Next week I am off Guatemala to visit production farms for hybrid seeds and cuttings run by national breeders for the world wide markets. Your poinsettia or geranium started from a tiny cutting that most likely came from one of these farms in Guatemala. We will also see where they cross pollinate zinnias, impatiens, marigolds and more to make the F1 hybrids that perform so well in Florida and around the world. I will post updates. If you can donate dollars to help the doctors who donate their time treating the people of Guatemala. http://floridafriendlyplants.com/Blog/post/2009/11/24/Support-Health-Care-in-Guatemala.aspx

Each farm has its own unique attributes and personality. Some of the locations which produce vegetative cuttings are exclusive to the production of a specific line of genetics while others are open to customizing their product offering. You will note some facilities are corporate in nature and some are regionally and culturally resourceful. All are high on protocol with an obvious commitment to the cleanliness of the products that we purchase.

The seed farms should give you an understanding of the amount of finite effort that goes into the harvest of the seed that we use. It is an amazingly hands on process that cannot be underappreciated.

It is also to be noticed, the enormous amount of pride that is evident in each manager and worker, regardless of either the company or the individual duties of the employees.

Oro Farms

Oro Farms has a main office in Guatemala City where we employ 15 people. Guatemala City is a city with the population of over 4 million people. Our Farm is located 45 minutes South East of Guatemala City in the Village of El Jototillo. Our Farm has 12 acres of modern Greenhouses that are equipped with automatic shade and natural ventilation. All the Greenhouses are screened for Insects. We employ 325 people in the Peak season. Our employees come from several villages in the area including El Jocotillo. We do provide transportation to the villages farthest out. You will notice to the West of our Greenhouses a volcano that is still active. This is far enough to admire but not close enough to be a threat. Our location was chosen for several reasons including climate and close proximity to the airport. Our location is several degrees warmer then Guatemala City which allows us to operate without heat.

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Syngenta Flowers/ Kapok El Jocotillo

• Established in: 2004

• Altitude: 2700’ / 823 Mts

• Temperature: 50ºF – 87ºF / 10ºC – 36ºC

• Annual Rainfall: 66.93” / 170 Cms.

• Location: South East of Guatemala City

• Driving time from Guatemala city: Approx. 1 hour

• Coordinates: 14º22’0.66”N 0º30’17.70”O

• Site Area: 49 acres / 19.83 Ha.

• Undercover area: 10.8 Acres / 4.37 Ha.

• Crops: Verbena, Calibrachoa, Lobelia, Petunia, Lantana, Impatiens, Diascia, Osteospermum, Bacopa, Argyranthemum

• Current Employees: 80

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Ball Seed /Floricultura

Floricultura is located near to the city of Jalapa in Guatemala. Jalapa lies in a valley and is surrounded by the Jumay volcano and the mountains of Alcoba and Arluta and the Jalapa Mountains. Because of its location and altitude, (4,000 feet) Jalapa enjoys excellent, year round mild weather. It is the perfect location for floriculture production.

Floricultura covers a land area of 200 acres with 41.32 acres of greenhouses; 7.44 acres of greenhouses are dedicated to flowerseed production and 41.32 acres for vegetative production. Currently, about 550 employees work on the farm.

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Goldsmith Seeds – Jalapa

• Established in: 1996

• Altitude: 4450’ / 1356 Mts

• Temperature: 50ºF– 100ºF / 10ºC – 38ºC

• Annual Rainfall: 47.2” / 120 Cms.

• Location: East of Guatemala City

• Driving time from Guatemala city: Approx. 2 hours

• Coordinates: 14º35’42.38”N 89º57’56.75”O

• Site Area: 101.41 acres / 41.04 Ha.

• Undercover area: 35.43 Acres / 14.34 Ha.

• Crops: Pansies and Violas, Marigold, Zinnia, Dahlia, and Salvia

• Current Employees: 340

Paul Ecke Ranch

Established in 1996, Paul Ecke de Guatemala has grown to be the primary offshore production location for Ecke Ranch.  Consisting of two farms located 10 Km southwest of Antigua, Guatemala and these farms produce more poinsettia cuttings than any other single location in the world. With over 3 million square feet of greenhouse space, products produced include poinsettias, geraniums, SunPatiens, New Guinea impatiens, Osteospermum, and many other spring flower annuals.  While North America is the primary market for products, Paul Ecke de Guatemala also ships to Europe and Asia on a regular basis. The company employs over 700 staff, and during peak season will cut pack and ship almost 2 million cuttings per day.  Paul Ecke de Guatemala is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ecke Ranch.  This organization represents the strong belief by Ecke that a company wholly owned and operated will more efficiently produce and respond to market changes than a third party contract producer.  In October 2009, Paul Ecke de Guatemala was honored with three national awards, including First Place for Productivity.  It is the third time in 12 years that a major award and honor was given to the company.

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History of Guatemala

More than 3000 years ago a people endowed with extraordinary skills formed one of the most well known and most respected civilizations in history, the Mayan. The name Guatemala means land of the trees in the Maya-Toltec language. Guatemala’s indigenous Maya people form the base of Guatemalan culture, and their large indigenous presence is perhaps what makes Guatemala most standout from other Central American countries. The surviving Maya people not only give a face to the country, but to much of its history as well. Antiquity is at the heart of Guatemala; the country incorporates many spectacular Mayan archaeological sites, and the pine-forested hills of the highlands are home to Mayan communities that still wear traditional weavings. Spanish is the official language; however, 23 other regional languages and dialects are also spoken throughout the country (21 of Mayan origin, 1 garifuna and 1 Xinca). Staggering Mayan monuments intensify a mystery that hangs in the air; the Mayan Civilization dominated much of Central America from the fifth up until the eighth century. However, if you thought the Mayans were eradicated centuries ago you may be surprised to bump into a few on your travels - they constitute almost half the population!

Geography

The northernmost of the Central American nations, Guatemala is the size of Tennessee. Its neighbors are Mexico on the north and west, and Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador on the east. The country consists of three main regions—the cool highlands with the heaviest population, the tropical area along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, and the tropical jungle in the northern lowlands (known as the Petén).

Climate

Guatemala's climate is between 65° to 78^o F, excellent climate conditions prevail most of the year, which is why Guatemala is rightfully dibbed “the country of the never-ending spring”. Guatemala has two defined seasons; the rainy season is generally from May to October and the dry season goes from November to April. The hottest months are March and April (with maximum 28° C^.in the highlands and 38^o C. in the lowlands) and the coldest months are December and January (with minimum of 0^o C in the highlands, it can descend even more in some places, and 15^o C. in the lowlands). The highlands, including Guatemala City and Antigua, have a pleasant climate with less rainfall than the coast, and cooler temperatures at night.

Customs and Entry Requirements

A valid U.S. passport is required for all U.S. citizens, regardless of age, to enter Guatemala and to depart Guatemala for return to the U.S. Even if dual nationals are permitted to enter Guatemala on a second nationality passport, U.S. citizens returning to the United States from Guatemala are not allowed to board their flights without a valid U.S. passport. While in Guatemala, U.S. citizens should carry their passports, or a photocopy of their passports, with them at all times.

Banking and Money

Guatemala’s currency, the quetzal (ket-sahl, abbreviated to Q), is fairly stable at around 8.30 = US$1. The quetzal is divided into 100 centavos.

You’ll find ATMs (cajeros automáticos) for Visa/Plus and MasterCard/Cirrus System cards in all but the smallest towns. In addition, many banks give cash advances on Visa cards, and some on MasterCard. In shops and restaurants, you can pay for many purchases with these cards or with American Express (Amex) cards.

If you don’t have one of these cards, a limited amount of cash (US dollars) is the way to go. Banks all over the country change cash and many of them change US-dollar traveler’s checks too. Amex is easily the most recognized ­traveler’s check brand. Banks generally give the best exchange rates on both cash and traveler’s checks. If you can’t find an open bank, you can often change cash (and occasionally checks) in travel agencies, hotels or shops.

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