Accepting Mentee Applications for 2022-2023 Cycle

September 1 through September 30, 2021

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and push in the right direction.”

Mentors are paired with a newer grower for two years, to communicate with email and phone, and visit each other’s farms at least once each year (contingent on COVID), sharing experiences and building a supportive relationship. Matches are made based on location – reasonable proximity for travel but not close enough for potential competition – and comparable business models.

Mentee applicants must:

• Be an active ASCFG member for one calendar year before the date of application.

• Have been a commercial cut flower grower for at least one full season for the date of application.

Profiles of ASCFG members who have stepped forward as Mentors are listed here. Please review this information to consider if their locations and cut flower operations are similar to yours, and apply using the form below. The Committee will make matches after the application closes on September 30, and contact paired Mentors and Mentees by October 31.

South-central Ontario

Primary sales outlets: wholesale, retail, wedding/events
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, woodies, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: bouquet creation, high-volume production
Willing to travel 400 kilometers.

Central New Hampshire

Primary sales outlets: retail, weddings/events
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary crops: Annuals and Bulbs/Corms
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: wedding design; spring ranunculus, anemone, tulip
Willing to travel throughout New England.
Willing to mentor two growers.

Central Massachusetts

Primary sales outlets: wholesale, retail
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary crops: annuals, many others
Farm size: 5-20 acres
Specialty: We are a traditional retail grower and flower shop in business for 87 years. We are hoping to retire in a year or two but will still be active in the ASCFG and hope to do some consulting afterwards. We grow cut flowers year around and annuals in the spring. We do retail florist work year around including weddings and daily deliveries.
Willing to travel 500 miles.
Willing to mentor two growers.

Connecticut

Primary sales outlets: retail
Primary production: mainly field
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: Retail florist with lots of design experience using our own seasonal flowers.
Willing to travel 150 miles.

Central Pennsylvania

Primary sales outlets: wholesale, retail, farmers’ markets
Primary production: primarily field
Primary crops: annuals, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: lisianthus
Willing to travel 100-150 miles.

Northern Virginia

Primary sales outlets: wholesale, retail, CSA, farmers’ markets
Primary production: field and high tunnels
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, woodies, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: 16 years of growing a reputation for having high quality flowers through multiple sales channels.  Retiring this year.
Willing to travel 150 miles.
Willing to mentor two growers.

Southwest Virginia

Primary sales outlets: weddings/events, farmers’ markets
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, woodies, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: We’re known for beautiful flowers both fresh and dried.
Willing to travel 150 miles round trip.
Willing to mentor two growers.

Central Mississippi

Primary sales outlets: retail, weddings/events
Primary production: mainly field
Primary crops: annuals, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: We are no-till. Our primary market is through our CSA program (55 subscribers). We did ten weddings over the past year, using a combination of our own and wholesale flowers.
Willing to travel 150 miles.

West-central Indiana

Primary sales outlets: weddings/events, farmers’ markets
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, woodies, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Willing to travel 150 miles.

Northern Illinois

Primary sales outlets: wholesale, grocery stores
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, woodies, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: Masters in Plant Pathology; business career was starting and managing small businesses for entrepreneurs. I finally realized it was time to start my own. Have always been an avid gardener and my love of small business gave me good reason to put both in play. I sold the business in February 2021 but am still passionate about growing flowers and helping other growers.
Willing to travel 175 miles.
Willing to mentor two growers.

Southwest Michigan

Primary sales outlets: wholesale, retail, wedding/events
Primary production: mainly field
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, bulbs
Farm size: 5-20 acres
Specialty: peonies, annuals; 27 years as a floral designer
Willing to travel 100 miles.

East-central Illinois

Primary sales outlets: wholesale, farmers’ markets, grocery stores
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, woodies, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: Ilex, salix, bittersweet, sunflower, lily
Willing to travel _____ miles.
Willing to mentor two growers.

Northwest Wisconsin

Primary sales outlets: wholesale, retail, weddings/events, farmers’ markets,
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, woodies, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: Cold climate season extension
Willing to travel 250 miles.
Willing to mentor two growers.

North-central California

Primary sales outlets: wholesale, weddings/events
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, woodies, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: We grow a large diversity, but try and hone it in each year. Dahlias are one of our specialties. We design about 30 weddings a year, and are working with more and more florists. We are known for high quality, certified organic flowers.
Willing to travel _____ miles.

Northern Idaho

Primary sales outlets: wholesale, retail, weddings/events, farmers’ markets, grocery stores
Primary production: mainly field
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, woodies, bulbs
Farm size: 1-5 acres
Specialty: We do it all in a northern climate.
Willing to travel _____ miles.

West-central Oregon

Primary sales outlets: wholesale, retail, weddings/events, farmers’ markets, grocery stores
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, woodies, bulbs
Farm size: 15 acres
Specialty: Degree in botany and environmental science led me into veg farming and then to flowers.
Willing to travel 350 miles.
Willing to mentor two growers.

West-central Washington State

Primary sales outlets: wholesale
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary crops: annuals, perennials, woodies, bulbs
Farm size: more than 20 acres
Specialty: callas
Willing to travel 300 miles.
Willing to mentor two growers.

Southern British Columbia

Primary sales outlets: wholesale
Primary production: field and greenhouse/hoophouse
Primary Crops: perennials, woodies
Farm size: 5-20 acres
Specialty: peony, viburnum, ilex
Willing to travel 500 kilometers.
Willing to mentor two growers.