Benito Jaramillo, an owner at Valleflor, kindly let me visit his farm on Tuesday. I was provided a private tour, my guides were Luis (Manager of Operations) shown on the left and Juan Pablo (Sales Executive) shown on the right. 

Valleflor grows many kinds of statices, limoniums, hybride delphinium, veronica and other flowers. I saw a new limonium, Michigan Blue, just incredible. Maine Blue is also one of their crops, side by side the Michigan Blue is much showier and has larger individual fleurettes. Valleflor employs well over 200 people.

The hedges shown on the sides of the greenhouse provide a windbreak for the crop inside and add beauty to the farm. Inside the hedges and in all areas of the farm bottled water and clean cups are provided for the workers.

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Valleflor has a medical office on site with a full time doctor and a dentist that sees workers every other Saturday. At all the farms in Ecuador breakfast and lunch are provided for the workers. Dinner is provided if there is overtime.

Valleflor has developed a computerized training program with another farm to provide new workers with a complete overview of the flower industry. Other farms are currently interested in licensing this training program for their workers.

         

         

Luis and Juan Pablo were fabulous hosts and very kind to take the time out of their busy day to show me around Valleflor. The pride in the product they produce is evident everytime they spoke of what they do at Valleflor.

Later in the day I visited LatinFlor, pictures and information to follow soon!

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