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cut flowers

In Full Bloom at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

August 5, 2019 By marketeditor

Written by Catherine Morba

Robin Holland, owner of Goode Farm, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

A bouquet of cut flowers will brighten a room and the mood of anyone who lays eyes on them. “It is easy to talk about local and seasonal food, but it is very exciting to see people turning on to flowers again, reclaiming a local craft that essentially skipped a generation since trade policy put flower farmers out of business in the early eighties” muses Robin Holland. Holland is the owner of Goode Farm, a flower and specialty vegetable farm located in Ballston Spa.

Goode Farm is shaking up the local flower business with their unique Flower Club subscription service, in which members get 6 centerpiece arrangements whenever they want them throughout the course of the season. “Designing with honest materials and their innate surprises and quirks has always been a constant fascination. I was never drawn to flower design until, in my attempts to landscape, I found myself surrounded by healthy and fragrant flowers, coordinated and in balance with season and place.”

Several market vendors offering a selection of cut flowers graciously offered tips for choosing the stems, arranging, and preserving freshness for days on end.

Balet Flowers & Design, photo courtesy of Suzanne Balet-Haight

Selecting Stems:
“My favorite flowers change as the seasons change,” says Suzanne Haight of Balet Flowers & Design. In the spring, peonies are stunning in bouquets and have an amazing fragrance. In summer, my favorites are Sunflowers and Zinnias for bright colors. In fall, Gomphrena and Hydrangea, fresh or dried. Succulents and Narcissus in winter, for their texture and because they can still be forced as a cut flower.” Haight also suggests Snapdragons, named for their resemblance to a dragons head when the sides of the flower are pushed together. Another aptly named flower, Chelone or “Turtlehead” is unique for its turtle shape and native origin in eastern North America. Both are whimsical and especially fun for children.

Arranging Bouquets:
“Fillers or accents for bouquets are what steals the show,” says Erin Luciani of Lot 32 Flower Farm. Luciani gravitates towards Scabiosa or Scabiosa Seed Pods, Gomphrena, Poppy Pods, and Ammi, otherwise known as False Queen Anne’s Lace. If arranging a full bouquet seems intimidating, Debbie Stevens of Butternut Ridge Farm suggests sticking with Sunflowers. “They speak for themselves,” says Stevens. “Just intermingle the dark-colored with the light-colored, and you’re set.”

Arrangement by Goode Farm, photo courtesy of Robin Holland

Preserving Freshness:
When asked for the best way to keep flowers looking fresh, one tip was widely agreed upon. “You should change the water every other day, if not every day,” says Burger Farm’s Andy Burger. “Not many people think to do that, but it’s important to prevent the stems from deteriorating.”

The type or quality of the water can also play a role in flower longevity. “Zinnias do not like city water, but Sunflowers and Gladiolas don’t mind it.” Says Linda Gifford of Gifford Farms. “If you have city water, use distilled or filtered water instead.”

“Recut the stems at an angle, underwater if possible for maximum absorption,” adds Haight from Balet Flowers & Design. “Also, place flowers in a preservative solution such as 2 drops of bleach, 2 drops of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of sugar.”

Wednesday Cut Flower Vendors:
Burger Farm
Butternut Ridge Farm
Goode Farm
Gifford Farms
Pleasant Valley Farm
Saratoga Apple
Scotch Ridge Farm

Saturday Cut Flower Vendors:
Balet Flowers & Design, LC
Clark Dahlia Gardens & Greenhouses
Lot 32 Flower Farm
Kokinda Farm
Pleasant Valley Farm
Saratoga Apple
Scotch Ridge Farm

Filed Under: Featured Article, homepage feature, News Tagged With: Balet Flowers and Design, Burger's Market Garden, Butternut Ridge Farm, Clark Dahlia Gardens & Greenhouses, cut flowers, Flowers, Fresh Flowers, Gifford Farms, Goode Farm, Kokinda Farm, Lot 32 Flower Farm, Pleasant Valley Farm, Saratoga Apple, Scotch Ridge Berry Farm

Fields of Flowers Brighten Lot 32

September 17, 2018 By marketeditor

 

 

By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Erin Luciani, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

On Christie Road, off Route 29, lie 500 acres, deeded to the McNaughton family in 1763. Erin Luciani and her husband purchased 84 acres of it six years ago, with a plan for Erin to grow flowers from March through October and spend winters with her husband Philip, a Navy fighter pilot, wherever he was deployed. After his retirement, they would build a home on the land.

One night, while poring through historic records that a neighbor brought over, Erin Luciani discovered the land they had acquired was Lot 32. In that moment, she knew the name of her farm: Lot 32.

Lot 32 is the Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s newest vendor. Luciani joined the Saturday market in July, after a year of selling flowers at farmers’ markets in Greenwich, Cambridge, and Fort Edwards. She offers cut flowers and pre-arranged bouquets. Stop by her stall on the south lawn and pick out blooms you like. Luciani will arrange them, or give you tips on doing it yourself. The bouquets will stay fresh for a week if you change the water daily and make fresh cuts to the stems.

Lot 32 flowers, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

The freshness of the bouquets is about the freshness of the flowers. Luciani grows all of her bouquet ingredients on an acre outdoors. She starts seeding in March with heat mats and grow lights, and transplants in May. Her busiest seasons are summers and falls when she works 14-hour days, doing four farmers markets as well as weddings and other events. 

“It’s a working farm,” she says. “Pretty because there’s flowers, but not glamorous.”

And on a rainy morning, she adds, “muck boots are not a horrible idea.”

Most of her flowers are annuals, planted close together to encourage the growth of tall stems. Many are flowering herbs, vegetables and grains, such as clary sage, millet, kale and basil.

Luciani grew up in Los Angeles and taught math and science for 14 years. Her husband grew up in Washington County. On a family visit in the winter, fell in love with the area’s beauty. 

“I love having four seasons,” she says. “It creates a rhythm for flowers, for life overall.”

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at High Rock Park through October 31. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the FreshFoodNY app. For volunteer opportunities, e-mail friends@saratogafarmersmarket.org.

 

Filed Under: Featured Article, homepage feature, News Tagged With: cut flowers, flower bouquets, flowers for special events, Fresh Flowers, Lot 32 Flower Farm, Saratoga Farmers' Market, Saturday Market, wedding flowers

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Give your gut a little love during these cold, dar Give your gut a little love during these cold, dark winter months! Grab @puckersgourmet probiotics, like pickles, kimchi, and sauerkraut, at the market this Saturday. We'll be open with 40+ local vendors from 9:30am til 1:30pm at the Wilton Mall food court. Healthy has never tasted so delicious!

🤸 What's your favorite gut-boosting food? 🤸
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#farmersmarket #saratoga #saratogasprings #saratogafarmersmarket #upstateny #pickles #probiotics #puckersgourmet #puckerspickles #tasty #healthy
Market Crush Monday is back! This week we talked t Market Crush Monday is back! This week we talked to Laurie from Kokinda Farm who brings her homemade jams & jellies, vegetables, eggs, bread and a variety of hand-sewn items to the market.

1. How did you get started with your farm?
My parents were dairy farmers and I always had a garden and did a lot of canning. Then I just happened to meet someone who got me into the market and have slowly learned things by trial and error to get to where I am today.

2. Do you have a favorite jam?
Definitely my peach jam that I make with my own peaches! Around 60% of my jams are made with all my own fruit that I grow and the rest I supplement with fresh fruit from local pick yourself farms.

3. Why do you like vending at the farmers market?
I love working for myself and being able to interact directly with customers, it’s very rewarding. It’s also great getting to know other local farmers and be able to share stories, information and goals with each other. I've been a school bus driver for the past 23 years but this May I’ll be retiring and am very excited to go full time for farming!

Are you also a local farmer or producer and are you looking to expand your business in 2021? Our summer season vendor applications are open January 15th-31st! Keep an eye out on our page for how to apply. And make sure to stop by Kokinda Farms every Saturday from 9:30-1:30 in the Wilton Mall food court!
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#saratogafarmersmarket #farmersmarket #saratoga #knowyourfarmer #farmermarketfinds #farmfresh #shoplocal #farmersmarketfresh #smallbusiness #growyourbusiness #smallbusinesssaratoga
Shop safely at the market! Please don't touch any Shop safely at the market! Please don't touch any products before purchasing, just point at what you want and our vendors will bag your order for you! This Saturday, lots of vendors will be back after a holiday break - pick up goodies like freshly caught fish from Pura Vida Fisheries. We'll be open 9:30am - 1:30pm in the @wilton_mall_leasing food court.

What's your order from Pura Vida? 🐟

📸: @mysaratogakitchentable
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#farmersmarket #saratogasprings #upstateny #shoplocal #knowyourfarmer #fish #freshfish
Are your healthy new year's resolutions already a Are your healthy new year's resolutions already a little hard to stick to? We feel ya! So instead of cutting out the foods you love and feeling bad when you inevitably "cheat", try upgrading your favorite comfort meals with real, fresh, and healthier ingredients. Like this butternut mac & "cheese" made by @mysaratogakitchentable! Grab some good ingredients at this Saturday's market and get cooking. We'll be open our normal times, 9:30-1:30 at the Wilton Mall food court - with a slightly smaller group of vendors still due to the holidays, but a full array of fresh foods.
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#saratogafarmersmarket #saratoga #saratogany #iloveny #farmersmarket #capitalregion #knowyourfarmer

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