The Dirt - August 2011

Dos Gringos

The Dirt - August 2011

 


Hola!
Summer Fun!
I love everything about summer. I hope you are wringing as much enjoyment out of yours as I am from mine. Morning runs before the temps rise, flowers, hikes in the mountains, flowers, weekends near water, flowers, corn on the cob, flowers, and a quick run for frozen yogurt as a nightcap. My son Jack recently learned that it’s “legal” to put more than one topping from the do-it-yourself bar on this confection of choice. The folks on counter clean-up hate us, but I still love summer – and flowers.


Flowers, Flowers, & More Flowers!
Out my window and along the road, the flowers still are decidedly summer. Open any of the DG coolers and you’ll still get a wonderful whiff of clover, asters, and strawflower. But the buzz is building about fall, and the fall shipping season begins in earnest at the end of this month.

Summer Flowers!

 


Funky Fresh

I say it every year, and it continues to be true. The autumn months are an ideal showcase for Dos Gringos’ quality and expertise. We’ve got the product, the design and the drive to make this season shine. To that end, we’re putting the finishing touches on fall crops and harvest schedules to ensure we can meet all of our commitments. And we’re buying seed and making final planting decisions about Thanksgiving. We expect Sunflowers in all varieties and colors to be fantastic. Pumpkin Tree, Millet, Broomcorn, and Chili Pepperswill be available starting in September. Do we know what you need for Thanksgiving? Reach out to the DG sales team so we can help your business hum at this spectacular time of year.

Funky freh fall flowers


Bee DogImportant Bees-ness
I’m just back from a trip to northern California to check in and catch up with our Sunflower seed hybridizer. Growing never-before-seen varieties of Sunflowers is a fascinating lesson in patience and perseverance – and biotechnology. So many things must come together and work “just so” before we can put a natural red or white Sunflower on our order form. It could take a crossing of almost 200 different lines to yield ONE commercial-grade product! It turns out that bees, whose procreation and pollination are critical to Sunflower production, aren’t a bit interested in Dos Gringos’ growth goals or production schedule. Who knew?


The dream is very much alive, and we continue to test several colors both with our genius hybridizer and at our test farms near our corporate office. You’ll see some at our pack trials this fall, and some are almost ready for semi-commercial trials. We’re also learning more about Sunflower strength and longer vase life. Much more to come on that…



Sunflower Hybrids

I’m on the road again in August to visit customers in the East this month to learn as much as I can about what’s driving business right now and how Dos Gringos can help. Several DG Business Development Managers will be moving about the country as well to participate in various client shows and show off our current product lines.



Shout-out!
I’ll end with a quick shout-out to all the wholesalers I had a chance to catch up with at Fun ‘n Sun in July. I thoroughly enjoyed being back in touch with old friends and being on the floor to hear what’s going on in that market. “Faster and fresher to final destination” is a big priority of The California Flower Association, and of course, ours too. We see lots of opportunity for getting Dos Gringos bouquets into smaller, regional markets of the country, and we know some of our wholesalers can help. We’re working on it!


Sunflower Project Blossoms in Japan in Aftermath of eathquakesFrom Fukushima to all over Japan. They have now sent seeds to 13,000 locations in Japan and people are growing them all over.

700 Bouquets Donated to Military Hospitals and Care Homes!


Garden club volunteers from all over San Diego gathered at Dos Gringos and, combined with a group from South County made 700 bouquets which were distributed to military hospitals and care homes from the donated flowers from the show.



Charlotte Fan



Picture is of Charlotte Fan, North County Manager for MOW.

We donated all the tabletoppers and bouquets for their gala last month!




Annie, Jack, Melissa and Dog Traffic



Enjoy this last month before school starts – and start thinking fall flowers!



Signing off

Jason Levin

President & Chief Gringo





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