Ash Grove, MO Florists

Ash Grove Flower Shop News

Society of American Florists Past President Mel Schwanke Dies at 92 - Greenhouse Grower

Dec. 17, 2018, at the age of 92.Schwanke served as the executive director of the Nebraska Florist Society for more than 50 years and was also the Executive Director of NeMoKan — the Nebraska Missouri and Kansas Florist Association Convention, held annually for many years. He served on numerous committees, including the Retail Florists Council for SAF, and helped to create the American Floral Endowment for research and education in the flower industry.AdvertisementMel and Joey, his surviving wife of 70 years, were known throughout the floral industry for many years for their passion and dedication. They were also known as the famous matching couple, having dressed in coordinating outfits at industry events and everyday in Joey’s family business, Greens Greenhouses Inc.Schwanke served as a Marine in World War II and was awarded the Purple Heart for his service. He is survived by his wife Joey, and children Jo Heinz, Cindy McKown, and J Schwanke, along with four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Ludvigsens Funeral Home in Fremont, NE, is in charge of the services. Visitation will be Thursday Dec. 20.Brian Sparks is senior editor of Greenhouse Grower and editor of Greenhouse Grower Technology. See all author stories here. https://www.greenhousegrower.com/management/saf-past-president-mel-schwanke-dies-at-92/

Christmas gift ideas 2018: Here is our Springfield holiday shopping guide - Springfield News-Leader

Springfield and the surrounding region. As in years past, the News-Leader asked for reader suggestions and sifted through as much of the Missouri Ozarks as possible to come up with a totally local gift guide. With a very few exceptions — nationally published books, products that needed access to open-source manufacturing — everything in this guide is made and sold in the Ozarks. We've also added a list of 11 "best-kept-secret" boutiques. They're all great independent, local shopping destinations. While you're planning shopping trips, take a look at recent editions of the totally local gift guide. More:Springfield, here's our totally local gift guide for Christmas and holidays 2017 More: Here's a shortlist of great sources for gifts made close to home (2016) Hardwoods are good Aaron Black teaches business at Southwest Baptist University. He also recently started Native Range, a brand of hardwood objects for the home that he makes at his place in north Springfield. https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2018/11/19/local-christmas-gift-ideas-holiday-shopping-2018-springfield-madeintheozarks/1578867002/

The Art of Flowers: Carolyne Roehm will speak about her career in fashion, design and gardening

I’ll be speaking about flowers and gardening, in the context of every medium in which I have worked.”Her love of all things floral started when she was young. Growing up in Missouri, she remembers playing on her grandparents’ farm, in the garden and with the animals.“As a little girl I played dress- up and played florist,” she said. “My heart and soul is really in the outdoors and nature.”Roehm, 67, started her career as a fashion designer in New York City, working for Oscar de la Renta before opening her own fashion house. But the love of nature never left her, and after 22 years she took a hiatus from the world of fashion to learn a new craft, taking an unpaid stint working at a flower shop in Paris.There, she learned the intricacies of designing perfect bouquets and floral arrangements.“I kind of took a sabbatical and decided I wanted to do things I’d never had time to do before,” she said.It was a whole new kind of design, but in many ways, she said, it was familiar.“To me, there is no difference. Flowers and nature teach us about color, about proportion, about line texture, about composition,” she said.She went on to write 13 books, combining her love of gardens, fashion and interior design. Her latest book, “Design & Style: A Constant Thread,” published Sept. 25 by Rizzoli, is part memoir, part photo-laden coffee table book, mixing stories from her life and career with images of her gardens and design work.“I wanted to show this relations... https://www.thegazette.com/subject/life/books/the-art-of-flowers-carolyne-roehm-will-speak-about-her-career-in-fashion-design-and-gardening-20181027

Poultry Plant Controversy Signaled Tonganoxie's Demographic Transformation

More than a million chickens grown, fed, and slaughtered in one area can stink. The water. In fact, Tyson paid millions of dollars in settlements for clean water violations in Missouri. Tyson promised 1,600 jobs, most in the $13 to $15 per hour range. Many worried these jobs wouldn’t match the changing work force here: increasingly white-collar professionals, business owners or managers. Some felt folks here wouldn’t want jobs in a poultry plant, and that Tyson would fill them with inmates or immigrants. Loralee Stevens said Tyson brass tried to win her over when she saw them in town. She, in turn, tried to explain Tonganoxie to them. “This is an A-plus town “ she told them. “(We’re) not a match. We’re right in the middle of the beautiful Kaw Valley.” What also fueled resentment was that residents felt the wool had been pulled over their eyes as plans were being made. Officials had signed a non-disclosure agreement, not uncommon in negotiations of this size, but many felt talks were happening secretly. Facebook pages, Twitter and Instagram exploded with a protest movement. Free-roaming barnyard chickens appeared on T-shirts. "No Tyson In Tongie" signs were scrawled in huge letters on homes, trucks and barns. Becky Pruitt said the majority of people in Tonganoxie were against the proposal.  “And they were angry,” she said. “Nobody knew this was happening. In my opinion it felt like ‘Who do our elected officials work for? Do they work for the community or do they work for Tyson?’” Company officials declined to be interviewed, but via email referred me to their press release. A spokesman went on to write that “environmental stewardship is a core value of Tyson Foods' business philosophy and commitment to sustainability.” As for hiring, the company wrote that “we would hope to hire from as many local communities as possible .... we have zero tolerance for employing anyone who is not authorized to work in the U.S.” Tyson supporters Councilwoman Kara Reed had a different experience. We met with Reed and two other local women around her dining-room table. The air was saturated with the smell of fresh blueberry bread and hot coffee. These women said people had told them they wanted to learn more about the potential benefits of the Tyson proposal, but were intimidated by what felt like an anti-Tyson mob mentality. Reed said elected officials were on the receiving end of an absurd amount of hostility. “You know, I live here too; it’s my home,” she said. “It just made me incredibly sad to see that kind of hatred, really, directed to people that I’ve worked with for years and that I know, even though I don’t always agree with them, have the best interest of Tonganoxie at heart.” Reed said she and her family had hoped to stay in Tonganoxie permanently. But she changed her mind after she began to feel unsafe leaving city council meetings. She started to worry about the safety of her husband and children. It’s never bothered Reed that Tonganoxie is 95 p... http://kcur.org/post/poultry-plant-controversy-signaled-tonganoxies-demographic-transformation