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Ham Lake couple trust God as they grow family flower farm business - The Catholic Spirit

Kristen, left, and Jonah with their three children: Chiara, left, John Paul and Lilly." data-medium-file="https://i1.wp.com/thecatholicspirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Flower-farmers-3.jpg?fit=300%2C202&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i1.wp.com/thecatholicspirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Flower-farmers-3.jpg?fit=550%2C370&ssl=1" class="size-full wp-image-92650" src="https://i1.wp.com/thecatholicspirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Flower-farmers-3.jpg?resize=550%2C370" alt width="550" height="370" srcset="https://i1.wp.com/thecatholicspirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Flower-farmers-3.jpg?w=550&ssl=1 550w, https://i1.wp.com/thecatholicspirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Flower-farmers-3.jpg?resize=300%2C202&ssl=1 300w" sizes="(max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px" data-recalc-dims="1" Kristen, left, and Jonah with their three children: Chiara, left, John Paul and Lilly. DAVE HRBACEK THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT“There are some Black-eyed Susans over here that I love,” Kristen Carlstrom said as she walked toward rows of yellow-petaled flowers with their signature chocolate-colored center. She cr... https://thecatholicspirit.com/news/local-news/ham-lake-couple-trust-god-as-they-grow-family-flower-farm-business/

Philadelphia case shouldn't stop Supreme Court from taking floral artist case | TheHill - The Hill

Supreme Court’s recent decision to hear Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. That case gives the court the opportunity to affirm the commonsense right of religious nonprofits, like Catholic Social Services, to act in accordance with their religious beliefs when placing children in foster homes. In a country founded on principles of religious freedom, Catholic Social Services should be headed for a decisive win.But when it comes to protecting religious liberty, the Supreme Court shouldn’t stop at Fulton. The time has come to take up the case of a Washington florist who has been persecuted by the state because she refused to use her expressive and artistic talents to create a message supporting a same-sex wedding that contravenes her sincere religious beliefs.Why all the drama about Catholic foster services and religious florists? It goes back to a promise the Supreme Court made in the landmark 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. That case famously found in the Constitution a right to same-sex marriage. But what’s often overlooked is the court’s insistence in that decision that people of faith who disagree with same-sex marriage could live by their faith without interference.ADVERTISEMENTBarr... https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/486124-philadelphia-case-shouldnt-stop-supreme-court-from-taking-floral-artist

The Gardeners Who Planted for US Presidents - Prescott eNews

Alexander McKerichar (Served 1865–1875, under Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and Ulysses Grant) Born in Perthshire, Scotland, he learned the trade as an apprentice in the gardens of the Duke of Atholl, near Dunkeld. In 1856 McKerichar was hired as a foreman under John Watt, taking on the role of head gardener nine years later. Known for his hothouse grapes, he also raised off-season Caledonian cucumbers for President Grant. Like the gardeners before him, he resigned from the White House to open a garden center in Alexandria, Virginia.George Field (Served 1875–1877, under Ulysses Grant.) The first English gardener at the White House, Field's floral fame came after he left the White House. He opened a garden center on Georgia Avenue NW with his brother Thomas. Field was responsible for naming and promoting the 'American Beauty' rose, originally selected on historian George Bancroft's estate as 'La Madame Ferdinande Jamin.' Field supplied the cattleya orchids for Alice Roosevelt Longworth's bridal bouquet in 1906. The Washington Post described him as an orchid specialist. He was an active member of the Florist Club of Washington. In 1916, he sold his stock of orchid plants for $15,000.Henry Pfister (Served 1877–1902, under Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt.) A native of Zurich, Switzerland, Pfister trained in the conservatories of a Swiss banker and at the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. He made his way to Cincinnati and then to Washington, where he was hired under Hayes. Pfister managed the greenhouses, designed and planted the ornamental beds around the White House lawns, and provided all indoor floral and plant decorations, including the wedding of Grover Cleveland and Frances Folsom. He later opened his own florist and landscape design business on Connecticut Avenue.George Hay Brown (Served 1902–1909, under Theodore Roosevelt.) The son of a landscape gardener in Perthshire, Scotland, where he learned the family trade. In 1850, the family immigrated to the United States. In 1858, Brown took a job in Washington D.C. at the government experimental gardens. During the Civil War, he served with the Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans. By 1890 he was back in Washington D.C. as a public gardener with the War Department. Brown worked on the Capitol grounds, city parks, and the government propagating gardens and greenhouses near the Washington Monument, as well as the White House. He taught Theodore Roosevelt's children how to propagate plants in his greenhouses.Charles Henlock (Served 1909–1931, under William Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover.) A Yorkshireman, and proud of his horticultural training, having worked for Lord Mowbray in Yorkshire, Lord Denbigh in Warwickshire, and Lord Harrington in Derbyshire before spending five years with the Royal Horticultural Society. Henlock arrived in Washington D.C. just before President Cleveland's wedding in 1886 and was hired as a foreman gardener at the White House, and grew to the propagating gardens and city parks. Henlock was the White House head gardener in 1909, where he was responsible for the first shipment of cherry trees sent from Japan as well as the successful plantings around the Tidal Basin.William Saunders Reeves (Served 1931–1945, under Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt. https://www.prescottenews.com/index.php/features/columnists/mountain-gardener/item/34856-the-gardeners-who-planted-for-u-s-presidents

Funeral Is Monday For Ooltewah Man Who Was Killed In His Front Yard - The Chattanoogan

The family will receive friends on Sunday from 4-8 p.m. at the East Brainerd Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home. A funeral mass will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Stephen Catholic Church, 7111 Lee Highway, with Father Christopher Manning officiating.   A reception will follow. Interment will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Chattanooga National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org. Arrangements are by the East Brainerd Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist, 8214 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421. ... https://www.chattanoogan.com/2020/1/10/402247/Funeral-Is-Monday-For-Ooltewah-Man-Who.aspx

'No regrets': Longtime Sioux Falls florist leaves legacy of success - Argus Leader

In addition to running his own business, he was involved in the Lions Club and helped found the South Dakota Floral Association. According to his obituary, Gustaf was also a devoted Catholic who served at Christ the King Catholic Church in Sioux Falls and later St. Mary. "One thing he always said was, 'Get out into the community. The town supports you if you support the town,'" Jean said. Although he never went to college, Gustaf valued education. He made time to teach floral design at Southeast Technical Institute for several years and would often mentor other florists, along with attending every floral convention he could find. "He was never afraid to die, but he just wasn’t quite ready to leave this party," his obituary read. Gustaf's death comes only nine days after that of his daughter Emily Gustaf, who died at age 37. Despite having a brain injury since babyhood, Emily lived a life that was "big and bold," according to her obituary. She participated in Special Olympics for many years and took home a gold medal in swimming from the 1999 International Special Olympics. "She could talk to anyone about anything," Emily's obituary read. "She was quick to love and slow to judge."   Pat Gustaf's funeral will be held at St. Mary Catholic Church on Saturday at 10:30 a.m., with visitation scheduled for Friday at 4:30 p.m. at St. Mary. Although his illness made it difficult for him to work as it progressed, Jean said Pat never wanted to slow down. When he was unable to go into the shop during rounds of chemotherapy, he set up a small studio in his home where he continued making silk bouquets for as long as he could. That dogged perseverance was what served him all his life, allowing him to continue a decades-long career in the floral business.  "That's probably his legacy: Keep trying," Jean said.  When the Argus Leader spoke with Pat as he closed up his shop last December, he said that more than anything, he was thankful for the customers who made his business the long-lasting success that it was. "I got to do what I love for 42 years," Gustaf said. "I want them to know how grateful I am – grateful from the bottom of my heart."... https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/business-journal/2019/10/31/longtime-sioux-falls-florist-leaves-legacy-success-gustafs-greenery/2501479001/

Massachusetts relaxes rules on florists, car dealers, other businesses - SouthCoastToday.com

Massachusetts relaxes rules on florists, car dealers, other businesses  SouthCoastToday.comCoronavirus restrictions on Massachusetts florists, retail ease ahead of Mother's Day  Boston HeraldFlowers for Mom: Baker loosens retail restrictions prior to May 18  Boston Business JournalFlorists allowed to fulfill orders ahead of Mother’s Day in Massachusetts — with some restrictions  MassLive.comBaker Eases Tight Restrictions on Floral Shops, Garden Businesses Ahead of Mother’s Day  nbcboston.comView Full Coverage on Google News... https://www.southcoasttoday.com/news/20200505/massachusetts-relaxes-rules-on-florists-car-dealers-other-businesses

Winston Flowers is closing three retail florist shops - The Boston Globe

Boston Design Studio and Winston Flowers & Garden center in Chestnut Hill.“While we are downsizing our portfolio of retail stores throughout Massachusetts, this is definitely not goodbye,” the owners wrote. “While it saddens us that we will not be a daily presence in your community, we hope to remain a constant presence in your lives.”Janelle Nanos can be reached at janelle.nanos@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @janellenanos. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/05/28/business/winston-flowers-is-closing-three-retail-florist-shops/

On Mother’s Day, Mass. Florists Struggle to Meet Demand - nbcboston.com

Florists in Massachusetts struggled to meet the demand for flowers this weekend as families observed Mother's Day, Sunday. Many florists stopped taking orders for Mother’s Day after selling out. Central Square Florist in Cambridge was one of the few still taking orders and delivering.Herbert Berg Florist in Worcester said demand was too high because they are short staffed and have a limited supply. "When we all closed up the beginning of March and April, nobody was buying flowers so the suppliers had nowhere to sell them to," said Sally Jablonski, owner of Herbert Berg Florist. "They were just dumping all the flowers."Gov. Charlie Baker allowed florists and some other non-essential businesses to open — on a remote basis — in time for Mother’s Day, but some business owners said it wasn’t enough time to prepare.Some businesses, however, got creative to make the day special. Monument Restaurant in Charlestown partnered with a local florist, Junebug, to create dozens of pre-ordered breakfas... https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/businesses-adjust-to-mothers-day-during-pandemic/2121803/

At Christmas time, poinsettias for everyone who mattered - The Boston Globe

He travels as far north as Wells, Maine, (“That’s where the owners of the Valerie’s Restaurant in Ogunquit are buried. They used to make Caesar salad right at the table.”); and as far south as the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne where Dennis LeFort, one of his best friends, is buried (“He was a Frenchman”). It takes him a week to make the flower arrangements, (“I make each bow myself”) and a week to deliver them. He says he doesn’t mind. “It’s nice to remember all the good people I’ve known.”The day we drive to Everett, his poinsettias are already on all of the graves. He finished early this year, Dec. 1. “Which cemetery do you want to go to so I can see your work?” I ask him, thinking he’ll choose someplace close to where he lives in Quincy. But he chooses Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett because that’s where most of his family is buried and where he will be buried. His stone is already engraved, he tells me.Fred was diagnosed with cancer this year. But he insists he’s in great shape for the shape he’s in. The cancer is gone (“That’s what they say”), and after some hard months, he has his strength back. Most of it, at least. This day he says, with a shrug and a smile, “If this is my last Christmas, I’m gonna enjoy it.” Then he eases himself into my car, propping his cane between his knees.AdvertisementHe tells me stories as I drive. At the cemetery, he tells me more stories. He points to his brothers’ graves. One is a World War II veteran. The other a veteran of Korea. “There were six of us,” he says. “Boy, girl, boy, girl. Boy, girl. I’m the only one left.”There’s snow on the ground and the snow has buried his poinsettias. He walks slowly with his cane and points to where the flowers should be. I dig and find five red flowers in one spot, and five more in another.Next we head to his parents’ grave. “My dad was 56 when he died. My mom died 29 years ago on Sept. 8. I come here every Saturday morning after I go to the Market Basket. I cruise by and say hello to my brothers and sister. I say, “I’m here, Bob! I’m here Mel and Ruth and John!”That’s what he does at Christmas. He stops and says, “I’m here!” He stands at the graves of all the people who were important in his life and says, “Merry Christmas. I’ll never forget you.” And, with a tip of his hat, “I’ll see you one of these days.”AdvertisementBeverly Beckham’s column appears every two weeks. She can be reached at bev@beverlybeckham.com. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/globelocal/2019/12/11/christmas-time-poinsettias-for-everyone-who-mattered/rMrpN2ISnDXX7pdSDe0fXN/story.html