Blackwell Flower Shop News
Flower Power: Farm-to-Vase Movement Takes Root on Chicago's South and West Sides - WTTW News
Wednesday, July 29, 2020All of which serves as a prologue to the story of Eco House. Eco House founder Quilen Blackwell. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) Rain barrels are the sole source of water for the farm's irrigation system. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) Beehives at the farm. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) Lilies, biding their time before blooming. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) Southside Blooms' floral studio, in the basement of the Blackwells' home. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) What a Midwestern flower farm looks like, when spring bloomers are spent, and summer's are freshly planted. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) Southside Blooms seasonal spring bouquet. (Southside Blooms) Eco House upends pretty much everything we just told you about the flower industry. Here’s a farm with land located not in South America but the South and West sides of Chicago. Flowers are grown outdoors in the dirt on formerly vacant lots in Englewood, Woodlawn and West Garfield Park, and then sold directly to consumers.That’s not just one but a series of seemingly quixotic choices.Yet Eco House founder Quilen Blackwell looks at his fraction of acreage and sees not a fool’s errand but the seeds of what could be Chicago’s own Napa Valley, a thriving homegrown industry built from the ground up, one stem at a time.“We hope we can scale this up, that one day the ghetto as we know it is gone and it becomes a place of abundance and prosperity and peace,” Blackwell said.Here’s why the idea could actually succeed.Eco House is part of the blossoming slow flowers movement, which sprung up in the last decade as the farm-to-vase equivalent of the farm-to-table concept. Across the country, intrepid farmers are reviving the long dormant traditions of growing flowers locally and seasonally, bringing back practices abandoned decades (and in some cases centuries) ago.Visit one of the Eco House farms in early spring, and daffodils, hyacinths and tulips will be flow... https://news.wttw.com/2020/07/08/slow-flower-movement-chicago-eco-house
Growing A Community’s Future, One Flower At A Time - CBS Chicago
Tuesday, October 22, 2019I’m just glad to be here and I’m just trying to make a change to my community and to the world,” Richardson said.He’s one of the employees at Chicago Eco House. Quilen Blackwell is the president and founder of the organization.“The whole point of this project is to create jobs for local youth and young adults on the South and West sides of Chicago, reduce blight, and convert vacant lots into viable economic spaces,” Blackwell said.Currently, Chicago Eco House has four farms in Chicago; two in Woodlawn, one in Englewood, one on the West Side. But there are plans to get more unused spaces to plant bulbs and bring in bucks to help those in the community.In the Englewood garden, a double lot is used to grow brilliant zinnias, soft snapdragons, and more; including tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. Blackwell said the flowers are direct-to-consumer through Southside Blooms, a floral company that provides arrangements small and large for individuals and events.For Richardson, being surrounded by beautiful flowers gives him a calming feeling and he said the experience has changed his life. His favorite is the red-orange zinnia that has a bloom as big as a baseball.“It takes teamwork to maintain a garden. It’s like a baby. It takes a family, it takes a community to build,” said Robinson. “So that’s what we’re trying to do. To build more (Chicago) Eco House eco-farms across the world.”The organization has also launched a Kickstarter site to raise funds for its e-commerce flower shop.For more information on buying flowers from Chicago Eco House, visit the Southside Blooms website for details on pricing, availability, and flowers for 2020. https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/10/22/growing-a-communitys-future-one-flower-at-a-time/
Tropical Storm Florence: Couple reschedules wedding due to storm, donates flowers to cancer patients
Monday, October 01, 2018Riser said. Atrium Health’s Laura Blackwell called it a bright spot for patients, WSOC reported. “The patients were thrilled when they saw all the beautiful flowers being brought in. We’re happy to know that they were going to (be) able to get those flowers when they left today from their infusion,” she said. While North Carolina remains under the cloud of now-Tropical Storm Florence, the patients who took home those fresh flowers will have a reminder that there are good things in the world. “To think they would be so generous that they would want to contribute to the community and be so concerned about the joy of people they didn’t know is pretty special,” Blackwell said. “That doesn’t happen very often and it’s always a blessing to be able to see that.” © 2018 Cox Media Group. ... https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/national/tropical-storm-florence-couple-reschedules-wedding-due-storm-donates-flowers-cancer-patients/iyeQCq2bXFdvbq3IkJeipL/
NC couple reschedules wedding due to Florence; donates flowers to cancer patients
Monday, October 01, 2018SATURDAY UPDATES: Social media captures Florence's push inland] Atrium Health’s Laura Blackwell called it a bright spot for patients. “The patients were thrilled when they saw all the beautiful flowers being brought in. We’re happy to know that they were going to able to get those flowers when they left today from their infusion,” she said. Hurricane content: A warmer world makes hurricanes wetter and more intense Mother, infant, among several killed by Hurricane Florence Florence could dump enough rain to fill the Chesapeake Bay WHAT'S HAPPENING: Rain still in the forecast from Florence Regulators keep watch on toxic waste sites during hurricane Hurricane Florence to test South Carolina infrastructure Snakes alive! As waters rise, beware of reptiles Birds thrown from vehicle while being transported from the coast 'We are coming to get you': Crews work to rescue residents from rising flood waters 5 hacks to keep your smartphone charged during a power outage 'Threat becomes reality': Florence begins days of rain, wind 2 years after disastrous flood, Florence scares small town Verizon Wireless, other companies offer free service to those impacted by storm a href="https://www.wso... https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/nc-couple-reschedules-wedding-due-to-florence-donates-flowers-to-cancer-patients/834688189
Brookdale Riverwalk seniors, staff hand out flowers, kindness - The Bakersfield Californian
Tuesday, February 27, 2018It made my day. I’m sure it’ll make other people’s days, too,” she said.While making people’s days a little brighter was a major focus of the event, resident Juanita Blackwell said getting out of Brookdale Riverwalk also does a lot of good for the residents’ health, physically, emotionally and spiritually.“We need to be out with other people. We need to be out doing something,” she said. “You can feel pretty hemmed in if you just stay here all the time. You can get to feeling old. Just because I’m 90 doesn’t mean I need to feel old.”Newman said participating in events like Random Acts of Kindness Day makes the residents feel that they are making a difference in the community, even if it’s a small, short-lived one.“It isn’t just the recipient who feels better. I think the giver is rewarded even more,” she said. “To think you’ve made someone, even if for a very brief time, enjoy the day more and feel better about themselves is a great thing.”Brookdale Senior Living Inc. operates senior living communities throughout the United States. The company operates independent- and assisted-living centers, dementia-care facilities, and continuing-care retirement centers.Brookdale also offers outpatient therapy, home health and hospice services. http://www.bakersfield.com/news/brookdale-riverwalk-seniors-staff-hand-out-flowers-kindness/article_27f66b80-1367-11e8-b4fa-8b9f862d8db6.html
Audrey Cleary Bailey, 76, advocated for military families - Port City Daily
Wednesday, December 02, 2020Capt. Bailey’s last years. Gracie would go on to serve Mrs. Bailey in her last years.Survivors include her three children, retired U.S. Cmdr. Navy Todd E. Bailey, and his wife, Anita, of Norman, Oklahoma, Deborah B. Stakelum, and her husband, Kevin, of Prospect, Kentucky, and Leigh Ann Cumberland, and her husband, Jeff, of Chaplin, Connecticut; and seven grandchildren, Ali, Tyler, T.J., Brigid, Molly, Eddie and Caelan. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, retired U.S. Navy Reserve Capt. Harry E. Bailey.At her direction, no local services will be held. A service and interment will be held in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Paws4People/Paws4Vets.Share online condolences with the family at Peacock-Newnam & White Funeral and Cremation Service. https://portcitydaily.com/obits/2020/11/30/audrey-cleary-bailey-76-advocated-for-military-families/
Sit Down with Amy McCord Jones of Flower Moxie - Invest Courier
Wednesday, December 02, 2020After buying the flowermoxie.com domain in 2014, Amy McCord Jones has grown Flower Moxie into a thriving online business. Along with Amy, four other women run the business, based in Oklahoma City.Under Amy McCord Jones’ leadership, Flower Moxie maintains a cheeky and inclusive company culture. They want every bride that hires them to feel that their weddings are special, because they are. You don’t have to shell out a boatload of cash to celebrate your wedding. In the company’s words, your wedding “still counts even if it doesn’t include a sword juggler or Sia swinging on a chandelier.”Amy McCord Jones also takes great pride in running Flower Moxie as a responsive company. After all, responding to customers promptly is an essential quality of a successful online business. You can check up on the company to make sure you get your florist-grade flowers on time.As a veteran wedding planner, Amy McCord Jones will make sure you get the flowers want, through Flower Moxie. Read more inspiring interviews with successful entrepreneurs here. Jerome Knyszewski: Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’Amy McCord Jones: Have you seen the Hulu bum-clencher, Pen15? Add Christian rap and poor country girl to Anna Konkle’s character and you’ll understand the allure of my younger self.My backstory does not resemble a ladder, a straight path, or a ‘get your degree and enter the job market’ sitch. It’s much more of a 20+ years of pent-up underdog rumbling around in my tummy kind of story.Nobody expected much from me as a kid. I wasn’t a strong student or particularly ‘hawt.’ I had bologna in my school lunches, never Lunchables. I have only recently admitted to sewing imposter Guess labels into my mom-made jeans. But I have grown stupidly proud of my scrappy nobody existence. When you have nothing to lose, you f*cking leap.I was curious, prone to boredom, high... https://www.investcourier.com/interviews/14774/sit-down-with-amy-mccord-jones-of-flower-moxie/
Specialty florist Mia Fiori moves to new Plano location - Community Impact Newspaper
Monday, August 24, 2020Community Impact Newspaper. A Fort Worth native and Baylor University graduate, Daniel reported previously for The Associated Press in Oklahoma City and The Dallas Morning News. ... https://communityimpact.com/dallas-fort-worth/plano/impacts/2020/08/24/specialty-florist-mia-fiori-moves-to-new-plano-location/
Flowering trees in full bloom - Westside Eagle Observer
Thursday, April 02, 2020Another tree with colorful blooms is the eastern redbud, the state tree of Oklahoma, with its reddish-violet flowers, showcased in downtown Decatur around the depot and log cabin area, as well as in many places in Gravette, Gentry and the surrounding area.Take a little time with the family to explore the beauty that springtime has to offer. Whether it be trees, bushes or simple houseplants, all are here to savor and enjoy.General News on 04/01/2020... https://www.eagleobserver.com/news/2020/apr/01/flowering-trees-in-full-bloom-20200401/