Posted on : September 6th, 2017
When I started my company, as a wee 17 year old, and had to come up with a logo the sunflower was a natural fit. After confirming the name would be “Maisie Jane’s” (inspired by my mother since she was the one who came up with my birth name), it just felt right. Not only did I feel that it looked natural next to my “country name”, but it had always been my very favorite. I love sunflowers—so bright and sunny looking! They are such a strong flower and one that not only looks amazing and radiates such a positive and happy feeling, they have a bountifulness or purpose beyond that…they offer food from their seeds. But really, I’m a country girl at heart and I just love them!
Sunflowers have been part of Maisie Jane’s brand from the beginning and that is very fitting because according to the Flower Essence Society sunflowers are about becoming your biggest, most positive self!
The sunflower’s Latin name “Helianthus Anthos” is quite literal in translation. “Helios” means sun and “anthus” means flower. One only has to look at a sunflower once to know where that name came from—it looks like the sun! But the plant also tends to position itself to face the rising sun and reaches up to the sun all day.
The ancient Greeks had a story to explain that behavior. According to their mythology, the water nymph Clytia, was so in love with Apollo, the Sun God, that she would stare at him constantly, hoping he would notice her and return her gaze. But he was in love with someone else and Clytia fell into a great depression and started to pine away. The gods took pity on her—how could she help but be in love with a being as beautiful as the sun! So they turned her into a sunflower so she could stare at her beloved all day and the sun’s rays would nurture her instead of turning her away.
Sunflowers are revered in many cultures. In China, they are associated with long life, good fortune, and vitality. To Native American groups, they symbolized a great harvest and abundance. The Incas used sunflowers to symbolize the Sun God and decorated their temples with them. The priestesses wore sunflowers on their clothing and wove them into crowns. And in some Christian communities it represents faith in God’s love to shine upon you.
Because sunflowers are big and bold, bright and happy, they are frequently used in bouquets meant to cheer people up. FTD Florists says that the sunny yellow sunflower represents vitality, intelligence, and happiness and that the color yellow in general also traditionally symbolizes friendship.
Which brings us to one last thing, the Flower Essence Society says that one of the most important things the sunflower represents is standing tall without losing track of one’s roots. When the sunflower reaches its tallest height it bows its head. One of the most common associations cultures have for the sunflower is loyalty and devotion—loyalty to the people we love, where one came from, to family, to community, and to friends.
And that is a lot of what Maisie Jane’s California Sunshine Products are all about! Bringing smiles to people’s faces while enjoying all the deliciousness we make, of course! But it was also started by a farmer’s daughter who respects and appreciates the abundant bounty from the harvests, and believes deeply in keeping the deep roots of where you come from while continuing those long lasting traditions.
Some final quotes about sunflowers to take on your way:
“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. It’s what the sunflowers do.” — Helen Keller
“Every friend is to the other a sun, and a sunflower also. He attracts and follows.” — Jean Paul
“The road to freedom is bordered with sunflowers.” — Martin Firrell
“If I were a flower.. I would be a sunflower.To always follow the sun, Turn my back to darkness, Stand proud, tall and straight even with my head full of seeds.” ― Pam Stewart
Maisie Jane’s California Sunshine Products, Inc. was founded on strong beliefs and passion for offering unique, flavorful, top-quality, nut products. We strongly believe in earth-friendly practices that start on our family-owned and operated orchards. We use organic farming practices and continue in the process by using all-natural ingredients with no preservatives or GMOs. We believe in honest, friendly and helpful customer relations at all levels. We take pride in every task, every day, with every person.
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