Yoshimi Shibata: 100 Years of Flower Growing

Shimi Shibata celebrates his 100^th

Two weekends ago, I accompanied my mother, Uncle Ted, Auntie Heidi and Cousin Barbara to celebrate Shimi Shibata’s 100^th birthday celebration in Palo Alto. 

Yoshimi Shibata, Uncle Ted and Grace Shibata

For those who don’t know Shimi, he was the President of Mt Eden Nursery and Mt Eden Wholesale Florist. 

Shimi has accomplishments that are too long to list, but it is not an exaggeration to say that the Northern California flower business flourished because of his support of immigrant flower growers, and developing the technology to ship flowers across the country.  

Rob and Alex Shibata (Shimi's son and grandson)

Andy, Mrs. Matsui, Uncle Ted and Jun Uchida

Much of the Kitayama Brothers’ success was the result of their relationship with Shimi and his family.  My father Ray came to Northern California after WW II ended because he heard the Shibatas were hiring Japanese-Americans, not everybody was so willing after WWII.  Shimi shared his knowledge and wisdom with my father and uncles who used this experience to open their own nursery.

Over the years, we may have been competitors but there was always the respect and knowledge of how much Shimi helped our family.  

On his 100^th we all offer Shimi our thanks and continued health.

Mike Suyeuyasu and Brad Beck

George Nishimura and Jack and Mrs. Van Namenlin

The Garcia Family came all the way from Atlanta!

RHK

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KB English Classes

Here is an update on a program spearheaded by Stuart Kitayama.  This is Stuart in his own words.

“We’ve been thinking about an English class for our employees for a long time, just never sure how it would work and who would be interested.   I know from living in Mexico how difficult another language can be, and how important it is to understand what is being said.  So when Genie Dee from the Literacy Program of Santa Cruz County said she could help us, I was intrigued.  

Genie was very positive and helpful, and it took several months before anything got going.  We started in the spring with 5 students, all foremen or higher level employees.  They were motivated and wanted to try the class.  Now they attend class twice a week for 2 hours. 

The best part is seeing the student’s excitement and satisfaction with the class and their teacher Bonnie Ott.  We see their confidence grow and they are more comfortable speaking English.  It’s very obvious that the students (Juana, Artemio, Brenda, Wilbert, and Jose Luis) enjoy the class and each other’s company.”

(Sitting: Juana and Wilbert. Standing: Brenda and Jose Luis. Center: Bonnie)

What is very gratifying to read is how well they are doing; this is an email from their teacher.

Dear Stuart,

Artemio, Juana, Brenda, Jose Luis and Wilbert are all excellent students – something I have never experienced in 30 years of university teaching!  Jose Luis has come the farthest. He was at Alfredo’s level when we began, and now he is near Juana. I think I know why:  one of their fill-in-the-blank exercises included “I am always _________.”  Jose Luis put ‘thinking’.

Such a delight your folks are.

Bonnie

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Sunset Beach Grown

American Grown: Maybe... CA Grown: Yes. 

Sunset Beach Grown: ABSOLUTELY!

This week’s blog is in reference to a new initiative by the California Cut Flower Commission to start an “American Grown” designation for American grown flowers.  I support CCFC and their “CA Grown” campaign has been a great campaign which Kitayama Brothers appreciates and takes advantage of.  We are examining the merits of an American Grown campaign and we don’t have enough information to have an opinion of its merit or potential.  However, I do have an opinion about Sunset Beach Grown flowers.  They are the best!!

I love America with our wacky government but I love California even more despite the regulations and water shortage.  I prefer Northern California over Southern California with our lack of movie stars and over-abundance of smug 20-something billionaires.  However, to pinpoint my very favorite place you have to come to Monterey Bay and find your way to Sunset Beach which is the best place to live and grow flowers on the planet.  I know I sometimes run counter to my friend Kasey’s ideas.  But instead of promoting all America, I want to promote the Sunset Beach “appellation” for the finest quality lilies, gerberas, lisianthus, snaps and gardenias.  Of course the Santa Maria, Carpinteria, Oxnard, Carlsbad areas are also nice, but for rich soil, amazing weather and nice people you can’t beat Sunset Beach.   

The local Santa Lucia Highlands and Santa Cruz Mountain appellations are producing very nice wine and getting recognized for their special attributes.  I just want to do the same for the Sunset Beach flower appellation.

~RHK

On the Table - Flowers & Wine

What is the future for Flower Farmers in the Watsonville/Salinas area? 

On July 18th, The California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC) sponsored this dinner meeting to "rally the farmers," and help with the Commission's Strategic Direction.

CCFC opened the meeting with a list of programs designed to bring the California Farms to the forefront of the Flower Industry. 

Approximately 17 Flower Handlers representing 10 Flower Farms met at Kitayama Brothers Nursery to discuss the challenges we all face.  

Sharing dinner and conversation among competing farms brought out the bond that holds us together.  There was a consensus of opinion that People make the difference. "We need new blood and new ideas" to make our farms work. The discussions evolved into bringing our children into the business and show them the excitement that farming can give.  

One new Flower Farmer, in business for less than a year, summed it up..."I wish everyone could see our flowers, they would buy it!”

~ Dave (pictures by Tony)

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Valentine's 2014 from the SF Market

The Kitayama Family has been very involved with the San Francisco Market for over 100 years. On my mother’s side, the Domoto family owned the flower shop that was the first location for the SF Market. 

For the past 65 years, KB has supplied flowers to various vendors in the market who are not only customers but friends.   

Below is a short video from my walk around the market on February 12, 2014.  There were a lot of buyers and a lot of flowers.  Almost nothing in the flower business matches the energy and atmosphere of the SF Market when it is “jumping” before the holiday.  

I enjoy talking to some of the old timers like Don Garibaldi and Rich Gatti, and at the same time admire the new energy and ideas of recent tenants such as Christina Stembel of FarmGirl Flowers.

I travel across the country visiting flower companies and flower markets.  

Hands down - San Francisco still has the best market.  

Northern Californians take the SF Market for granted, but I would embrace it.

It might not be here forever.   

KB Blog: Wine and Roses

Wine and Roses: Benefit for the Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust (pvhealthtrust.org)

A week ago, Kitayama Brothers sponsored a table for the Wine and Roses - 30th anniversary charity event.  10 KB staff and guests were able to spend a few hours at the Santa Cruz fairgrounds sampling the local wine and food of Santa Cruz County.  We enjoy eating and drinking while feeling good about ourselves.  Just about everyone I know in Watsonville comes to Wine and Roses.  

Here's a picture of Joe and Jim with Scott.  Joe worked with me at Cal Pacific Flowers 20 years ago, and now he sells flowers for himself.  Jim was Ryder Flowers; they had very interesting, novelty flowers.  I wish he still grew flowers locally. 

 

We see Natal with his Natal Port. KB sales manager Tony Scalisi goes a long way back with Natal.  He is a customer and supplier.  His port is sweet, but I like it.

 

It is nice to see KB Mass Market Manager Karen Nakamura, Grower Jimmy Zheng and HR Manager Maria Ledesma get out together.  I enjoy working, eating and drinking with them.

 

WATSONVILLE ROSES

Once upon a time, Watsonville, CA was the top rose growing area in the USA; Kitayama Brothers was the largest grower.  Today there is one rose grower left in Watsonville, Pajarosa who grows beautiful roses.  

Pajarosa Roses Here is a display of their roses. 

ROSES

Roses area my favorite flower.  I have flirted with peonies, iris, lilies, gardenias, lisianthus, gerberas, etc., but carnations and roses defined Kitayama Brothers. Roses are the Queen of Flowers.   

I predict before I leave Kitayama Brothers, we will grow roses again.

RHK

SF 49ers - Head Coach

Jim Harbaugh visits his alma mater:

My daughter goes to Palo Alto High School. Palo Alto is known for high tech, but it is also a sports hotbed.  A few years ago, Palo Alto HS won the State title in football by upsetting a much bigger Southern California powerhouse, Centennial HS. The game was played in the rain and because of tenacity and a little luck they pulled out the victory 15-13.  

I told the manager of Greenleaf Ft Worth that we had won the State title, and he was dumbfounded that I didn’t go to the game “clear eyes, full hearts, didn’t go?” 

 

A few weeks back I went to a game where one of their past quarterbacks, Jim Harbaugh came back to flip the coin. I am a big Jim Harbaugh fan; he has gone far since his Paly days. Across the street from Palo Alto HS at Stanford University he created a huge winning program with smart and disciplined players. He moved up the Peninsula where he is now coaching the 49ers. 

I believe this year the 49ers will peak just in time for the Super Bowl and beat his former pupil Andrew Luck. You heard it here first!

What does this have to do with flowers?  Well, if we had to grow flowers in Holland, South America or Southern California, we wouldn’t have good football to cheer for. (I know the Dutch will argue, but it’s not even the same game).  Therefore we need you to keep buying KB flowers so we can be here to support our Northern California teams.

Go Vikings, Go Cardinal, Go Niners!!    

RHK.