Greenhouse Grower to Grower

Ep. 26 - The Bright Future of Horticulture Education (Part Two)

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 over the next few weeks this podcast will include extended versions of these conversations. In this episode, you’ll first hear from Dr. Justin Moss, Department Head and Professor at Oklahoma State University’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. Following that, I talk to Dr. Neil Anderson, Professor and Interim Head of the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota. 

Ep. 25 -A Look Back at the First Half of 2024, and a Preview of Cultivate

Greenhouse Grower editors Brian Sparks and Julie Hullett revisit the Spring of 2024 and look ahead to Cultivate, including what they’re most looking forward to at this annual horticulture industry gathering.

Ep. 24 - The Bright Future of Horticulture Education (Part One)

Greenhouse Grower’s July cover story will feature 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 over the next few weeks this podcast will include extended versions of these conversations. In this episode, you’ll first hear from Dr. Doug Karcher, Professor and Chair of Horticulture and Crop Science at The Ohio State University. Following that, I talk to Dr. Ryan Contreras, Professor and Associate Head of the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University.
 

Ep. 23 - Insights on IPM and Biocontrols With Michelle Opela at Costa Farms

Michelle Opela, Senior IPM Manager at Costa Farms, will be giving two talks at Cultivate on the topic of IPM and biocontrols in the greenhouse. Michelle’s career path started with studying biology at Cornell University. After a brief stint in marine biology, she joined Costa’s R&D team eight years ago, eventually finding her way into managing the company’s IPM program. In this episode, I talk with Michelle about keeping up with new advancements in biocontrols, how her marine biology experience convinced her to follow her passion for plants, and why integrated pest management is all about learning from your mistakes. 
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Ep. 22 - Costa Farms’ Mari Carrasquillo on the Emerging Role of E-Commerce in Floriculture

Mari Carrasquillo, Vice President of Marketing and E-Commerce at Costa Farms, has more than 25 years of experience in creating brand strategies for companies such as Whirlpool, KitchenAid, and Food Saver. She joined the Costa Farms team in 2021 and currently focuses on developing and managing digital and e-commerce programs. Mari will be joining a panel at Cultivate24 to talk about strategies for increasing revenue in 2025 and beyond. In this episode, I talk with Mari about the continued growth of e-commerce in horticulture over the past few years, best practices and strategies, and how the consumer shopping experience overall is evolving.
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Ep. 21 - How Cheryl Wagner Greenhouse in Michigan Stays Connected to Plant Lovers

Greenhouse Grower Senior Editor Julie Hullett recently caught up with Cheryl Wagner, who runs a small greenhouse business near Ann Arbor, Michigan. In addition to being a staple at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, Cheryl also hosts an annual Art and Garden Show at her greenhouse, the most recent one taking place on May 5. The event allows local artisans to display and sell their products at the greenhouse. Julie’s conversation with Cheryl offers an inside look at how a small greenhouse business operates. 

Ep. 20 - The Latest Updates on the Future of Skagit Horticulture

In early February, Skagit Horticulture in Washington announced it would be shutting down within a couple of months. Then in early April, the news broke that Smith Gardens had stepped in to acquire a portion of Skagit’s operations. In this episode, we talk to Scott Crownover at Skagit and Eric Smith at Smith Gardens to learn more.
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Ep. 19 - Why Having a Succession or Exit Plan for Your Business Is More Critical Than Ever

So far in 2024, we’ve seen too many large greenhouse operations shutting down, and while there are many reasons for this, one of the biggest is the lack of a succession plan or an exit strategy. In this episode, I’m joined by Chris Cimaglio, Managing Director of PivotPoint Business Solutions. Chris and his team specialize in helping growers build value into their company and their team, so when the time comes to exit the business, they are well prepared. We talked about how to make succession planning a priority, the consequences of not having a plan in place, and much more. Here’s our conversation.