About 40% of what KB sells is not from our own production. A lot of it comes from local growers and cutters who work hard to produce or cut beautiful and unusual flowers and greens. California is known for the unique and fun: berries, branches, grasses, blossoms, pods, etc. If it wasn’t for their efforts, we would live in a commodity world of boring roses, carnations, pompons, lilies and gyp.
Our growers are by and large of Hispanic origin and usually learned their trade working for other growers. We know how hard it is to survive and thrive as flower growers, so we invited them over for a “Thank You” BBQ and to have a discussion on how we can support them.
Our local Ag Extension agent Steve Tjosvold came to explain resources available to help these growers with growing issues. Steve has been supporting the Monterey Bay flower growers for over 25 years and he has seen the decline in growers, and was heartened to see a good size group still growing flowers.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Kitayama Brothers