Flower growers in Carpinteria have weathered a year for the books in “bloomenomics.” Mid-March last year, the pandemic crippled the industry, halting transportation and distribution and leading local growers to donate, burn and compost thousands of blooms. Almost a year later, most of Carpinteria’s flower growers are still standing, starting to see more consistent sales and feeling optimistic toward the future.
In the heart of Carpinteria’s flower basket corridor, at Myriad Flowers on Foothill Road, Harry and Michelle Van Wingerden have been growing roses and floribunda since 1999. After sales at the family farm plummeted last spring, Myriad saw an uptick throughout the summer when markets and wholesalers reopened, and transportation of flower crops resumed. Still, the event industry’s prolonged shutdown has meant dramatic shifts were needed for the farm to stay afloat.
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