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MVG News Archive(Note: depending on their age, items below may contain out-of-date information.) [ 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 ] 2009Buy Your Tomatoes Locally & Avoid Blight!
Looking for some hands-on farm time, and some real tomato bargains, right now? Check out Hoen’s Greenhouse, where the u-pick tomato season is just starting. Fields are open Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM, and on Sunday from 11 to 4. Whether we grow our own, shop the farm stands and farmers markets, or hope to find real summer-flavored specimens at the grocery store, most of us look forward to tomato season. And it’s here! But before we celebrate, there are some warning signs for tomato lovers: In the Northeast, late blight, a fungal disease that attacks tomato and other plants (and was associated with the Irish potato famine) has struck with a vengeance. Late blight has been spotted in Ohio as well, and Maumee Valley gardeners are well advised to keep a close eye on their plants. Although weather is the main culprit, this disastrous outbreak of late blight also offers yet another reason for buying local: the source of the disease appears to be plants grown in the South and distributed though several big-box chains around the country. There are even stories that when the first signs of trouble appeared, they were spotted by sales clerks without the authority to pull the products from the shelves, and diseased plants continued to be sold. But we don't have to depend on tomato plants (or tomatoes) shipped in from far-away places. If you want to grow tomatoes next year, and if you want to start with plants rather than seeds, a Maumee Valley Grower can offer you plants grown right here and carefully watched over. When you buy from a local grower, you can return again and again, getting to know the grower and the greenhouse. Maumee Valley Growers take pride in the quality of their products. Most are family businesses, and they work hard to earn your business for the long term. In the Heat of the SummerMaybe you’ve been out of town, the sprinklers didn’t work, and the neighbors let you down. Maybe you’re at home and want to spruce up the yard for your staycation. Whatever the reason, it’s not too late: Maumee Valley Growers can help. Here are a few suggestions ... • • •
Visit Bostdorff Greenhouse Acres. Bring your container or find one there. Alicia Bostdorff-Timm can make up a gorgeous mixed planter of mature plants that will look like you’ve been nurturing it all summer. Think out of the box! Some of the most beautiful pots include a mix of annuals, perennials, and tropicals that will make you feel like you’re enjoying the landscaping of a pricey resort holiday – but at home! • • •
Check out Wardell’s Greenhouse. Kathleen Johnson will help you to brighten your yard with flowers. Look for the colorful, unusual varieties of purslane and the fabulous mature coleus and impatiens. The hanging baskets are thriving in a rainbow of colors, and you’re sure to find something that fits your needs. • • • These suggestions, and the pictures included here, come from a quick drive through southwest Lucas County. They’re just an example of the offerings available from local growers. If you live in the Maumee Valley, there is a Maumee Valley Grower near you. By shopping with a Maumee Valley Grower, or by looking for plants grown by a Maumee Valley Grower, you can buy the best while supporting the local economy. Giving Back to the CommunityMaumee Valley Growers, Toledo Botanical Garden, other partners, create new plantings at Lucas County Courthouse
Visitors and passers-by in Downtown Toledo are taking note of a landscaping upgrade at the magnificent Lucas County Courthouse on Adams Street. Some may wonder how, in these tough budget times, the flower beds were re-planted and new, colorful plantings were created. Maumee Valley Growers is proud to have played a part in this effort. It was a classic collaboration: a project not possible without the contributions of each of its partners. Lucas County officials were looking for a way to spruce up plantings around the stately courthouse. Staff from the Toledo Botanical Garden surveyed the site and created a manageable plan for new plantings which include, in addition to colorful annuals and perennials, varieties native to the Maumee Valley. Fourteen area youth, part of a stimulus-plan summer-jobs program, supplied much of the muscle-power, guided and supervised by Master Gardeners from Lucas County as well as TBG and county staffers. Plant materials were contributed by TBG as well as by MVG members including
Other partners included:
Along with last year’s contributions to Toledo's "America In Bloom" efforts and the extensive plantings on "Greek Hill" at Summit and Cherry Streets, this colorful, beautiful testimony to the community spirit of area green businesses. Add Color With Hanging Baskets
Whether you have a large property and multiple flower beds or you are an apartment-dweller with a tiny deck, there’s always room for a hanging basket. If you’re adventurous, you can make your own. Visit your favorite Maumee Valley Grower for individual plants and other materials. Here are some tips from the experts: http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-make-hanging-baskets-50045/
If you’re no Martha Stewart, or if you just want some color fast, Maumee Valley Growers offer a dazzling range of fabulous ready-to-go hanging baskets. Those pictured here were on diplay on Friday June 12th at Ben Sell’s, Whiteford Road Greenhouse, Rhodes Market, and Barrows Greenhouse. Victory in the GardenSome vegetable gardeners want to save money. Some want to avoid the environmental costs of buying food grown 3000 miles away. Some want the security of knowing exactly how their salad was grown, and some just want the taste of home-grown tomatoes (and lettuce, and carrots, and radishes, and corn). Whatever the reason, Americans are growing more vegetables this year.
Across America, the movement is being compared to the Victory Gardens of decades ago. In Northwest Ohio, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur is urging us to grow our own, and to share the bounty. "Forty percent of the food eaten in World War II was provided by Victory Gardens," Miss Kaptur said. "Today, the enemy is hunger." Kaptur issued a challenge to area residents: 'Will you plant a garden and will you donate what you don't eat to your food banks?'" --Toledo Blade, May 10, 2009 Kaptur’s passion for the cause has inspired the “Victory in the Garden” project. Maumee Valley Growers is joining with other organizations to encourage 1000 Victory Gardens this year. Gardeners who want to be a part of the program can register their gardens at victoryinthegarden.osu.edu. As a way of celebrating our Victory Gardens, the project will include a photography contest and, later in the fall, a Harvest Party and Celebration.
A victory garden may be measured in acres, or it may be a few containers on a deck. In San Francisco and Baltimore, civic space is being used to grow food for needy residents. Inspiration and ideas are everywhere. Tips, recipes, and photos are available at www.pbs.org/wgbh/victorygarden/. As always, Maumee Valley Growers members can help. Visit your local grower for seeds and plants for your Victory Garden, and for the expertise you need to make it a success. By choosing locally-grown plants from a local business, you will help the local economy and get great quality and personal service. As your favorite Maumee Valley Grower to help you achieve Victory in the Garden! The Staycation: Attracting Birds and Butterflies to Your Northwest Ohio GardenCreating a garden that welcomes songbirds, hummingbirds, and butterflies is a relatively simple task. It consists of supplying them with three basic requirements for survival: food, cover, and water. To birds and butterflies, the typical suburban landscape resembles an unfriendly desert. Close-cropped lawns, sheared foundation shrubs, and deadheaded flowers mean no place to nest, no food to eat, and nowhere to hide. (/www.howtoattractbirds.com) Northwest Ohio is a great place for birdwatching, and with the help of Maumee Valley Growers you can attract a range of winged creatures to your gardens. You can make room in any garden for one or two plants that will attract birds and butterflies, or you can design your entire landscape as a sanctuary for wildlife with trees, shrubs, and flowers.
Many Maumee Valley Growers offer native plants, which are often recommended for a bird-and butterfly-friendly garden. Pictured here are three of the 50+ types of salvia available from Bench Farms, which specializes in unusual varieties which can help to attract a greater range of birds. Others Maumee Valley Growers, including Bostdorff Greenhouse Acres, can help you design and construct a natural landscape, including trees and shrubs where birds can seek food shelter and a consistent water source. Wherever you live in Northwest Ohio, there’s a Maumee Valley Grower near you. Gardening is good for you, good for your home value, and good for the environment. By purchasing locally-grown plants, you can help the local economy as well! MVG Now Offers Recycling
This year, more and more gardeners are going greener with organics, native plants, less-toxic pesticides, and recycled materials. Once concern is the materials used to produce gardening tools and supplies, according to Diane di Costanzo (www.thegreenguide.com/home-garden/garden/greener-gardening-supplies). Di Constanzo has some recommendations for shoppers: "It's not necessary -- or even realistic -- to avoid plastic and wood altogether when buying tools and supplies for the garden. In fact, the greenest gardeners search out recycled plastic products to support those companies who are actively saving plastic from its very long afterlife in landfill. And fortunately, recycled plastic garden products are becoming common." Maumee Valley Growers want to help you make your gardening practices greener. We know that many gardeners use a huge number of plastic pots, and many garages house stacks of these trays and pots, just waiting to be recycled. Participating members of Maumee Valley Growers invite you to return your clean plastic pots and trays for recycling; they will do the rest! Whenever possible, pots will be re-used, and those which are not suitable for re-use will be recycled. Our members are locally-owned independent family businesses. By shopping with a Maumee Valley Grower, you can go green and support the local economy. The Maumee Valley Growers are now offering a recycing program. Return your extra plastic pots and trays to the participating growers listed below and they will do the rest:
* - Can only accept pots they have sold for recycling So plant more and help save the environment! The Staycation: A Garden That Produces Great MealsA world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins. -- Laurie Colwin The federal government has sponsored research that has produced a tomato that is perfect in every respect, except that you can't eat it. We should make every effort to make sure this disease, often referred to as 'progress', doesn't spread. -- Andy Rooney
One of the joys of a staycation can be a garden that produces great meals, and many all-time great summer meals involve tomatoes. Like many good things, a fresh-from-the-garden tomato takes time. And planning. Now is the time to plan the meals you can enjoy from your own garden this summer. Start your planning with a visit to your favorite Maumee Valley Grower, who can help you decide what varieties will work for you.
Your meal may involve tomato salad, or salsa, or fresh sauce. At the very least, you’ll need tomatoes and basil, and several varieties of both are sure to be available at your favorite local garden center. At Gardenland, where these pictures were taken on April 22nd, 2009, you can get a head start with tomatoes in 5-gallon pots. No room for a full-size tomato? Try a cherry tomato, like the chocolate cherry variety pictured here. At Gardenland, Lois Reau advises that, although we should wait until the third week in May to transplant tomato plants to the garden, your plants will enjoy being outside on sunny days. Once you get your tomatoes home, you’ll find lots of advice on the web. Try gardening.about.com/od/growingtips/tp/Tomato_Tips.htm or ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1624.html for some of the basics. The colorful tomatoes above were grown by members of Slow Food Maumee Valley (slowfoodmaumeevalley.blogspot.com), who celebrated in August 2008 with an heirloom tomato tasting. Whether you choose standard tomato varieties or heirlooms, standard size or patio-friendly, by purchasing your plants from a Maumee Valley Grower, you can support our local economy now and plan your own tomato celebration this summer. The Staycation: Planting A Fairy GardenThis year, many people are choosing a staycation: enjoying their homes, porches, and yards with close friends and families. Often, this involves making these spaces comfortable and appealing with hanging baskets, colorful planters, or imaginative theme gardens. There are many types of theme gardens. One is the fairy garden. According to author Theresa Mieseler, You don’t need to believe in fairies to have a fairy garden on your deck or patio - although it couldn’t hurt. (www.herbcompanion.com) Maumee Valley gardeners who would like to plant a fairy garden will find plenty of advice on line. According to Herbal Landscaping, Some herbs are associated with fairies, the most important one being thyme. In Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream, Titania, the fairy queen, sleeps in a bed of wild thyme growing on a bank.
Closer to home, Hoen's Greenhouse and Mulberry Creek Herb Farm offer miniature fairy gardens. If you’d like to design and create your own, these and many other Maumee Valley Growers can provide you with the materials you need. Whether you choose to devote a corner of your yard to hollyhocks, tea roses, and foxglove or simply to design a dish garden with low-growing herbs and furnish it with diminutive furniture, a fairy garden can be a fun project for kids of all ages. By choosing to purchase materials for your new garden from a Maumee Valley Grower, you’ll support the local economy, and you will be assured of friendly, expert service. Spring Has Arrived!
Spring has arrived, and with it the craving for gardening. Maumee Valley Growers may have a few weeks to wait for balmy outdoor days, but we don’t have to wait for spring blossoms. Even non-gardeners are ready to say good bye to winter with colorful primroses, potted bulbs, and beautiful Easter lilies. Here are some tips for choosing and caring for an Easter lily: When buying a lily, look for a plant with flowers in various stages of bloom from buds to open or partially opened flowers. Foliage should be dense, rich green in color, and extend all the way down to the soil line (a good indication of a healthy root system). Look for a well-proportioned plant, one that is about two times as high as the pot. You also should check the flowers, foliage, and buds for signs of yellowing (improper culture), insects, or disease. At home, keep your lily away from drafts and drying heat sources such as appliances or heating ducts. Bright, indirect light is best with daytime temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees F. Water the plant only when the soil feels dry to the touch, but don’t overwater. To prolong the life of the blossoms, remove the yellow anthers (pollen-bearing pods) found in the center of each flower. If you get this staining pollen on fabrics, don’t rub it off, but remove it with sticky tape. (http://www.uvm.edu/) The pictures here were taken at Barrow’s Greenhouse on the last day of March. By making your purchases at a local greenhouse or garden center, you not only choose high quality plants and personal service, you help our local economy. Visit your favorite Maumee Valley Grower soon and bring home an indoor plant that you can enjoy now, while you plan your outdoor garden! Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Shamrocks from A Maumee Valley Grower
Here in Northwest Ohio, many varieties of shamrock are available for those who want their St. Patrick's Day celebration to last a bit longer than the traditional Jigs Dinner and green beer. The shamrock plant, a type of oxalis, can be placed in a sunny or partly sunny window and is easy to care for. Many garden sites offer tips on taking care of your shamrock; here is a small sampling:
Maumee Valley Growers who are currently offering shamrocks include:
This year, treat yourself to a St. Patrick's Day "Staycation" and visit your favorite Maumee Valley Grower for a shamrock to help make it last! NW Ohio greenhouse growers work together to competeAt the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Assciation's annual CENTS (Central Environmental Nursery Trade Show), Neil Reid reported on MVGA's cooperative efforts, and this was reported in the March 2009 issue of Country Grower Midwest: Collaboration to Compete is a catchy title that even 25 years ago would not have been appropriate for the OSU Nursery Short Course, which took place in late January in conjunction with Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association's annual CENTS (Central Environmental Nursery Trade Show). Nursery enterprises in Ohio had traditionally been family owned small businesses that, while friendly with each other, did not too often work together. This has changed in recent years, as ever expanding, ever more costly agriculturally specialty growing has become focused on finding ways to cooperate in growing and marketing their products. Corso's is Going Green(From Joe Perlaky, MVG Project Manager) Here is an article posted March 12, 2009 in the Sandusky Register. Linda Woods from Northcoast Wind and Power is assisting Corso’s Greenhouse to defray their electric costs through an installation of a wind turbine. Check it out. Hoen's & Proven WinnersHoen's Greenhouse was recently profiled by Proven Winners. ===
Like many Proven Winners retailers, Hoen's had intended to enter the Destination contest before. But when the season hits, there's often little time for photos of displays that empty faster than they can be restocked. This year however, Bob and Theresa's team made the plans, shot the photos, and sent in the registration! Their team consists of both family members and key staff. Sons Justin and Ian constructed the fixtures for use throughout the retail area. Justin's wife Heather, the Hoen's daughter Stephanie along with her husband Brandon put the marketing plans together, including ways to incorporate Proven Winners point-of-sale materials. Darlene Putnam, Cindy Jacob and Brenda Stelter round out the Hoen's team and keep all the staff involved - everyone stocks the displays! The team used the Proven Winners training program to help everyone feel confident about the product. Theresa got the group together at her house for food and brainstorming.
A traditional grower-turned-retailer, Hoen's works hard to make their not-so-new greenhouses work as effective retail space. They've widened aisles, created a hanging basket color wall, incorporated a kids activity area, and in-store events. They welcome industry tours as a way of improving their presentation. They have developed partnerships with local suppliers to offer their customers a wider range of products with limited input costs; a beautiful "outdoor room" serves as a display area for container products and garden accessories; the space acts as a showroom for a local landscape/hardscape company. A local artist sells one-of-a-kind garden art on consignment. Perhaps the greatest asset the store has, however, is the energy of the people who run the place. Both family and staff are excited about the products they sell. Hoen's positioning statement "Foster knowledge; ignite passion" says it all. And, that's just what they deliver at store level. Surrounded by box stores and operating in challenging economic times, Bob and Theresa represent the best of independent garden centers, serving their community with a product essential to the health and happiness of their customers and providing economic stability for family and staff. Theirs is the very definition of sustainability and success! [ Top | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 ] 2008Mark the date: Its time for a Toledo calendarIn it's December 7, 2008 article, The Toledo Blade highligted locally produced calendars, and prominently featured among them is the 2009 Maumee Valley Growers calendar. An excerpt from the article: The Maumee Valley Growers’ photo-rich calendar is a fine gift for customers (and for a politician to give away to 1,000 constituents). It’s hard to beat flowers for beauty, and the Maumee Valley Growers’ calendar is replete with 12-by-12-inch photographs shot in local greenhouses and fields. It’s the third year for this winning venture that’s distributed at no cost to the 60 member-greenhouse growers, mostly family operations in Lucas, Wood, Fulton, Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties. The group is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and managed by UT and others. The calendar’s best customer? U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a passionate proponent of family farming, who recently purchased 1,000 of the growers’ calendar. You can read the entire article here. The Maumee Valley Growers Association
Maumee Valley Growers, which is funded through a USDA grant managed through The University of Toledo in partnership with Bowling Green State University, Indiana State University, and The Ohio State University, are kicking it up a notch with a new, grower-controlled non-profit corporation called Maumee Valley Growers Association. This new industry organization will work with The University of Toledo and other partners from Bowling Green State University, Indiana State University, and The Ohio State University on ongoing cluster activities, and will provide a focus for the industry when the original USDA grant funding ends. Recently, Maumee Valley Growers celebrated the achievements of 2008 and launched a membership recruitment campaign for the new organization. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur was in attendance and spoke eloquently about the importance of Northwest Ohio's floriculture activity. She urged growers to pay close attention to the new Farm Bill and to use new resources made available in the bill to strengthen their businesses. In addition to voting members, all of whom will be area growers, MVGA is accepting non-voting associate members, of whom Congresswoman Kaptur is the first. MVG & the UT Urban Affairs CenterMVG and the UT Urban Affairs Center have a long-standing relationship. Click here to view a short item from the issue of UT Matters that highlights this relationship. Green Greenhouse Practices - Recycling
Maumee Valley Growers are getting together with the Lucas County Solid Waste District and Keep Toledo Lucas County Beautiful to provide an opportunity for growers and gardeners to recycle the pots, trays, and other plastics which often stack up in garages as an unwanted side effect of spring planting.
MVG staff and members are working to design a program that will work long-term to keep these materials out of the landfill; a pilot program is underway and will last through August. The goal is to provide opportunities for all area greenhouses to participate by working together. MVG At The Lucas County Fair
As a part of the 175th Lucas County Fair, Maumee Valley Growers’ members and partner organizations hosted visitors including Nancy Montanez Johner (Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services at the USDA), Helen Jones-Kelly (Director of the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services), and Lucas County Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak. The MVG exhibit, housed in a hoop house temporarily set up on the fairgrounds, included plant and floral displays from a number of area greenhouses, rain garden information, and a demonstration windmill by partner North Coast Wind & Power. Throughout the week, MVG members enjoyed the opportunity to talk to Maumee Valley gardeners as well as a chance to network with other growers. MVG Assists with Local Home Design ProjectsMVG growers provided horticultural knowledge and design expertise to local home makeover projects as part of TV5's series today's home design. Projects include patios, watergardens, bring the outdoors indoors, and making your yard wildlife friendly. Each video opens in a new window (all are WMV format); they will take a few moments to begin during their initial download.
Local entrepreneur develops eco-friendly dishesThe Toledo Blade, August 15, 2008
How does one go from raising orchids to creating a line of dinnerware? "It's actually not that far of a deviation," said local entrepreneur Larry Ohlman III, who has spent the last 18 months designing a line of ecologically friendly plates and bowls. Four years ago, Mr. Ohlman, 29, was growing and selling varieties of orchids for his family's Ohlman Farm and Greenhouse Inc., of Toledo. But he was experimenting with materials to make an eco-friendly flowerpot. "From there it kind of segued into tableware production," he said. Next month, a limited list of retailers will begin carrying his Eco-Collection tableware, which the Food and Drug Administration has certified as 100 percent natural. The products - dinner plate, salad plate, and bowl in shades of mocha and light natural brown - are made primarily of powdered bamboo fibers mixed with biological-based polymers at high temperature. However, when an owner tires of the dinnerware it could be buried in a landfill or even a backyard. "It would break down 100 percent in a landfill. We have already tested it for compostability," Mr. Ohlman said. "It would be gone in six months." Dan Seigel is chief executive of EVO.com, a Web site that evaluates the eco-friendliness of "green" consumer products and provides links and information on where to buy them. He said Mr. Ohlman is not the first to come up with eco-friendly dinnerware but he probably has "the best of both worlds." Several EVO vendors have plates that are fully biodegradable and will break down in six months. But such plates, made from palm leaves, sugar cane fibers, or corn-based plastics, are mostly for short-term use and are not too durable, Mr. Siegel said. "It sounds like what he's got has more durability and lasts longer," Mr. Siegel said. John DuVall, owner of Honey I'm Home, a home decor specialty store on Monroe Street in Sylvania, said Mr. Ohlman's invention has another quality: aesthetics. It has "great colors and its's got a great feel to it," he said. He added: "It's just a great concept. Going 'green' is the new hip thing." The product is priced at $10 for an 11-inch dinner plate, $9 for a 8 1/2-inch salad plate, and $8 for a bowl. That's much higher than more common dinner sets. At Target, for example, a set of four dinner plates, four salad plates, four bowls, and four mugs costs about $30. Mr. Ohlman plans to sell his dinnerware beginning Sept. 1 through his Web site, www.ecologicproduct.com. In October, it will be in stores including Claudia's Natural Food Market. He hopes to place it in national retailers. MVG Hosts America in Bloom Judges
Maumee Valley Grower Larry Ohlman recently hosted two judges from America in Bloom at his Hill Avenue greenhouse. The judges will tour Toledo’s neighborhoods and visit parks, community institutions including the Toledo Zoo, the Toledo Botanical Garden, and the University of Toledo, as well as county and city recycling and forestry operations. They will evaluate Toledo’s environmental practices, heritage and historic preservation efforts, tidiness and community involvement. Maumee Valley Growers and its members including Ohlman contributed thousands of annual plants to beautify the community in preparation for the competition. More information about the MVG and America in Bloom can be read in our What's New section. MVG Helps City of Oregon Beautify
MVG donated flowers to the City of Oregon to add beauty to City Hall. Several of our wholesalers (Ohlman's, Lakewood, Creque, Schmidlin, and Brick's) in NW Ohio stepped forward for these unique donations to our communities to help celebrate America in Bloom which starts this Wednesday for 4 days. Marty Wineland was very helpful on behalf of the City of Oregon on this project. Greek Hill to Bloom Again in 2008Maumee Valley Growers Partner with City, Diocese, and Toledo Botanical Garden
Everything will be coming up petunias this summer at Summit and Cherry, thanks to the more than 2000 plants, locally grown at Brodbeck Nurseries, supplied by Maumee Valley Growers for intallation by staff from the City of Toledo and Toledo Botanical Garden on “Greek Hill,” property owned by the Catholic Diocese of Toledo. This is the third year for the collaboration, in which local growers contribute to civic beautification efforts while promoting their “buy local” message. Seasonal maintenance is provided by the City of Toledo. MVG Co-Sponsors Local Environmental Education Program
Videos produced by EcoTrack11 (all videos are WMV):
Promotional Videos Featuring MVG
Maumee Valley Growers Join Statewide OrganizationsIn an effort to reach other regions of Ohio and southeast Michigan, the MVG’s have recently joined the greenhouse grower associations located in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Detroit. Program Manager Joe Perlaky and Palmer Energy consultant Kirk Mizerek plan on attending as many of their meetings as possible to explain the benefits of the natural gas program. The strength of the grower led collaboration is the pooling of financial resources for the purpose of lowering individual company’s energy costs. Further information about each organization is available below: A Celebration of the Maumee Valley GrowersThis message to the Maumee Valley Growers is from Neil Reid, Director & Associate Professor of the Urban Affairs Center at the University of Toledo. I’m writing to ask you to join me in a celebration and a launch. Both will take place on Friday September 5th from 6 pm to 8 pm at Cousino’s Navy Bistro (at the Docks). Four years ago, when I first met with eight area growers, I could not have envisioned the successes that have been achieved through our collaboration. The challenges facing the Northwest Ohio greenhouse industry, such as high energy costs and the lack of a market presence, were beyond the scope of individual greenhouse owners to address. Today, by working together as a network of greenhouse industry businesses and organizations, including the University of Toledo, which support them, we are addressing those challenges and finding solutions. Through regular grassroots meetings, growers have strengthened their connections and built new partnerships. An aggressive branding and marketing effort has made the “Maumee Valley Growers” name a recognized symbol for quality locally grown flowers. By pooling their purchasing power, growers have slowed the rapidly rising cost of energy to heat their houses. These successes have brought us to the next step, the creation of a formal non-profit entity to continue the work we have begun together. Early this year, “Maumee Valley Growers Association” (MVGA) was incorporated to serve the common business interests of the greenhouse industry in Northwest Ohio. Members of MVGA will continue to benefit from joint marketing and advertising efforts, facilitated joint problem solving, interaction with university researchers, inclusion in a MVGA Member Directory, and special coverage on the MVG website, http://maumeevalleygrowers.com. Soon, we will move into the next phase with members electing a board to manage the organization and represent them in all collaborative efforts. You will be getting that information in the mail in a few days. In the mean time, please join us a week from Friday at the Bistro downtown at the Docks (click here to see the invitation) to celebrate our initial years of accomplishments as we launch our newly incorporated Maumee Valley Growers Association. Sincerely, Neil Reid MVG Visited by British Economic ResearchersWith the help of researchers from The University of Toledo and others, Maumee Valley Growers have recently tuned in to lessons learned around the world by clusters of businesses in the same industry who have banded together, with academic and government support, to increase their collective competitiveness. Over the last several years, the Northwest Ohio “greenhouse cluster” has greatly benefited from a USDA-funded grant which has provided economic, technical, and strategic support to dozens of the area’s core green businesses. Successes of this approach are of interest to other clusters as well, and recently two visitors from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, Mike Taylor and John Bryson, joined UT Urban Affairs Center Director Neil Reid and Research Associate Paula Ross on a visit to three Maumee Valley Growers. Taylor and Bryson have done extensive research on cluster-based economic development in their home region of the West Midlands in the UK.
Although they were shortly to head home and couldn’t pack hanging baskets, containers, or flats, Taylor and Bryson could not fail to be tempted by the high-quality flowers available from Klotz and Bostdorff.
Israel Extension Service Officals Visit Ohio GreenhousesLast month's green industry mission to Israel by eight Ohioans, including three from Northwest Ohio (OSU Extension’s Beth Fausey, Maumee Valley Grower Theresa Hoen, and Paula Ross from the University of Toledo Urban Affairs Center), was balanced last week with a tour of the Ohio green industry by two officials from the Israel Extension Service. Omar Zeidan, Director of the Israeli Extension Service’s Vegetables Division, and Schlomo Israel, the agencies’ Floriculture Specialist, accompanied by Jim Chatfield, Horticulture Specialist from the OSU Extension Service, spent a day and a night in Northwest Ohio. They witnessed a great (10 to 3) Mudhens victory and enjoyed the hospitality of the Mansion View Inn before a full day of greenhouse and industry visits. After attending the April meeting of the Maumee Valley Growers, the group, including Fausey and Ross, toured research labs at Toledo Botanical Garden and the University of Toledo. Lunch at Hoen’s Greenhouse was followed by a visit to Michigan’s 4 Star Greenhouses, the developer of the Proven Winners brand. Twenty-five acres of greenhouses, including state-of-the-art "flood floors" and extensive use of high-intensity electric lights to extend the growing season, were impressive to Israelis and Ohioans alike. The Ohio-Israel exchange was sponsored by the Ohio-Israel Agricultural Initiative, a project of the Negev Foundation and Ohio State University. The groups are discussing follow-up projects, perhaps including joint research into integrated pest management and other ways in which the green industry can minimize its environmental footprint.
Maumee Valley Growers Gain Information, Inspiration from Israeli Visits“Little ol' boy in the Panhandle told me the other day you can still make a small fortune in agriculture. Problem is, you got to start with a large one.” Some things are the same throughout the world, and as members of a March 8th–16th Ohio Green Industry Mission to Israel, Maumee Valley Growers’ representatives found that Israeli farmers, greenhouse growers, and green industry members had much in common with growers in Northwest Ohio. In Israel, as in Northwest Ohio, clusters of growers are working with researchers to solve problems and strengthen their industry. While some of the challenges are different, the rewards of collaboration are universal. Beth Fausey (OSU Extension ABE Center), Theresa Hoen (Hoen’s Greenhouse) and Paula Ross (UT Urban Affairs Center) traveled throughout much of the country as a part of a delegation of eight, sharing ideas with growers and researchers and, in turn, gaining inspiration and useful information. The trip was sponsored by the Ohio-Israel Agricultural Initiative, a project of the Negev Foundation and Ohio State University. In April, two members of Israel’s Agricultural Extension service are expected to make a reciprocal visit to Ohio. A few images from the trip ...
Maumee Valley Gardeners Spring into Gardening with First Annual Daytrip
Most of those who participated in the trip were passionate gardeners. Many were associated with the Master Gardener Program. All were excited about the trip and eager for a repeat. Trip organizer Beth Fausey, Director of the Agricultural Business Enhancement (ABE) Center in Bowling Green, has already started planning for next year’s Daytrip! The First Annual “Spring Into Gardening” DaytripThe following is from Beth Fausey of The Ohio State University Extension. The Ohio State University Extension is sponsoring a daytrip to three of Northwest Ohio's premier gardening centers on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 from 8:30am to 5:00pm. Sit back and relax and you’ll enjoy a day that is sure to inspire and cultivate your gardening passion! Seating is limited to the first 55 responses with payment. Bring along a friend or two … or three, and register today! Click here to view and print the daytrip brochure and registration form. Flowers and Women in the Maumee Valley
Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak urged attendees to choose local growers as the best source for high quality hanging baskets, potted plants and, as the planting season arrives, vegetable and flower plants for our homes and gardens. Other speakers, including Toledo City Councilman Joe McNamara and State Representative Peter Ujvagi, reflected on the occasion by speaking movingly of the women in their lives. On behalf of all the women of Northwest Ohio’s floriculture industry, Maumee Valley Grower Theresa Hoen accepted special recognition and a certificate from the Ohio legislature. Theresa and her husband Bob own and operate Hoen’s Greenhouse. Maumee Valley Growers Collaborate to Cut CostsMaumee Valley gardeners will be the winners as area greenhouse growers get their costs under control by participating in the Maumee Valley Growers’ Natural Gas Purchasing Program. The program partners with independent consultants at Palmer Energy to help area greenhouse growers lower their utility bills by purchasing natural gas as a group. During the first year of operation, collective savings were more than $150,000. Recently, MVG members announced that greenhouses throughout Ohio will be able to participate. Greenhouse operators can learn more by clicking the “For Growers” tab.
Local Growers Assist with State of the City AddressMany thanks to Walt Krueger at Lakewood Greenhouse for supplying a variety of plantings for Mayor Finkbeiner’s 3rd State of the City address. This was a difficult request. Several growers were willing to assist but because of the timing of the event very little product is actually available. Both the Maumee Valley Growers and Lakewood Greenhouse will get recognition at the 300+ attendee event. Thanks again to Walt and those willing to assist. Local Growers Donate Glass to Toledo MetroParksThe Toledo MetroParks are renovating an old cabin on newly purchased grounds at Person Park in Oregon and want to use authentic glass panes as part of the fix-up. MVG is grateful to those growers who donated unused glass panes to this effort, especially Becky Schmidlin of Schmidlin Greenhouse. [ Top | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 ] 2007MVG Newsletter (August, 2007) - Maumee Valley Growers Expand Program Statewide >>more Use Your Landscape as a Palette for Home Design (May 21, 2007) - In addition to the obvious "curb appeal" benefits of a beautiful landscape, gardening with a variety of tools can bring many additional rewards. >>more Flowers Lend Emotion to Holidays of All Types (May 14, 2007) - Whether it's a "traditional" holiday like a birthday, Thanksgiving or Memorial Day, or something completely unexpected - like a Friday - flowers or plants can lift the spirits of almost everyone. >>more 2007 Greek Hill Project: We are happy to announce that the Maumee Valley Growers Association will once again sponsor the floral planting of the "Greek Hill" at the corner of Summit and Cherry Streets in Toledo. Similar to last year, the Purple Wave Petunia will be the highlighted flower. As a little twist this year, Doug Trueman from the City of Toledo is thinking of using the Begonias to spell out TOLEDO PRIDE in the middle of the purple wave petunia. The white waves will be in the background and pink waves will be in the foreground. We are also thinking about upgrading the signage. MVG Assists Toledo Leadership Banquet MVG/Creques Visited by Staff of Senator DeWine MVG Leamington, Ontario Hydroponic Greenhouse Tour Home-Grown Greenhouses Help Communities Grow - (Joe Perlaky - Letter to the Editor) Maumee Valley Growers "Pool" Resources - (Joe Perlaky, MVG Program Manager) Group Handing out plant coupons for trick-or-treat - (Port Clinton News Herald, 10-25-2007) New Nonprofit Promotes Local Toledo Businesses - (Toledo Blade, 9-28-2007) No Shrinking Violets in Flower Business - (Associated Press, 8-23-2007) Growing Farm Energy - (Toledo Blade Editorial, 8-5-2007) How to Cook Up a New Fuel - (Toledo Blade, 8-5-2007) Maumee Valley Growers Enjoy Busy Spring Sales - (7-3-2007) Church extends community outreach - (Toledo Blade, 6-21-2007) Gardens Grow in the City - (Toledo Blade, 6-10-2007) City Council Votes Funding for Gardening - (Toledo Blade, 5-2-2007) Area Garden Center Warms Up - (Toledo Blade, 3-29-2007) Trust Buys Part of Keil Farm in South Toledo for Metropark Use - (Toledo Blade - 2-13-2007) National Initiative Advocates Cleaner, Domestic Sources of Power -(Ohio Farm Bureau - 2-5-2007) 2006See more than 250 decorated holiday trees at Bench's - (The Press, 12-18-2006) Hoen's Greenhouse Tree Develops Loyal Following - (Toledo City Paper, 12-13-2006) Red-dy or Not: Poinsettias move beyond classic red - (Sentinel Tribune, 12-6-2006) Bittersweet Farms Hosts Event to Raise Autism Awareness - (Toledo Free Press, 11-29-2006) David Mason Visits Maumee Valley Growers - (UT Urban Affairs Center, 11-29-2006) BGSU, UT Receive State Money for Technology, Business Creation - (Toledo Blade, 9-22-2006) Do You Know Your Brand? - (Natural Products Insider, 9-18-2006) Oberlin Wal-Mart Supercenter "Greens Up" for Grand Opening - (Walmartfacts.com, 9-13-2006) Federal Funds to Preserve Farm in South Toledo - (Toledo Blade, 9-6-2006) Structuring a Successful Greenhouse Cluster in NW Ohio - (Economic Development Journal, Fall 2006) Urban Greenewal: Fruits, Vegetables, and Flowers are Thriving in Lots Throughout City - (Toledo Blade, 8-30-2006) Toledo Gets a Second Farmer's Market (WTOL11, 8-12-06) Board OKs Flower-hub Plan for Toledo Express Airport - (Toledo Blade 7/28/2006) Lisa Oliver Interview - (GMPRO 7/22/2006) Greek Hill - (7-6-2006) Blooming with Ideas: Tour of 7 Sylvania Township Gardens Offers Artful Inspiration - (Toledo Blade, 6-14-2006) Greenhouse Cluster Springs Up with Aid of UT, BGSU Researchers - (UT News - 6-5-2006) Biodiesel facilities crop up in area - (Toledo Blade 5/24/2006) Kaptur speaks out for energy investment - (Toledo Blade 5/23/2006) Growing interest in ethanol spurs area farmers' hopes for corn prices - (Toledo Blade 5/17/2006) "Wild School" idea takes root - (Toledo Blade 4/25/2006) Greenhouses likely to up prices - (Toledo Blade 3/28/2006) Local farmers have important role in a revitalized market - (Rep. Marcy Kaptur 3/27/2006) Greenhouse cluster targets brand awareness - (Toledo Business Journal 3/1/2006) Garden Plot: Think local when buying cut flowers - (Detroit Free Press 2/10/2006) Ethanol plants draw investment in Toledo area - (Toledo Blade 1/6/2006) 20056 Ohio Sites Identified for plants 2 contenders in region - (Toledo Blade 12/24/2005) Fresh trees offer plenty of holiday choices - (Toledo Blade 12/14/2005) Greenhouses in area tend to marketing - (Toledo Blade 12/8/2005) Poinsettias get practice run - (Toledo Blade 11/30/2005) The Andersons to enter ethanol production - (Toledo Blade 10/25/2005) Break in cold weather warms area greenouses' profit hopes - (Toledo Blade 5/11/2005) 2004Strength in numbers - (Today's Garden Center Magazine - July 2004) US Flower Buyers - What do we know about them? - (Seeley Conference, 6-27-2004) |
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"For millions of people today, the shamrock is the emblem of Ireland ... Today
(the) shamrock is cultivated ... in time for 17 March ... to be worn by the Irish
and the honorary Irish, who take on the nationality for a few hours."
(
At 
Just up the road at 
The day’s final visit was to 
Flood floors at Proven Winners
Beth Fausey at Hoen's Greenhouse
Beth Fausey, Omar Zeidan, & Schlomo Israel at TBG's lab viewing lettuce trials
Lunch at Hoen's Greenhouse: Joe Perlaky (MVG Project manager),
Sarah Horwitz (Negev), Beth Fausey, Teresa Hoen, Omar Zeidan, Jim Chatfield, Schlomo Israel
Proven Winners greenhouse
Proven Winners plants
Thirty Maumee Valley gardeners recently participated in the first annual
“Spring Into Gardening” daytrip sponsored by 
The day began at 
Next, daytrippers headed to Bowling Green to visit 
The final stop of the day was at 
Maumee Valley Growers were on the scene as Toledo hosted Ohio’s largest
celebration of International Women’s Day on Saturday March 1st. The theme was
“Blossoming in the World,” and speaker after speaker stressed the power of
flowers to enhance everyday life.
