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The Original Flower Farmers

(Harpers Weekly/Hathitrust Archives)

My sister and fellow horticulturist Wambui Ippolito sent me this picture and my jaw dropped. It is something I have waited yearzzzz to see. I had read about the legendary flower sellers in Washington D.C. and never seen a picture of what they looked like–until now! Today we call these women (and men) Flower Farmers. Type Flower Farmer into Google images and tell me how many black women you see. I’ll wait……

This picture is from June 1870 (spoiler alert y’all–we ain’t new to this!) The ladies appearance marked the arrival of spring in Washington, D.C. long before the famed cherry blossoms. (If you have followed me long enough you know we can thank an African-American botanist, Roland Jefferson for saving those trees too!)

Flower sellers, sometimes called peddlers or vendors, grew flowers on their rural land and brought them into cities like D.C., Richmond, and to this day Charleston. These women represent so much more to me then spring. They represent resilience, direction, and purpose. The rough path I’ve walked for 20 years as a horticulturist has long been laid with beautiful flower petals. And these are the women I get to thank. The original Flower Farmers. (and Thank you Wambui!)

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A not so futuristic survival kit??

(pic from DesignBoom/ChiuChih)

“Although this futuristic survival kit may seem a bit extreme for right now, it also has current practical applications. If someone had difficulties breathing, they may be able to use this in order to be able to breathe more freely.”

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Back in 2013 Chiu Chih, a fictional reality designer from Taiwan, created this backpack with a plant in it after realizing a lack of breathable air may be the first problem we face if the apocalypse ever were to happen. The breathing apparatus that is attached to the backpack allows you to breath fresh oxygen.

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Chiu Chih is certainly a designer ahead of the times. If there is any silver lining to the current events of today—I certainly look forward to the art, technology, inventions, etc. that will be created from all of this.

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(Photo credits @designboom @chiu.chih)

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Mahalia’s House of Flowers

from Wikipedia- Jackson in the Concertgebouw (April 1961)

Things are tough right now but if we dig deep we can still find a way to make a joyful noise! And why is that you say? Like to hear it here it go…

Besides being the Queen of Gospel and one of the most celebrated singers in the world, our good sis Mahalia Jackson also found time to conquer the soil! An astute business woman Mrs. Jackson owned a lucrative floral shop “Mahalia’s House of Flowers” on the South Side of Chicago. Clients bought the flowers as long as she promised to sing at funerals and Mahalia Jackson happily obliged them.

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Blog Culture

IS THIS WHAT WE ARE DOING TO COLLARD GREENS NOW??

I’m convinced if I ate even one bite of this, my ancestors would raise from the dead to curse my entire being and permanently revoke every horticultural skill in my body. As a self respecting Southerner—somebody please walk me through how collard greens, coleslaw, Russian dressing, Swiss cheese, and rye bread end up in a sandwich together?? If you are putting home grown collards in grilled cheese sandwiches you are dead wrong. May the Hex of Celie wreak havoc on your collard crop and your stomach. For real!