Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Hello everyone.  I wanted to let you know that I made it to Thailand safe. I left my house at 11:30pm on Tuesday, the flight left at 3am Wed SEA Time, and I arrived at around 9pm WED, SEA time!!!!  Marathon trip.  EVA Air was fantastic. Right now staying at the Rose Garden Hotel which is about 20 miles outside of Bangkok. There are lots of people here and it is kind of chaotic. I have had my first Thai meal and it sure tasted good! That's it for now, this connection is only 16kbs -- SO SLOW! -- and I'm exhausted from the trip and need to get some rest.

Thank you and to update me and ask me questions, please just email me (mark@dorseyfloral.com).

Regards,
Mark

Thursday, November 11, 2004
Greetings from Thailand!
After the long flight I am enjoying the peaceful Ta Chine River which borders the hotel.

This hotel was the site of the of the World Orchid Conference in 1978.  The grounds of the hotel are bursting with exotic blooms and native fruits...a perfect primer of what lies ahead as I explore this fascinating country. 

Our first farm tour included inspecting our weekend order.  After harvest the orchids are placed in trays with a "special recipe" to prolong their life.  The growing medium for orchids is coconut, which is readily available and very cheap.  Coconut retains moisture which makes it ideal for orchid production. 
 







Here, as in Holland, the bicycle is the most common mode of travel. 

The shade cloth houses were filled with orchids as tall as me.  This one is ready for cutting.  New plants take about 2 years to produce a marketable stem.  Once established they can last indefinitely if properly cared for.  Typically, the better producing plants have a stem coming out of each break of foliage.  The best ones have 4 stems producing on each plant. 

The workers here are treated well, this lovely lady is 78 and has been with the farm for many years.

I was impressed with the size of the blooms on the arandas and the riot of color was overwhelming.

What looks like an asparagus tip in this picture is actually the bud of an aranda bloom.  It will take two months from this stage before this will be ready to harvest.

The gated garden is known as the orchid "Secret Garden"  This is where it all begins.  They keep it locked at all times and no samples are allowed to leave this area.  Tests are conducted here to determine resistance to disease, plant production and vase life of different varieties.

The packing house is where I really earned my noodles.  We discussed different packing options including a winter pack which should help protect our shipments from the elements in the colder season. 

Enjoyed the fish pond on the grounds of the farm....looks like this guy, with his fishing gear will be enjoying the fish pond as well.

I am already anxious to begin sharing some of the new items I am learning about here.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact the office.  They are in touch with me daily
 
Wish me Lucky Bamboo as I continue my journey!
 
Mark Dorsey

Sunday, November 14, 2004

I see very familiar american icons with slight changes to fit within the mostly Buddhist culture. Ronald never looked so enlightened. Neither have I!

Monday, November 15, 2004

Future leaders of Thailand

Kickboxing techniques will not be used against our competition

The famous floating market

Local Character

I'd bring these kitties home but we could not find a big enough litter box

Pachyderm Parade

Sonya Dendrobiums

Unlike mokarra and aranda, dendros are grown with their roots exposed.
These plants will only produce for about 4 years.

New dendro shoot, takes 2 weeks from this stage
until cutting, depending on the weather

Thank you to Mr. Wittaya,
Vice President of Thai Orchid Exporter Association

Lotus plant reflecting the first rain in 2 months.
A real downpour rain, not like Seattle drizzle.

Wednesday, December 1, 2004

BRAND NEW ITEM, Dendrobium Liberty.  Creamy White with
True Green streaks.  Long Lasting. Available now in quantities.

This is where the orchids are born. From the beginning
of cloning to the time when the plants are mature enough
to be put into production is a period of two years.

This is the birthing ward for Dendrobiums. 
It justs takes a little longer.

Dendrobium Dyed Blue, awaiting production.

Dendrobium Dyed Blue, I was addressing packing options
with the packing house to ensure quality.

My wonderful hostess, "Miss Jay", Miss Jay
has enough energy to power a small country!

November 2004 - Final Thoughts

Dorsey Floral LLC has been importing fresh cut flowers fromThailand for eight years. During that period, we have never been to Asia. Our trip was warranted to seek out new items and to solidify our relationships with our farms. It was also important to visit the farms and the packing houses to educate ourselves and to educate our partners on the American market. 

Let me start by saying that Thailand is a beautiful country with beautiful, friendly people. Every single person that I came into contact with went out of their way to assist me. What I found to be unique with the floral industry in Thailand is that the growers all work together. Now my word may not be the normal, however what I found in the many farms that I visited is that each farm has their own items in which they are strong in. They do not compete with one another on the same product. They each specialize in one or two products and work together as a network. They are all trying to achieve success, working together towards the same goal. 

Another observation that I made is that many companies export under different names. So you could have the same company in Thailand exporting to your market under different names to different importers/customers. If it does concern you then you should ask your supplier, most will be honest with you.

The majority of the farms and exporters I visited were 2nd or 3rd generation companies. Most of the directors were very young with exciting ideas for Thailand’s future. It was quite refreshing to see the youth in our industry. Many veterans of the Thailand industry have taken a back seat to the new generation. So this is a tell tale sign that new and exciting things are to come. Most export companies are related to one another in some way. Be it their cousin, sister, uncle, etc. 

Here in Seattle we have had big issues with USDA and our shipments. This was a major concern of ours and had to be addressed in Thailand. For those who do not know, each shipment of Orchids exported to the US market must be fumigated. This is to rid the product of insects which could be harmful to our agricultural industry. I found that the majority of fumigation chambers in Thailand to be substandard. This is a very important process which needs the utmost attention. Since I have been back, we have changed the chemical to a more expensive one that does a more thorough job. Only time will tell. Nevertheless, this is a process that we will be constantly monitoring. 

The floral industry is hard work. Thailand is no slacker in this department. Everyone works very hard here. The days are long, the weeks, longer. We are excited at the opportunities that exist in Thailand and we will remain a big supporter for their products. The future looks very bright in Thailand and Dorsey Floral LLC will be there every step of the way. We travel the world and follow the seasons to bring you flowers year round.

Thanks,
Mark Dorsey