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Keep the Spirit Alive~ Page 22

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . 18Organic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . 21Melissa Piper Nelson

Today’s Marketing . . . . . 5

Greenhouse • Nursery • Garden Center • Fruit & Vegetable • Farm Markets • Landscapers • Christmas

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Section Oneof One

GROWERGROWER

Stephens Farmhouse~ Page 2

by Kelly GatesThe Stephens family has been in the growing

industry for many years. Jeff Stephens is athird generation California farmer who pro-duces melons, peaches, plums and walnuts on600 acres of land as a partnership with hisbrother.

For nearly 45 years, there was a melon standset up at the farm to sell direct to the public.According to Cherie Stephens, Jeff’s wife andcurrent co-owner of Stephens Farmhouse, theretail stand ultimately led the couple to ownand operate a full-fledged outlet in Yuba City,CA.

“The previous owner of this business used tobuy melons from us and one day, he told usthat he planned to retire soon,” Cherie said.“He offered the idea of having us purchase theplace and from there, everything started to fallinto place to make it a reality for us.”

The Stephens learned the main thruway thatran directly in front of their melon stand wasscheduled to be re-routed, directing throngs oftraffic away from the place. Jeff’s mother andfather were also planning to shift their focusaway from the business during their retire-ment years, but felt compelled to stay involvedas long as the melon stand was up and run-ning.

These and other variables ultimatelyinspired the duo to take on the company. Whenthey did, there was virtually no renovationsneeded, just some cosmetic changes to make itfeel like theirs. They simply hit the groundrunning.

“It was a turnkey operation,” explainedCherie. “There was around one acre of proper-ty with a building that housed a kitchen, fruitstand, display cases, shelving and everythingelse we needed. We continued selling producelike we always had, but we have expanded intojams, pies and a long list of value-added prod-ucts that now make up more than half of ourbusiness.”

According to Cherie, the previous owners hadstarted using ripe and cosmetically challengedfruits from the produce stand as by-productsmany years before. The extra offering brought

in customers from far and wide as word spreadof the handmade treats from a company with aunique, down-home feel.

Stephens Farmhouse acquired 11 recipesalong with the business. Today, there are morethan 30 standard recipes that are usedthroughout the year there.

The couple continues baking pies, pastriesand other related items. Their jams are bigsellers. They are so popular that StephensFarmhouse jams are now sold in a wide arrayof stores throughout northern California, withmany wholesale customers requesting thespreads with their own labels on the jars.

“We make a private label jam for YosemiteNational Park, private label jams for a localSunsweet Growers store and we do the samefor a bunch of businesses all around Lake

Tahoe,” noted Cherie.“During the holidays,we make Uncle Morris’fruitcakes and marketthem through our storeand Sunsweet Growers’store too.”

Along with this bur-geoning wholesale divi-sion, StephensFarmhouse has a youthoutreach program thatcaters to kids rangingfrom Kindergarteners tocollege students. Someare special needs chil-dren such as sight-impaired groups thatcome out to the site tolearn about growingand to make a tastytreat to take home atthe end of the day.

All young guests aretreated to an educa-tional outdoor experi-

ence in the orchards, fields and other growingareas farmed by the Stephens family. Then,they move indoors where Cherie and her staffwalk the youngsters through step-by-stepinstructions for baking a pie or other dessert.

“Our program is called ‘Kids in the Kitchen,’”said Cherie. “We usually show the kids theorchards around the store and across thestreet and talk to them about the richness ofagriculture in our county. Then, they get tocome inside and make a pie that they areproud to take home and enjoy with their fami-lies.”

The company also offers catering for specialevents. An annual quilt show has the StephensFarmhouse crew busy preparing approximately1,200 lunches during the summer. They alsotake on baby showers, political fundraisersand many other events.

While Jeff oversees the farm operations,Cherie manages the retail store, bakery, kids’program and catering. She has had help fromthe couple’s children, Megan, Madeline andSam. A staff of seven or eight part-time andtwo full-time workers also help keep thingsrunning smoothly.

“Our daughter Megan is the oldest and shehas expressed an interest in working hereagain, now that she is out of college,” saidCherie. “Madeline is still in school and pursu-ing a career in speech pathology, but she hasbeen working hard making jams for us thissummer. Sam is just 14, but he seems to real-ly enjoy being here too and might have a futureat Stephens Ranch when he is older.”

Jeff and Cherie would love to see any of theirchildren take over the family business one day.However, they encourage each of their kids tofollow the path they choose.

None of them will have to decide anytime soon.The husband and wife owners have only beenat the helm of Stephens Farmhouse for 10years and they plan to stay there for manyyears to come.

Stephens Farmhouse

Jeff Stephens from Stephens Farmhouse helps a customer select a watermelon at the Saturday Farmers Market inYuba City. In the background is their truck, known as “Mr. Willard,” which both hauls and displays the fruit.

Photo by Joan Kark-Wren

Cherie Stephens at the retail stand where she and her family sell their produce as wellas jams, pies, cookies and other value-added products.

Photo courtesy of Stephens Farmhouse

by Sanne Kure-JensenDo you want to grow your farm

business, increase revenues andenlarge your customer base?Marketing ef forts will be mosteffective if they are well plannedand targeted using thoroughMarketing and Action Plans. BryanMason, principal of The ApolloConsulting Group, shared his rec-ommendations at a recent presen-tation hosted by the NewportCounty Chamber of Commerce inMiddletown, RI.

To create a Marketing and ActionPlan, first define your product orproduct category, set your goaland create a message. Next, deter-mine who your customers are.Then figure out how to reach themand how to convert prospectivecustomers into satisfied cus-tomers.

Create Value Proposition andDevelop Goal

Think about the benefits yourproduct(s) of fer to customers.What customer need will yourproduct fill, or what problem willyour product or service solve?

Describe common characteristicsof your product(s). How do cus-tomers perceive your product(s)?Your product could be:

• Fresh, local food or valueadded products

• Healthy food or fiber• Sunshine for your plate• A connection to the earth Consider possible customer

needs/wants:• Healthy, fresh food• Organic, environmentally sus-

tainable products• A connection with where their

food comes from• To preserve open space

through viable farms• To support vibrant local econo-

my by buying locallyCreate your Value Proposition or

the promise you offer to deliver toyour customer(s). Be sure toalways deliver what you promiseand exceed customer expectations.The Value Proposition will articu-late why customers should buyfrom you.

Evaluate your sales goals inprofit dollars, number of sales andnumber of customers, etc.

Identify Target AudienceWho are your current customers

and what do they have in com-mon? For example, do you sell tofamilies with kids, young profes-sionals or institutions?

Determine what groups you wantto sell to in the future. Do youwant to add restaurant chefsand/or institutions?

Join Bid ListAfter defining your target cus-

tomers, create a prospect list. Forexample, create a list of restau-rants and their chefs and buyerswithin your county or severalnearby counties. Getting names ofhospital and institutional buyersmay be harder. If you do not haveeasy ways to reach out to localbuyers or decision makers, pur-chase a targeted contact list froma mail house or other list provider.

If you have trouble reachinginstitutional purchasing agents,try this approach: Once everythree or four weeks, send a premi-um (like a squeeze ball, pen orother gadget) with your logo on it.Choose premiums that relate insome way to your business.Include a letter and brochurepitching your farm and products.Send two or three premiums,depending on how many keypoints you want to make. Contactthe recipient about a week afterthe final delivery; mention the pre-miums and you should have notrouble arranging a meeting. Dothis only for hot prospects - poten-tially profitable customers - as youwill need to spend about $30 percontact plus your time.

Make the most of your salesmeeting. After your successfulsales call where you pitched yourproducts, told your farm story andshowed why they should buy fromyou, be sure to follow-up with athank you note. If you get permis-sion, add them to your emailand/or blog list. Invite them tolike you at your Facebook page.Send an annual calendar withyour name, logo andgreat farm photos on itto keep your name intheir minds.

Inbound MarketingReview your website.

Be sure it explains thebenefits your productsoffer and the customerneeds/wants or prob-lems your product ful-fills. Be sure to tellyour story and use rel-evant keywords thatmatch words or phras-es which your cus-tomers might type.Work with your webdesigner and host tomaximize SearchEngine Optimization(SEO) so that your siteshows up near the topof a search page.

Other ways to helpyour site rank high in

searches is to keep it fresh.Include a calendar with event list-ings and even a weekly blog. Linkto other sites and ask them to linkto you to gain credibility.

Action PlanPut together a detailed Action

Plan. Do not bother creating athick, elaborate report that willjust sit on a shelf. Create a briefbut thorough spreadsheet andcheck in regularly to assess yourprogress.

Your spreadsheet should have arow for each target audience andcolumns for your products, serviceareas, approach, targetbuyer/title, method,resources/costs & time, actions,d e p e n d e n c i e s / b o t t l e n e c k s ,responsible person, timelines, pri-orities and measures of results.

Consider how you will accesspotential buyers or decision-mak-ers. The decision-maker may ormay not be the final consumer ofyour product.

Review the plan and look for anyoverlapping or duplicate effortsthat could yield multiple returnsfor one effort.

Remember your existing cus-tomers. Getting new customersgenerally costs more than keepingexisting customers. Find out whyyour current customers chose tobuy from you, and ensure theywere satisfied with their purchase.Find out if they will remain loyalcustomers. Keep them engagedwith a regular newsletter or e-newsletter (be sure to ask for theiremail and have them opt in). Offera blog, Facebook page or othersocial media to keep in touch.

Measure ResultsTrack your marketing and out-

reach ef fectiveness; always askcallers or customers where theyheard about you? Log theirresponses on a call sheet orspreadsheet.

Be sure to install GoogleAnalytics (free) on your website totrack how people found your site,what pages they look at and howlong they stay on your site. Reviewthe Analytics report and reviseyour web keywords and web pagesas needed.

The more carefully your trackyour data, the better you will knowwhich marketing programs yieldedthe best results and were worthrepeating. At a minimum, trackyour sales; just know that if salesare low, it will be hard to isolatewhat went wrong.

PartnersConsider a partnership with a

supp l i e r o r comp lementa rybus iness . For example , o f f e ryour produce CSA customers as ingle p ickup locat ion for anorchard o r meat share f r omother producers.

Build a Strong OrganizationP lan f o r g r owth . Cons ide r

your sta f f organizat ional chartand an t i c ipa t e work fo r cechanges before they are need-ed; p lan the ro les and task youwi l l need accompl ished as yourbusiness grows?

You can contact Bryan Masonand The Apol lo Group at bma-son@apo l l og r. com, ca l l 401 -862-6339 or wr i te One DavolSquare, Suite 203, Prov idence,RI 02903.

Marketing efforts are most effective when they are well planned and targeted.

Developing Marketing and Action Plans

The Monthly Newspaper for Greenhouses, Nurseries, Fruit & Vegetable Growers

Country Folks

(518) 673-3237 • Fax # (518) 673-2381(ISSN# 1065-1756) U.S.P.S. 008885

Country Folks Grower is published monthly by Lee Publications, P.O. Box 121, 6113 St. Hwy. 5,Palatine Bridge, NY 13428.Periodical postage paid at Palatine Bridge, NY 13428.Subscription Price: $20 per year. Canada $55 per year.POSTMASTER: Send address change to Country Folks Grower, P.O. Box 121, Subscription Dept.,Palatine Bridge, NY 13428-0121.Publisher, President........................................Frederick W. LeeVice-President Production ..........................Mark W. Lee, ext. 132..........................mlee@leepub.comVice-President & General Manager ..........Bruce Button, ext. 104 .....................bbutton@leepub.comComptroller ................................................Robert Moyer, ext. 148.....................bmoyer@leepub.comProduction Coordinator ............................Jessica Mackay, ext. 137..................jmackay@leepub.comEditor ......................................................Joan Kark-Wren, ext. 141...............jkarkwren@leepub.comPage Composition ....................................Allison Swartz, ext. 139....................aswartz@leepub.comClassified Ad Manager ..............................Peggy Patrei, ext. 111 ..................classified@leepub.comPalatine Bridge, Main Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518-673-3237Accounting/Billing Office . . . . . . . . 518-673-2269. . . . . . . . . . . amoyer@leepub.comSubscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518-673-2448 . . . . . subscriptions@leepub.comWeb Site: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.leepub.comSend all correspondence to:PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428Fax (518) 673-2699Editorial Email: jkarkwren@leepub.comAdvertising Email: jmackay@leepub.com

AD SALES REPRESENTATIVESBruce Button, Ad Sales Manager . . . . bbutton@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 104Dan Wren, Grower Sales Manager . . . dwren@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 117Jan Andrews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jandrews@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext 110Dave Dornburgh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ddornburgh@leepub.com. . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 109Steve Heiser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sheiser@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 119Ian Hitchener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ihitchener@leepub.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518-210-2066Tina Krieger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tkrieger@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 262Kegley Baumgardner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kegleyb@va.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540-255-9112Wanda Luck / North Carolina. . . . . . . . . wwluck5@gmail.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336-416-6198 (cell)Mark Sheldon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . msheldon@gotsky.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 814-587-2519Sue Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . suethomas1@cox.net. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 949-599-6800

Lee Publications6113 State Hwy. 5, PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428

We cannot GUARANTEE the return of photographs. Publisher not responsible for typographical errors.Size, style of type and locations of advertisements are left to the discretion of the publisher. The opin-ions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. We will not knowinglyaccept or publish advertising which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. The publisher reserves thesole right to edit, revise or reject any and all advertising with or without cause being assigned which inhis judgement is unwholesome or contrary to the interest of this publication. We assume no financialresponsibility for typographical errors in advertisement, but if at fault, will reprint that portion of the adin which the error appears.

Country Folks

Photo by Joan Kark-Wren

Jeff Stephens of Stephens Farmhouse and his sonSam sell melons at the local farmer’s market.

NORCAL/CaliforniaAssociation of FlowerGrowers & Shippers,located in Soquel, CA,has been recognized bythe American Institute ofFloral Designers’ (AIFD)National Board ofDirectors with the Awardof Merit - Industry. Theannouncement wasmade on July 14 duringthe Institute’s 2012Awards Ceremony, heldin conjunction with its2012 NationalSymposium “Caliente” inMiami, FL.

NORCAL/CaliforniaAssociation of FlowerGrowers & Shippers is anon-profit trade associa-tion established to repre-sent the professionalneeds and interests ofthe floral industry inCalifornia. They offer avariety of services tostrengthen the floral andagricultural industriesby increasing the flow ofproducts from Californiato destinations through-out the world. They wererecognized for their longheld commitment and

dedication to AIFDSymposium.

Each year, AIFD hostsits National Symposiumin a different host city.The Symposium is anopportunity for interna-tionally acclaimeddesigners to gathertogether to share ideas,educational tips, net-work and advance theindustry of floral design.The 2013 NationalSymposium “Passion”will be held in LasVegas, NV, June 28 toJuly 2.

NORCAL/CAFG&S receives the Award of Merit-Industry at 2012 AIFD

(L-R) AIFD Secretary Suzie Kostick AIFD, CFD, PFCI, MCF; NORCAL/CAFG&S Rep.Chris Johnson, Director of Transportation; AIFD Past President Tom Bowling AIFD,CFD, PFCI; Kim Kudo, NORCAL Secretary / Treasurer; Steve Dionne, NORCALDirector; and AIFD President Ann Jordan, AIFD, CFD, AAF.

by James Carrabba,Agricultural SafetySpecialist, NYCAMH

Many agriculturalbusinesses transporttractors and heavyequipment on trailers.When hauling equip-ment on trailers, it isvitally important to makesure that the equipmentis properly fasteneddown. This article willreview some basic safetytips for ensuring thatmachinery is properlysecured onto trailers.Also, loading andunloading equipmentfrom trailers can be ahazardous task. The fol-lowing are some safetyrecommendations tominimize hazards whenloading and unloadingmobile equipment fromtrailers:

• The truck and trailershould be parked onfirm, level ground.

• Set the parking brakeand chock the wheels.

• The trailer and/orramps need to be wideenough for the equip-ment being loaded.

• If using a flatbedtrailer with ramps, checkto make sure the rampsare long enough to avoidhaving a steep angle.

• The operator needsbe familiar with theequipment and prefer-ably experienced in load-ing and unloading theequipment.

• When possible, andfrom a safe distance,have a ground spotterassist the equipment

operator in getting themachine properly posi-tioned on the trailer.

Do not overload thetrailer and truck. Use anappropriate sized truckfor the size of the trailerand the weight of theequipment being hauled.Check the Gross VehicleWeight Rating (GVWR) ofthe truck and its towingcapacities. If the com-bined weight of thetruck, trailer and equip-ment being hauledexceeds 10,000 pounds,you must comply withthe Federal MotorCarrier Safety regula-tions. This includes U.S.Department ofTransportation markingson the truck, properlysecuring cargo, andstopping at roadsideinspection stations.

Proper steps to followto secure the machinefor transport:

• Inspect all thetiedown points andhardware for any signsof damage or wear.

• Inspect all chains.Look for any broken,cracked, or stretchedlinks.

• Balance the loadproperly on the trailer.Position 60 percent ofthe load towards thefront of the trailer. Animproperly balancedload can cause the trail-er to sway potentiallyresulting in a loss of con-trol.

• Lower the bucket orany attachments downon the deck of the trailer.

• With articulatedmachines, connect thesteering frame lock outbar after loading.

• When tying down theequipment, keep thechains straight andtight. It is best to useratchet binders.

• In many states,heavy equipment withtracks or wheels must berestrained against move-ment with a minimum offour tiedowns. Eachtiedown must be fixed asclose as possible to thefront and rear of themachine or to mountingpoints on the machinethat are specificallydesigned for that pur-pose.

• The working loadlimit of the tiedownsmust be at least one-halfthe weight of the equip-ment that is beingmoved.

• Many states requirethat the truck driver stopand check the tie downattachments shortlyafter the start of the trip.In some states, truckdrivers are required tostop and check the loadtie downs within the first50 miles of the trip. Also,drivers are required torecheck the load andtiedowns every threehours or every 150miles, whichever comesfirst.

• Truck drivers need tooccasionally check theposition of the trailerand load in the truckmirrors during trans-port.

Securing equipment on trailers

Most of us have in-dulged in the lastminute purchase ofcandy, gum, maga-zines, batteries, sodas,or any number of im-pulse items displayednear a store’s cash reg-ister. In fact, merchan-disers count on shop-pers buying point ofsales (POS) or point ofpurchase (POP) items,and spend hugeamounts of money onattractive and enticingdisplays to point us inthat direction as weshop. You may ques-tion how point of pur-chase sales relate todirect farm marketingventures, but the sameprinciples of impulsebuying work equally aswell at a farm marketstand as in a chainstore.

Shoppers may arriveat a retail outlet, farm-ers’ market, farm gatebusiness or a roadsidestand with an idea ofwhat they want to pur-chase. They may havecome for sweet corn ora pumpkin, but im-pulse buying sendsthem home with an ad-ditional jar of jam,some barbeque sauceand a pie for dessert.The psychology behindimpulse buying is todisplay items that en-

courage shoppers tothink about and ulti-mately purchase addi-tional items beforeleaving the store.

Some in-store re-search has shown that30 percent of peoplewait until they are inthe store to either se-lect a brand, or deter-mine how much andwhat they will buy.Large stores do thistype of research by ac-tually tracking thebuyer’s eye movementsas they look over mer-chandise and make afinal decision.

One agriculturalmarketer who produceshoney products decid-ed early on that havinghis product on the gro-cery store shelf with allthe other competingproducts would not gethim the sales he want-ed. He decided to in-vent his own attractivepoint of purchase dis-play and convincedchain store managersthat it would increasehis sales dramatically,as well as encourageshoppers to look atsimilar items nearby.It worked! Shopperswere attracted to theoff-shelf display andpurchased far moreproduct than theymight have otherwise. I

hasten to add that thisparticular marketerhad a background inadvertising and sales,and knew how to pres-ent his ideas of storemanagers, but thatdoesn’t mean you can’tuse the same ideas toincrease sales at yourown individual venue.

One of the main fac-tors of point of pur-chase sales is to placeitems that you want tomove near the finalcheck out or cash reg-ister area. Check outis where shoppersmake that final deci-sion about additionalpurchases. You haveprobably been in thesame situation — ifyou forget an item thatis at the back of thegrocery store, chancesare you will not goback for it. If that itemis close enough tocheck out, however,you’ll probably make arun for it.

Placement then is thefirst of four major fac-tors in successful pointof purchase sales. Notall items will fit or evenbelong near check out,but how you displayitems encouragesshoppers to thinkabout additional pur-chases as they shop.

The second factor de-

pends on attractivedisplays that draw thecustomer’s attention.You’ve seen farmers’market vendors buildpyramids of bottledsauces, serve enticingfruit samples andgroup colorful itemstogether. Eye-catchingdisplays ask buyers tospend more time shop-ping in a particulararea, and the moretime a shopper is inyour booth or store,the more opportunityyou have to sell addi-tional items.

Let’s clarify at thispoint that not all farmmarketers feel comfort-able with what theyfeel is “pushing items”on people. You willneed to decide foryourself what your in-dividual comfort levelis with working to in-crease sales, but re-member that sales areincome. And incomepays the bills. Impulsebuying from a farmstand is certainly notoriented to consumeroverspending for largeticket or non-fooditems. Items or productyou want to sell

through point of pur-chase sales should bebacked by advertisingand promotion. This isthe third factor of POPsuccess. Advance ad-vertising of items thatwill be prominentlydisplayed plants theidea of buying before acustomer comes intoyour store or booth. Asimple flyer on thedoor of your businessor an email message tofarmers’ market cus-tomers a day aheadprovide the stimulusfor a shopper to searchfor the POP display.

The fourth principleis always at the heartof a successful busi-ness — the productmust inspire consumerconfidence! While pointof purchase sales arerelated to impulse buy-ing, a poor product orsomething that is notworthy of your busi-ness will only serve tohurt future sales. Ifyou wish to move aproduct, make sure itstill represents thebest of what you haveto offer. There is aplace for selling fruit

seconds or items thatrequire immediatesales, but be sure toidentify them for whatthey are. Customersexpect that even im-pulse items will beworthy of their pur-chase. In today’s pur-chasing world, a badcustomer experiencetravels fast and hurtsrepeat business.

Point of purchasesales represent a goodopportunity for you toengage in conversationwith your customersand discuss the bene-fits of the product pro-moted. You can thenintroduce other prod-ucts or new productsone-on-one to shop-pers and educate aswell as sell. Directmarketing builds onthis important seller toshopper relationshipthat inspires customerloyalty and sales.

The above informa-tion is provided for ed-ucational purposesonly and should not besubstituted for legal orprofessional businesscounseling.

by Anna Meyerhoff, Farm Safety Educator, NYCAMHIf there was an emergency on your farm, would

you know what to do? It is important to act quicklyand phone for help. In an emergency, call 911. Stayon the line until you are told to hang up. The dis-patcher will ask you a lot of questions. Give them asmuch information as possible so that the EmergencyMedical Services (EMS) responders can be preparedto handle the emergency when they arrive.

When calling 911, the dispatcher will ask you:• Your name and the phone number you are calling

from• How many victims are there? How seriously

injured are they?• Information about the emergency• Any care given to the victim(s)

• Special considerations that might make it hard forEMS to get to the victim

• Your address and the location of the victimsWhen giving directions, be specific. Give road

names, visual landmarks and exact mileage. If pos-sible, someone should wait at the roadway to directthem to the scene of the emergency. Remember: thesooner the EMS responders can get there, the soon-er they can start helping the victim.

It is important to be prepared and know how tocall for help in an emergency. Talk with your fami-ly and coworkers about what to do. Make sureeveryone knows the location of phones, as well asemergency exits, fire extinguishers and first aidkits. Practice a farm emergency response plan, andpost important phone numbers and written direc-tions to the farm near every phone.

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classifieds,, pluss linkss too otherr agriculturall organizations.

The point of it all Today’s Marketing ObjectivesBy: Melissa Piper Nelson

Farm News ServiceNews and views on agricultural marketing techniques.

In An Emergency, Call 911!

by Cyndie SirekisMany women who

work in a wide range ofcareers — everythingfrom law and commu-nications to educationand sports — find itbeneficial to join or-ganizations that focuson professional devel-opment and that canhelp them advance intheir chosen field.Women in agricultureare no different. Manyare turning to FarmBureau Women’s Lead-ership Programs forprofessional develop-ment opportunities.

“A goal of the FarmBureau Women’s Lead-ership Committee is toempower women to usetheir enthusiasm, dedi-cation and talent tochange perceptionsabout agriculture, fami-ly farms and ranchesand the roles ofwomen,” explained Ter-ry Gilbert, chair of thecommittee and a farmerfrom Kentucky.

The WLC coordinateseducational programs

such as Food Check-Out Week in addition tooffering leadership de-velopment programsopen to all Farm Bu-reau women.

Women’s Communi-cations Boot Camp,which has been heldannually each summersince 2007, is one op-portunity Farm Bureauprovides for women inagriculture from acrossthe country to improvetheir skills. All of thoseselected to participateshare the same goal, tobecome better commu-nicators. Public speak-ing, media training, ef-fective use of social me-dia and tips for seekingelected office are amongthe topics covered. Anenthusiastic group of15 women of variedages involved in alltypes of farming fromaround the nation re-cently participated intwo and a half days ofintensive training.

“Again this year, agroup of strangerscome together, bonded

through sharing in-tense training exercisesand left a few days laterwith new contacts —friends — that will lasta lifetime,” Gilbert said.“It’s encouraging tohear how Boot Campgraduates plan to usetheir new skills in theircommunities.”

Clearly, opportunitiesabound for women in-volved in agriculturetoday. Many of thoseopportunities centeraround helping peopleunderstand where foodcomes from and how itis grown or producedon family farms andranches.

It seems likely thatwe’ll be hearing morefrom women about foodand farming down theroad.

A recently concludednational study of 70land-grant universitiesfound that undergradu-ate women enrolled inagriculture programsoutnumber undergrad-uate men by more than

2,900 students. TheFood and AgriculturalEducation InformationSystem studied trendsrelated to genderamong undergraduatestudents enrolled in 14agriculture academicareas at land-grant in-stitutions between2004 and 2011.

The increase in un-dergraduate womenstudying agriculture isa relatively new trend.

As recently as 2004,men outnumberedwomen by more than1,400 students. By2008, the number ofundergraduate womenand undergraduatemen enrolled in agricul-ture academic areaswas about equal.

This growth in under-graduate women study-ing agriculture tracksclosely with an overallincrease in women

farmers tracked by theAgriculture Depart-ment. The department’smost recent Census ofAgriculture revealedthat the number ofwomen farm operatorsincreased by 19 percent(to 1,008,943) between2002 and 2007.

Cyndie Sirekis is di-

rector of news services

at the American Farm

Bureau Federation.

James Barr (second from right) of 4-Barr Stock Farm,Arkport, NY was the lucky winner of the Lee PublicationsSubscriptions/Classified Ad Sweepstakes Grand Prize— a John Deere Gator 825. With him are (L-R) Ian Hitch-ener, sales representative for Lee Publications, JohnGriffith, sales representative for Z & M Ag and Turf andBruce Button, general manager of Lee Publications. TheJD Gator was supplied by Lee Publications in coopera-tion with Z & M Ag and Turf, with seven locations servingSW New York and NW Pennsylvania. Be sure to enter LeePublications newest Subscriptions/Classified AdSweepstakes and have the chance to win a Club Car XRT1550. Three ways to enter: 1. Buy a subscription. Yourpaid subscription to Country Folks will automatically getyou entered to win a Club Car XRT 1550. 2. Place a clas-sified reader ad. To place an ad call Peggy at 800-836-2888, fax 518-673-2381, e-mail classified@leepub.com ormail it to CF Grower Classifieds, PO Box 121, PalatineBridge, NY 13428. 3. No purchase necessary. Send a postcard with your name, farm or company name; completemailing address, phone number, e-mail address and dateof birth (must be at least 18 years of age on Dec. 30, 2012to win). Limit one post card entry per address.

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Women often seen as faces of agriculture

FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE American Farm Bureau Federation

Greg Imus has joined Jacto Inc.Tualatin, OR as Vice President ofSales and Marketing for the compa-ny’s new Small Farm Solutions busi-ness unit. Jacto, Inc. is a subsidiaryof Máquinas Agrícolas Jacto S/A ofPompéia, SP, Brazil. Jacto is Brazil’smarket leader in spraying equipmentfor a variety of agricultural applica-tions and does business globally.

Jacto Small Farms Solutions(JSFS) will focus on the needs ofsmall farmers around the world toaid them in efficient and economicalproduction of crops. Imus’s primaryrole will be to develop and enhancesales and distribution in NorthAmerica, Central America and South

Asia Pacific. Formerly VP of sales, marketing

and technical services for ShindaiwaInc., in Tualatin, OR, Imus’s most re-cent position was Area Manager forEurope, Oceania and Africa withMaruyama Manufacturing Companyof Tokyo, Japan.

“The prospect for working withJacto on the new JSFS unit is veryexciting,” affirms Imus. “There iscertainly a good market opportuni-ty. And, with Jacto’s engineering ex-pertise and history of developingstrong relationships with cus-tomers, we have the right combina-tion to make a positive impact with-in our industry.

Jacto, Inc adds new VP of Sales

COLUMBUS, OHIO — The Board ofDirectors of OFA, the Association ofHorticulture Professionals, voted inJuly to begin the process of organiz-ing a new association with the Amer-ican Nursery and Landscape Associ-ation (ANLA). Following severalmonths of working together in a jointventure, the working group compris-ing leaders from both organizationsdetermined it was time to formallyexplore creating a new tradeassociation.

OFA and ANLA announced in Jan-uary 2012 the formation of a jointventure to support business educa-tion and government relations activi-ties. The vision statement adopted byOFA’s board of directors expressedthe desire to form a new organizationif it brings more value to our mem-bers and the industry. Since June2011, OFA’s executive committee hasbeen meeting with ANLA’s leadersabout the opportunity for and viabil-ity of a formal relationship between

the two organizations. As early as thefirst meeting, the idea of forming anew organization has been discussedby the joint venture working group.

“We are listening to our members.Results of a membership and organi-zational study performed at the endof last year indicated that membersof both associations want the organ-izations to work closer to unify theindustry,” said OFA President MikeMcCabe, owner of McCabe’s Green-house & Floral in Lawrenceburg, IN.“They want their industry associa-tion to be all encompassing — onethat touches and links all pieces ofthe horticulture industry, which canbe offered by a new organization. Af-ter significant exploration and evalu-ation the elected leadership of OFAdetermined this is the best way tomeet the needs of our members andthe industry.”

The multi-faceted horticulture in-dustry is undergoing dramaticchanges. Economic strains, genera-

tional differences and the changinginterest in and need for gardeningand landscape products are alteringthe way our products and servicesare valued by consumers. Govern-mental activity and inactivity, finan-cial uncertainty and environmentalchanges are altering the way plantsare being produced, bought and sold.In light of future opportunities andthreats in this quickly changing en-vironment, trade associations needto work together to build the capaci-ty and governance structures toproperly serve their members andthe industry.

The timeline is to have a new or-ganization established no soonerthan July of 2013 and no later thanJanuary 2014. “This is not a merger.This is taking the best of what bothassociations do to create a new or-ganization that will advance the in-dustry and better serve our mem-bers,” said Michael V. Geary, CAE,OFA’s chief executive officer. “We

have many details to work through,but OFA’s leaders are committed toensuring that our members are in-volved in the decision-makingprocess. It’s an exciting time for bothorganizations and the future of thehorticulture industry. The combined215 years of service and resourceswill create a powerful and meaning-ful association.” The new associationwill replace OFA and ANLA.

In further developments of the jointventure, following ANLA ExecutiveVice President Bob Dolibois’ sched-uled retirement at the end of theyear, Geary will become the chiefstaff executive of both ANLA and OFAbeginning on Jan. 1, 2013. The or-ganizations will continue to be gov-erned separately, but Geary will leadthe day-to-day operations of both as-sociations.

To keep the industry up to date onthe formation of the new organiza-tion, visit www.OneVoiceOneIndus-try.com.

OFA Board votes to form new association with ANLA

These days, greenhousegrowers are faced with in-creased competition and therising cost of labor, energy andcrop inputs. To maximize re-turn on their investment,growers are gradually diversi-fying their crops to include hy-droponic vegetables. Smartgrowers have realized thatsustainably produced fruitsand vegetables are a better in-vestment and a more efficientuse of time and resources.

Changing trends have in-creased opportunities forgreenhouse growers to signif-icantly increase sales andprofits using their existing fa-cilities operating year round.Today’s hydroponic growingmethods have proven to makegrowing easier and more reli-able than field growing. Laborcosts and crop input costs arelower, and quality is muchhigher. Converting green-

houses from housing tradi-tional plants to edible pro-duction is now very easy andlow in cost. The future isbright for growers that chooseto grow hydroponically in ex-isting greenhouses.

The traditional greenhousegrower is comfortable produc-ing bedding plants, floweringpotted plants, potted foliageplants and cut flowers. Theregimen most familiar to sea-soned greenhouse devotees isexpensive and often financial-ly unforgiving. These growers,used to a certain outmodedroutine, are now faced with in-creased competition and therising cost of labor, energy andcrop inputs. To maximize re-turn on their investment,growers are gradually diversi-fying their crops to include hy-droponic vegetables — learn-ing quickly that locally pro-duced lettuce, tomatoes, cu-

cumbers and peppers are inhigh demand.

Sustainably and locallygrown food is a very hot topic.Smart growers have realizedthat fruits and vegetables,grown year round in green-houses, are a better invest-ment and a more efficient useof time and resources.

Big budget consumers, likeschool districts and restau-rant chains, are making theswitch to locally grown foods.States are increasing the per-centage of fresh produce thatmakes up school lunches,helping students and facultylead healthier lifestyles. Indi-vidual consumers are more in-terested in where their foodcomes from, and this interestwill continue to grow and drivedemand further upwards.With transportation costs sky-rocketing and food safety con-cerns at an all time high,

hauling food by truck, shipand air has become prohibi-tive. With all these com-pounding matters, it shouldbe obvious that local is theway to go, but produce man-agers and buyers have some-

how not been able to meet theincreased demand for locallygrown foods.

These changing trends haveincreased opportunities for

Hydroponics: Revolutionizing greenhouse growing

Converting greenhouses from housing traditional plants to edibleproduction is now very easy and low in cost.

Hydroponics 8

greenhouse growers tosignificantly increasesales and profits usingtheir existing facilitiesoperating year round.But the hesitance withwhich growers areadding vegetables andfruit to their offerings isbaffling. A pre-existinggreenhouse can easilyaccommodate hydropon-ic growing with few ad-justments. Why aren’tmore growers makingthis clearly advanta-geous switch?

Today’s hydroponicgrowing methods haveproven to make growingeasier and more reliablethan field growing. La-bor costs and crop in-put costs are lower, andquality is much higher.

Hydroponic and green-house yields are com-monly ten times that ofthe field yield for a one-crop-per-year harvest.In some cases, hydro-ponic and greenhouseyields have achievedone hundred times thefield yield of Bibb let-tuce. One grower inCalifornia grows 3.2million heads per acreper year!

Hydroponic soillessgrowing offers savvygreenhouse growers theopportunity to increasethe sales per squarefoot of their facilities byfive or more times. Tolearn more about hy-droponic growing, Dr.Lynette Morgan’s bookHydroponic Lettuce

Production and Dr.Howard M. Resh’s Hy-droponic Food Produc-tion (the 7th editioncame out in August) aregood places to start.

Converting green-houses from housingtraditional plants to ed-ible production is nowvery easy and low incost. Growers can con-vert their low to medi-um technology green-houses to hydroponicswithout having to investa substantial amount ofmoney into a newgreenhouse. Most grow-ers, with some researchand persistence, cantackle the project ontheir own.

A growing number ofcolleges and vocationalschools have agricul-tural departments andcurriculums catering tostudents with futuresas passionate, qualifiedgrowers. Banks andother leading institu-tions that champion thelocally produced foodmovement will standand support this newgeneration of growers.Many growers, new andold, have received low-interest financing fortheir projects by saidinstitutions that under-stand the economicsbehind these endeav-ors. From the introduc-tion of corporate CSAprograms to businessesproviding locally grownfood in lunchrooms,meetings and confer-ences, it is clear thatgrowers are quicklygaining larger alliesoutside the agriculturalindustry.

The future is brightfor growers who chooseto grow hydroponicallyin existing greenhous-es. Low-cost investment

and nearly unlimitedmarket opportunitieshave spurred perceptivegrowers to make thesmart move to growingmore edibles as a per-centage of their totalgrowing area. Will youmake the same choice?

Growers Supply is theleading manufacturer of

greenhouses, high tun-nels, and hydroponicsystems, offering design-build solutions for thehorticulture industry.Growers Supply is an ex-pert in the field and canprovide planning, de-sign, startup and opera-tion training. With a cat-alog of over 30,000 prod-

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These hydroponically-grown tomato plants stretch hightowards the domed ceiling of the greenhouse.

Hydroponics from 7

U.S. tart cherry pro-duction is forecast at73.1 million pounds, 68percent below the 2011production and 62 per-cent below 2010.

New York is expectedto produce 1.1 millionpounds of tart cherries.This forecast is 81 per-cent below last year’s

production of 5.9 millionpounds and 86 percentbelow the 2010 crop. Allareas of New York werehit extremely hard withfreezing temperaturesthat followed warmMarch weather.

This weather sequenceresulted in a record lowproduction forecast.

Pennsylvania’s 2012tart cherry production isforecast at 2.5 millionpounds, 22 percent be-low last year’s produc-tion of 3.2 millionpounds but up 9 percentfrom 2010, according tothe Pennsylvania FieldOffice of USDA’s Nation-

al Agricultural StatisticsService.

Utah, the largest pro-ducing state, expects acrop of 34 millionpounds, down 3 percentfrom the 2011 crop but48 percent above 2010.Production in Utah is ex-pected to be similar to

last year’s level. Washington expects to

produce 27 millionpounds of tart cherriesin 2012, up 29 percentfrom 2011 and 75 per-cent higher than 2010.In Washington, winterconditions were moder-ate and warm spring

conditions allowed for anexcellent bloom. Weatherduring the bloom periodwas mild, allowing forgood pollination.

Michigan’s productionis forecast at 5.5 millionpounds, down 97 per-cent from 2011 anddown 96 percent from2010. In Michigan, nor-mally the largest produc-ing state, record hightemperatures in earlyspring led to prematuredevelopment of trees.This was followed by be-low normal tempera-tures and continual frostevents throughout thestate. Additionally, polli-nation conditions werepoor. The majority ofgrowers lost all of theirharvestable crop thisyear.

Oregon’s production isforecast at 2.5 millionpounds, equal to 2011but 108 percent abovethe production in 2010.Oregon growers reporteda good blossom set andpollination levels.

Wisconsin productionis forecast at 0.5 millionpounds, down 93 per-cent from last year anddown 91 percent from2010. In Wisconsin, ear-ly warm spring tempera-tures caused trees tobud, followed by severaldays with temperaturesbelow freezing at night.

U.S. sweet cherry pro-duction is forecast at382,150 tons, up 11 per-cent from 2011 and 22percent above 2010. TheWashington crop forecastof 235,000 tons is up 18percent from 2011. Win-ter conditions were mod-erate and warm springconditions allowed for anexcellent bloom and re-sulted in good pollinationlevels. The Michigan cropis forecast at 3,300 tons,82 percent below the2011 production. Recordhigh temperatures earlyin the spring caused pre-mature development oftrees. This was followedby below normal temper-atures and continualfrost events later in theseason, leading to a sig-nificantly smaller cropthan normal. New York’scrop is forecast at 250tons, 64 percent belowthe 2011 crop of 700tons, and 75 percent be-low the 2010 crop. Grow-ers reported that warmtemperatures in Marchfollowed by freezing tem-peratures in April drasti-cally reduced their pro-duction potential.

The newest publicationin the Lee Publications, Inc. family of

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You can reach us at P.O. Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 or call 800-218-55866 • Fax 518-673-23811 •• Email: dwren@leepub.com

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Tart and sweet cherry production down

by William McNuttFor the past 15 years, the OFA

Short Course has been the largestheld annually in the Columbus OhioConvention Center. This year was noexception, as it moved up 50 spots tobe the 150th largest on the nationalscene, continuing to occupy the num-ber one spot as the largest horticul-tural event in the U.S. for garden cen-ter retailers, greenhouse and nurserygrowers, landscapers, florists and in-terior landscapers.

More than 750 exhibit sites from 600companies covered seven acres and140 educational sessions were offered.Attendees came from 25 countries andmost of the U.S., for a total attendanceof over 9,000. Sneak peeks of newflower varieties for the coming seasondrew grower interest, along with newtypes of ground covers. Much interestwas created in types of vegetables thatcan be grown intermingled with stan-dard decorative varieties of flowers, to-gether with the addition of food courtsto existing garden centers. OFA’s 84thtrade show was truly a study in inno-vation for those attending.

Of major interest was the an-nouncement during the four day con-vention that American Nursery andLandscape Association and OFA —The Association of Horticulture Pro-fessionals, were joining together un-der the leadership of Michael V.Geary, current OFA chief executive of-ficer, to create a new organization.Following the retirement at the end ofthis year of ANLA Executive Vice Pres-ident Bob Dolobois, Geary will be-come chief executive of both OFA andANLA. Both organizations will contin-ue to be governed separately, withGeary leading the day to day opera-tions of each. This is the culminationof a study to meet member requeststhat both organizations work moreclosely together to unify the industry.

OFA also announced at the ShortCourse that Dr. Charlie Hall had beenappointed as its chief economist. Hallis a professor at Texas A&M Universi-ty, holding the Ellison Endowed Chairin International floriculture. His ex-pertise in production and marketing ofGreen Industry crops has gained na-tional recognition, with major empha-sis on strategic management, marketoutlook cost accounting, and financialanalysis for industry firms.

As one of the first steps toward or-ganizational coordination, OFA andANLA announced the joint develop-ment of a new joint event for Jan. 31-

Feb. 2 in Nashville, TN, to be know as“Next Level.” The event is designed tohelp participants from both groupsclarify a next level for themselves, ex-pose them to new ideas and insights,and connect with like minded individ-uals, with a focus on education thatemphasizes working on, not just in,their individual businesses. Whilethis may turn out to be one giant net-working conference, it can only be ofbenefit to those attending from bothorganizations.

Keynote speaker Sam Kass, WhiteHouse Assistant Chef and Senior Advi-sor for Healthy Food Initiatives, an in-tegral part of which is serving as con-sultant in the set up of the famousWhite House Garden stimulated byFirst Lady Michelle Obama. He assist-ed in the garden’s establishment, withregular work visitation and nutritionalinstruction given to children frommany D.C. low income districts. Thefirst year’s harvest provided 2,000pounds of produce, primarily distrib-uted to area food banks. Now nearingthe end of its third year of operation,yields have doubled, with about two-thirds of the fresh produce now usedin the White House kitchen. The re-mainder goes to charitable agencies.

This program has helped add bi-par-tisan legislation for school lunch im-provement to the Farm Bill, includingpromotion of school grounds gardensand expanding funding for specialtycrops. Many universities, especiallythose with agricultural colleges, setaside land for student gardens. Kasssaid a national conversation is openingup about the need to eat more freshfruits and vegetables.

This spring, several OFA membercompanies, including breeders andgarden centers, launched new or ex-panded offerings in the edible plantcategory to meet increasing demandfor vegetables. Research done by PlantPeddler and Banner Greehouses, pre-sented at a well attended educationalsession, pointed out that filling sea-sonal production gaps with vegetablesand other alternative crops reducesoverhead costs, but expanding cropsales does not help if it doesn’t in-crease profits. Primary emphasisshould be given to utilizing spare ca-pacity to produce fruits and vegetablesmarketed directly to food coops, insti-tutional and restaurant facilities, pro-duce auctions and the like. Partneringwith other growers and/or contractingwith outlets, CSA providers, produceauctions, and grocery stores can also

help assure steady sales. The list of alternative crops that can

be grown inside or outside by thoseconsidering such a move are many, in-cluding green beans, Swiss chard, let-tuce, cucumbers, herbs, peppers,squash, tomatoes, berries. OFA mem-bers at this session were told to besure they understood the possiblerisks and to remember it’s always“flowers first.” Their research hasshown that tomatoes were the leastprofitable, while lettuce came in first.

Another well attended session fo-cused on garden centers looking forextra income, utilizing current facili-ties. Adding food facilities to existinglocations has become a primarysource of extra income, but one withmany pitfalls, particularly in meetinghealth regulations. It’s a natural forgarden centers that already attractyounger customers looking forsources of local, sustainable or or-ganically grown food. Younger con-sumers are looking and willing to payfor, foods of this type, according toJeff Warschauer of Nexus Corp., wholed a panel of garden center operatorswho have already made the transi-tion. Trends now range from cafesthat offer simple ready-to-serve foodssuch as salads, pre-made sandwich-es, pastry and other ready-to-eatfoods, which keep costs down. Othersprefer to offer food prepared on site ina full kitchen, which requires a largeinvestment.

Charlie Cole of Cole Gardens, Con-cord, NH, has set up a Saturday directmarket at his garden center that canaccommodate 30 vendors at a chargeof $30 each. This not only brings in-creased income, but increased trafficthrough Cole Gardens. Cheryl Street ofBriggs Garden and Home has set up acafé type restaurant in a rebuilt gardencenter. She has one vendor do sometype of demonstration each week,

along with regular cooking demos thatinclude foods sold at the market. Mostof her promotion is done online, alongwith local radio. Foods served are easyto prepare, featuring high marginitems such as soups, salads and cook-ies. She buys chicken already frozen,and baked goods that can be held over.Brigg’s centers offer free wi-fi, whichStreet feels attracts customers to thegarden center.

Continuing the emphasis on foodproduction, Bob Jones, Chefs Garden,OFA board member from Ohio, andLloyd Traven, Peace Tree Farm inPennsylvania, addressed the “natural-ly grown” question since both are ex-ponents of sustainable farming. Tra-ven says that organic and sustainablepractices are at odds, that the biggestproblem with organic is fertility, notpesticide management. He stated em-phatically that organic rules areridiculous — rules for organic certifica-tion are now set by the USDA and stateby state interpretation is not allowed.

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OFA Short Course a study in innovation

Mike McCabe, Lawrenceburg, IN, waselected to a second term as OFApresident.

OFA 11

DYERSVILLE, IA — Growers Sup-ply has teamed up with LumiGrow,Inc., the leader in smart horticultur-al lighting, to offer LED lighting solu-tions for greenhouse and controlled-environment agriculture environ-ments. With the innovative Lumi-Grow Pro 325 and 650 HorticulturalLights, growers will reduce energycosts by up to 70 percent and boostyields by providing the exact lightlevels and spectra that plants need.

“With the LumiGrow Pro series,growers no longer need to choose be-tween boosting yields and controllingoperating costs,” said LumiGrowCEO Kevin Wells. He added,“The Lu-miGrow Pro series delivers the bestof both worlds: tremendous powerand energy efficiency unrivaled byany other light.”

LumiGrow Pro series lights fea-ture a 50,000 hour rating withoutdegradation, lasting up to 10 times

longer than high-intensity discharge(HID) lamps. Further savings areachieved because these fixtures run70 percent cooler than HID lamps,reducing greenhouse cooling re-quirements.

The LumiGrow Pro series is avail-able in two models. Pro 325, with atypical energy consumption of 325watts, is designed for commercialgreenhouses and controlled envi-ronment agriculture, and will pro-vide growers with 70 percent energysavings compared to a 1,000-watt

HID light. For growers and scien-tists who require a higher PAR out-put, the Pro 650 typically uses 650watts and reduces energy costs by40 percent versus a 1,000-watt HIDlight. The LumiGrow Pro 650 dou-bles the red and blue photosynthet-ically active radiation (PAR) outputof 1,000-watt HID fixtures and theLumiGrow Pro 325 achieves paritywith 1,000-watt HID lights.

For more information or to order,call Growers Supply at 1-800-476-9715.

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Jones said there is no question thatfarmers using genetically engineeredcrop seeds have an easier time withweeds than those having to removeweeds by hoeing, but many of hisclient chefs want chemical free pro-duce. With 20 percent growth in thepast five years, organically growncrops cost more, but customers seemwilling to pay, most feeling that betternutrition comes from more “natural”cultivation methods.

Chefs Garden caters to chefs, manyof whom come to the farm’s commer-cial kitchen to experiment with vari-ous produce and then contract tohave it grown for them. This startedwhen the Jones’s Farms transitionedfrom selling at farm markets, wherechefs were buying much of their

produce and asking for specific itemsfor their restaurants. Now Chefs Gar-den ships to 49 states and 15 coun-tries. It took awhile but they havelearned how to ship produce long dis-tances and have it arrive in mint con-dition. Bob Jones says he receives lit-tle pressure to go organic, but chefsdo request assurance about the grow-ing practices used. He says most oftheir product is 24 hours from field toplate, still growing when ordered,then harvested and shipped. Thecompany provides more than 600 va-rieties of heirloom and specialty veg-etables to its customers, with a totalwork force of 120 under the manage-ment of Bob Jones and his brotherLee, together with their father BobJones Sr.

OFA from 10

Tim Zimmerman, Mitchell Metal Products, gave a demonstrationon using Mitchell Wreath Rings.

Marshall and Pati Patmos from Westmoreland, NH look over the winning wreaths atthe convention.

Attendees of the National ChristmasTree Association 2012 conventionhad the opportunity to judge thetrees in the Christmas Tree Contest.The California Christmas Tree Association was busy

giving helpful information to attendees.Photos by Joan Kark-Wren

Linda Spilker of Nebraska talks with Rick Dungy after her name was drawnas the winner of the Stihl chainsaw and accesories.

David Beresford and Will Payne of Sierra Cascade Christmas Trees,LLC talk with attendees about their Christmas products line. Thescented pine cones and reindeer were a big hit!

The owner of Full Circle Wreath Company, Rueben Orozco, demonstrates makinga quick and easy centerpiece.

2012 NationalChristmas Tree

AssociationConvention and TradeShow held Aug 8-10 in

Sacramento, CA

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A. Do you grow vegetables? Acres: � 1-3 � 3-10 � Over 10� Beets � Onions � Tomatoes � Broccoli� Cabbage � Celery � Cauliflower � Pumpkins� Beans � Potatoes � Sweet Corn � Cucumbers

B. Do you grow fruit? Acres: � 1-3 � 3-10 � Over 10 � Grapes � Cherries � Strawberries � Peaches� Apples � Pears � Cranberries � Blueberries� Melons � Brambles

C. Do you operate a greenhouse? Sq. Ft. � Up to 5,000 � 5-10,000 � over 10,000� Bedding Plants � Vegetables � Foliage Plants� Cut Flowers � Potted Flower Plants � Other

D. Do you operate a nursery? Acres � 1-3 � 3-10 � Over 10� Wholesale � Retail � Christmas Trees� Shade Trees � Fruit Trees � Mums� Shrubs � Perennials � Herbs, Drieds, Cuts

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by Jim Riddle, University of Minnesota

Having trouble under-standing the require-ments for organic certifi-cation? If so, you’re notalone! This overview isintended to provide anunderstandable intro-duction to the NationalOrganic Program regula-tion and certification re-quirements.

The National OrganicProgram Final Rule(NOP) was developed bythe USDA to implementthe Organic Foods Pro-duction Act of 1990(OFPA). The NOP isbased on recommenda-tions of the National Or-ganic Standards Board(NOSB), which was ap-pointed by the Secretaryof Agriculture to provideadvice to implementOFPA and to review sub-stances allowed in or-ganic production andhandling.

The USDA issued thefirst proposed rule in De-cember, 1997. That pro-posed set of standardswould have allowed ge-netic engineering, irradi-ation, sewage sludge, an-tibiotics, re-feeding ofanimal by-products, andother practices long pro-hibited in organic agri-culture. That proposalreceived 275,603 com-ments, and was with-drawn.

The second proposedrule was issued inMarch, 2000. It wasmuch more consistentwith existing organicstandards than the firstproposed rule. It re-ceived about 40,000comments, and servedas the basis for the “Fi-nal Rule,” issued in De-cember 2000.

The Final Rule con-tains an extensive list ofdefinitions, organic pro-duction and processingstandards, and the “Na-tional List” of allowedsynthetic and prohibitednatural substances. Italso contains labeling,certification, accredita-tion, enforcement, andtesting requirements.The regulation went intoeffect on October 21,2002. The text of therule, along with policystatements, program up-dates, a list of accreditedcertifying agents, com-plaint procedures, andother related information

can be found atwww.ams.usda.gov/nop.

Under the regulation,any agricultural productcan be produced usingorganic methods. TheNOP covers all agricul-tural products labeledand sold as “organic” or“organically produced.”The rule covers organicvegetable growers, or-chardists, livestock pro-ducers, ranchers,processors, and han-dlers. Parts of the regu-lation even apply to re-tailers. It is good for or-ganic operators to un-derstand the require-ments for other sectors,since these may affectparts of their operation.

While the NOP regula-tion is relatively new, or-ganic standards and cer-tification have existed inthe United States sincethe mid-1970s, begin-ning with California Cer-tified Organic Farmers,Oregon Tilth, the Organ-ic Growers and BuyersAssociation (MN), andthe Northeast OrganicFarming Association(Northeast). As the mar-kets for organic productsgrew, so did the numberof organic certificationagencies. Though thestandards of the differ-ent agencies, and thestates which defined “or-ganic” through legisla-tion, were similar, therewere differences. Thesedifferences sometimesresulted in trade difficul-ties and disputes be-tween regions overwhose standards weremore “organic.”

OFPA was passed byCongress in 1990 to be-gin the process of resolv-ing the differences andestablishing one set ofnational standards.Those standards are nowin place. All certifierswho operate in the U.S.,and all certifiers whocertify products sold as“organic” in the U.S.,must follow the NOP,and they must be ac-credited by the USDA toshow that they have thecompetence and freedomfrom conflict of interestto certify organic prod-ucts.

“Organic production”is defined by the regula-tion as “a productionsystem that is managed… to respond to site-spe-cific conditions by inte-

grating cultural, biologi-cal, and mechanicalpractices that foster cy-cling of resources, pro-mote ecological balance,and conserve biodiversi-ty.”

In simplified terms,the National OrganicProgram standards forcrop farms are as fol-lows:

• 3 years (36 monthsprior to harvest) with noapplication of prohibitedmaterials (no syntheticfertilizers, pesticides, orGMOs) prior to certifica-tion;

• distinct, definedboundaries for the oper-ation;

• proactive steps toprevent contaminationfrom adjoining landuses;

• implementation ofan Organic System Plan,with proactive fertilitymanagement systems;conservation measures;and environmentallysound manure, weed,disease, and pest man-agement practices;

• monitoring of theoperation’s managementpractices to assure com-pliance;

• use of natural in-puts and/or approvedsynthetic substances onthe National List, provid-ed that proactive man-agement practices areimplemented prior to useof approved inputs;

• no use of prohibitedsubstances;

• no use of genetical-ly engineered organisms(GMOs), defined in therule as “excluded meth-ods”;

• no use of sewagesludge or irradiation;

• use of organicseeds, when commercial-ly available (must notuse seeds treated withprohibited synthetic ma-terials, such as fungi-cides);

• use of organicseedlings for annualcrops;

• restrictions on theuse of raw manure andcompost;

• must maintain orimprove the physical,chemical, and biologicalcondition of the soil,minimize soil erosion,and implement soilbuilding crop rotations;

• fertility manage-ment must not contami-nate crops, soil, or waterwith plant nutrients,pathogens, heavy met-als, or prohibited sub-stances;

• maintenance ofbuffer zones, dependingon risk of contamination;

• prevent commin-gling on split operations(the entire farm does nothave to be converted toorganic production, pro-

vided that sufficientmeasures are in place tosegregate organic fromnon-organic crops andproduction inputs);

• no field burning todispose of crop residues(may only burn to sup-press disease or stimu-late seed germination –flame weeding is al-lowed); and

• no residues of pro-hibited substances ex-ceeding 5 percent of theEPA tolerance (certifiermay require residueanalysis if there is rea-son to believe that a crophas come in contact with

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An introduction to Organic Certification Requirements OORGANRGAN IICSCS

Certification 15

prohibited substances or was pro-duced using GMOs).

All operations producing and/or sell-ing organic products must keeprecords to verify compliance with theregulation.

Such records must: • be adapted to the particular opera-

tion; • fully disclose all activities and

transactions of the certified operationin sufficient detail as to be readily un-derstood and audited;

• be maintained for at least five yearsbeyond their creation; and

• be sufficient to demonstrate com-pliance with the regulation. The opera-tor must make the records availablefor inspection.

Organic System Plan forms are typi-cally provided by certifying agents aspart of the application process. Theplans must be updated annually, andoperators are required to notify theircertifying agents of all changes to theoperation which might affect the oper-ation’s certification status. Organic op-erations must follow their Organic Sys-tem Plans, and they must be inspected

at least annually.All producers and handlers who sell

over $5000/year in organic productsmust be certified. Producers and han-dlers who sell under $5,000/year donot have to be certified, but they stillhave to follow the NOP. Non-certifiedorganic producers can sell their prod-ucts directly to customers or to retailstores, but their products cannot beused as organic ingredients or feed byother operations, and they cannot usethe “USDA Organic” seal.

Though the NOP requirements aresimilar to previous organic standards,there are some significant differences,and there are areas of continued con-troversy, confusion, and clarification.Despite the level of detail in the NOP,some interpretation is required for lo-cal variations and new conditions. It isalways a good idea to check with certi-fication agencies to get your questionsanswered, especially before purchas-ing or applying materials.

For more information on OrganicCertification go to www.extension.org/organic_production

Source: www.extension.org

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BioSafe Systems introduces Terra-Clean® 5.0. The new enhanced labelingprovides a new active ingredient state-ment as well as use labeling instruc-tions. TerraClean 5.0 controls a widevariety of soil borne diseases, such asbotrytis, pythium, phytophthora, rhi-zoctonia and verticillium, which can beused for both horticultural and agricul-tural applications.

TerraClean 5.0 is highly effective as adrip line treatment and may be used atany stage of plant growth. It stimulatesstronger root growth and efficient nutri-ent uptake. New labeling allows for pre-plant soil treatments for consecutivecropping applications, and soil treat-ments prior to seeding and planting atthe curative rate.

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Certification from 14

SEATTLE, WA — It’s official! Sept. 9-15 is declared Washington OrganicWeek via proclamation from GovernorChristine Gregoire.

Throughout the week, Tilth Produc-ers of Washington will partner withWashington State growers, retail out-lets, restaurants and likeminded or-ganizations to offer statewide eventshighlighting the benefits of Organicproducts grown in Washington. Eventswill offer consumers unique opportuni-ties to meet organic farmers and con-nect with the people that make health-ful, fresh, and environmentally and so-cially responsible food available to

Washington State consumers.“With more than 100,000 acres of or-

ganic farm land, Washington is thethird largest organic producer in thenation,” said Diane Dempster, boardpresident of Tilth Producers of Wash-ington. “Washington Organic Week cel-ebrates the benefits of organic agricul-ture on local economies and the healthof Washingtonians.”

Tilth Producers of Washington isproud to offer a full week of events inpartnership with its sponsors. Formore information visit www.tilthpro-ducers.org, call 206-632-7506, or e-mail organic@tilthproducers.org

Washington Organic Week (WOW!)Tilth producers of Washington hosts

weeklong campaign to connectconsumers with Washington Organic

products & growers

OLYMPIA, WA — Organic growers and processors inWashington should benefit from increased sales to theEuropean Union (EU) now that the EU and the UnitedStates are operating under a new organic equivalencypartnership that went into effect June 1.

“It should be a very good thing for our organic busi-nesses,” WSDA Director Dan Newhouse said. “Wash-ington features one of the premier organic industriesin the U.S. and the new arrangement to streamline or-ganic trade with Europe will reduce costs for our or-ganic exporters and make our organic foods and ingre-dients more available to the 27 countries that makeup the European Union.

“While most of Washington’s organic trade focuseson Canada and Pacific Rim nations, we’ve been activein Europe as well. So this innovative arrangement isvery exciting as organic production is a vital compo-nent of Washington’s diverse agriculture.”

Previously, producers and companies that wanted totrade on both sides of the Atlantic had to obtain sep-arate certifications to two standards, resulting in adouble set of fees, inspections and paperwork. TheUnited States signed a similar partnership with Cana-da in 2009. Additional organic equivalency arrange-ment conversations have been held with South Korea,Taiwan and Japan, according to a USDA news release.

U.S. and EU organic standards have slight differ-ences; however both sides determined that theirprograms were equivalent, allowing the agreementto go ahead.

To comply with the new agreement, U.S. apples andpears must be produced without antibiotics, productsmust travel with an EU import certificate completedby a USDA-accredited certifying agent and productsmust be either produced within the U.S. or have hadfinal processing and packaging occur within the U.S.

Potential exporters may visit WSDA’s InternationalMarkets web page and a Guide to International Organ-ic Markets for details on how exported organic prod-ucts are evaluated by staff.

American sales of organic products to the EU are ex-pected to grow substantially within the first few yearsof the new arrangement.

WSDA’s Organic Food Program, which is accredit-ed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, upholdsthe integrity of the organic label through certifica-tion and inspection of organic crops, livestock pro-ducers, processors, handlers and retailers. The pro-gram is the oldest and largest state organic certifica-tion agency in the U.S.

In 2011, WSDA certified more than 90,000 acresof crops as organic, including forage, tree fruits, veg-etables, herbs, grains, beans and oilseeds. WSDAcertifies more than 25 dairies as organic in Washing-ton, bringing premium prices to farmers in that sec-tor and others.

WSDA’s program is entirely fee-funded. Employeescertify more than 1,100 organic clients and register750 material inputs for organic production. A list ofWSDA certified operations, as well as informationabout organic certification, is posted online athttp://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/Organic/.

Statistics regarding the status of the organic food in-dustry in Washington show vibrant growth, with64,000 acres certified organic in 2006 and a peak of108,000 acres in 2009. In 2011, the top three organiccommodities by acreage were: organic forage, 30 per-cent; tree fruit, 21 percent; and vegetables, 17 per-cent. Sixty-four percent of the state’s 730 certified or-ganic farms on are located in Eastern Washington.

In 2010, the latest figures available, Grant, Ben-

ton and Walla Walla counties were the top three far-mgate sales counties for organic commodities. Thetop three counties in Western Washington were Sk-agit, Pierce and King.

Whether shopping at a farmers market, grocerystore, on-farm store or participating in a CommunitySupported Agriculture (CSA) share, consumers shouldlook for a U.S. Department of Agriculture organic la-bel, certifier seal or ask to see an organic certificate.

Brenda Book, manager of WSDA’s Organic FoodProgram, notes these measures provide evidence thatthe product was grown on farms that are inspected toensure compliance with nationwide organic stan-dards. For a product to be labeled organic, certified or-ganic farmers must use organic seeds and refrainfrom using most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.Organic feed is required for livestock and animalsmust be allowed outside on a regular basis.

Book said that small farm operations that sell lessthan $5,000 of agriculture products a year can usethe label if following organic rules, but certification isoptional to keep costs down.

OFA — the Associationof Horticulture Profes-sionals and the Ameri-can Nursery and Land-scape Association (ANLA)have announced the de-velopment of a new, jointevent. The new event,named “Next Level,” willbe held Jan. 31 to Feb. 2at the Gaylord OprylandHotel in Nashville, TN.

According to OFA CEOMichael Geary, “Everyindividual, every organi-zation has a next level,the next dimension ofperformance and resultsto realize. The Next Levelevent is designed to helpparticipants clarify theirown next level, exposethem to the ideas and in-sights to help bridge that

gap and connect them tolike-minded colleagueswho can support theirjourney.” The Next Levelevent will be unique inits focus on educationthat focuses attendeeson working on theirbusiness, not just intheir business.

ANLA and OFA haveretained the services ofnationally-recognizededucational event de-signer Jeffrey Cufaude tohelp plan this meeting.He will work with a plan-ning committee made upof members from bothorganizations. With di-rection from volunteerleaders, an initial meet-ing with the staffs of OFAand ANLA, held in June,

defined the goals for theconference. Bob Doli-bois, ANLA’s executivevice president stated,“Our industry faces anew normal in terms ofthe economy, our cus-tomers and our competi-tors. The top industryfirms of the next 20years need to identifyhow their businesseshave to change in orderto enjoy continued suc-

cess. This meeting is theplace where that willhappen.”

The educational pro-gram is currently underdevelopment. Furtherdetails will be availableat the end of September.For more information onthe partnership betweenOFA and ANLA and theNext Level event, visitwww.onevoiceoneindus-try.com.

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Changes in U.S.-European Union organic trade open opportunities

Country Folks Grower Classifieds(800) 836-2888E-mail: classified@leepub.com

PO Box 121, 6113 State Hwy. 5Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 Fax: (518) 673-2381

Number / Classification35 Announcements50 Applicators80 Auctions

110 Bedding Plants120 Bees-Beekeeping130 Bird Control155 Building Materials/

Supplies165 Business Opportunities210 Christmas Trees235 Computers330 Custom Services415 Employment Wanted440 Farm Machinery For

Sale445 Fa r m M a c h i n e r y

Wanted470 Financial Services500 For Sale505 Forklifts510 Fresh Produce, Nursery515 Fruit Processing Eq.530 Garden Supplies535 Generators570 G r e e n h o u s e

Plugs/Cuttings575 Greenhouse Supplies580 Groundcover605 Heating610 Help Wanted680 Irrigation700 Lawn & Garden805 Miscellaneous820 Nurseries840 Nursery Supplies855 Orchard Supplies910 Plants950 Real Estate For Sale955 Real Estate Wanted

1035 Seeds & Nursery1040 Services Offered1130 Tractors1135 Tractors, Par ts &

Repair1140 Trailers1155 Tree Moving Services1165 Trees1170 Truck Parts & Equipment1180 Trucks1190 Vegetable1205 Wanted

BusinessOpportunities

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OCTOBER ISSUEADVERTISING DEADLINEThursday, September 13th

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ADVERTISERSGet the best response fromyour advertisements byincluding the condition, age,price and best calling hours.Also we always recommendinsertion for at least 2 timesfor maximum benefits. CallPeg at 1-800-836-2888

Announcements

CHECK YOUR AD - ADVER-TISERS should check theirads. Lee Publications, Inc.shall not be liable for typo-graphical, or errors in publica-tion except to the extent of thecost of the first months inser-tion of the ad, and shall alsonot be liable for damages dueto failure to publish an ad.Adjustment for errors is limit-ed to the cost of that portion ofthe ad wherein the erroroccurred. Report any errorsto Peg Patrei at 518-673-3237 ext. 111 or 800-836-2888.

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FOR SALE: MINI STRAWBALERS, makes ornamentalbales 3”x4”x7” or 4”x5½x10”bales. Sell well at auctions,markets, stands. Low inputs,great returns. Send for infor-mation. Countryside MachineShop, 2682 460TH Road,Gentry, MO 64453

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CANVAS PRINTS: All sizes.Mounted or Unmounted. Justbring in or send us your photoat Lee Publications. Call 518-673-0101 bsnyder@leepub.com

WEDDING INVITATIONSprinted and designed by LeePublications: 100 (4.5x6) Invi-tations including envelopeswith 100 RSVP postcards.Only $150.00 +tax. We canalso do smaller and largeramounts. Call for pricing anddesigns 518-673-0101, orb s n y d e r @ l e e p u b . c o mAlso Save the Dates • ShowerInvitations • Baby Announce-ments and more.

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Calendar of Events

SEP 6-7Montana Nursery &

Landscape AssociationFall Tour

Bozeman Area. Call 406-755-3079 or e-mailED@plantingmontana.com.

SEP 10-12OFA Perennial Production

& Retail ConferenceAmway Grang Hotel, GrandRapids, Michigan. Thisunique event offers an inti-mate educational and net-working experience focusedon perennials. Through sem-inars, a tour, hands-onworkshops for producersand retailers, and a tradeshow, learn everything youneed to know about perenni-al production and retailing.All registrations includebreakfast, lunch, trade showadmission, reception, andnetworking events. On Inter-net at http://perennialconference.org/perennial/reg i s t r a t i o n / p e r e n n i a l /registration.aspx

SEP 11Fall Tour

Montana Nursery & Land-scape Association, BitterrootValley, MT. Call 406-755-3079 or e-mail ED@

plantingmontana.com. SEP 14-15

WALP’s Annual LandscapeIndustry Written

Certification EventSouth Puget Sound Commu-nity College, Building 32,2011 Mottman Rd SW,Olympia, WA 98512. 8 am.More Informationinfo@walp.org. Call 425-967-0729 or e-mailinfo@walp.org. On Internetat www.walp.org

SEP 14-16Pacific Northwest Bonsai

Clubs Association 2012 Convention

Vancouver Hilton Hotel, 301West 6th St., Vancouver,WA. The convention will fea-ture a world class bonsaiexhibit, classes, a bonsaimarketplace and demonstra-tions and workshops byrenowned bonsai artists.Call 503-504-7760. OnI n t e r n e t a twww.portlandbonsai.org

SEP 18Sustainability Standard

for Nursery & GreenhouseProduction: Overview &

Mock InspectionNorth Willamette Research &Extension Center (NWREC)

E-mail announcements of your regionalevent(s) to: jkarkwren@leepub.comWe must receive your information,plus a contact phone number, prior tothe deadline that’s noted under theAnnouncements heading on the 1stpage of these Grower Classifieds.

* * *

Aurora, OR. 8 am - noon.Pre-resitration is required.Contact Roberta Anderson,503-493-1066 ext. 31 or e-mail Roberta@foodal-liance.org.

SEP 19-20Canwest Hort Show

Vancouver ConventionCentre, West Building,

1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC

The show includes over 350booths and many activitiesand attracts 3,000 atten-dees. On Internet atwww.canwesthortshow.com

SEP 20-22Ozark Red, White &

Blooms: America in BloomSymposium & Award

ProgramsFeyetteville, AR. Call 614-487-1117 or e-mailaib@ofa.org. On Internet atwww.americainbloom.org

SEP 27-29The landscape Show

Orange County ConventionCenter, 9800 InternationalDr., Orlando, FL. The showdraws over 7500 attendees,over 400 exhibitors andoffers many activities. OnInternet at www.fngla.org

OCT 25-27Planet Green

Industry ConferenceKentucky Expo Center & theLouisville Downtown Mar-riott, Louisville, KY. OnInternet at www.GreenIndustryConference.org

NOV 2-62012 Irrigation Show &Education Conference

Orange County ConventionCenter, Orlando, FL. Call e - m a i linfo@irrigationshow.org.

DEC 4-5Northwest EnvironmentalConference & Tradeshow

Portland, OR. Focuses onbest management practicesin environmental protection,as well as other areas of cur-rent interest to the businesssector, including resourceefficiencies, health & safety,supply chain management,product standards andemerging policies. ContactCatherine Van Zyl, 800-985-6322 or e-mailCatherine@nebc.org.

JAN 9-102013 MT Green Expo

Holiday Inn Grand Montana,Billings MT. Call 406-755-3079 or e-mailED@plantingmontana.com.

JAN 23-25Idaho Hort Expo

Boise Centre on the Grove,Boise, Idaho. Contact AnnBates, e-mail abates@inlagrow.org. On Internet atwww.inlagrow.org

JA. 31WALP / WSNLA 2013

ConferenceHilton Vancouver - Vancou-ver, WA. 12 am. Save thedates for “Game On” -WALP’s Annual Conferenceheld jointly with WSNLA andscheduled for Jan. 31 - Feb.2. Watch the WALP websitefor more information as itbecomes available on spon-sorship and registration.Call 425-967-0729. OnInternet at www.walp.org

FEB 1-628th Annual NAFDMAConvention - Pacific

Northwest 2013Doubletree by Hilton Hotel,Portland, OR.

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The National Christ-mas Tree Association

(NCTA) recently award-ed the Outstanding

Service Award to Den-nis Tompkins duringthe association’s An-nual Convention &Trade Show. Tomp-kins, who hails fromBonney Lake, WA, waspresented with theaward at the ClosingBanquet held Aug. 10in Sacramento, CA.

First created in 2002,the Outstanding Ser-vice Award is given toan individual who hasmade an outstandingcontribution to the RealChristmas Tree indus-try over the course ofmany years, and is one

of the highest honorsthat NCTA bestowsupon individuals.

“Dennis has touchedmany lives in theChristmas Tree indus-try,” said Bob Schaefer,a grower from Oregonwho presented theaward to Tompkins.“Working with manyChristmas tree growersover the years, he hasbeen an instructor atvarious tree root dis-ease workshops as wellas a valued member ofthe Pacific NorthwestChristmas Tree Associ-ation for more than 35

years. I’m confident insaying that many grow-ers are better at theirbusiness because ofworking with Dennis.”

In addition to hismany years in theChristmas Tree busi-ness, Tompkins is aCertified Arborist, ur-ban forester and Wash-ington State UniversityMaster Gardener. Hehas been certified bythe International Soci-ety of Aboriculture(ISA) and received the2007 "Arborist of theYear" award from the

Pacific NorthwestChapter of the ISA. Heserved as editor of theChristmas Tree Look-out magazine, pub-lished by the PacificNorthwest ChristmasTree Association from1985 through 1990,when he then took overthe job as editor ofthe NCTA’s AmericanChristmas Tree Jour-nal through 2008.He is a nationallyknown speaker andspokesman for theChristmas Treeindustry.

Dennis Tompkins receives Outstanding Service Award

National Wreath Contest ~ Decorated CatagoryHeld at the National Christmas Tree Convention in August, Sacramento, CA

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Santa’s Own

Gary Hague, Hague’s Christmas Trees, Pennsylvania,won 1st place in the Decorated catagory in the NationalWreath Contest.

Rene Scarcella, McMenomy Highland Tree Farm inWashington, took 2nd place.

Paul Smith, Cool Springs Nursery, took 3rd place withthis decorated wreath at the NCTA’s 2012 Conventionheld in Sacramento, CA.

National Wreath Contest ~ Undecorated CatagoryHeld at the National Christmas Tree Convention in August

Rene Scarcella, McMenomy Highland Tree Farm inWashington, won 1st place in the undecorated wreathcontest.

The second place winner in the undecorated wreathcatagory was Paul Smith of Cool Springs Nursery inNorth Carolina.

Gary Hague, Hague’s Chrstmas Trees in Pennsylvaniawon 3rd place. Photos by Joan Kark-Wren

CCHH RRIISSTMATMAS SS SEECTICTIOONN

by Kelly GatesTim Stettler and his

family have always lovedchoosing and cuttingtheir own Christmastree. For many years,Tim, his wife Krista andtheir children, Asher andCallie, ventured out to alocal tree farm duringthe holiday season to se-lect just the right coniferfor Christmas.

But when the tree farmthey frequented closed,the Stettlers were forcedto find another vendor.According to Tim, thatfarm eventually closedtoo. And then another.And another.

“The owner of the firstfarm we went to told usthat he was growingtrees to help put his chil-dren through college,”Tim told Country FolksGrower. “That was al-ways in the back of ourminds over the years.Then, when we had tokeep finding new farmsto get our own trees, weultimately decided tostart our own Christmastree business.”

While the family treefarm,North Pole Pines ofFarr West, Utah, solvedthe problem of where tofind a Christmas treeeach year, it also servedanother purpose. Likethe grower they had metas customers, the Stet-tlers, now growersthemselves, put theprofits toward theirkids’ educations.

It took a number of

years for the family’s in-vestment to pay off. Tenacres were purchased in1995 and a variety ofseedlings were plantedin the initial test plot todetermine which oneswould grow well on theproperty.

“Our land was oncepart of a huge salt lakebed, so the soil is very al-kaline,” explained Tim.“Conifers prefer acidicsoil, so even though wedo grow some, Balsamsare tougher to grow here.White Spruce, however,doesn’t seem to mind thesoil at all and that hasbecome our top seller.”

Tim admits that if hecould turn back time hewould plant nearly allWhite Spruce. While thevariety was part of thewidely varied test plot in-stalled early on, severedrought killed many ofthose small trees and thefamily had to decidewhich types to plantwithout results fromtheir experimental grow-ing program.

They chose to plant alarge assortment of

Scotch Pine because thetrees mature quickly.The goal was to achieve areturn on their invest-ment as quickly as pos-sible.

“This will be our tenthyear being officially opento harvest and we are onour second rotation oftrees,” said Tim. “We domost of the work hereourselves, tending toaround 5,000 treesthroughout the summerand readying them forharvest in the fall.”

One of the most taxingjobs at the tree farm isshearing. It takes mostof the summer to do this.The family also appliesherbicides and mowsregularly to keep weedsat bay.

Along with generalmaintenance, the treesat North Pole Pines alsorequire irrigation. Ac-cording to Tim, the cli-mate there has alwaysbeen arid, with littlerainfall during the latespring and summermonths. In fact, localweathercasters frequent-ly refer to the period be-

tween middle June andAugust as being “severeclear.”

This, combined withthe fact that olderconifers can also absorbwater through their nee-dles, led the Stettlers toinstall overhead sprin-klers. Getting water tothe sprinklers was a ma-jor challenge in the be-ginning, said Tim.

“The irony with finan-cial funding was that ifwe purchased a tractorfirst, we would not quali-fy to build a house be-

cause the tractor wouldraise our debt ratio,” ex-plained Tim. “We had tohurry up and build ourhouse and as soon as itclosed, the bank wasmore than happy to loanus money for a tractor todig the furrows thatwould bring water to thetrees.”

It was during thisstretch of time that thetest plot trees did notsurvive a drought thatimpacted many growersin the region. But today,the fields are full of

healthy, well wateredWhite Spruce, ScotchPines and Balsam Firs,thanks to the overheadwatering system.

From Thanksgiving toChristmas each year,North Pole Pines isopen to customers whowant to choose and cuttheir own trees. Thefamily sets up a smallretail stand on thehomestead to meet andgreet guests and to col-lect payment as theyprepare to depart the

Christmas Tree grow-ers have been donatingtrees to military familiesfor years. In 2005, FedExheard about the effortsand wanted to know howthey could become in-volved — and Trees forTroops, a program of theChristmas SPIRIT Foun-dation (CSF), was born.

The Trees for Troopsprogram has helped tobring the Christmasspirit to U.S. militaryfamilies across the na-tion, delivering morethan 100,000 RealChristmas Trees since2005. In 2011, Treesfor Troops, with thehelp of partner FedEx,delivered more than19,000 ChristmasTrees to 65 militarybases across the U.S.and overseas. The Treesthat are donated to the

program come frommore than 800 treefarms in more than29 states across thecountry.

This program is awin-win for all. ManyChristmas tree growersare from military back-grounds or have chil-dren or relatives in thearmed forces. They be-lieve a real Christmastree is an integral partof a family’s holidaytraditions. The militaryfamilies that receive thetrees often have lovedones overseas or mayhave just returnedthemselves and maynot have the time, mon-ey or resources to pur-chase and decorate atree. They are truly ap-preciative of a gift thatreminds them of homeand their family.

FedEx, who has donat-ed more than 290,000miles to this programplus tons of man hours,loves being associatedwith something someaningful.

In April 2012, Trees forTroops was named oneof 20 finalists out of 300submissions in the Join-ing Forces CommunityChallenge. The Chal-lenge, launched by FirstLady Michelle Obamaand Dr. Jill Biden in2011, is designed to rec-ognize organizations andindividuals with ademonstrated, genuineand deep desire to be ofservice to military fami-lies.

Two representativesfrom the ChristmasSPIRIT Foundation, NigelManley, chair of theFoundation and Amy

Mills, assistant directorfor CSF, participated in areception at the Penta-gon, attended a “meetand greet” with Mrs.Obama and Dr. Biden atthe White House and at-tended a USO luncheonon April 11, 2012.

The Christmas SPIRITFoundation, based inChesterfield, MO, is a501(c)(3) nonprofit foun-dation that advances theChristmas spirit for kids,families and the environ-ment. Trees for Troops®is one of its major pro-grams. Ninety-eight per-cent of all donations godirectly to its programs.For more details or to do-nate, visit www.Christ-masSPIRITFoundation.org.

Please help us keepthe spirit of Christmas

alive by participating inthis “American Made”cause. Visit our website

at www.TreesForTroops.org to learnmore.

Keep the Spirit Alive

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The Trees for Troops charity has delivered over 100,000trees to military families since 2005.

Christmas SectionChristmas Section

The ‘Jolly Fat Man’

Fat Man 23

The smell of a freshlycut Christmas tree in-fuses a home with holi-day spirit, and the beau-ty of a real tree still can'tbe matched by artificialtrees. A new productcalled Christmas Vaca-tion will keep a cut treefresh and green through-out the holiday seasonwith just one watering.

Christmas Vacation isan all-natural plant anti-transpirant that willkeep a Christmas treefresh for up to three tofour weeks. Just mix one8-oz. bottle of ChristmasVacation with one gallonof water and pour the so-lution into the tree stand

reservoir inside theChristmas tree stand.Cut the end of the treeand place the tree in thestand. Let the tree soakup the solutionovernight, and there's noneed to water again forup to four weeks.

Christmas Vacation isbiodegradable and con-tains no toxic chemicals.

Christmas Vacationcan also be used to keeppoinsettias and otherpotted plants from dry-ing out. Just mix twocapfuls of Christmas Va-cation with a cup of wa-ter (or three ounces pergallon of water). Applythe solution as a water-

ing to the entire pot untilthe soil is saturated.Poinsettias will then sur-vive without water for upto two weeks.

Christmas Vacation isthe perfect point-of-saleproduct near Christmastrees and holiday plants.

Let your customersknow about Christmas

VacationChristmas Vacation

keeps Christmas treesfresh and green all sea-son long with just oneapplication. Simply mixone 8-oz. bottle ofChristmas Vacation withone gallon of water andpour the solution intothe tree stand reservoir.

All-natural ChristmasVacation is safe and non-toxic for people and pets.Christmas Vacation alsoworks great on pottedplants including poinset-tias. Just mix with waterand saturate the soil.Plants will then survivewithout water for up totwo weeks.

Christmas Vacationwill eliminate the needfor watering fresh-cutChristmas trees for thebrief holiday season orup to three weeks. Addthe entire bottle ofChristmas Vacation toone gallon of water. Mixthoroughly. Pour entiresolution into the reser-

voir inside the Christmastree stand. The tree willsuck in the solutionthrough the fresh-cutbase. The tree shouldkeep its needles andgreen color for up tothree weeks. These di-rections are for fresh-cutChristmas trees with theassumption that the treewill be discarded afterthe holiday season.

Christmas Vacation issafe, biodegradable andcontains no polymers orother toxic chemicals.Christmas Vacation isclassified as GRAS (Gen-erally Regarded As Safe)and is safe for pets andchildren.

For more information,contact Natural Indus-tries at www.naturalin-dustries.com.

Keep Christmas Trees fresh and green all season long

property.Tim bleaches his beard

and hair white, wears aSanta hat and red jacketand is commonly referredto as the “Jolly Fat Man.”While he doesn’t pretendto be Kris Kringle, thenod to Mr. Claus isenough to boost the am-biance a bit for the tinytikes who visit the farmwith their families.

“We keep things reallysimple. We hand themsaws, point them in the

direction of the trees andlet them enjoy the experi-ence,” said Tim. “One ofthe things we do differ-ently here is price ourlarger trees at lowercosts. Most people haveeight foot ceilings, so wecan’t charge a lot forthose taller than eightfeet or we wouldn’t sell asmany of them.”

In many instances, eventhose with standard heightceilings choose the tallertrees. They just lop off the

bottom portion of thetrunks to make them fittheir homes. Some leavethe remnants behind at thefarm. Others take the cut-tings along with them tomake wreaths or boughs.

Whatever the choice, theStettlers are just happy tooblige. They love growingand selling Christmastrees since they firstopened North Pole Pines.And they will be sad to re-tire when that time comes.

Fat Man from 22

Tim Stettler dresses as ‘The Jolly Fat Man’ to further the exciting experience forvisiting children.