Greenhouse Grower to Grower

Ep. 34 - Get to Know Lauren Kirchner of Spring Creek Growers

Lauren Kirchner left Waller, Texas when she was 18 to pursue a career in marketing and finance. She never thought she’d return to join her parents in running Spring Creek Growers, but that’s exactly what happened. Over the last couple of years, Lauren worked with her parents on an ownership transition at Spring Creek, and that was quickly followed by perhaps an even bigger challenge: a deadly tornado that came through the area earlier this year. Not only did Spring Creek come out of that stronger, it helped Lauren become a better leader. I recently caught up with Lauren to talk about what she’s learned along the way, how she works side by side with her team, and how she’s helping to develop the next generation of gardeners, Here’s our conversation.

Ep. 33 - Get to Know Tom Costamagna, Greenhouse Grower’s 2024 Head Grower of the Year (Part 2)

Last week’s episode of Greenhouse Grower to Grower was part one of my conversation with Tom Costamagna of Young’s Plant Farm, Greenhouse Grower’s 2024 Head Grower of the Year. Please check it out if you have not already. In this episode, I continue my conversation with Tom, where we talk about the tools he uses to solve problems in the greenhouse, how he works with the ownership and growing teams at Young’s Plant Farm, and more. Please enjoy the rest of our conversation.

Ep. 32 - Get to Know Tom Costamagna, Greenhouse Grower’s 2024 Head Grower of the Year (Part One)

Earlier this year during Cultivate’24, our team at Greenhouse Grower presented our Head Grower of the Year award to Tom Costamagna of Young’s Plant Farm. Tom has a rich history in floriculture, and following the award presentation, I had an extensive conversation with Tom about everything from his background, to how he thinks outside the box when problem solving, to how his early influences have shaped the type of grower he is today. In this episode of Greenhouse Grower to Grower, you’ll hear part one of our conversation. 

Ep. 31 - Aren Phillips of Walters Gardens on Smart Greenhouse Technology Adoption

Aren Phillips is a Greenhouse Systems Manager at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, MI. He is a team leader on several projects at Walters Gardens, including sales forecasting, automation, data collection and analytics, and the potential of artificial intelligence. Aren was part of a panel discussion at Cultivate’24 on smart technology adoption, and he will also be presenting at the Great Lakes Expo in December on live labor tracking, streamlining ERP systems implementation, and more. I recently caught up with Aren to talk about these topics, and why he’s taken a strong interest in greenhouse technology. Here’s our conversation.

Ep. 30 - How Josh Smith of Kopke’s Greenhouse Brings a Tech-Sector Mindset to Horticulture

Josh Smith is Vice President of Kopke’s Greenhouse in Wisconsin. During Cultivate’24, Josh joined Tamara Bartlett of Bartlett Instruments for a discussion on bringing a tech-sector mindset to greenhouse production, and how to eliminate time-consuming tasks and develop SOPs for automating common greenhouse practices. In this episode, Josh talks about his background in technology, how he brings a forward-looking approach to team-building, process management, and strategic and tactical planning, and more. 

Ep. 29 - Trends, Takeaways, and Other Tales From Cultivate’24

Greenhouse Grower editors Brian Sparks and Julie Hullett were at Cultivate’24 in Columbus, OH, walking the tradeshow floor, attending education sessions, and connecting with friends across the floriculture industry. In this episode, Brian and Julie offer their top takeaways from one of the industry’s largest annual gatherings.

Ep. 28 - Denise Godfrey of Olive Hill Greenhouses on Sustainability in Floriculture

During Cultivate’24 last month, Denise Godfrey of Olive Hill Greenhouses in Fallbrook, CA, participated in a panel discussion on sustainability in floriculture. Denise brought the grower perspective, and she was joined by a group representing all sectors of the industry, including breeding, packaging, benchmarking, and university research. I caught up with Denise after Cultivate to talk more about how Olive Hill approaches sustainability, how they’ve been able to adjust their sustainability strategy in response to consumer needs, and what she learned from participating in the panel. 

Ep.27 - The Bright Future of Horticulture Education (Part Three)

Greenhouse Grower’s July cover story features a closer look at how university horticulture departments from across the country are attracting new blood to the industry while fostering career development. I had the chance to talk to six department heads about a wide range of topics, and we’re using this podcast as a way to offer extended versions of these conversations. In this episode, I talk to Dr. Desmond Layne, Head and Professor of the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, about some of the unique programs Auburn has place in place to engage both students and industry professionals, including working with culinary experts.