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November 6th 2017

Meet our 2018 Scholarship Winners

Written by
Floret

Reviewing Floret scholarship applications and preparing this post is one of the highlights of the year here at Floret.

Over the last week, the team and I have been burning the midnight oil as we have poured over all the scholarship essays. The entries were incredibly inspiring and left all of us so excited for the future of the floral industry – on a global level.

We were blown away by the number of applications we received this year. A record breaking 1,996 individuals from 53 different countries and all 50 U.S. states applied for a spot in our upcoming Floret Online Workshop.

This level of international interest this year was beyond anything any of us ever imagined. It came as a bit of a surprise, actually. I am aware of the growing interest in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, but I knew nothing about what has been building in Vietnam, Singapore, Lithuania and so many other countries.

I am humbled and amazed by the fact that our little two-acre farm has inspired folks from as far away as Azerbaijan and Zimbabwe to start growing flowers!

To see a map of submissions, be sure to check out the map below.

I have to say, choosing winners is both exhilarating and heart wrenching. There were so many deserving applicants and narrowing the list felt nearly impossible. This year I pledged five spots and, thanks to the generous sponsorship of an extremely gracious flower friend and past workshop participant, we were able to offer a total of six scholarships.

Before I introduce the winners, I want to first express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who took the time to apply for the scholarship. I am incredibly honored that you so willingly shared your aspirations, your dreams and beautiful life stories with me. All week I have been reflecting on the many thoughtful essays, family memories and personal journeys that I read. Some of the submission made me laugh out loud; a few even brought me to tears.

During the process, I was once again reminded of the power that flowers have to tap into our deepest emotions. The amount of joy they create, the comfort they provide, the happiness they inspire, the memories and nostalgia they stir, and the healing that can occur… it really is amazing.

As the team and I read through the submissions, there were a few common themes that surfaced. Here are a few that we noted:

Cultivating beauty in an ugly world. With the news cycle too often dominated by violence and conflict, our gardens are a place where we escape to find peace.

“Now, more than ever, deeper and meaningful connection is needed. Being rooted, staying present and cultivating beauty in the midst of the swirling chaos of the world is made possible when we put our hands to the earth.”

“Dostoevsky once said, ‘beauty will save the world’ and I believe him.”

Flowers as medicine. Gardening keeps you grounded. And flowers have given hope and provided much needed healing to many battling anxiety, depression, illness or incredible, unimaginable loss. There were more than a few misty eyes while reading about journeys into the garden after losing a baby, a husband, a beloved grandparent, or a life upended and home destroyed by hurricanes.

So many heartfelt applications clearly confirmed the old adage that flowers really DO feed the soul.

Seeds can grow in more than garden soil, they can also be sown in the human heart. Like soil, they can lay dormant there for many years until conditions are just right & then they take hold to grow. My Grandma passed away this year in the month that Shastas bloom. She went to prune her flowers when she died with clippers in hand in the morning sun. She was 104 yrs old, her name was Daisy. Flore Farms has been the rain & sun for the seed that Daisy planted in my heart.”

“Two years ago after the loss of my mother, I sought a life authentic to my heart. Flowers chose me, and I followed curiously.”

“Farming breaks me in half and fills me right back up at the same time.”

Courage, confidence & pursuing a passion. I read many confessions of anxiety and self doubt. There is a sincere desire to step away from something stable but deeply unsatisfying in order to pursue a dream or to carve out more space for the things that bring you joy and make your souls sing. There is excitement, laced with a lot of fear, about starting a new chapter, taking risks and pursuing dreams.    

“I put myself a bit on the back burner while working to give my family all of me. Now I would love to give to myself.”

“I’ve dedicated myself to pursuing MY dreams and have decided to stop working so hard for other people’s success.”

“Doing what you love seems to intensify the whole spectrum of your emotions, your senses awaken, you experience life on another level. It’s scary, it’s raw, it’s real. Creating beauty is the hardest work I’ve ever done, but it’s also the truest me, melding the gardener with the artist.”

Community & camaraderie. Many applicants expressed a yearning to connect with a local community of fellow flower lovers and kindred spirits who face similar struggles and share similar dreams.

“Nurturing the tender shoots encourages us to do the same for ourselves and for each other…Providing conditions for growth takes us on an inner journey, as much as an outer one. And celebrating and sharing the harvest joins us together in moments big and small.”

“Flowers foster very strong connections… connections with the Earth, with ourselves, with each other.”

Giving back. The generosity of the flower community is without bounds. Many applicants spoke to the ways in which they plan to pay it forward or other otherwise dedicate a part of their business to help others in need.

Modeling strength for our children. I was struck by the number of essays that referenced the deep desire to model strength, independence and courage with our children and grandchildren.

“I want to show my four children (especially my high-school age daughter) that the learning, growing, and changing process as a human never ends.”

Re-connecting with nature. Gardening and flower farming beckons many to escape soulless desk jobs, computer screens, long commutes and cubicles.

Revitalization & stewardship. There is a deep desire to keep flower farming alive in areas where it has dwindled or introduce it where it is doesn’t exist.

As in years past, the essays included many inspirational and memorable quotes.  A few notable ones include:

“Let the Beauty that you Love be the Work that you do.”  -Rumi

“I only have 40 summers left to get this right”

“My family laughs when I tell them, ‘I love you more than flowers.’”

“I think that life gently nudges you towards a path you didn’t even know was there.”

“I finally understood that agriculture need not only be about feeding our bodies, but can also feed our souls.”

“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But most of all, the world needs dreamers who do.” -Sarah Ban Branach

“But the heart is made for longing forward.” – Laura Kelly Fanucci

“Happy is she who has the power to gather wisdom from a flower.” – Mary Howitt

I know the anticipation has been building and it’s finally time to introduce Floret’s 2018 Scholarship winners! As you’ll see, there’s an international theme to this year’s winners. This was neither pre-meditated nor expected. While the seasonal flower movement has caught fire here in the United States, it is still very much in its infancy in other corners of the globe. The need for additional information, training and support in other countries is great and became crystal clear as we read through many of the applications.

With the conversion of our training into a digital format, it means making the workshop information available to our scholarship recipients – no matter where they live – will be much easier and much more practical. I can’t tell you how thrilling this is!

Ok, without further ado, please meet the 2018 Floret Scholarship winners:

(L-R: Christy Ralphs, Farah Altamimi, and Rosie & Oscar Winter + family)

Christy Ralphs of Nourish Gardens,  Waiheke Island, New Zealand

Two years ago a serious cancer diagnosis for Christy’s husband meant she had to leave teaching to be home and provide care. After a year, she began to start to dream again and eventually put in a 5000 square foot trial growing patch, named Nourish Gardens, which has provided her with much joy, learning, and connection.

We loved her positive outlook and eagerness to support others in her region. She wrote, “Our seasonal local flower movement in NZ also feels in it’s infancy, so I’ve set up a private FB group to make connections for small diverse growers across NZ and it’s been great to share the passion with others. I’d like to expand my knowledge and networks to help support these growers who have also become friends too.”

Farah Altamimi from Amman, Jordan 

As a teenager, Farah bought flower bulbs when most of her peers “were buying makeup.” But feeling trapped by a career she described as “dark and disappointing” and in an effort to avoid a slow descent to depression, Farah made the decision to leave her job and  follow her life-long passion. She then rented a ½ acre of land, “went through the overwhelming task of importing proper seed varieties from abroad, and tried everything to absorb every single piece of info I could.”

“As I sow my seeds this Autumn, I also sow hope of a brighter future come spring, when I can be the first cut flower farmer/florist in Jordan. Being from a region of the world plagued with war and pain, NOW is the time for cultivating hope and beauty around us through positive energy. Here in Jordan, where 1/5 of the population are refugees, flowers have been thought of as a luxury item for too long. Shipping charges and high import taxation make flowers unaffordable to the average household. I believe that flowers are food to the soul, radiating positive energy wherever they go. My long-term vision is to produce masses of locally grown flowers at a fraction of the cost of imported ones, making flowers a daily treat available to all.  Your scholarship will empower me as a woman, so I can achieve financial independency I have eagerly sought after, but never achieved, in a culture predominated by men.  Your generous scholarship is a rare opportunity to get a jump-start at my business project, especially that it is now offered online, Given the honor to attend your course is the ONLY personal growth opportunity available to me here in Jordan, and might as well be the breaking point between success & failure.”

Rosie & Oscar Winter, The Rose and Radish, Piccadilly, Australia

Rosie & Oscar had always dreamed of farming. After moving to a small farm in the Piccadilly Valley a few years ago, the couple  started a little roadside stall to sell their excess produce. On a whim one week, Rosie cut some roses from the bushes found on the farm, added carrot flowers and hawthorn leaves, and sold them along with the vegetables. Flowers quickly became their best seller and they later expanded their small flower patch to sell flowers at a city market.

“Flowers found us. Daily we see people uplifted by the medicine that homegrown flowers bring…Flowers and farming was just a hobby for a while, but then last year Rosie lost her job and we were faced with an unexpected crisis. It was a blessing in disguise though as it has meant we almost had no choice but to take a leap of faith and make our farm a business. While opportunities have opened up to us like we never expected, starting a business out of necessity has also meant everything we’ve been doing has been haphazard and without efficient systems. Too often we just hastily throw some seedlings in the ground and hope for the best. Your garden planning kit however has been the best resource for getting us on track this past season, so we know your workshops will be just what we need. We’d love to continue to offer our flowers to people in our region longing to connect with nature, and to create a business to support our family; and would love your help and guidance to get us there.”

(L-R: Masami Lavault, Inna Zvezdina, Katie Koch)

Masami Lavault, Plein Air, Paris, France

Four years ago, Masami quit her job in London to intern on biodynamic farms in Morocco and the UK. As part of her experience, she tended a flower patch and made bouquets for the weekly market. She later returned home after 10 years abroad and did everything she could to find land on which she could build the first urban flower farm in Paris. After a long, rocky process involving “countless sleepless nights and emotional roller-coaster rides” she recently received the keys of a council-owned 1200 m2 plot, in the middle of Paris.

“I do everything I can to make this dream come true: I have stripped down my side-jobs to the bare minimum – half of the week – to have just enough money to pay for my most basic needs. Every extra penny goes into equipment or farm-related expenses. It’s exhausting, and almost asocial at times, but I feel blessed to have the opportunity and privilege to fulfill my dream: I want to honor this….if I’m awarded this scholarship, I know that my business will simply not be the same. Getting the unique chance to learn from experts, at such a critical stage of my project, will massively broaden my skill set, and definitely strengthen my mindset.”

Inna and Konstantin Zvezdina, Fluffy Flower Farm, Moscow, Russia

Inna and Konstantin grow cut flowers near Moscow on a 3 acre piece of land, and are one of just a few flower farmers in Russia.

“We have always dreamt of having a spot of land to be able to grow seasonal flowers with respect to the planet and this year this dream has become a reality. It was such a great coincidence – we bought a piece of land and found Floret who gave us so much inspiration and knowledge to start growing our small business…Russia is a blue ocean for flower farming. We have an ambition, attitude and inspiration to grow…we seek for new ideas in flower farming world-wide, we are hard-workers and we want flower farm business to become our life story. We have created good prospect to grow during our first year of flower farming and we see a lot to be happening in future – today we need some guidance to prioritize and really looking towards getting quality advice from Floret.”

Katie Koch, Flower Mama, Davis, California 

A born and bred Wisconsin native, Katie now rents and farms 1/3 acre of cut flowers in the Central Valley of California. Katie is now entering her third season as a farmer-florist, though she has been growing flowers since she was a child.

“I’ve had so much going on in my life right now that I feel like I’m barely holding it together. Within the last 2 months, I’ve become a single mother to my 2.5 year old and had to move out of our family home. I’m actually moving again in a week to hopefully a more permanent spot. These hard life transitions have very recently given me the fire under my butt to really figure out how to make my business profitable to sustain a life for my son and I. This truly is make it or break it time. I’m trying to utilize all the resources I can, and this Floret Scholarship would be absolutely golden. I want nothing more than to be a successful farmer-florist and model that for my son. The Floret Scholarship would be a huge step in that direction and I’m ready to take it.”

Please join me in congratulating all the winners! All of us here at Floret are so thrilled to have this group join us for the upcoming Floret Online Workshop.

I am so grateful to everyone who completed a scholarship application. Your stories touched us, humbled us, and inspired us more than you’ll ever know. Thank you.

97 Comments

  1. Karen Merritt on

    What a wonderful thing you have done! There are tears in my eyes right now as I have read these stories! You are touching so many lives beyond your own community and I know that those blessings will keep coming back to you. Cheers to the winners! Please share updates on how they are all doing.

    Karen Merritt

    Reply
  2. Madelene on

    Lovely stories. You are so thorough with everything you do . I didn’t have or make time to apply. Other priorities. Inspiring just to read. My dream to grow flowers is still to become a reality. Little trials in the garden will soon extend to the paddock and the roadside. From little things Big things Grow !
    Madelene
    Flowerheaventrentham

    Reply
  3. Kera Barenaba on

    Such a wonderful group of people! This will be such a keystone time in their lives as they continue to grow and develop their love and understanding for flower farming! What an amazing opportunity and so excited for all the winners!

    Reply
  4. Judith on

    What a beautiful collection of people you have selected. I hope that each one of them is blessed with abundant harvests and joy to overshadow the hardships.

    Reply
  5. Jennifer on

    Reading this made my day! Floret’s endeavors are such a positive force for beauty and goodwill in our world.
    Thank you.

    Reply
  6. Sarah on

    Only 40 summers left bought tears to my eyes – its likely I’ve got less.
    I’m determined to find some land & start growing this year; for me & for my children.
    Good luck to everyone learning & growing X

    Reply
  7. Trish Barberry on

    I’m so looking forward to this journey along with such enthusiastic people from all over the world! I can’t imagine how it must feel to your team! Truly inspiring ?

    Reply
    • Team Floret on

      Thanks, Trish! We are excited too!

  8. Shelly on

    Congratulations to all! Continue learning and growing beautiful flowers for the world to enjoy. We all need more beauty in our lives.

    Reply
  9. Vicki on

    Thank you for sharing the inspiring stories of other flower enthusiast from around the world.

    Reply
  10. Laura R on

    Congratulations and best wishes to all of the scholarship winners. Your efforts, as well as the efforts of ALL of the applicants, will provide much needed beauty from your crops around the world. More importantly, I believe each individual’s inner strengths, through the hard work and perseverance to grow flowers, will spread outside their gardens into their communities and enlighten others in many ways we will never know of-but it will be there. The world is a better place because of your efforts, and you are each as beautiful as the flowers you will grow.

    Reply
  11. Tammy Randolph on

    I’m excited for all of the scholarship winners, as well as all the members of the tribe that will be participating in the online workshop, including myself! I will be dreaming about all the plans to come over the next few months.

    Reply
  12. Jodi Passwaters on

    Wow. Wonderful. Congratulations to all the scholarship winners and to floret for making them possible. Well deserved.

    Reply
  13. Eiddwen Thomas on

    Wow, this truly is powerful and moving. Congratulations to all the winners! But also to everyone who is pursuing beauty through growing.

    Reply
  14. Diane Miller on

    Awesome and Congratulations to all winners!

    Reply
  15. Teemie on

    CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!

    Blessed to be a part of this flower growing commumity. I have truly enjoyed following you Erin. Watching you help grow the revival of local flowers has been very educational and inspiring on a very deep level. It’s an awakening. I’m excited to be a small part of it.

    Guilty here of staying in my own little pleasant-ville here. Seeing you and others reaching out through sharing and teaching is very inspiring.

    Thank you to you and your team for working so hard. You’ve truly made a difference in this world.
    This flower commumity has grown much larger in such a short time.

    Congratulations to the Winners! So looking forward to seeing us all grow together!

    Reply
  16. Shar Katz on

    To Erin, and the Floret Team you are doing such wonderful things. I am learning so much, I applied in my car, on my phone, struggling to type while my daughter was at soccer practice. I have a story that could have been better written, but nevermind, at least I was pushed to apply and I will again. I am getting so much, from reading the stories of others, all over the world and I love this beautiful connection you’ve grown. I am nurturing my dream and you are enriching my passion like a rich compost. Before I was weeding through the “how tos” and you announce this new online workshop series. Perfect! I need to keep this dream of blooming a different career. My life and health took a turn and this makes more sense now than ever. Thank you, and best wishes to all of the flower farmers following your beautiful lead. You’ve done this very well, and I’m excited to learn how to embark on this journey with my family and all of YOU! XOXOXO

    Reply
  17. M Palmer on

    Such beautifully written essays – I now have a sense of the extent of the flower farmer community that exists all over the world!
    My very humble beginnings this year, prompted by the Floret Farm book, have led me to this point; I hope next year will bring a more abundant harvest to share with my community.

    Reply
  18. Joan Stevens on

    Absolutely inspiring! I’m sad to not be among the winners and also clear that all of them will put the information more practically into use making a much bigger difference than I would be able to at this time. I loved reading the snippets from the applications and am amazed that so many people are finding their way to flowers at this time. It really is a ray of hope in our world. Heres to more blooms and beauty in all corners of the world!

    Reply
  19. Emily on

    I found the information about scholarships last night. When I realized the winners were already accepted, I felt a pang of sadness and missed opportunity. As always, Erin has a beautiful way of expressing through writing both her own passionate whimsy and the uniqueness of each applicant. I hope to apply next year when I am a bit more prepared, but I think Floret did a fantastic job picking the winners! What a special opportunity for each applicant to grow their business and hearts. Thank you, Erin, for being foremost humble and passionate so that we all may learn and replicate these principles in our own hobbies/businesses! I entered floral farming after a pregnancy loss on Valentine’s Day. Your book found me at exactly the right time and encouraged me to pursue my craft without abandon. I basically bought and planted 75% of the flowers/foliage mentioned in Cut Flower Garden. I was surprised at my success and started a ministry project to grow, arrange and deliver pieces to local grieving families like ours. In October, I did a wedding for a very special loss mama! <3 <3 <3

    Reply
  20. Tina S on

    OK I have tears in my eyes after reading this. Such an amazing group that I know will bring inspiration and joy to many, including us Floret followers, and ALL OVER the WORLD!!!! You guys just keep exploding my brain with your awesomeness. Many many congratulations to the lovely winners and to Floret!

    Reply
  21. Ruth Adams on

    Congratulations to all six winners! It is wonderful to read about so many kindred spirits all around the world!

    Reply
  22. Jennifer rader on

    Congratulations! What an inspiration to hear 1,996 people believe we can make the world a more beautiful place just by growing something from the heart. Love

    Reply
  23. Camilla on

    What a lovely selection of winners. Congrats everyone :-)

    Reply
    • Kathleen Johnson on

      All the arts, expand our minds, awaken our souls and let us reach out to others . Congratulations may you all use this knowledge for good works ?

  24. Suzanne Cerrone on

    Congratulations to the winners. May your flowers flourish and your souls be filled with beauty!
    Suzanne

    Reply
  25. Susan Pelletier on

    Congratulations to the winners. So happy to see you went world wide when giving. Thanks for changing our lives with flowers.

    Reply
  26. Everbloom fields on

    I love the map!! and would love to know who the applicants near me are, i wonder if there’s some way to connect us all ?

    Reply
    • Team Floret on

      Hi Everbloom fields–so glad you like the map! Right now, the best way to do this is to create a listing on the Farmer-Florist Collective: https://www.floretflowers.com/directory/ If you aren’t already on the map, please create a listing (be sure to use a desktop computer vs. mobile device and include a photo of yourself vs. a business logo). I will also see about sending out a message to other applicants to do the same–thanks for the great idea!

  27. Nina Mistry-Rhoades on

    Wonderful stories. Well done to the winners. I look forward to following their journeys. Well done to you Erin and your team for inspiring so many people including myself. The world is already becoming a better place.
    Nina

    Reply
  28. Patricia Dufflocq on

    I feel SO happy for the people you gave the scholarships. They deserve them so much! I will be looking forward to know how this opportunity will improve their lives. It’s so inspiring.
    I wish I would have been one of the chosen, but these fortunate people are way better candidates! I’ll continue watching, following you close and learn from your blog and pictures.
    Thanks for the opportunity to be able to get the mini course, which has been great. There are no local flower growers in my region. Almost 99% flowers are imported. I want to break that and give it a try, so people start to value the local farmers and us make a living of it. It’s one flower at a time! ??

    Reply
  29. Magda on

    wonderfull post and group! You’re doing beautyful things !

    Reply
  30. tania muser on

    Thank you for this beautiful post. So inspiring and as you see it gives hope !

    Reply
  31. Gema on

    Congratulaciones to the winners, and to you Erin!. This is a beautiful growing
    Community

    Reply
  32. Candice Woloshyn on

    What a beautiful, and well deserving group of recipients. Congratulations to all of you!!!

    Reply
  33. Farah on

    It is so hard to come across people who, like you Erin, believe in abundance. People who truly spread knowledge, generosity and kindness through the world and help make it special in their own way. This scholarship has travelled far but this is to show how huge of an impact you have on people’s lives even if they were half the way across the globe.
    I can’t thank you enough for believing in me. This sure brought happy tears to my eyes.
    I also would like to thank everyone for the heart-warming comments. Your words of support have literally brightened my day and gave me a huge push of positivity.

    Reply
  34. Sarah on

    Huge congrats to the scholarship winners! It is inspiring to see so many people from all over the world working to pursue their flower farmer dreams. Best of luck to you all.

    Reply
  35. Sabrina masnata on

    It is true! Beauty will Save the world, and the beauty of nature and flowers has a great power! So many people all over the world share this strong belief. If we keep spreading the idea with convinction, more and more people will join us! Thanks for what you’re doing!

    Reply
  36. Anna on

    Congratulations to all the winners! I’m so touched by your stories and I’m so happy you will have a chance to learn from Floret team, grow your business and share more beauty with the world. Thank you Erin and Team Floret for your hard work, you chose amazing people! I can’t even imagine how difficult task it must have been. Thank you for all you do!

    Reply
  37. Drina on

    Congrats to all of the winners ❤️

    Reply
  38. Linda Touwen on

    What an inspiring group of lucky winners. Wishing you all the best with your dreams! ?

    Reply
  39. Kim Spears on

    So incredibly excited for you all !!! What an opportunity! I can’t wait to see where this journey takes you :)

    Reply
  40. Kelly Green-Leibovitz on

    This is such a wonderfully moving post. Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you for sharing their stories!

    Reply
  41. Treva M McFadden on

    What an amazing group!! Thanks for your consideration and if it’s meant to be, I’ll get registered anyway. Congratulations recipients and let’s make the world beautiful one bloom at a time.

    Reply
  42. Theresa Otte on

    Congratulations to all of you! Your stories are all beautiful and have touched my heart! I wish you all the best!

    Reply
  43. Lisa on

    LOVE LOVE LOVE how international the scholarship recipients are!!!! The perfect way to make the most of your online workshops – you can now reach around the globe. What a way to pay it forward – you have truly outdone yourself!!! FLORET ROCKS!

    Reply
  44. Donna on

    So happy for the winners!

    Reply
  45. Kerin Greville on

    Erin I was so excited this morning to see on our New Zealand Flower Farmers Facebook page that Christy Ralphs had been chosen for one of your prized Floret scholarships. I was lucky to meet Christy earlier this year and pick from her amazing Nourish Gardens for a florist workshop I was taking part in. What Christy has created there is truly inspiring and she is, like you, so willing to share with others. She is also such a nice, genuine person. You really have made a wonderful choice! I can’t think of anyone who deserves this more and I know that all of us passionate flower lovers down here in NZ will gain so much as well from her participation.

    Reply
  46. Shani @ havenwoodfarm on

    I always suspected flower farmers have the ingredients to heal our world, and now I absolutely know it. Congratulations to all the recipients. I will be a blessed online course member too – scholarship win or not, the Floret team have inspired me to spread my wings and do my part in my little valley down under. Much love to you all.

    Reply
  47. Adana on

    Congratulations to the winners, and best of luck to everyone else! You all have given me wind in the back!

    Reply
  48. Julie Wilson on

    I am anxious and overjoyed for Christy, Farah, Rosie & Oscar, Masami, Inna, and Katie. My heart was deeply touched by your stories, and I hope we will get to find out how you are doing down the road. You are already on the path to overcoming great obstacles in your lives. Flourish you beautiful flower people!!!

    Reply
  49. Inaya on

    This is so amazing, the winners are so so deserving and their stories are so inspiring – especially Farah’s, what an amazing woman! It’s so great to see how many fellow Kiwis also applied for the scholarship, I love seeing how the local seasonal flower market is growing!
    Thank you so much to Erin and the Floret team for the opportunity, I’ll try again next year!

    Reply
  50. Kate Fraser-Hominick on

    Congratulations to you all! I loved reading your stories and I just know that everything Erin and the Floret team have poured into this course will set you on an amazing floral journey! As I’ve said many times . . . The hard but joyful work of flowers is real. Flower movement indeed. Yay!

    Reply
  51. Sandra Knauf on

    Okay, I’ll admit it too–I was a little disappointed I wasn’t picked for a scholarship, but that lasted about three seconds. These stories show flower-lovers/entrepreneurs who are worthy of the honor they’ve received and I am so excited for them! You are a beautiful and inspiring group! I am especially excited that you will be spreading your knowledge from this class internationally. Sending love and best wishes to all! <3

    Reply
  52. MARY Marshall on

    congratulations to all the winners.We can all join hands as a flower family and inspire each other.Perhaps by example we can show this world that by encouragement and nourishment of mind body and spirit – that there is a better way

    Reply
  53. Staci Hunter on

    Congratulations!! So happy for all the winner! This is absolutely wonderful…share the flower farming worldwide! Excited for the winners!

    S. Hunter. Ontario Oregon
    Budsblossomsandbouquets

    Reply
  54. Heidi Bekker on

    Amazing and well chosen people! Congratulations to the winners!
    Looking forward to be learning alongside you all on this adventure!

    Reply
  55. Elaine Fuehrer on

    congratulations to the winners.. Your stories were very warm and inviting, and true to heart.

    Reply
  56. Andrea D. on

    Congratulations to the winners. The local flower movement is International! Erin, your generosity continues to ripple out, wider and wider. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Lyn Godsey-Hurt on

      Disappointed I did not receive a scholarship, but feel very blessed to have connected with Erin and Floret and have the opportunity to participate in the workshop. I am elated and very excited for those who were selected – it is well deserved and I wish all of you beautiful and abundant success!

  57. Adele on

    Such inspiring stories, many congratulations and well deserved. It is lovely how supportive everyone is of the winners, even though many must be disappointed, the flower community rocks! Really look forward to following your journeys xx

    Reply
  58. Taissia Mortensen on

    I am so happy for the winners:) Thank you for a scholarship chance. Truly gardeners are the warmest and most supportive family globally :)

    Reply
  59. Pat on

    Congratulations the beauty of your flowers has just grown by leaps and bound.

    Reply
  60. Sarah on

    Wow!! I really wanted this, but great choice on these fabulous women!!❤️?

    Reply
  61. Simone K on

    Well deserved congratulations to all the winners! I am deeply touched by your stories of passion and determination, there is no way I would have wanted to take the spot, knowing you winners could have had it instead. Floret Farm chose well, and as always, inspires us all with the stories and quotes.
    Thank you also for the Map Floret Farm Team! What a fantastic idea! Not only did I find myself very accurately placed as a little flower ? (which made me super happy), but people in my own town that are inspired by your work and have applied too. I am curious, do you think you could ever find a way for us all to connect to each other? Reading these stories, I also thought of volunteering on some of these growing farms in form of woofing or something similar. A platform for dreamers, beginners and seasoned flower farmers to connect could become part of this amazing movement that seems to take the world by storm! Thank you again and again and never enough for all your hard work Floret Team! I am amazed an astonished by how much you make me cry, laugh and dream with each and every new blog post, story and photograph. You are truly amazing! xxx

    Reply
  62. TANIS CLIFTON on

    With these awesome growers, I don’t know how in the world you could ever select from nearly 2000! Wow, I am so glad these 6 won and they are so Worthy!!!! Good job!

    Reply
  63. Danielle on

    Wow!! So amazing and inspiring! Farah’s story actually brought tears to my eyes! Well done everyone!

    A question or two please Erin, not sure the best place to ask this:

    1. The online q&a sessions- how will you overcome time differences? I’d love to chat and ask questions but being in Australia, with so many international students may make this challenging!

    2. Can we team up for the course? Eg. Would my business partner and I have to buy two courses? Or can we share the resources?

    Thanks

    Danielle xx

    Reply
    • Team Floret on

      Hi Danielle–Thanks for your kind words. Yes, Farah’s story brought tears to a lot of eyes this week! We are so thrilled to have such an amazing group of scholarship recipients join us for the upcoming Floret Online Workshop. You bring up two great questions and I’m going to huddle with the team about them–stay tuned.

  64. Jen Hinson on

    Congratulations to the winners- drink every drop. Your association with Floret will only continue to nourish your soul. And MY GOSH, Farah. Good for you! xo

    Reply
  65. Abby on

    Love hearing the stories! Thank you for sharing! So happy for the winners!

    Reply
  66. Megan on

    Congratulations scholarship winners! And thank you Erin for sharing these stories and some incredible quotes. I’m completely inspired!

    Reply
  67. Linda Edwards on

    Though I didn’t get the scholarship I’m very happy for those who did. Such inspiring stories.

    Reply
  68. Sally Merrick on

    What a wonderful international element, congratulations everyone. Looking to hearing more about your floral journeys.

    Reply
  69. Gina Schley on

    Oh my gosh…what beautiful stories and quotes. I’m so glad I lost to them! They are all truly amazing, deserving, and are going to spread the love of flowers to all corners of the world.

    Reply
  70. Gina on

    I loved reading this blog. So inspirational. Congratulations ? winners. Flowers make the world go round.

    Gina

    Reply
  71. Andrea Morris on

    Congratulations to these deserving winners. Thank you again for providing these scholarships.

    Reply
  72. Sj on

    I’m suddenly sooooo glad I lost :D Farah’s story blew me away!!! She’s bravely changing her entire country. Just.wow.

    Reply
  73. Lindsey on

    Congratulations! I hope you squeeze every drop out of the class and it sends you all far!

    Reply
  74. Ariana on

    Super inspiring post Erin! And I love hearing the things people shared in their applications. Thank you for sharing all of hay with us!

    Reply
  75. Rachel on

    Congrats to all you winners! You will make the world a more beautiful place and bring so much joy to those around you!

    Reply
  76. Susan on

    Congratulations!!

    Reply
  77. Flowers on Lawn on

    Team Floret you brighten our world with flowers of hope and learning. A heart felt thank you from the ladies in New Zealand for awarding Christy Ralphs a scholarship, she’s already bringing us together as a group of fledgling and experienced growers, she inspires us all with her kindness and drive to make her flower farm grow and succeed. We are so excited for her and think you couldn’t have chosen better.
    Warmest greetings Kay X
    NZ flower farmers

    Reply
    • Inaya on

      It’s really exciting to see other Kiwis part of the seasonal flower movement!

  78. Stevie on

    Congratulations to all those who received the scholarship! While I know first hand those who applied and did not receive a scholarship are probably very disappointed and a little heartbroken, after reading these stories I am truly touched and humbled. I look forward to learning alongside these wonderful people. Team Floret, I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to chose just 6 from thousands of applicants but it sure sounds like you made the right choice! Thanks again!

    Reply
  79. Madison Puch on

    So excited to here one of the winners could be the first flower farmer/florist in Jordan! Congratulations Farah! You got this girl!

    Reply
  80. Jennifer on

    Congratulations to each of the winners, all of your stories are so inspiring!

    Reply
  81. Naomi on

    My goodness, thank you for sharing some quotes from the applicants and a map of where they came from! It is amazing to see how many people across the globe want to grow flowers. There were tears in my eyes when I read about the people who have been inspirational to flower farmers. Thank you, Floret, for giving your scholarships to people who are so bold about changing their lives. It’s really incredible.

    Reply
  82. Julie Hickey on

    Amazing! Congratulations to all. ? Some very inspirational stories.

    Reply
  83. Karin on

    Masami!!!! So happy for you that you are one of the scholarship winners! You deserve this so much and I’m sure that soon Paris will love your beautiful flowers.
    Love Karin /Greenfingers.munich

    Reply
  84. Serena on

    These scholarship winners are already an inspiration – what stories they share (I had a lump in my throat reading some of them)! Congratulations to each of you, and I shall look forward to future Floret Farm Blog posts about your successes. All the best x

    Reply
    • Serena on

      …just a thought, I don’t have the funds to sponsor a scholarship in entirety, but I would be very happy and willing to contribute to a fund – a little can go along way, and who knows, with all this enthusiasm, maybe enough could be raised to sponsor another deserving person/couple/team! Flowers and Floret and these winners are doing good in the world and setting an example for wholesome living. I’d like to be a part of that. x

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Small Plot: Big Impact

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