ASCFG 2024 Election Ballot
Every election is determined by the people who show up.
This year, members in the West and Northwest Region will elect a Regional Director.
All members will elect a President and Vice President
Both positions will serve 2025, 2026, and 2027.
Please review this information and watch for your ballot to arrive via email in early October.
Your participation is vital!
Thank you for showing up.
President (2025, 2026, 2027)
Valerie Schirmer
Three Toads Farm
Winchester, Kentucky
Hi, everyone! My name is Val Schirmer and I have a flower farm just outside of Lexington, Kentucky called Three Toads Farm.
I first joined the ASCFG in 2000 after launching our little farm with a great family friend in 1997— and then spending two years pretty much just floundering around. Until joining this amazing organization and going off to my very first conference (at Pamela and Frank Arnosky’s farm). THAT was the turning point for me and Three Toads Farm. My role was to GO, to SEE people and places in person, to LISTEN and try to LEARN, then try out new IDEAS. We grew on two farms, year-round in two Stuppy greenhouses and about 2 acres in the field. Today, we are “small batch” growers on one farm: our home. From the beginning we’ve always tried to grow the kinds of flowers that can stop people in their tracks, and that’s never changed.
Through most of my flower journey, I also worked in the corporate world where I ended up leading global communications. Yep, it was a challenge to juggle my two worlds. But what I learned and put into practice at work helped us grow our flower business and also has been useful in my work on the board.
The ASCFG is a BIG reason we’ve been successful and also how I’ve been able to go, see, listen, learn and try new ideas to evolve our farm’s business model.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have served on the board for the past eight years — five as Southeast regional director and the next three as your board president. It’s astonishing to have seen our membership grow from less than 1,000 to nearly 3,000 members during those eight
years!
The ASCFG was created 37 years ago to educate, unite and support commercial cut flower growers — and that’s never changed. Today, we are the force behind the growth in cut flower farms. We are the face of local flowers where ever we grow in the world. In fact, I believe we are the face of the flower industry itself.
I’m so proud to be an active part of this amazing organization and can’t wait to see what’s ahead. Thank you for your support.
Vice President (2025, 2026, 2027)
Janis Harris
Harris Flower Farm
St. Thomas, Ontario
With over 15 years of experience in the specialty cut flower industry, Janis Harris brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep passion for flower farming. As a dedicated grower and successful business owner, Janis is strongly committed to advancing industry standards and fostering community among growers.
Thanks to Janis’s strong urging, the Association created the Canadian Regional Director position, giving a voice to Canadian growers. She subsequently served as the ASCFG ‘s First Canadian Regional Director, planning a regional conference in SW Ontario within months of being elected.
During Covid times, Janis united members by hosting regular virtual meet ups and fostered connection amongst members when everyone needed it so much. Janis has a reputation for being attuned to what growers need from the ASCFG; for example, after the popularity of a few Facebook live sessions, she was instrumental in advocating for monthly online sessions with experienced growers. These turned into the popular “Ask the Expert” series. During her time on the board, Janis served on several committees including those that executed successful conferences and meet ups.
Janis is known for her innovative approaches to problem-solving, and her ability to build strong & collaborative networks and always has a warm, welcoming smile. Janis’s vision for the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers is to drive industry growth, encourage the worldwide membership community, and promote longevity in Members’ farming careers. Her goal is to ensure that the association continues to be THE resource for education, advocacy, and professional development within the Flower World.
Vote for Janis Harris as Vice President to bring dynamic leadership, mindfulness, reliability, and focused goals for the ASCFG.
Nakita Hemingway
Sugar Oak Lane
Loganville, Georgia
Hi, I’m Nakita Hemingway. My journey in agriculture has taken me through many different paths,from the joyful work of growing beautiful, specialty flowers to running for Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture. Along the way, I’ve been nationally recognized for my advocacy, and I’ve takenmon various roles to make sure that the voices of farmers and growers are heard where it matters most.
I’m deeply passionate about this industry—not just because of the flowers we grow, but because of the vibrant community we’ve built together. I believe our industry deserves not just a seat at the table, but a strong voice that pushes for meaningful progress while celebrating the unique culture that makes us who we are. My experience in both growing and advocacy means I understand the challenges we face from the ground up, and I’m ready to tackle them with the same passion that I bring to my farm each day.
As Vice-President, I’m here to support and uplift all of us, keeping the ASCFG a welcoming, forward-thinking organization that champions the needs of every member. Together, we can continue to nurture this community, ensuring that the joy and creativity of our work are matched by the opportunities and support we receive.
Thank you for considering me for this role. Let’s continue to grow and flourish—together.
Erin McMullen
Rain Drop Farms
Philomath, Oregon
Erin has been a proud member of the ASCFG for the last 10 years and has served on the Board of Directors for 6 years as the West and Northwest Regional Director. During this time, she has formed countless friendships within the organization, connecting with farmers and industry members throughout the US, Canada, and worldwide. The bonds created and the community she has become a part of have exceeded her initial expectations.
With the support of the ASCFG and the generous members and growers who have shared their knowledge, experience, and time, Erin has transformed her hobby into a farm that provides for not only her family but multiple families in her community. She is immensely proud and incredibly grateful for the opportunities she has discovered through the ASCFG.
Erin has a great passion for the work done in the ASCFG. She believes that her networking and people skills, coupled with her experience both within and outside of the organization, lend themselves to success in the role of Vice President. She is excited to watch the growth of farmers and the industry as they move into the future and relishes the chance to be a part of helping to make it happen.
Education, both new and continued, is a cornerstone of Erin’s philosophy. She feels passionately that it forms the foundation for all growth. She believes that when people learn, they move forward, and when they move forward with understanding, they work towards a brighter future.
Erin firmly believes that a rising tide lifts all boats, and she strives to celebrate the accomplishments of every one of her fellow farmers. She is driven to be a productive, helpful, and compassionate part of a team and loves the determination of the ASCFG Board to better the lives of its members.
Helping growers to learn, grow, and thrive is Erin’s passion. She invites others to join her in continuing the journey forward by voting for her as VP.
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West and Northwest Regional Director (2025, 2026, 2027)
Sarah Head
Eda Creek Farm
Oregon City, Oregon
I am thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to run for the ASCFG board. Eda Creek Farm is located in Oregon City, OR, where I grow on approximately a ½ acre. Like many of you, I started my farm while juggling a career and a family, learning the intricacies of growing while selling in all sorts of ways, and struggling to find financial stability.
Three years ago, I became a member of the Oregon Flower Growers Association (OFGA) and wholesale became my primary sales outlet, allowing me to go all in on farming and see a path towards financial sustainability. This is one of the areas that I am most passionate about – finding pathways for flower farmers that bring us financial stability for the hard work and expertise we bring to our jobs. Which means I need to be equally passionate about the quality of product that comes off my farm!
I love growing hard things (we see you, lisianthus), and am constantly looking for areas that will bring the highest return, such as greenhouse growing through the winter, a focus on shoulder seasons, and sustainable foraging. I am also very excited by beneficial insects (our primary pest control), soil microbiology, research and grants to support the farm, how to farm as a busy parent, and my farming community.
Every flower farmer should feel they have a space and a voice in the ASCFG. We can facilitate this by telling our stories and also creating space for others to share, especially those whose voices haven’t always been heard. I place a high value on multiple perspectives while staying grounded in my own values, including the importance of equity and inclusion.
For 15 years, I taught high school social studies and love engaging in conversations about our passions, hopes and concerns. And when we have these sometimes tough conversations in relationship, there is incredible potential. Relationships inspire and challenge us, asking that we bring our authentic selves to all we do, whether it is parenting, farming, teaching, or learning. The relationships that I have forged through farming sustain and propel me forward, and I know I am not alone in that sentiment. The friends I made at my first ASCFG conference have become some of the dearest people in my life, and I want to be part of making that happen for others.
Lastly, thank you for taking the time to participate in the ASCFG Board election! I’ve been farming for six years and a member of the ASCFG for all those years. ASCFG has moved my farming career ahead in countless ways, and it is a true honor to have the opportunity to run for the board.
Celeste Monke
Free Range Flowers
Bellingham, Washington
Celeste (she/they) is in her 12th year farming, the 8th for Free Range Flowers – an 8-acre cut flower farm in Bellingham, Washington (Nooksack territory) with 3-5 seasonal employees. She is a botany nerd bringing a deep ethos of respect for people, plants and planet to her work managing farm and crew.
Starting out at a market veggie farm to give her knees a break from trail work, she found her way to perennial agriculture and then flowers in planting pollinator rows between storage crop plantings. Celeste has also worked as a teacher, propagation manager, and seed collector/technician. As a farmer, they wear many hats: the lead on crop planning, finance, marketing, HR, harvest and postharvest.
Currently a member of the board of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a cooperative through which the farm sells most of its flowers, Celeste also serves on the finance committee and as chair of the governance committee. She has additional board experience serving on the board of the Washington National Young Farmers Coalition.
As the representative for the West and Northwest, Celeste will bring her spreadsheet, financial, and analytical skills to the ASCFG as well as deep care, a direct manner, a growth mindset, and a commitment to equity and good stewardship to the ASCFG as we continue working for a future where flower farmers and their communities thrive.