October 30 2017

Meet a LoCoFloer: Eric Moller

Tags: Hilarious, Meet the Owners

What do you do at LoCoFlo?

What don’t I do!?! I truly think LoCoFlo would be out of business within a week without me. I am totally indispensable and irreplaceable.

My primary responsibility is expert delivery of flowers to customers, but that hardly scratches the surface. I wash buckets. I clean the shop. I take out the compost. I’m also the tallest, and we have some very high shelves.

Wow. It sounds like you have your hands full. What value do you contribute to the company?

My most valuable contribution is cultivating the atmosphere and guiding culture at the shop. I’m really good with jokes. The designers and customers love me. They are particularly riveted by my stories from the road. Plus I’m easy on the eyes.

Right. How did you get started at LoCoFlo?

I’m married to Ellen. When she started the business she had two business partners. After Jen had twins, she just dropped out - totally flaked. Then, when Marina left for the Eastern Shore (what's that, like a three-hour drive - whatevs), I swooped in. That is when LoCoFlo really started to cook with gas!

Oh, I see. The picture is getting clearer. What is your experience with flowers?

None! I can honestly say that after 10 years I still don’t know very much. And I haven’t developed any design skills. But I love working at LoCoFlo. I’ve worked in support roles at companies with great missions in the past: a homeless social service agency, an international health care NGO, and now LoCoFlo which advocates for local farmers.

What’s a typical day like for you?

It depends. During the week, the designers get in early to meet the farmers. Then they make the orders. I roll in late morning and I’m off slinging flowers. Sometimes we will have a corporate event during the week.

On the weekends we have Sat@LoCoFlo which is the bomb, and weddings. Delivering weddings is all business. A typical wedding delivery includes personal flowers (bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages), ceremony arrangements, and table centerpieces.

Why do you say the wedding deliveries all business?

A wedding is one of the most important days in our customers’ life. Plus, it is so meaningful for the families. Although the flowers only last a short time, the pictures and memories last a lifetime. The floral products, my customer service, the experience we help to provide must be the highest quality. The customer put their trust in us for this day. It is a simple job, but it can be a high pressure situation. I take the deliveries very seriously, and it is a joy to be part of the wedding.

What’s your favorite LoCoFlo memory?

We have a lot of fun. nacho parties, flower beards, photo shoots, awards. Last fall two of our designers and one of our farmers got married (not to each other). We designed the florals and attended all three weddings. We had a party before all of the weddings at the shop featuring our neighborhood Hip Hop Chicken.

Thanks for talking with me

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July 31 2017

Baltimore In Bloom

Tags: Farmers

Last weekend we were thrilled to host Dave Dowling, President of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers and Mimo Davis of Urban Buds: City Grown Flowers in St. Louis Missouri for a whirlwind tour of flower farming in and around Baltimore.

We’re so proud of our Baltimore flower farming community and we were excited to introduce Baltimore to our out of town guests.

We started at the Sunday market to visit Elisa Lane of Two Boots Farm. Elisa started farming in Baltimore City when she co-founded Whitelock Community Farm in the Reservoir Hill. She and her husband now farm in Hampstead, Maryland. Each year she grows more and more flowers (because it’s addictive!)

Next we headed over to Ananda Growers. Jen and Abhi are first year growers growing in East Baltimore in the shadow of Dr. King’s image. In addition to Ananda Growers, Jen also runs a youth farming program called Common Ground Youth Farming as part of her OSI Fellowship.

Next, we traveled a few blocks east to visit Walker at Tha Flower Factory. A big sunny half acre in the middle of East Baltimore, Tha Flower Factory is in it’s 2nd year of growing. Watch for big things from this urban farm.

Next we headed north to Hillen Homestead. Maya has been growing flowers in Baltimore City for five years. With two sites, she is the biggest producer of flowers in the city.

At her original plot on Hillen Road, we checked out a plethora of gorgeous blooms including lisianthus, zinnias, love in a puff, snaps and amazing dahlias!

After a quick stop at the Crown gas station for a snack (Turkey Hill lemonade and chips for everyone…just call me…the hostess with the mostest”) we drove 45 miles west to visit our friends at PlantMasters. Mimo was especially excited to see Leon and Carol Carrier’s farm because of all of the ways the extend the season for sales in early spring and late fall/winter. Their new hoophouse is filled with gorgeous Cafe Au Lait dahlias.

Of course, we couldn’t be touring around without Bob Wollam getting in on the action. It was pretty great to see these two flower friends reunited.

Our last stop on the tour was Endless Row Farm, owned by Leon and Carol’s son Lee. The name is so fitting! This farm is so beautiful! It reminded us all of the wide rows at Mel Heath’s farm.

As we headed back to Butterbee Farm for dinner, my heart was so full. I’m beyond grateful to be part of this amazing flower farming community. From teeny tiny first year farms, to farms that have been producing local blooms for over 30 years, all of these growers play a crucial role in making the Mid-Atlantic such a special place for growing flowers.

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April 01 2017

Angle Shades Caterpillar (probably)

Tags: Bugs

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February 01 2017

2017 LoCoFlo BookClub

Tags: BookClub, Nerdy AF

“With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?”
Oscar Wilde

Local Color Flowers hosts a super fun, totally dorky Book Club! All are welcome! The meeting is drop-in so no need to RSVP…just read and come on by. All meetings are held at our studio located at 3100 Brentwood Ave. Baltimore MD 21218 and take place from 7pm - 9pm.

Here is the 2017 list of books to read and dates for the meetings:

• February 6, 2017 Jayber Crow, Wendell Berry
• April 10, 2017 Tulipmania, Mike Dash
• June 19, 2017 Walden, Henry David Thoreau
• August 21 2017 Paradise Lot, Eric Toensmeier and Jonathan Bates
• October 23 2017 Urban Forests, Jill Jonnes
• December 11 2017 Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Van

Learn more on our Bookclub Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/locoflobookclub

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November 19 2016

Getting Smart and Sciencey at the Flo

Tags: Farmers, Nerdy AF

Spent some time this week with amazing Chris Wien, Emeritus Faculty member at Cornell who continues to do valuable cut flower research in his retirement. Flowers growers in our region cheered a few years ago when this giant in the cut flower world decided to make Annapolis his new home after leaving Ithaca.

This week, the designers and I got to contribute our experience with lisianthus to be included in his research on spacing, stem production and bloom time. We also got to here all about the creation of the black pear pepper and it’s journey to market beginning at the USDA research lab in Beltsville.

We’re so grateful to be part of this weird, wonderful flower growing community!

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