A Day at the Orchid Farm


We saw hundreds, no thousands of orchids. And it was hot hot hot!

When they come into the processing plant they arrive in large crates


quickly dipped in an ice bath, then dipped into an insecticidal bath. Those that can take it are dipped into two different insecticidal baths.



and then stacked up like this to be sold as cut flowers. I'm not really hiding. That's just a quick way to lose 20 pounds.


Some fragrant blossoms arrive already plucked from their stems. These are woven into garlands, three blossoms per row each facing outward and every petal carefully fluffed out so it's not hidden behind another one. Something like 160 orchids are used per garland and they're worn for special occasions.

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