Meet Moira MacKinnon
Love & Fantasy Flowers started in 2017 when Moira and her partner had the opportunity to take over her grandparents' suburban home in Edmonton, Alberta. As the business grew, so did their growing space as they expanded gardens on a farm just west of Edmonton.Moira's commitment to Sustainable Farming and Design has taken her from St. Louis to New York City in pursuit of learning from some of the industry leaders.For her, flowers have a unique power to bring people and communities together. "Our flowers are for everyone. We stand in solidarity with our neighbours and work to uplift and create diverse spaces where LGBTQ2S+ and BIPOC can thrive and be fueled by the power of flowers."
Moira is a founding member of Cooperative Flower Network of Edmonton, Alberta.
Moira MacKinnon joined Debra Prinzing and Niesha Blancas for an IG Live discussion on May 28th
1. What is your astrological sign or Chinese zodiac year? I have Gemini Sun and Capricorn Rising... And I was born in the year of the Snake !
2. What book(s) are on your bedside table right now? Bad Cree by Jessica Johns (indigenous thriller set right here in Alberta), Venco by Cherie Dimaline (Indigenous fantasy), Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susanna (cult classic that I love to reread) and then tons of poetry (plath, baudelaire) and metaphysical books (transcendental meditation, dreams).
3. What do you want our guests to know about Canada's local flower/Slow Flower or horticulture/garden scene? Especially here in Alberta I feel like we are on the brink of a huge local flower breakthrough. Opportunities are unlocking for all kinds of sustainable flower businesses. Our co-op is working on collective selling as a way to elevate the profile of local flowers and growing the industry.
4. Share something that you're excited about exploring in your floral enterprise this year?
Having the CFN partnering with the Slow Flowers Summit is an exciting opportunity for us to showcase how we do local here in Alberta.
5. What is the craziest or most clever thing you've done to pack flowers or plants for travel?
I may have to come up with an outrageous plan to get all these CFN flowers to the Slow Flowers Summit in June. I am not opposed to building up crate structure in my hatch back. However, I have had more than a few buckets of water spill in my trunk only to have seeds start growing up between the seats.
Learn from Moira at the Slow Flowers Summit:
Jaimie Reeves & Moira MacKinnon
COLLECTIVE SELLING: FLOWER COOPS AND COLLECTIVES
Our panel introduces two regional flower hub models, as the founders discuss how they established a farm-to-florist wholesale market for Edmonton, Alberta (Cooperative Flower Network) and Toronto, Ontario (The Local Flower Collective).You'll meet Moira MacKinnon from the Cooperative Flower Network, based in Edmonton, Alberta, and Jaimie Reeves, a florist who co-founded Toronto's solely-owned The Local Flower Collective.
These women will discuss their journeys, the decisions that led to their format, and the benefits that collective flower hubs bring to the floral communities they serve.
Tuesday, June 25th, Illustrated lecture and design demonstrations, followed by a Q&A
WATCH & LISTEN: Moira MacKinnon on the Slow Flowers Podcast https://www.slowflowerspodcast.com/2024/02/21/episode-650-cooperative-flower-network-of-edmonton-alberta-a-new-local-flower-hub-with-grower-members-moira-mackinnon-and-sarah-laudin/
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