diary of a mad florist

Known as Kissing Balls or Floral Spheres and made with a ton of Carnations. Carnations are great for these as they are hardy, come in every color and fill in the space nicely. These foam spheres, which is the hidden hardware, come in a variety of sizes, including 4", 6" and 8". Once the floral foam is soaked through they are quite heavy but ready for flowers. They are 6" spheres to start, but once the carnations are added they increase to 9"-10" spheres. About 60 carnation blooms are needed to give them a nice full compact look. Normally hung from high up another idea would be to hang on shepherd hooks.

Fourth farmers market opens
Loudest opponent switches sides. Nearby business owners said more people came to the area.
By Zain Shauk Published: Last Updated Friday, July 3, 2009 9:52 PM
NORTHWEST GLENDALE — The Kenneth Village Farmers Market kicked off Friday afternoon, following a swirl of controversy and opposition from area businesses who argued the weekly event might be bad for business.The Kenneth Village Meat Market, a store on Kenneth Road that sells organic produce and other groceries, was previously the most vocal opponent to the farmers market, with owner Sarkis Militonyan arguing that a weekly collection of produce stalls might poach his business.But Militonyan changed his tone dramatically Friday. After weeks of protests to City Clerk Ardy Kassakhian and other officials who oversaw the permitting process for the event, Militonyan signed a petition to continue the farmers market beyond the parameters of its current four-event permit, said Mariane Atkinson, owner of Ivy’s Flower Station and the main organizer of the market.Militonyan shifted his stance after visiting the market and speaking with Atkinson, she said.“We really had a heart-to-heart about what he was concerned about,” she said. “What I told him is ‘I’m the florist. I sell flowers and plants. There’s an orchid man here,’” she said, pointing to a stall selling orchids and explaining that although stalls may sell similar items on Friday afternoons, they would bring more business to the one-block stretch of stores that has struggled during the recession.Militonyan was not available for comment, but store Manager Seta Tarakchian, speaking on his behalf, confirmed that he had changed his stance.“It’s very nice to see people around and there’s a lot of people out here that we’ve never seen before,” she said of the market. “It’s good for the community. Why not?”The Kenneth Village Merchants Assn. also supports the market, even though some store owners were previously opposed to it, said Rene Karapedian, president of the group.The market is paid for and operated by Scholastic Gardens, a nonprofit that runs four other farmers markets, including one in Toluca Lake.The organization gives proceeds to local schools to support community gardens and campaigns promoting healthy eating habits, said Tanja Castle, who runs business operation for the group.Although the Kenneth Village Farmers Market is the fourth such weekly event in the area, other business organizations, which use the markets to attract more consumers to their stores, were not opposed to it.There is now a farmers market every day from Thursday through Sunday, with one on Brand Boulevard, another at the Americana at Brand and one in the Montrose Shopping Park on Honolulu Avenue.“We never look at it as competition,” said Jennifer Gordon, vice president of Caruso Affiliated, which launched Gigi’s Farmers Market earlier this year. “We look at it as more people coming to the area, enhancing the community and the area a lot more. I think it’s a positive thing.”With the controversy from the market’s most vocal opponent out of the way, area residents strolled past the dozen stalls on the parking lots of Ivy’s Flower Station and Yoga at the Village, with the sounds of steel drums and the smell of grilled chicken rising into the air.The event succeeded in drawing residents to a business area that many of them were not previously aware of, said Elyse Briggs, owner of Yoga at the Village.“So many people who came up here ironically said, ‘I didn’t even know this place was here,’” Briggs said.Although the market was small, it still provided an opportunity for residents to enjoy an afternoon walk, said Christopher Glass, who was walking passed other stores along the one-block business district.“You might as well walk around and see what else is here other than just the farmers market,” Glass said.

edible Los angeles

In my father’s hometown in Greece, Tripoli, farmers from all over the countryside gather every Saturday in the largest platia, or square, to sell their freshest goods. As a child visiting from Chicago where the closest we got to the farm was Indiana, I was enchanted by the exoticism of a farmers’ market, with its vendors, wrinkled and wrapped in scarves, selling heaps of tomatoes, unusual squash, and dried, fragrant herbs. With bags heavy, it took us hours to traverse the six rows, for every few feet, we would stumble upon a cousin or neighbor or friend. The market in Tripoli was an event – its spirit not just one of shopping, but of experiencing life as a community, as a village. Imagine my delight to discover that Glendale’s Kenneth Village, the closest thing I’m going to get to a platia here in LA, was starting a farmers’ market.
Marianne Atkinson, owner of Ivy’s Flower Station, shedding tears of joy, standing with Laura Friedman, City Councilmember

July 3rd marked the first farmers’ market in Kenneth Village, held in a parking lot owned by Jay and Anne Greer of The Greer Building Company.

Although there had been talk of having a market in Kenneth Village for more than eight years, Scholastic Gardens worked with the city and the Kenneth Village Merchants’ Association to make the market become a reality in only four months. While the majority of the merchants voted in support, a few, including Sarkis Militonyan, owner of the Kenneth Village Meat Market, vehemently opposed the market, expressing serious concerns about unwanted congestion and impending competition. “This concern is understandable to us, especially in this economy,” says Claire Headley, Operations Manager of Scholastic Gardens. Happily, after walking the first market on Friday and witnessing its success, Miltonyan joined more than 300 other people by signing a petition to ask the City Council to waive a variance on the zoning so that the market can become a weekly event.

The grand opening was conducted by City Councilmember Laura Friedman, who cut the ribbon to a arch of balloons that welcomed market-goers to the festivities. The air was filled with the fragrance of teriyaki chicken on the grill and the infectious rhythms of steel drums of the Pan-A-Cea Calypso Band.

Scholastic Gardens organized the main section, which included four certified produce vendors, two of those organic and pesticide free, three hot food vendors, two skin care merchants, and an organic gardening stand.

Marianne Atkinson, owner of Ivy’s Flower Station, which stands adjacent to the market, opened her lot so local businesses like Audrey K. and Pet Rush could join the party and sell their goods. Miltonyan is scheduled to join them this week. As Headley explains, Atkinson allowed them to set up a “workable solution” between the Village merchants and the market. “They don’t pay us but are part of the event.” Indeed, this market was a community event, much like the one in Greece. The Glendale Police Deparment’s K-9 unit opened their squad car for children to pet a service dog. I was among friends, as my peeps (did I just say peeps?) from our local MOMS Club chapter joined the mix. As Headley explains, the beauty of a farmers’ market is that it “brings the community together.” At this point, however, the market is still small and faces steep competition from other local markets like those on Saturday in Burbank and on Sunday in Montrose, where you can buy from over a dozen produce vendors and even purchase grass-fed beef, seafood, and cheese. I was pleasantly surprised to see farm fresh eggs from local Tehacapi and certified organic fruit. In fact, between the four produce vendors, I was able to get my week’s shopping done, and still have time to mingle. Also, I like knowing that Scholastic Gardens will be using money from the market to projects in the local schools. As Headley explains, a market can only be operated by a non-profit organization, a government agency or an agriculture producer. The idea is to “bring the farmers to the consumer and cut out the middle man. Headley says, “it’s important to support the small farmers. If it wasn’t for the farmer’s markets, the small farmers’ would be long gone.” I think the same can be said for sleepy streets like Kenneth Village. Farmers’ markets bring well-needed foot traffic to businesses struggling to stay afloat. She also acknowledges that it can take anywhere from one to three years for a farmers’ market to become an event that people incorporate into their weekly schedule. “However, we certainly had a great start. It will be a great thing to get Kenneth Village on the map.”

You'll learn at our floral design workshops that local farmers market are a great source for fresh flowers. Currently, locally grown flowers are abundant, affordable and beautiful! Deals can be had if you buy near the close of the market!

The Los Angeles Times newspaper has started a new interactive project that shows readers where all the farmers markets are in the LA area. Search for markets by day of the week, zip code, city or by market name and then...add to the database by sharing your favorite vendor's name, what you like to buy and the best deals at the market. To learn more about LA Area Farmers Markets, check out:Los Angeles County Farmers MarketsOrange County Farmers MarketsVentura County Farmers MarketsTo learn more about farmers markets across the USA, check out Local Harvest's website that lists the amazing array of markets close to you!