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| Karen "Mimo" Davis demonstrates how to arrange fresh cut flowers during the SU Land-Grant Campus' 2nd Annual Spring Flower and Garden workshop on April 25. Davis was the conference's guest speaker. |
Baton
Rouge, La. – The aroma of fresh cut flowers flowed throughout the room during
the Southern University Land-Grant Campus’ 2nd Annual Flower and Garden
Conference on April 25.
Approximately
100 individuals attended the conference, which was held at the Southern
University Ag Center.
Karen
“Mimo” Davis, founder of ‘Urban Buds: City Grown Flowers’ in St. Louis, Mo.,
was the conference’s guest speaker.
Davis
has 24 years of experience growing specialty cut flowers. Prior to founding
Urban Buds, Davis operated Wild Thang Farms in Ashland, Mo. When Davis operated
the farm it was considered the largest cut flower farm in the state. S
During
her presentation, Davis discussed the history behind the historic farmstead in
which the business operates, the growing techniques that are used to grow the 70
different types of flowers that the business grows, and the different services
that the business provides. Davis also demonstrated how to make a flower
arrangement from fresh cut flowers.
Sara
Woods, owner of Sunshine Tea Louisiana, made a presentation on how to make
sunshine tea and discussed how she uses flowers in her tea blends.
Florist
Rita Stephens demonstrated how to make a corsage with either fresh or silk
flowers.
At the end of the conference participants were given an opportunity to put what they learned during the
day to the test by working in groups to make their own floral
arrangements.
Participants
were also able to tour the SU Ag Center’s greenhouse and Urban Demonstration
Farm.
Everyone
in attendance also received a flowering plant to take home.
The
conference was hosted by the SU Land-Grant Campus’ Wisteria Alliance Program, the
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program and the Flower Lovers’
Garden Guild.
The Wisteria Alliance Program prepares women to own and operate
their own farms and other agricultural based businesses. It began in 2012 as a
pilot program aimed at providing practical, hands-on training for women who
live on farms, and those whose interest lie in starting a farm, and/or urban or
community garden.
The
Flower Lovers’ Garden Guild begin on November 20, 1953 with a group of women gathering
to organize a club that would enable them to learn more about flowers, exchange ideas about their culture and fellowship together. In March 1954, the women
decided to call the club the “Town and Country Garden Club.” In October 1956,
the name of the club was changed to the “Flower Lovers’ Garden Guild.” Its
focus is the beautification of the community and homes with flowers and plants.
The SU
Land-Grant Campus will hold its annual ‘Fall Garden Workshop’ on November 20,
2018 at the SU Ag Center.
For additional
information about the Spring or the upcoming Fall Garden Workshop, call
225-771-2242 or email zanetta_augustine@suagcenter.com,
mila_berhane@suagcenter.com or
stephanie_elwood@suagcenter.com.
The SU Ag Center and SU College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences together are call the SU Land-Grant Campus.
Click here to view photos from
the 2018 Spring Flower and Garden Conference.
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