Author Archives: Jay Loeffler

Location: Venice Community Center

(Doors open at 6:30pm)

The Speaker will be Carlos Cahiz

Presenting: Introduction to Orchid Care

Carlos A. Cahiz is the oldest son of Carlos and Teresa Cahiz. Born in Valencia, Venezuela in 1964, he graduated from the University of Kansas in 1989.  Carlos joined the family business, OFE International Orchids & Supplies in 1990, and has been with the company ever since. One of his first tests as manager was to deal with the devastation left behind from hurricane Andrew.

OFE is now located in the Redland area of Homestead. We have expanded our product line. We now not only sell orchid supplies, but also orchids and a selection of tropical plants.

Most weeks, there is something new happening at OFE. Since last October 2020, we have been hosting monthly ‘OFE’s Sale Fairs,’ featuring from 10 to 16 different orchid, tropical and other gardening vendors in our property. These informal gatherings are free of charge to visitors.  We have everybody set up outdoors and their sales booths are well separated from each other. The response from our community at our events has been great.

I hope to see some of you in our next fair. For more information on our events, look us up in Facebook (OFE Orchids & Supplies) or Instagram under @ofeorchidsupplies.

Carlos has been more involved with our local orchid community. He is a past President of the South Florida Orchid Society.

Carlos lives at his West Kendall/Miami home with his wife Amanda and their son. They all share their home with various adopted dogs, birds, turtles, orchids and other tropical plants.  His growing approach can be distilled into these two ideas: Tender neglect. And, listen to your plants.

Most days, you will find him, and his brother Chris, at OFE’s location, 17899 SW. 280th Street, Homestead FL 33031. OFE’s website is www.ofeintl.com. Contact them at 305-253-7080 or via e-mail: ofeorchidsupplies@gmail.com. Or via Facebook (OFE Orchids & Supplies) and Instagram @ofeorchidsupplies.

Every year in July and August we hold  joint monthly meetings with the Englewood Area Orchid Society (EAOS).

The EAOS monthly July meeting will be held on the 18th at the St. David’s Episcopal Church, 401 S. Broadway, Englewood. Broadway is parallel to 776 and the church is located behind the shopping center that has Stefano’s Restaurant and the Beall’s Outlet on S. Indiana Ave/Rt. 776.

The business meeting will start at 7pm but our speaker, from Bredren Orchids, will be selling plants so you might want to come early. His topic is “Phalaenopsis, An Introduction to the Novelty Types”.

EAOS will join us at our August 3rd meeting.

Location: Venice Community Center (Doors open at 6:45pm)         

The Speaker will be Bret Ullery

Presenting: Dendrobium’s

Born Kansas City, Mo 1961, Bret’s love of Orchids began in February 2006 when he gave his wife Ruth her first orchid, a lime green hard cane dendrobium.   After that they joined the Florida West Coast Orchid Society, a month later they attended their first orchid auction; 26 plants later the passion had begun.

With over 8,000 orchids now, they own Accent Orchids.  He, and his wife Ruth, started their business in 2012 with their nursery in the backyard. Bret built all their shade houses that hold their orchids.

Bret has been the president of both the Tampa Bay Orchid Society and is currently the president of the Florida West Coast Orchid Society. His love to educate people is his motivation. He currently has talks on Dendrobiums, Schomburgkia’s , Grammatophyllum’s , and watering systems. You can follow Accent Orchids on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AccentOrchids to see what’s happening now with him and Accent Orchids.