Each May the Dramm Corp., a leading manufacturer of watering tools, donates financially to a chosen a non-profit organization. This year it is the Free to Smile Foundation, with a portion of May’s retail sales going to the organization, according to a news release.

The Free to Smile Foundation is based in Columbus, OH, and provides free surgery to children and young adults born with cleft lip and palate who live in underserved areas of the world.

In his book, A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs and Dangerous Days at Sea, Capt. Richard Phillips says having his ship hijacked by Somali pirates was the most terrifying situation he had experienced in his 35-year career as a Merchant Marine. He will speak about the incident, and the lessons he learned from it, when he delivers the keynote address for the Southern California Expo of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council July 15 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.

The Paul Cappelluti Golf Tournament fundraiser, put on by Stellar Distributing, started in memory of Paul Cappelluti, Kurt Cappelluti's father, and Judy Powell, former head accountant at Stellar Distributing, who both received exceptional care at Hind's Hospice in Fresno, CA, through their last days of life. Kurt said that customers and colleagues from the San Joaquin Valley and across the U.S.

“The efficiency of IFE cannot be beat,” said Bob Callahan, show director for the International Floriculture Expo. “In just four days, IFE brings in all the top floral industry buyers and suppliers to connect, educate, plan and see new products in a fun and entertaining environment.”

Running a floral department can sometimes feel like running a marathon. You start the year in January “carbo-loading” and warming up for the year’s business and quickly find yourself climbing a hill for Valentine’s Day. After mid-February you relax on the downhill path of March and then back up an even steeper hill for several spring holidays in April and May. You may “hit the wall” of floral fatigue after Mother’s Day and wonder if you have the energy to make it through Memorial Day. You feel exhausted — you need rest and maybe even a long vacation.

A warm winter followed by a warm spring has crops in the Coachella Valley of California coming off sooner this year, including a two week earlier start to the grape deal.

The Coachella Valley deal, which kicks off the California grape season each year, saw its first grapes picked around April 24. Many grower-packers were expected to get into the swing of things during the week of April 28, and the rest following suit the following week. By May 12, growers and shippers were predicting that volume would be heavy and typical of end of May shipments in a normal year.