EcoTulips Becomes U.S.’ Only Certified Organic Flower Bulb Company

Company hosts 3rd Annual Organic Tulip Festival 3/24 - 4/15, introduces new Happy Bee Mix, and provides organic flowers for Organic Trade Association conference in Washington, D.C.

For Immediate Release                                                                                                 Contact: Keriann Koeman, 434-242-6369                                                                                                                                                                     info@ecotulips.com

Brightwood, VA (March 23, 2012) - EcoTulips is pleased to announce that their company has been granted organic certification from California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). Certification confirms that the company’s import, warehousing, and sales processes meet the standards of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program, making EcoTulips the only supplier of organic flower bulbs in the U.S.

Co-owners Jeroen and Keriann Koeman began importing organic flower bulbs - tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths - from Holland in 2009. Sales doubled from 2010-2011 due to their highly successful Eco-Flower Bulb Fundraiser program and the 2011 introduction of their bulbs into all 40 Whole Foods Market’s Mid-Atlantic stores.

The Koemans will expand their wholesale division this year to include additional retail stores and garden centers. “Consumer demand for organic seeds and bulbs is on the rise and EcoTulips looks forward to working with additional retailers to provide a high quality organic alternative to conventionally grown flower bulbs,” says Jeroen Koeman.

In addition to importing, the Koemans grow tulips for picking at their organic farm. Due to the warm spring, EcoTulips has moved up the dates of its 3^rd annual Organic Tulip Festival. From March 24 - April 15, visitors can pick their own pesticide-free tulips at the farm while enjoying local wine, art and organic food. Families will enjoy the Eco-Super Hero Day on March 31^st and Eco-Easter Egg hunt April 7^th. The Rodale Institute (a non-profit dedicated to pioneering organic farming through research and outreach) will also showcase EcoTulips’ flowers at its first Organic Tulip Festival this April in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.

EcoTulips has been invited to sell their cut tulips and are pre-selling their organic bulbs at Maymont Park’s “Herbs Galore & More” event in Richmond, VA, April 28. The Koemans also are attending the April 25-26 Organic Trade Association’s Policy Conference & Hill Visit Days in Washington, D.C., with their flowers featured at several of the events.

EcoTulips will be launching their “Happy Bee” bulb mix made up of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, botanical tulips, crocus, and grape hyacinths. This mix will provide the bees with a healthy, pesticide-free pollen source from early to late spring and comes in a variety of colors. EcoTulips met with several bee keepers and handpicked this mix to ensure a show-stopping experience for bees and gardeners alike. Single varieties are available for both wholesale and retail sales at www.ecotulips.com.

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EcoTulips Organic Flower Bulbs at Whole Foods Mid-Atlantic Stores

Partners with Rodale, provides bulbs at OTA dinner, expands online sales varieties

 Brightwood, VA, (September 15, 2011) - EcoTulips, the only supplier of organic flower bulbs in the U.S., is pleased to announce that 14 varieties of its organic tulip, muscari (grape hyacinth) and daffodil bulbs are now for sale at all 40 Whole Foods Market Mid-Atlantic stores in time for fall planting. This is the first time organic flower bulbs have been sold in a major U.S. chain store.

In addition, EcoTulips has partnered with Pennsylvania-based Rodale Institute to provide more than 20,000 organic bulbs for the research organization’s first organic tulip festival in spring, 2012. EcoTulips recently joined Rodale’s “Your 2 Cents” program to help fund future organic farmers and farming in the U.S. For every bag of organic bulbs sold, EcoTulips donates two cents to the program. Co-owners Jeroen and Keriann Koeman will participate in Rodale’s third annual Organic Apple Festival September 17, selling their bulbs at the “Your 2 Cents” booth. The bulbs will also be for sale at Rodale’s store throughout the fall planting season.

 EcoTulips will then be attending the Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore September 22-24 at which it is donating organic tulip bulbs as centerpieces for the Organic Trade Association dinner September 21 which the Koemans will also attend.

 EcoTulips’s has just introduced sales of botanical tulips, hyacinth, and fritallaria meleagris (Guinea-hen Flower) bulbs in addition to its wide selection of organic tulip, daffodil, crocus, and muscari. All are available for both wholesale and retail purchase at www.EcoTulips.com. The ‘botanical tulips’ are sure to please as they naturalize, coming back year after year.

 EcoTulips is the only U.S. company offering organic flower bulbs as part of an eco-friendly fundraiser program. This program has proven to be so popular among schools, service clubs, churches, and other non-profits that EcoTulips is already taking orders for 2012!

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Keriann's Organic Tulip Salad

In the spring of 2010 I discovered tulip petals are tasty!

 Tulip petals taste like sweet lettuce and some of them end with a peppery note. I suggest trying a number of the EcoTulips varieties to discover which ones you prefer and then just pick your favorite colors. The most exciting thing about this salad is all the color combinations that are possible; it makes for a stunning display and serves as a great conversation starter!

Jeroen and Keriann Koeman with their EcoTulips Organic Tulip Salad 

Ingredients for the perfect EcoTulips Organic Tulip Salad:

1. Start with some organic greens - a mesclun mix is best as it adds texture and spice. Brightwood Vineyard and Farms Organic Mesclun mix is available at Rebecca’s Natural Food Store in Charlottesville, VA. You can make your own basic mix by adding arugula to your lettuce. I love to add whatever fresh herbs are available - dill is one of my favorites for this salad.

2. Top your salads with a colorful array of petals (make sure to wash and rinse off the pollen before serving to avoid heartburn!). My favorites are the single petal varieties (I found the double peony type to be harder to chew) such as Purple Prince, Silver Dollar, Menton, and Yellow Flight. Ile de France is sure to be a good choice for adding a splash of red. I suggest conducting your own taste test or contact me for more  tasty tulip ideas.

Keriann's favorite varieties:

Early season mix: Purple Prince, Silver Dollar and Lalibela (purple, white and red).

Mid season mix: Gabor, Rousillion, Soft Design (purple pink, raspberry, soft pink)

3. For a salad that stands out in both color and taste, I add chevre (goat cheese), pepitas (pumpkin seeds), finely sliced shallots, dried cherries (cranberries and blueberries also work well) and fresh herbs.

4. Salad Dressing, keep it light so you don’t lose the complexity of flavors in this salad. A simple balsamic vinegar and olive oil is always nice or any favorite vinaigrette.

Tulip Salad Vinaigrette

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
6-8 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 clove garlic, minced

In small jar, shake together vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard and minced garlic until the salt dissolves. Add oil and shake again. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Enjoy!

Keriann Koeman, 2011

 60,000 organic tulips ready for picking, bulbs available for “eco friendly fundraising”

What: If it’s spring, it must be time to pick your own organic tulips! Brightwood, VA-based EcoTulips, the only supplier of organic tulips in the U.S., is hosting its second annual Organic Tulip Festival April 2-17, 2011 in partnership with DuCard Vineyard and Brightwood Vineyard and Farm. This year’s organic tulip festival, the only one of its kind in the U.S., will include wine tastings, farm tours, and “Koppie Doen” (or “Tulip Talks”) with “Tulip Man” Jeroen Koeman, co-founder with wife Keriann of EcoTulips, LLC. Jeroen comes from a long line of tulip growers in the Netherlands.

Visitors may pick their own organic tulips for $1-2 a stem from EcoTulips’ 10,000 square foot organic garden while tiptoeing among 20varieties of more than 60,000 tulips. They are also welcome to stroll through the beautiful inspiration garden (full of organic tulips as well as organic daffodils, crocuses, and grape hyacinths), have a picnic, and enjoy wine and organic foods from local vendors.

Reservations are required for groups of 25 or more.  Due to the delicate flowers, no pets are allowed. Parking and entry is free.

In addition to hosting the nation’s only organic tulip festival, EcoTulips is the only company offering organic flower bulbs as part of an eco-friendly fundraiser program. This program has proven to be highly popular among schools, scouting organizations, service clubs, churches, and other non-profits. Wholesale and retail sales of organic tulip, daffodil, crocus, and grape hyacinth bulbs are also available online.

Where: EcoTulip’s Second Annual Organic Tulip Festival takes place at EcoTulips Organic Farm, 3320 Lillards Ford Road, Brightwood, VA 22715 near Culpeper.The festival and activities take place from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. April 2-3, 9-10, and 16-17, 2011. The farm is also open Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.

Contact: More information is available at www.ecotulips.com. For Keriann Koeman, call 434-242-6369 or email: keriann@ecotulips.com. For Sandra Marquardt, On the Mark Public Relations, call 301-592-0077 or email smarquardt@onthemarkpr.com. For the most rapid response on festival days, members of the media should text their message to 434-242-6369.