Yes, I’m a big fan of field trips, even when they include everyday places like grocery stores, pet shops and libraries. To quote Richard Scarry, I always wonder, “What Do People Do All Day?” Today we visited a teeny tiny local florist, The Farmer’s Wife. Here are some fun things we learned:
- During non-peak seasons this 3-person shop delivers 25 to 30 arrangements a day.
- It takes each florist an average of 12 minutes to complete an arrangements. (Boy do I feel slow, considering blog posts sometimes consume the better part of an hour.)
- Orders come in from a variety of sources, including FTD, 1800-Flowers.com, Teleflora, telephone and in-person orders.
- Each order is written on a ticket and passed to the designer. It reminded me of a restaurant kitchen. Order up!
- The refrigerator, where the flower arrangements sit ready for delivery, is about 38 degrees.
- If you want your flowers to last longer, change the water every day. If the leaves or petals start to droop, score the stems and immediately return the flowers to the water.
The children had fun literally smelling the roses. And everybody went home with a carnation.
Kirsten W. Larson 
I think almost any rip can be made into a fun event with young children. They are so inquisitive. What fun to find out more about a florist’s tasks!
Joanna, I agree completely. I think the everyday can be very interesting, especially for young children. I try to remember that when I write.
Great field trip! Experiences like this are so important for little children! Thanks for the flower shop facts!
Thanks Eric. It was fun. I just can’t believe it only takes the florist 12 minutes to do an arrangement, especially when I agonize over every word of my books!