The Rural Voice, 1993-01, Page 27when they sold to a supplier, the
Boumans knew for sure they'd get
their money under the auction system
but seeing one Toad of flowers they
thought was worth $1500 go for $480
convinced them they needed to
find a new wholesaler. This fall
they found a new wholesaler in
the Niagara area. Now each
Monday night Luke takes the
couple's van, filled with
flowers, to Fenwick, returning about
midnight.
Their new wholesaler ships much
of the crop into the northeastern
United States. The Boumans are
pleased to be shipping into a larger
market.
Price and quality are important in
producing flowers. After picking, the
Boumans grade their flowers as No.
1, 2 or 3, depending on the number of
buds on the stalks, the stalk strength
and straightness. Unlike selling a
product like corn or soybeans, the
grower's name and reputation goes
along with the flowers, they say.
"You have to say, 'Hey, look at what
we've got.' If you don't have
confidence in the product you're
selling you're going to have trouble
selling it at a profit," Luke says.
Like most farm products, turning a
profit has been difficult in the last
few years of recession. Flowers are
one of the things people may cut back
on in tougher times. In addition,
prices are undercut by imports. The
biggest competitors for Ontario
growers are in South America.
Flowers are packed and flown north
to North American markets, selling at
30 per cent of what locally grown
Alstroemerias sell for. The South
American flowers are picked and
shipped with the buds "tight" or
unopened. Consumers may not be
able to tell the difference, Luke says,
but flower shop owners and
wholesalers can see that the Ontario
flowers, picked later when the
blooms are open, are brighter. The
South Americans can save on the cost
of heating and lighting but Luke still
wonders how they can produce the
flowers and ship them by air and still
come in so cheap.
As the winter days fade and the
summer comes, aside from saying
goodbye to their heating and
electrical bills, the Boumans may be
the only farmers in their area sorry to
see the summer coming. "The fun
wears off fast in summer," Luke says
about working in the greenhouse
under the blazing sun. The plastic is
treated with a whitewash to reflect
some of the sun and heat but
still they get up at 6 a.m. so
they can get out by 10 a.m.
"When you're bringing in 30 -
degree air, it's just like sitting
in a car with the windows
closed."
The heat of the seasons, though,
also brings a slowdown in
production. Some greenhouses run
Drive past
Boumans' farm in
the daytime, it looks
like any other farm
on the concession.
At night, the amber
light from the
greenhouse has
startled motorists
who think
something may be
on fire.
pipes through the soil and circulate
cold water to cool the roots of the
plants and maintain production. The
Boumans have the pipes in place but
haven't the necessary equipment.
The cost of setting up a
greenhouse operation isn't that far
out of line from a normal farming
operation. "I know what it was going
to cost to modemize our barn to stay
in the pig business but I thought it
more made more sense to expand the
greenhouse.
"I haven't missed pig farming
enough to go back into it."0
Established 1884 ATWOOD, ONTARIO
Coverage for Farm, Home and Auto.
For information contact the agent in your area.
Ostic Insurance Brokers Arthur 519-848-3912
Smith Insurance Brokers Arthur 519-848-3938
Leslie Insurance Listowel 519-291-5444
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Harristan
Milverton
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519-356-2873 519-356-9029
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Waterloo
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Monkton
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HEAD OFFICE — 130 John Street, Atwood, Ontario, NOG 160
Phone: (519)356-2582 1-800-265-2389
JANUARY 1993 23