Attendee Resources

Exhibitor Resources

THE EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR GROWERS OF TODAY and TOMORROW

Tuesday’s Experience

September 11, 2007

8:00–9:00 a.m.

Cutting-Edge Greenhouse Automation Technology and Labor Retention
Speaker: Cees Visser, Visser IT&E, Netherlands

What’s new in Dutch technology for greenhouse automation? Cees will present the latest automation equipment and software for young plants, pot plants production, delivery systems and logistics, with practical examples and guidelines. He will also address the impact of technology on labor management issues and how to analyze the real cost of your facility and automation.

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"Moving Towards True Sustainability in the Greenhouse- How close can we come?"
Speaker: Alison Kutz-Troutman, Sound Horticulture, Bellingham, WA

It’s time to get real. You like the idea of sustainable growing practices that are eco-friendly, but how do you make the changes? Pragmatic and practical, Alison will look at the reality of instigating and implementing change in a production setting. She’ll cover how-to topics such as soil blends, cultural and biological controls, compost teas and other microbial inoculants.

Business Metrics
Speaker: Lloyd Traven, Peace Tree Farm, Kintnersville, PA

Using a sound cost accounting strategy allows you the flexibility to make needed changes. From understanding your true costs to figuring loss, identifying areas for improvement translate directly to your bottom line. Join Lloyd Traven as he leads you on a journey behind the numbers, including costing, pricing, empowering employees to perform at the highest level and understanding ratios and metrics.

Managing Powdery Mildews
Speaker: Margery Daughtrey, Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Long Island Horticultural Research Station, Riverhead, NY

Keep up to date on how to manage powdery mildews on crops ranging from aster to zinnia. Margery will discuss the conditions that help powdery mildews thrive and the things a grower can do to thwart them. Strategies will range from cultivar choice to the use of biological and chemical controls.

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Scouting the Crop Quickly and Accurately
Speaker: Dr. Raymond Cloyd, Kansas State University, Manhattan

Do you and your employees really have the time to carefully walk your crops, scouting for insect and disease problems? Scouting can be as simple as a random glance at a few pots per bay, or as finicky as a careful tabulation of sticky cards, indicator plants and a precise number of sample plants per a given greenhouse area. Given that you have limited time to walk your crops but want to do the best job possible scouting for pest problems, Dr. Raymond Cloyd will offer his tips for finding the best balance of detail and expediency for the scouting portion of your IPM program. You’ll finish quickly, while ensuring you’ve done a good job.

Organics: The Certification Process

Coordinated by

Speaker: To be announced

What exactly does "organic" mean and where did the term come from? What’s the history or organic growing. What does it mean to be a "certified" organic grower and how do you get there? This session will cover the history, basics and certification procedure for true organic growing.

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9:30–10:30 a.m.

How to Make Automation Work for You - From Trade Show Floor to Production Floor
Speakers: Mike Kanczak, AgriNomix, Oberlin, OH; and Wayne Cousins, Casa Verde Growers, Columbia Station, OH

Growers have experienced varying degrees of success with automation. Some are able to choose the right machinery and implement it successfully. Some have purchased equipment that ended up in the scrap pile. Mike will share information that will help you plan each step of the process, from the trade show to successful implementation. Wayne will share his own experience from Casa Verde Growers on how they’ve adopt technology to make their production more efficient. He will talk about the process of automated production, and the mindset required to make it work.

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Growers Going Retail
Speakers: Doug & Charlie Cole, D.S. Cole Growers Inc. and Cole Gardens, Concord, NH; Ray Greenstreet, Greenstreet Growers and Greenstreet Gardens, Tracy’s Landing, MD

D.S. Cole Growers is a young plant producer with national distribution who’s recently bought a struggling garden center in the economically stable capitol city of New Hampshire. Ray and Stacy Greenstreet purchased and expanded a long time young plant production facility in 2000, and in the spring of 2005, they opened Greenstreet Gardens Flowers & Gifts to meet the needs of local consumers. What are the differences and similarities between the two parts of each business and how are both companies approaching their new ventures?

Don’t Let Water Molds Take Over
Speaker: Dr. Ann R. Chase, Chase Horticultural Research Inc., Mt. Aukum, CA

What are the keys to preventing and controlling water mold fungi such as pythium and phytophthora in your greenhouse? Dr. Chase will present characteristic symptoms of these diseases to help you get a better handle on ID. Alongside this, she’ll cover cultural and chemical controls and provide updated information on fungicide resistance and its management.

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Politics & Pests: What to Worry About & Why
Speaker: Lin Schmale, Society of American Florists, Washington D.C.

An unwanted pest or disease can cause more than physical crop damage; it can cause stop shipment orders, quarantines, and required destruction of your plants. Can you identify the regulatory dangers? Lin Schmale, a lobbyist for the Society of American Florists, has dealt firsthand with the controversies surrounding ralstonia, Q-biotype whiteflies, and others. She’ll show you which diseases and pests are hitting the radar (or flying just under it) from a regulatory standpoint.

Organic Inputs and Documentation, Part 1

Coordinated by

Speaker: To be announced

In this session, our speakers will cover all of your organic inputs, including seeds and cuttings, potting media, fertilizer, pest control materials and more. What’s allowed and what isn’t, and why? Where do you find organic products, and what do you have to watch out for? Plus, we’ll cover the separation of your organic and non-organic production facilities and supplies, and the official documentation of your inputs and your growing facility.

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11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Labor Saving Devices and Methods
Speaker: John Bartok, University of Connecticut, Ashford

Many small to medium size growers can’t justify the purchase of high-tech automated equipment due to its specialized function or limited use. John will discuss the basic principles of materials handling, illustrated with examples of low-tech and grower-built equipment, work station layout and plant-handling techniques. He’ll also do a comparison of various transplanting methods and cover employee issues such as ergonomics, safety, ADA and training.

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Corn, Cow Chips, Wood Chips and More: Biomass Energy for the Greenhouse
Speaker: Patrick Bellrose, Fahr’s Greenhouse, Wildwood, MS

Everyone is thinking about alternative ways to heat or power their greenhouses. Then again, once-cheap sources of energy, like corn, are going up in price, thanks to the demand for ethanol. What can you burn and what should you burn? And what are the economics of alternative fuels? Pat Bellrose has been studying and evaluating various energy options for years, and he burns a mixture of corn and wood to heat a portion of his 75,000 sq.ft. St. Louis nursery. Pat will take you through the fundamentals of a biomass heating system, including storage, delivery, combustion, EPA regulations and how to figure your return on investment.

The New Economics of Production
Speaker: Bill Swanekamp, Kube-Pack Greenhouses, Allentown, NJ

You’re in the business of growing plants to make money, right? But do you really know what your production costs are? And which items are most profitable? Come learn how to figure out production costs, how to use them and why you need to know them. Our speaker, noted business genius Bill Swanekamp, will explain how he calculates production costs of his crops. Learn where you’re losing money, making money, and what changes you should make to make your business more profitable.

Fighting Botrytis
Speaker: Gary Moorman, Penn State University, University Park

Get the latest information on the biology and control of Botrytis, the cause of gray mold. Find out where it resides in the greenhouse; when it is active; and what chemical, biological, and cultural controls can be used to manage. Gary will also discuss how to deal with fungicide-resistant Botrytis.

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Biological Control: How do you even get started?
Speaker: Suzanne Wainright-Evans, Buglady Consulting, Slatington, PA

You keep hearing and reading about how you should be using biological controls in your production. But where do you start. In this presentation you will learn step-by-step about where to buy beneficials, questions you should be asking, which pesticides are compatible, and where biological control is working.Useful handouts will cover even more information.

Organic Inputs and Documentation, Part 2

Coordinated by

Speaker: To be announced

(Continuation of session that began at 9:30 a.m.)

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1:15–6:00 p.m.

Vegetative-crop Specifics
You attended the seed crop production sessions yesterday and can’t wait to tackle the even tougher vegetative crops. Today it’s time for five of the most common, but still-challenging vegetative crops. Our expert presenters have decades of experience and hundreds of thousands of miles of travel under their belts of looking at many different ways to grow these specific crops under myriad growing conditions. In these sessions you will learn the key tips and tricks to make your job much easier (but don’t tell the boss!). So again, jot down your questions beforehand and come prepared for take-home suggestions for the best possible finished plants.

1:15 - 2:30 PM

Geranium Production

3:00-4:15 PM

New Guineas and Calibrachoa Production

4:45-6:00 PM

Verbena and Petunia Production

1:15–2:30 p.m.

Greenhouse Layout, Design and Process Flow Considerations to Improve Efficiency
Speakers: Drew Lathin, C. Raker & Sons Inc., Litchfield, MI; and John Hoogeboon, Rough Brothers, Cincinnati, OH

"Lean manufacturing" is an approach to designing work flow that is based on the Toyota Production System. Typical results include 40-50% improvements in productivity and significant declines in defects. In this session, Drew Lathin will describe the lean manufacturing initiative currently underway at Michigan’s C. Raker & Sons. He’ll detail the concepts of lean manufacturing and give examples from the actual implementations at the Raker facility. John will discuss greenhouse layout and design of new construction, and retrofitting existing facilities for improved process flows.

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How to Grow for Landscapers
Panelists: Bruce Hellerick, The Brickman Group, Langhorne, PA; Bruce Knox, Knox Nursery, Winter Garden, FL; Cathy Kowalczyk, Willoway Nurseries, Inc., Avon, OH

Serving landscapers is more than just dropping flats on the sidewalk. The best growers are finding better products, better packaging and better services that can make their landscape customers more profitable. Our three panelists represent a major national landscape firm and two wholesale greenhouses that do a successful job supplying landscapers. In this fast-paced, moderated panel format, they’ll share their best ideas for getting into—and being successful in—this hot market segment.

Geranium Production (See description above)

Bacterial and Fungal Leaf Spots: Treat ’em Right
Speaker: Dr. Ann R. Chase, Chase Horticultural Research Inc., Mt. Aukum, CA

Being able to tell the difference between bacterial and fungal leaf spots means you’ll be able to make the right control decisions. This session will highlight key differences in the symptoms caused by bacterial and fungal pathogens as well as how they infect leaves, spread from one plant to the next and even their host ranges. Dr. Chase will complete the session with updated information on how to choose an effective biological, chemical or cultural control strategy for leaf spot prevention and treatment.

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Biological Control Part 2: Bug Warfare
Speaker: Suzanne Wainright-Evans, Buglady Consulting, Slatington, PA

So now that you know the basics of biological control, it’s time for bug warfare! In the micro-jungle world, not all beneficials eat everyone. It’s important to understand who eats whom to get the right insect, mite, nematode, bacteria, or fungus for the job. In this talk you will learn about the most commonly employed beneficials, how to use them and whom you can buy them from.

The Nuts and Bolts of Growing Organically

Coordinated by

Speaker: To be announced

This is where you’ll get into the serious details of actually growing your crops organically. You’ll learn how to manage your crops’ needs, including timing, nutrition, height control, insect and disease control and more.

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3:00–4:15 p.m.

Investing in Technology: A Decision-Making Process for Large and Small Growers
Speakers: Lloyd Traven, Peace Tree Farm, Kintnersville, PA; and Leroy Devries, Henry Mast Greenhouses, Inc., Byron Center, MI

In addition to automated equipment, improving productivity in a greenhouse relies on well-defined sales plans, good workers, a good work environment, consistent quality of starter plants and materials, and a well-designed and well-operated production facility. Leroy will share his experience of lean manufacturing to turn a greenhouse operation into a plant factory at Henry Mast Greenhouse, which does large-volume deliveries to mass market outlets. And Lloyd will share his experience of productivity and quality improvement as a smaller grower of year-round, low-volume, high-value sales to independent customers.

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How Much Can Growth Regulators do? A Discussion of PGRs by Their Desired Effect
Speaker: Dr. James Barrett, University of Florida, Gainesville

A different approach to PGR education: Rather than focusing on how PGRs work or going down the list product by product, this session will look at the various effects that PGRs can give you. You have many different “tools” in your toolbox, thanks to the various PGRs, including height reduction, bloom enhancement or delay, color, branching, and more. Dr. Barrett, a world-renowned expert on PGRs, will provide the necessary technical details to help you reap the maximum benefits from your PGRs.

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New Guineas and Calibrachoa Production (See description above)

Ringspots to Root Rots
Speaker: Colleen Warfield, North Carolina State University, Raleigh

Essential knowledge for every grower. Pathology expert Colleen Warfield will cover the bases on viral pathogens, followed by the latest info on root rots. Test your knowledge and have some fun while learning or refreshing your knowledge about INSV and other viral pathogens, and take a disease quotient quiz to determine your smarts about fungal root rots and how to successfully manage them.

Sponsored by

Fighting Disease with Innoculents
Details coming soon

Marketing your Organic Plants

Coordinated by

Speaker: To be announced

If you grow organically, will they come? Well, maybe, since so few growers are doing it. But you still have to get the word out. And you have to package your product in a way that attracts the organic consumer. Who is she? Why does she buy organic products? How can you hook her? And most important, how much of a price premium can you get for an organic product?

Sponsored by

4:45–6:00 p.m.

Panel Discussion: Lessons Learned from Bringing Automation onto My Production Floor
Panelists: (Cees Visser, Visser IT&E, Netherlands; Mike Kanczak, AgriNomix, Oberlin, OH; Wayne Cousins, Casa Verde Growers, Columbia Station, OH Drew Lathin, C. Raker & Sons Inc., Litchfield, MI; John Hoogeboon, Rough Brothers, Cincinnati, OH; John Bartok, University of Connecticut, Ashford, CT; Lloyd Traven, Peace Tree Farm, Kintnersville, PA; and Leroy Devries, Henry Mast Greenhouses, Inc., Byron Center, MI

To wrap up the symposium, we’re bringing all our speakers back for a panel discussion about the "lessons learned" from automating the greenhouse. Successes and failures, money well spent and money wasted, and tips from those who’ve been there … we’ll cover it all in this a fast-paced, high-energy, panel session.

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The New Combination
Speaker: Dr. Maria DeWald, DeWald Gardens, Fort Wayne, IN

Are you tired of the standard petunia, geranium and spike combination planter? Well, your customers sure are. As combos move more toward décor, the old standards just won’t cut it. Dr. Maria DeWald and her husband have built a business of containers by offering products and designs that really sizzle. Learn techniques to add value for your customers, including simple florist techniques for adding height and visual interest.

Verbena and Petunia Production (See above description)

Real World Disease Control
Speakers: Margery Daughtrey, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Riverhead, NY; Mike Klopmeyer, Ball Horticultural Co., West Chicago, IL; Gary Vollmer, Smith Gardens, Bellingham, WA

A panel discussion will offer disease control recommendations from all perspectives. We’ll pull from Margery Daughtrey’s experience as a pathologist helping growers, from Mike Klopmeyers years of working to establish clean stock protocol and advising growers on how to do the same, to Gary Vollmer’s day-to-day dealings in both a large greenhouse facility and a small family-run grower/retail business.

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Organic Plants: A Retail Perspective

Coordinated by

Speaker: To be announced

Retailers such as Whole Foods and Trader Joes and now even Wal-Mart are making a big deal out of carrying organic products, and because demand is greater that the supply it would seem like getting into retailers would be easy. But is it? What do retailers require from their organic vendors? How do they market and price them? And what opportunities are there for organic growers in the retail marketplace?

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