: @floretflowerfarm Podcast Sponsors:Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Johnny's Selected Seeds - Johnny's Selected Seeds has provided superior seeds, tools, information, and service since 1973. Consider us your trusted growing partner when you need proven varieties you can count on and detailed guidance from seeding to harvest. Turning to Johnny's means you can plant high-quality, trial-proven varieties with confidence, knowing that our expert staff is ready to help with first-hand knowledge—because we've grown them ourselves. We're here to help you grow good food. Vermont Compost Company - Since 1992, Vermont Compost Company has supplied premium living soils and compost-based amendments to thousands of successful growers all over the country. All ingredients used in Vermont Compost products are approved for certified organic production. In addition to product consistency, growers can depend on Vermont Compost as an invaluable resource for a breadth of soil and plant knowledge and the technical expertise it takes to grow organically in an ever-changing environment. Why Grow Alone? Local Line is the all-in-one sales platform for direct-market farms and food hubs of all sizes. Increase your sales and streamline your processes with features including e-commerce, inventory management, subscriptions, online payments, and more! Get 15% off marketing services and one premium feature for a year with the code Growing4market at https://hubs.la/Q02bpWQV0 Bootstrap Farmer offers a complete range of growing supplies including heat mats, ground cover, frost blankets, silage tarps, irrigation, and trellising. They also make all-metal, all-inclusive greenhouse frames, constructed of steel made in the USA and fabricated in Texas. Their heavy-duty, Midwest-made propagation and microgreens trays will last for years and are available in a full range of colors, great for keeping farm seedlings separate from retail, or just for fun. For all that and more, check out Bootstrap Farmer at bootstrapfarmer.com. Neptune's Harvest is a family company that makes organic fertilizers from the by-products of the fishing industry, in Gloucester, MASS. Products from cold, mineral rich, North Atlantic Ocean, contain all the nutrients to make your soil and plants healthy. Available in retail and bulk sizes. Farmhand - Tired of admin work and technology trouble? You need Farmhand on your team. Farmhand is the all-in-one software platform and virtual assistant built by and for independent farmers. Through a simple text or email to Farmhand, you can offload admin tasks, automate your CSA, update your website, and sell more to your customers. Learn more and take the quiz to see how much you can save at farmhand.partners/GFM Subscribe To Our Magazine - FREE 28-Day Trial:Our Website: www.GrowingForMarket.com

Erin Benzakein of Floret on Flower power, overcoming debt, making movies, and sharing our creations. Watch her newest film in the Abundance Film Fest: https://www.abundantpermaculture.com/filmfest

For success as a flower farmer as well as a seed breeder and seller, it helps to possess both a creative spirit and business acumen. My guest this week, Erin Benzakein of Floret Flower Farm and the Magnolia Network series “Growing Floret,” has both in spades, and we discuss how she maintains her creativity and furthers her mission to get more flowers out into the world. Podcast Links for Show notes Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It's what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions. Subscribe to the joegardener® email list to receive weekly updates about new podcast episodes, seasonal gardening tips, and online gardening course announcements. Check out The joegardener® Online Gardening Academy for our growing library of organic gardening courses. Follow joegardener® on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and subscribe to The joegardenerTV YouTube channel.

Get ready to immerse yourself in the world of Erin Benzakein of Floret, one of the country's most influential farmer/florist and trailblazing a remarkable path to growing cut flowers. From prestigious awards, including the Martha Stewart American Made award, to her New York Time's bestselling books and an Emmy-nominated documentary series called "Growing Floret," Erin's contributions to the world of flowers are nothing short of inspiring. Erin's passion for cultivating beauty has led her to embark on a groundbreaking project, "Floret Originals." In this episode, Erin is sharing about the highly anticipated seed release of her first collection of farm-bred flower seeds.  Unlike most commercial flower varieties, Floret Originals champion fragrance and are more adaptable for local growing. Join us as we uncover the challenges and triumphs of Erin's seven-year journey in mastering the art of seed saving and breeding. The Floret Originals project promises to revolutionize the floral industry by putting power back in the hands of growers and gardeners of all sizes. Tune in to this episode and be inspired by Erin's dedication to creating a sustainable and vibrant future for seasonal flowers and supporting local flower farmers and the entire floral community. Learn more about Erin, Floret, and all of our past guests by visiting TheFlowerPodcast.com Erin's First Interview Ep 68 2020 Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. We are available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, Gaana, and many more! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for access to all of our Zoom chats, tutorials, Live's, and video extras. Plus follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Sponsors of The Flower Podcast ASCFG Farmer Bailey Rooted Farmers Real Flower Business Accent Decor

In this episode . . .On embracing creativity as an adult and finding flow state. A tour of all the plants and flowers I use in arrangements. Basic tips for bouquets and arrangements. The benefits of growing your own cut flowers. The book that taught me so much about arranging seasonal flowers: A Year in Flowers by Erin Benzakein. I get my spring bulbs from Flowerbulbsrus. (Not sponsored.) Specific plant varieties mentioned: Black Knight scabiosa, Costa Silver snapdragons, Black Prince snapdragons, Little Lime hydrangea, cosmos Apricot Lemonade, cosmos Snow Puff, ninebark Diablo, geranium Rose of Attar. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardeningoutloud.substack.com

For our very first Flower Friends ep, Sarah's husband Vikram guest-hosts to ask Sarah all about her garden, flower biz, and floral design inspiration. Titles are already being handed out - Monty Don of Gardener's World fame is crowned the patron saint of the pod, and Erin Benzakein of Floret Flowers is our high priestess. If you love flowers, this season we'll be chatting garden beds, sheet mulching, landscape design, seed starting, dahlias, growing in small spaces, and talking with some amazing farmer-florists and floral designers! Subscribe to the pod, and follow along for podcast updates on Instagram at @flowerfriendspodcast and with Sarah at @growgirlseattle. 

This episode, Charlotte has an extraordinary way of assessing the health of your soil, plus recommends one of her go-to cut flower books Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden by Erin Benzakein. We are also celebrating pulses; beans, chickpeas and lentils - cost effective, low-fat source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. We're also asking for our listeners "recipes forgotten and reinstated"! We explain all in the episode, so take a listen and then email your recipes to us at voyagearoundmyaga@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/voyagearoundmyaga/message

This week I welcome Tiffany Jones of Blomma Flower Farm (@blommaflowerfarm) to the show. Tiffany is a grower in San Clemente, California and is building new farm in Nevada where she'll be focusing on her passion, Zinnia breeding and seed development. We talk about her journey to flower farming, zinnia breeding, and her new book. A self-described plant nerd, Tiffany has poured her enviable energy and enthusiasm into researching and writing this publication, and I know you'll join me in saying that I can't wait for the finished product. Garden People podcast, from https://www.instagram.com/violetear_studio/ (@violetear_studio) L I S T E N https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-people/id1595934172 (iTunes) https://open.spotify.com/show/7qlYq5yVrLEgfCuZOtrPcn (Spotify) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/garden-people (Stitcher) S H O W N O T E S https://www.instagram.com/blommaflowerfarm/ (Tiffany Jones), https://blommaflowerfarm.com/ (Blomma Flower Farm) https://www.instagram.com/rosestoryfarm/?hl=en (Danielle), https://rosestoryfarm.com/ (Rose Flower Farm) https://www.instagram.com/floretflower/?hl=en (Erin Benzakein), https://www.floretflowers.com/ (Floret Flower Farm) https://insteading.com/blog/keyhole-garden/ (Keyhole gardens) https://www.rogersgardens.com/ (Rogers Gardens) https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/layer-compost-lasagna-style-no-till-gardening (Lasagna method) https://blog.davey.com/2021/04/biochar-soil-amendment-improve-soil-quality-for-plant-growth/ (Biochar amendments) https://www.heirloomsoul.com/blog/the-reason-why-synthetic-fertilizers-miracle-gro-are-so-bad-for-your-garden (The problem with miracle grow) https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ (USDA zones) https://www.garden.com/ (Garden.com) P L A N T L I S T https://www.pntrac.com/t/8-11599-262927-158559?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.edenbrothers.com%2Fstore%2Fgladiolus_flower_bulbs_mixed.html (Gladiolus) (Gladiolus hybridus) https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/geranium/martha-washington-geranium.htm#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20Martha%20Washington%20geranium%3F,burgundy%2C%20lavender%2C%20and%20bicolors. (Martha Washington Geranium) (scented geranium) (Pelargonium x domesticum) https://www.pjatr.com/t/8-11599-262927-158559?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.edenbrothers.com%2Fstore%2Franunculus-bulbs.html (Ranunculus) https://plantgem.com/products/ranunculus-butterfly-europe-corms?gclid=Cj0KCQiA3rKQBhCNARIsACUEW_ZDTfIq3nOjSY4ed-CGqJVWrw9SJ3D7ic5vBXHcvtf6KwiSixLH1UIaAuUZEALw_wcB (Butterfly ranunculus) https://www.gopjn.com/t/8-11599-262927-158559?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.edenbrothers.com%2Fstore%2Fanemone-bulbs-spring.html (Anemones) https://www.pntrac.com/t/8-11599-262927-158559?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.edenbrothers.com%2Fstore%2Ffoxglove_seed.html (Foxgloves), https://www.johnnyseeds.com/flowers/digitalis-foxglove/ (here) Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus), https://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/annuals/snapdragon/chantilly-mix-snapdragon-seeds.html#:~:text=Chantilly%20Mix%20snapdragons%20are%20vigorous,Plants%20grow%204%2D4%C2%BD%20ft. (Chantilly) https://www.johnnyseeds.com/search/?lang=en_US&q=chantilly (variety) https://www.starkbros.com/products/fruit-trees/citrus-trees/key-lime/14967?dfw_tracker=74308-14967&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3rKQBhCNARIsACUEW_YfiItyx3D9KYZKT3niL_Y5hnQEc_yCvLEledcasK8RoxuGjYlyt5EaAuInEALw_wcB&keyword= (Key lime) (Citrus × aurantiifolia) https://www.fourwindsgrowers.com/products/moro-blood-orange?variant=1819614904333 (Blood orange) (Citrus × sinensis 'Blood orange') https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/tangelo/tangelo-tree-information.htm#:~:text=An%20evergreen%20with%20fragrant%20white,acidic%20to%20sweet%20and%20aromatic. (Tangelo) (Citrus × tangelo) https://www.michiganbulb.com/product/purple-passion-flower?gclid=Cj0KCQiA3rKQBhCNARIsACUEW_ZKO91CWLuDQXRXlrcVESWrUvbc--eLAmHDaCK42mdl166U1cfjMl4aAq4IEALw_wcB&p=0819680 (Passion fruit) (Passiflora edulis) Zinnias (Zinnia...

Today we welcome Hannah Brannan of Gather Flora in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Guided by the Slow Flower movement, Hannah created the Gather Flora web platform to connect local florists with regional growers. The site streamlines hundreds of orders between consumers and farmers, allowing for clear visibility into the seasonality, origins, and cultivations of each bloom. Her passion for flowers is the driving force behind the site, and her appreciation of the demands placed on farmers and florists is evident in everything Gather Flora does. Please contact them if you are interested in learning more about this kind of coordination in your region. I can't wait to see how it grows! @violetear_studio @gatherflora @gardenpeoplepodcast L I S T E N https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/garden-people/id1595934172 (iTunes) https://open.spotify.com/show/7qlYq5yVrLEgfCuZOtrPcn (Spotify) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/garden-people (Stitcher) S H O W N O T E S https://www.instagram.com/gatherflora/ (@gatherflora) https://www.gatherflora.com/home (Gatherflora.com) The Flower & the B (now closed) (https://www.instagram.com/theflowerandtheb/?hl=en (insta)) https://www.wildflowerandfern.com (Wildflower and Fern) (https://www.instagram.com/wildflowerandfern/?hl=en (insta)) https://www.instagram.com/unfurleddesign/ (Sarah Reyes) (owner, Wildflower and Fern and http://www.unfurleddesign.com/contact/ (Unfurled)) http://www.nbflowercollective.com (North Bay Flower Collective) https://www.sanfranciscoflowermart.com (San Francisco Flower Mart), manager Jeanne Bose, (https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/threatened-with-tech-development-sf-flower-mart-allies-rally-for-city-institution/ (read about the SFFM's relocation)) https://www.instagram.com/dorightflowerfarm/ (Kelly Brown), https://www.dorightflowers.com (Do Right Flower Farm) (the Gather Flora Hub in Santa Cruz, CA) https://www.instagram.com/bees_n_blooms/?hl=en (Susan Kegley), https://beesnblooms.com (Bees N Blooms) https://www.instagram.com/bees_n_blooms/?hl=en (Susan Kegley) (the Gather Flora Hub in Petaluma, CA) https://www.instagram.com/sidekickflowers/ (Seth Gowans), https://beesnblooms.com?p=3601 (Side Kick Flowers) https://www.instagram.com/sharlaflockdesigns/?hl=en (Sharla Flock), https://sharlaflockdesigns.com (Sharla Flock Designs) https://www.instagram.com/serenityflowerfarm/?hl=en (Serenity Flower Farm) https://www.instagram.com/strongarmfarm/ (Heidi Herrmann), https://www.strongarmfarm.com (Strong Arm Farm) https://www.instagram.com/floretflower/ (Erin Benzakein), https://www.floretflowers.com (Floret Flowers) https://www.debraprinzing.com (Debra Prinzing), https://www.slowflowerssociety.com (Slow Flower Society) https://www.ascfg.org (Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers) (ASCFG) https://code.org (Code.org) https://www.hackreactor.com/coding-bootcamp/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA15yNBhDTARIsAGnwe0X-95_Mj10yS6XGsAdZGHAu3TMiYPEE7ySVtCAy71vhH2CzMd4MLHoaAgULEALw_wcB&utm_campaign=HR_Brand_Keywords_NAT&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=Google&utm_term=hack%20reactor (Hack Reactor) https://www.slowfood.com (Slow Food Movement) https://www.blumaflowerfarm.com (Bluma Farm) https://www.instagram.com/gorgeousandgreen/?hl=en (Pilar Zuniga), https://gorgeousandgreen.com (Gorgeous and Green) https://www.studiomondine.com (Studio Mondine) https://www.anniesannuals.com (Annies Annuals & Perennials) https://uprisingorganics.com (Uprising Seeds) (https://uprisingorganics.com/products/larkspur-white-cloud (white cloud larkspur)) https://www.instagram.com/borrowedgarden/ (Eleanor), https://www.borrowedgarden.com (Borrowed Garden) https://www.feralflorafarm.com (Feral Flora Farm) https://www.pucksgarden.com (Pucks Garden) (https://www.instagram.com/pucksgarden/?hl=en (insta)) https://www.instagram.com/lunariaflowerfarm/ (Gaby Lee), https://lunariaflowerfarm.com (Lunaria Flower Farm) https://www.fpfarm.com (Front Porch...

With a booming flower business, three best-selling books, and a reality show on the Magnolia Network, Erin Benzakein gets honest about the road to becoming an “overnight success.” https://www.marieforleo.com/2021/07/erin-benzakein/ Don't lose heart if you're not good yet, just keep getting back up. ~ Erin Benzakein, Floret Flower Farm via @MarieForleo

Welcome back to Bri Books! If you’re new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and SoundCloud! Please tell me what you're growing by using #bribooks on Instagram, and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter. Follow @theBriGarden on Instagram for garden tours, growing hacks, and gardening secrets. On today’s episode, we’re talking about falling in love with the garden this spring. Almost every day, Carla of @gardenplot.57 treats us to vibrant photos of her cut flower garden, homemade skincare products, and dozens of veggies she’s growing in her backyard garden in Cornwall, England. In this episode, Carla gives tips on how to start (and maintain) a garden in a small space, and shares tips on DIY gardening projects we can do right now to get a jump on the season. Carla and I bonded over the amazing book “Floret Farm's A Year in Flowers: Designing Gorgeous Arrangements for Every Season” by Erin Benzakein, an amazing resource that’ll inspire you to step up your flower arranging (and flower growing) game. Carla also shares the secret to getting kids interested in gardening and how to lure them away from the X-Box and towards the garden box.    Carla’s guide to gardening in a small space:  Utilize your patio by planting pots with salad greens, herbs, and dwarf tomatoes.  Go high! Make use of vertical space by creating vertical planters. Archways and trellises allow you to grow “up,” and make use of tiny amounts of space for things like beans, peas, cucumbers and tomatoes.  More gardening resources recommended by Carla and Brionna: Huw Richards YouTube channel and book, “Grow Food for Free” Sandria of A Beautiful Nest Misilla of Learn to Grow Adam Yn Yr Ardd, a wildly talented Welsh gardener Carla's blog Carla's Instagram TheBriGarden Instagram   If you’re new to Bri Books, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and SoundCloud! Please tell me what you're growing by using #bribooks on Instagram, and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter. Follow @theBriGarden on Instagram for garden tours, growing hacks, and gardening secrets.

We're excited to replay our episode with Floret Flower's, Erin Benzakein is our guest this week on The Flower Podcast. Erin and her team have influenced both flower farming and floral design by bringing her passion and love of nature and flowers to the floral community. This week, Scott and Erin discuss the beginning of Floret, flower farming, their seed business, and her new book 'A Year in Flowers.' Erin brings her experience and award winning eye for design to this week's episode. Discussing her new book and everything that goes into the selection process for flowers, seeds, and plants, it's not only educational, but also so very inspiring. Subscribe to the The Flower Podcast on your listening App of choice. Go to The Flower Podcast.com to learn more about Erin and all of our past guests and listen to their episodes.   Thankful for great sponsors: Grace Rose Farm Accent Decor Details Flower Software FlowerSchool NY/LA

True contentedness is unremarkable to the outside world, or passerby. Typing away in my cozy chair in the living room in my line of sight Norman eats his breakfast and Oscar acknowledging he will not be able to sneak a bite, takes a long cool drink of water. The croissant for my Sunday morning ritual is proofing in the oven and Sunday Baroque's weekly program fills my home. Even having lost an hour of the day, I have decided to wake up with the sunset and use the dawn-filled hour to work early before we are able to go for our morning stroll in the woods. All is well, and so much surrounds me for which to be grateful. I began the morning reading Maria Shriver's weekly email newsletter, and in particular this morning's letter resonated with me, and most likely would you as well as a reader of TSLL. I've included an excerpt below as she describes a moment in which she felt, albeit unexpectedly, truly and sincerely content. "Over the last few years, I’ve settled into myself. I’ve focused more on my blessings and what I’m doing well rather than my shortcomings and what needs to be adjusted (something I highly recommend). As a result, everything in my mind has calmed down, and therefore my body has calmed down, too.  Today, my life finally feels centered, grounded, and solid. I feel like I’ve found my space and my place. It was one of those profoundly simple, yet headshaking, moments of self-realization that no one ever really talks about. Sure, there are still things in life that give me anxiety (the coronavirus, the election, and Mother Nature as our neighbors in Nashville know all too well). But, through it all, I’ve been able to find my inner fortitude and soothe myself, something I’ve struggled with my entire life. The truth is I never expected that the peace, joy or success that I chased my whole life would come to me when I was sitting alone, drinking coffee on my porch. I thought I was supposed to find that while giving speeches, accepting awards, and galvanizing change. That’s what our culture teaches us. It’s what infused into our beings at a very young age." I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that on this International Women’s Day, I’m a woman on my own path. I’m living my one wild, precious, joyful and meaningful life. In the end, my friends, that’s what galvanizes true change. Watching, witnessing and being in community with people who are following their authentic paths is what changes the world one breath at a time. I thought of that every time I washed my hands this week and it made me smile. So, follow your heart personally, professionally, and politically. Because, when you do, you will discover the feeling I felt the other morning. You will find yourself saying to no one in particular, “Wow, I’m good just the way I am.” —Maria Shriver in her 3/8/2020 letter from the editor of The Sunday Paper newsletter I realize the excerpt above was long, but hopefully, as it did me, it reassured as to what living well truly is. It's simple and intentional. It's internal and individual. It is purpose driven and intangible. It is also experiential and tactile. It requires of us to be present to be engaged with our world acknowledging much needs us to let go, but so too must we stay involved and aware. It is the daily practice of elevating our daily life by how we walk and open our eyes and minds to all that is around us and that is possible. Each year when my birthday rolls around, here on the blog, I share a reflection of some sort of life lessons, aha moments and discoveries about the world found along my journey. To share, as well, admittedly, as a way to preserve my own growth, my hope is to prompt introspection amongst readers as sometimes, maybe even often, we do not realize all ways in which we have grown as it can sometimes be hard to see when we are the ones walking through the world each day. I have yet to share my life lessons for my 41st birthday which fell during the final week of February, so I wanted to take today's episode/post to reflect. 1.Dreams, hopes, wishes can indeed materialize so long as we never let them go, we keep making small, yet steady progress, and keep refusing to not believe it can happen. 2. Clear, respectful, honest communication is to be treasured and a necessary ingredient for healthy relationship of all types. 3. Setting personal boundaries is a reflection of your recognition of your innate self-worth which will cause your self-esteem to grow. 4. Giving yourself closure on the past is healthy and necessary for being able to fully move forward. Your closure need not make sense to anyone else but yourself, but give yourself this gift of freedom. https://www.instagram.com/p/B2aF0dpArA7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 5. Some friends, family and/or colleagues may not be able to travel with you into your next life chapter as you choose to grow and evolve or your life simply asks of you to travel a different way or in a different way. Letting go need not be dramatic or radical or even known, but rather a natural going about life's path perhaps to meet again at some other time or maybe not. And that is okay and healthy as it shows awareness of the social support that you need to be well. 6. Give yourself permission to be excited about your life journey, your everyday moments and just be giddy. Let your endorphins soar naturally and see your daily life experience improve as well. 7. Say yes to opportunities that cross your path but out of schedule with when you had hoped they might arrive. My trip to Paris and Normandy was not expected nor planned. In fact, I had told myself I would take at least a year off before returning to Paris since my trip in 2018; however, when an invitation arrived to return in 2019, I had to say yes, and all that I learned, experienced, savored and learned some more was more than evidence that I made the right decision. https://www.instagram.com/p/BzbTLLVg2zl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 8. Less truly can bring more into your life. The unexpected discovery of my now home and sanctuary which is half the size of the home I owned previously is precisely what I instinctively knew I needed to live well. Less to decorate, but what I choose can be investments that will last. Less to clean, so I have more time to explore and create on the weekends, a perfectly medium size yard and petite garden, but exactly what I enjoy to have Mother Nature at my fingertips without a requirement of more time than I can give. https://www.instagram.com/p/B5qY6P5giC9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 9. Mother Nature, moving my feet in Mother Nature, is my creative muse and her gifts are priceless. While I walk nearly everyday outside on the trails in Bend or near the river that runs through Bend, even walking in San Francisco when I needed to get outside, I did so and saw the famed parrots of the Telescope Hill, and oh what a delight. Inspiration is everywhere when we step out into the fresh air. https://www.instagram.com/p/B5gCmyiAqRb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 10. My dogs have been for the past 15 years and are my companions in this journey of my life as they let me be "Shannon", provide company as well as freedom, yet keep me grounded as well. Savoring every moment with my two elder gentlemen. https://www.instagram.com/p/B6y1EUage_B/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 11. Cooking, creating in the kitchen, is to play and forever be learning and savoring everyday moments. https://www.instagram.com/p/B2r3OEjApER/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 12. Love really does live on inside you even after someone dearly loved passes away. https://www.instagram.com/p/B4nBcJVgAj_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 13. Host that dinner party you've been wanting to have. You may just bring beautiful moments and new connections to your guests that they will appreciate more than you will ever know. (read: 10 Ideas Gleaned & Confirmed from my Last Dinner Party, and be sure to check out my first book for details and a menus for hosting a successful gathering.) https://www.instagram.com/p/By08-OWAsos/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 14. Traveling with my mom created memories of getting to know each other as where we are now in our lives and wonderful shared experiences that I will never forget. Check out our trip to San Francisco. We also had the opportunity to go to Oregon's Garden which exceeded my expectations and opened my eyes even further to my mom's love and knowledge of "green-thumb" life. https://www.instagram.com/p/By4ciypgFcu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/p/BxVse9XA71H/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 15. Continue to follow your heart, its inklings, its tugs, its curiosities, and you will never be led astray. Even when it doesn't make sense to you, even when you do not have a model to forge the path before you traverse it, your insurance is that it is your heart leading the way. I am reminded of Julia Child's quote which she expressed on the penultimate and onto the final page of her memoir My Life in France. "In Paris in the 1950s, I had the supreme good fortune to study with a remarkably able group of chefs. From them I learned why good French food is an art, and why it makes such sublime eating: nothing is too much trouble if it turns out the way it should. Good results require that one take time and care. If one doesn't use the freshest ingredients or read the whole recipe before starting, and if one rushes through the cooking, the result will be an inferior taste and texture . . . But a careful approach will result in a magnificent burst of flavor, a thoroughly satisfying meal, perhaps even a life-changing experience." —Julia Child While Julia is directly speaking of her experience in the culinary world of Paris, she indirectly and perhaps most significantly speaks to how to live life well. Invest, have patience, do your homework, and trust the co-mingling of those who know more than you about topics which you love as well as your own passions and curiosities. Beautiful art, the art of life, your life, can materialize in its own time and in its own unique way. May this birthday year offer insightful and inspired life lessons that elevate the quality of your everyday life even more and bring you all the more contentment, true contentment that you desire. Petit Plaisir ~Dishing with Julia Child ~A Year in Flowers: Designing Gorgeous Arrangements for Every Season by Erin Benzakein

Floret Flower's, Erin Benzakein is our guest this week on The Flower Podcast. Erin and her team have influenced both flower farming and floral design by bringing her passion and love of nature and flowers to the floral community. This week, Scott and Erin discuss the beginning of Floret, flower farming, their seed business, and her new book 'A Year in Flowers.' Erin brings her experience and award winning eye for design to this week's episode. Discussing her new book and everything that goes into the selection process for flowers, seeds, and plants, it's not only educational, but also so very inspiring. Be sure to subscribe to the The Flower Podcast on your listening App of choice. Go to The Flower Podcast.com to learn about all of our past guests and listen to their episodes. Learn more about Erin and her links on here. Thankful for great sponsors: Accent Decor Details Flower Software FlowerSchool NY/LA

Farmer-florist Gretchen O'Neil dishes the dirt on growing cut flowers. Gretchen is the founder of Petals, Ink, a floral design studio, mobile flower truck, and women-run farm in Manor, Texas. She'll tell us about the highs and lows of the farming life -- extraordinary beauty and terrible uncertainty -- and explain how working the land has helped this New England native find a sense of seasonality in balmy Central Texas. Of course, she'll also recommend a whole bunch of varieties you can plant from seed right now to start your own cutting garden -- no greenhouse required!  For more info on Gretchen, visit Petalsinkfloral.com. Pick up their bouquets at the Texas Famers Market at Mueller (Sundays 10-2) and the Petals, Ink flower truck at the Tasty Spoon (Thursdays-Saturdays 4-7). Grassdale Farm's Instagram is amazing. Recommended reading: Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart (2007) and Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden by Erin Benzakein. Hothouse is produced by Leah Churner and engineered by Mike Moody. Visit us at www.hothousepodcast.com.  Email the show with plant questions and feedback at info@hothousepodcast.com and follow us on Instagram @hothousepodcast. Music by Moonsicles. moonsicles.bandcamp.com.  

Erin Benzakein is one of the nation’s leading farmer-florists and the founder of Floret Farms. Her recent book, Cut Flower Garden published by Chronicle Books, will teach you how to grow and cut your own seasonal blooms.More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/creative-analytical-with-erin-benzakeinIn this episode, Erin shares what she’s learned about the importance of leveraging rules and structure, while making space for creativity and beauty. She is a great example of balancing feminine and masculine traits, following your intuition, and listening to the whispers of your inner voice. As a bonus, you’ll also learn about the magic of flowers.Show Notes:-On being an anxious and curious little girl, her love for growing things from an early age, and her dream of her own “little plot of land”. [2:17]-Dropping out of high school as an angry teen who couldn’t see a future for herself. [6:59]-Starting a family at a young age, always taking the path less traveled, and her lifelong struggle of listening to her inner voice. [11:31]-How a book inspired Erin to leave the city and start living her dream, and the beautiful partnership she has with her husband. [14:30]-Erin’s biggest challenges starting out. [18:33]-When things really started to click, and the fears Erin had to push up against along the way. [21:36] -How not liking to feel “held back” has fueled her love for learning and figuring things out on her own. [28:34]-“It’s okay to fail”: Erin’s insights on failure as a prerequisite for success. [31:51]-On the balance between the feminine/creative side and the masculine/business side. [34:14]-The importance of making space for creativity to grow and thrive, the magic of flowers, and what Erin has reclaimed for herself on her journey. [38:51]References:Majo's website – majomolfino.comLearn more about Erin and Floret Farms – www.floretflowers.comGet her book, Cut Flower Garden – chroniclebooks.com/titles/floret-farm-s-cut-flower-garden.htmlMusic by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.comWant to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Erin Benzakein is one of the nation’s leading farmer-florists and the founder of Floret Farms. Her recent book, Cut Flower Garden published by Chronicle Books, will teach you how to grow and cut your own seasonal blooms.More about this episode: majomolfino.com/blog/2018/1/28/creative-analytical-with-erin-benzakeinIn this episode, Erin shares what she’s learned about the importance of leveraging rules and structure, while making space for creativity and beauty. She is a great example of balancing feminine and masculine traits, following your intuition, and listening to the whispers of your inner voice. As a bonus, you’ll also learn about the magic of flowers.Show Notes:-On being an anxious and curious little girl, her love for growing things from an early age, and her dream of her own “little plot of land”. [2:17]-Dropping out of high school as an angry teen who couldn’t see a future for herself. [6:59]-Starting a family at a young age, always taking the path less traveled, and her lifelong struggle of listening to her inner voice. [11:31]-How a book inspired Erin to leave the city and start living her dream, and the beautiful partnership she has with her husband. [14:30]-Erin’s biggest challenges starting out. [18:33]-When things really started to click, and the fears Erin had to push up against along the way. [21:36] -How not liking to feel “held back” has fueled her love for learning and figuring things out on her own. [28:34]-“It’s okay to fail”: Erin’s insights on failure as a prerequisite for success. [31:51]-On the balance between the feminine/creative side and the masculine/business side. [34:14]-The importance of making space for creativity to grow and thrive, the magic of flowers, and what Erin has reclaimed for herself on her journey. [38:51]References:Majo's website – majomolfino.comLearn more about Erin and Floret Farms – www.floretflowers.comGet her book, Cut Flower Garden – chroniclebooks.com/titles/floret-farm-s-cut-flower-garden.htmlMusic by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs – carolynpennypackerriggs.comWant to support women's voices? Go to patreon.com/heroinefm & become a bigger part of the Heroine community. Check out our rewards for supporters.

Have you ever dreamed of starting your own gardening or farming business? It can sound romantic and whimsical, can’t it? But what's really involved in running a seasonal business around growing things? How do you manage the season or even your day around harvesting and delivering plant material? This week, I share an episode I actually recorded for some of my students. You see, I have a secret podcast called Seedy Conversations® where I give the back story on businesses, homesteaders and bloggers.  We dive into what makes them tick. Well, this episode is from those archives. I interviewed Erin Benzakein who has been on the Living Homegrown Podcast before (Episode #95). But this time, Erin pulls back the curtain and gives a snapshot of what life is like as a small organic farmer in the state of Washington. Erin is the top floral farmer-florist in the country and she spills the beans on what it really means to run a small family farm. And the good news is that Erin finds her business to be rewarding and inspiring each and every day. I think you will love her story!  You'll learn: About a typical day in the life of a farmer-florist What is the best gear to wear in the field Which crops to grow for market The magical time for taking garden photos The 1 morning practice that sets you up for success in your day Top advice for anyone considering becoming a farmer You can get more information about Erin, her farm and all the links mentioned in this episode in the show notes at www.LivingHomegrown.com/119 as well as a full transcript of the show.

There is a flower farming revolution sweeping across our country and I for one am all for it. A few months back, Cultivating Place was joined by Debra Prinzing, the founder of the aptly named “slow flowers” and "American Grown Flower" movement in the floral industry. This week we’re joined by Erin Benzakien – the name and face behind the beautiful and impassioned Floret Flower Farms, based in the Skagit Valley of Washington State. Floret is at the heart of encouraging and educating would be flower farmers on the whens, whys and hows of getting started and making a go of this new-again small farm-based industry, which is rooting itself across the country and even around the globe. Erin’s new book "The Cut Flower Garden," aimed at new and beginning flower farmers, is out this month - March - from Chronicle Books.

Next week – June 28 to July 4 – our country is celebrating American Flowers Week, celebrating American-grown flowers in 50 states. In celebration, Debra Prinzing, the founder of what’s known as the Slow Flowers LLC — who we interviewed last July — has organized a Slow Flowers Summit in Seattle, Washington on Sunday, July 2. There will be speakers and activities – shared food, shared flowers and shared philosophy. It’s been called a TED Talk day for flower lovers. For more information on the summit, please visit Jewellgarden.com for links. In honor of the upcoming celebrations and the many benefits – emotional, economic and environmental — of locally grown flowers, this week on Cultivating Place we revisit an interview from earlier this year with a leader in the flower farmer renaissance underway: Erin Benzakein of Floret Flower Farms. Benzakien is the name and face behind the beautiful and impassioned Floret Flower Farms, based in the Skagit Valley of Washington state. Floret is at the heart of encouraging and educating would be flower farmers on the whens why and hows of getting started and making a go of this new-again small farm based industry which is rooting itself across the country and even around the globe. Erin’s new book "The Cut Flower Garden" – aimed at new and beginning flower farmers — is out now from Chronicle Books. She joins us today via skype from the farm.

Learn from the top organic flower farmer-florist in the country. In this episode, host Theresa Loe interviews farmer-florist Erin Benzakein of Floret Farm. Erin is well known in the organic flower world because she grows massive amounts of flowers in a relatively small space in the state of Washington while using organic practices AND she creates stunning bouquets that include edibles, vines and other farm-fresh ingredients. Her reputation earned her the Martha Stewart American Made Award for Floral and Event Design. And she has been featured in countless magazines and bridal websites. In this episode, Erin shares how we can grow and enjoy organic flowers in numerous ways ourselves. You learn: Why supporting local flowers is SO important for us and the earth, How Erin transitioned from city life to flower farmer life, The big impact you can have from a small handful of sweet peas, The counter-intuitive technique for reviving wiling cut flowers, The best pro tips for getting long vase life, Just how little space is necessary for growing, How the home gardener can get started, How to prevent wind-blow garden plants in less than 5 minutes, and so much more. As always, you can get al the related links mentioned in the episode in the show notes at: www.LivingHomegrown.com/95 as well as a full transcript AND a free PDF of all Erin's pro tips on getting a long vase life from cut flowers. Be sure to visit the website for more information and links to more articles on growing and enjoying organic flowers.