|
|||
What's Happening!
New Gardening Social Networking Web SiteDigtheDirt.com is intended to put gardeners in touch with other gardeners on an information-packed website dedicated to all aspects of the growing hobby of gardening. A new social networking website, www.digthedirt.com, has been designed to be an online garden destination, with a vibrant online community, a dynamic database of plants and gardening ideas, and ultimately a source of any type of gardening information or resource. [From greenhouse product news.] >> More Toledo area greenhouses grow in cooperationCompetitors benefit from sharing of resources
Article published May 09, 2010
(Click here for a list of Maumee Valley Grower greenhouses.) THE GREENHOUSE industry in the Toledo area is highly competitive, with more than 80 in Lucas County and nearby counties selling flowers and vegetable plants locally and to garden stores and big-box retailers in several states. But greenhouse operators are learning to cooperate with each other too. “We all pretty much work together,” said Larry Ohlman, president of Ohlman Farm & Greenhouse Inc., a large greenhouse on Hill Avenue that has 10 acres of growing area under plastic. “We trade back and forth and supply products to each other.” For the last five years, area greenhouses have shared resources and knowledge under the umbrella of Maumee Valley Growers, aided by a federal dollars. “It has definitely helped, especially on advertising,” said Greg Barrow, who manages Barrow's Greenhouse, a 118-year-old fifth-generation family business, with 1.3 acres of growing area on Northwood Avenue near Toledo Hospital. The growers' group, which sponsors cooperative ads to promote local products, stemmed from a project begun seven years ago by two area professors — geographer Neil Reid at the University of Toledo and economist Michael Carroll at Bowling Green State University. They used grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A study they did found Lucas County ranking in the top 5 percent of counties nationally in terms of greenhouse output. The growers' association in part resulted in area greenhouses receiving more than $5 million in federal funding, funneled largely through UT, said Frank Calzonetti, UT's vice president for research and economic development. And the Agriculture Department's Agricultural Research Service, he said, has spent nearly $14 million on greenhouse and hydroponic research in this region and has committed $11 million so far on what may someday become a $25 million research facility at UT that will include a greenhouse-research center. Mr. Reid and Mr. Carroll studied the area's greenhouse industry in 2004 and found 82 greenhouses in Toledo's four-county metro area (Lucas, Wood, Fulton, and Ottawa counties) plus Erie County, contributing nearly $100 million annually to the regional economy. Their study showed that the greenhouses employed 440 directly and an additional 320 indirectly. Of the greenhouses, more than 30 are in Lucas County alone, including 14 inside Toledo's city limits. Still, area growers face challenges, including high energy costs, competition from other regions (particularly southern Ontario), and the constant need to upgrade technology. An example of how technology has changed in recent decades is the use of “soil-less media” to replace dirt. Growers use varying mixes of peat moss, sand, tree bark, and minerals. Area greenhouses range from very large ones such as Bettinger Farms Inc. and Schmidt Brothers Inc., each with 12-acre operations in Swanton, to small ones like Bench Farms in Curtice, which has 25,000 square feet of growing area, or just over half an acre.
While the largest ones tend to sell wholesale only, Bench is strictly a local retail greenhouse, said Cindy Bench, co-owner along with her husband, David. “We'll never get rich, but we meet the greatest people,” said Mrs. Bench. “We can't compete on price with the big-box stores, but we can offer better-quality products and service.” Among wholesalers are the likes of Brodbeck Greenhouse, with 6 acres under plastic, and Wenz Brothers Farm, also with 6 acres. They are across from each other on Wenz Road in southwest Toledo. Brodbeck marks 100 years in business this September, and Wenz evolved from a family-owned produce-farming operation that dates to the mid-19th century and is now in its sixth generation.
Bruce Bordbeck, president and owner of his family's greenhouse, said his firm sells to independent garden centers in the Southeast, including in many suburbs of Washington, and to other stores within 500 miles of Toledo. His son, Matt, manager, representing the fourth generation, said, “In a small farming business, you wear several hats. You have to do the watering, managing, shipping. You have to do a bit of everything.” Kathy Wenze, manager of Wenz Brothers and a sixth-generation member of the family, said, “I'm hoping there will be someone from the seventh generation to help me.” Among others that are a century or more old is the Ohlman greenhouse, which evolved from a farm established in 1882 and is now in its fourth generation. Hecklinger Greenhouse Inc., on Seaman Street in East Toledo, celebrates its 97th birthday this year. A number of the growers say business has held up well during the recession. “Last year was one of our best ever,” said Mr. Ohlman. “Because of the downturn in the economy, people are spending more time decorating their homes and doing more gardening.” The local growers' group has a Web site, www.maumeevalleygrowers.com. Annual spring fund-raiser blooms despite weather
By CARL RYAN Chilly winds and intermittent sprinkles weren't enough to dampen the enthusiasm of gardeners Saturday at the Toledo Botanical Garden's annual spring plant sale. The horticultural enthusiasts turned out by the hundreds, browsing through more than 8,000 plants, as part of the Mother's Day weekend event that is an important fund-raiser for the organization. The plant sale runs Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Toledo Botanical Garden, 5403 Elmer Drive. Admission and parking are free. "People are out here rain or shine - that's what gardeners do," explained Phyllis Hyder of Waterville, a volunteer who spent more than 40 hours last week helping prepare for the sale. Certainly, Julie Shanks of Lambertville wasn't deterred by the wind gusts and the showers. "If you are into a shade garden, this is one of the best plant sales to come to," she explained. "You find things here you won't find at the ordinary greenhouse. This is an annual pilgrimage for me." For Danielle DeMuth, Beth Bean, and Rose Marie Detlef, the visit to the garden made for a Mother's Day outing. Ms. Demuth of Grand Rapids, Ohio, and Ms. Bean of Columbus are sisters, and Ms. Detlef of Perrysburg Township is their mother. "I'm helping her with her garden," said Ms. Bean, referring to her sister. Ms. DeMuth explained that she was trying to decide on the best things to plant in her shady yard. Hostas, perhaps? Ms. Detlef said she hoped to get a nice Mother's Day plant out of the visit to the botanical garden. Her daughters, she said, are both Democrats and flatly refused to buy her the new Laura Bush memoir, the gift she really wanted. Georgeann Brown, a volunteer with the Maumee Valley Herb Society, said her group usually sells out its assortment of culinary and ornamental herbs. "We carry all the basics and some that are a little different, and we give free advice," she explained. "We're all trying to cut back on fats and sodium in our diets, and the way to do it is with culinary herbs." One particularly interesting herb is hot parsley, which is used in Thai food, she said. But all the regulars are for sale, she said, including oregano, dill, rosemary, sage, thyme, and sorrel. Melissa Shaner, the botanical garden's events and marketing manager, said she expected 3,000 to 5,000 people to have visited the plant sale by the time it ends today at 5 p.m. It began Thursday with a preview night for members, and it opened to the public Friday. Mona Macksey, a botanical garden board member, said the plant sale has become an increasingly important source of revenue. The city of Toledo owns the botanical garden's land, but financial support comes from the Metroparks system, which has reduced funding by $300,000 because of declining real-estate tax receipts. "We're doing more with less staff," Ms. Macksey said. "The point we want to make is that because of our frugality, we are able to keep it open and keep it free of charge. We don't even charge for parking." Contact Carl Ryan at: carlryan@theblade.com or 419-724-6050. MVG Hosts Delegation from Middle East
Recently MVG Vice President Walt Kreuger and his son Michael hosted a visit from three young agripreneurs who are involved in family agricultural businesses in Lebanon. The young women, whose farms currently produce a range of fruits and vegetables as well as olives, are exploring new products including saffron, safflower, and sun dried tomatoes.
The young women are part of a 15-person delegation from the Middle East spending a month in Northwest Ohio through a program organized by the Great Lakes Consortium. The University of Toledo’s Family Business Center has also provided trainings on generational succession and other issues typical in family businesses. Walt and Michael, who represent the third and fourth generations at Lakewood Greenhouse, shared their thoughts about the special qualities of family businesses in general and how each generation’s new ideas, coupled with the experience of previous generations, have helped Lakewood thrive and adapt to changing markets. The visitors, Petra Akoury, Mada Arslan, and Sabine Khoury, also toured the Hirzel cannery and Sage Organics. MVG Supports Master Gardener Video Tips
Grower Organizations & Master Gardeners Partner for
On Earth Day, downtown Toledoan’s were taking note of a landscaping upgrade at the magnificent Lucas County Courthouse on Adams Street. During these challenging economic times, area growers volunteered their time by de-weeding and adding new native plants to the one block area of our central city in preparation for an annual planting later this spring. This event organized by Amy Stone from OSU Extension was a classic collaboration: a project not possible without the contributions of each of its partners. Last year, Lucas County officials were looking for a way to spruce up plantings around the stately courthouse and this was a continuation of that effort. As before, staff from the Toledo Botanical Garden surveyed the site and created a manageable plan for new plantings which include colorful annuals and perennials, varieties native to the Maumee Valley. Nearly twenty members of Northwest Ohio’s Master Gardeners provided much of the muscle-power as well as EarthWear a local landscape design/installation company. Plant materials were contributed by TBG. Partners included:
Good Intentions Always in Season at Farmers MarketsIf you’ve never been to a farmers market, close your eyes and imagine an avenue of folding tables brimming with vibrant vegetables and fruit and spilling melt-in-your-mouth local products like cheese, hummus and fresh-baked bread. Farmers markets are experiencing a renaissance. Click here to read about how these "community bazaars" offer benefits to their areas (from Miller-McCune Online Magazine). Garden Trend Surveys
From the Garden Writers Association web site: According to the 2009 Edibles Gardening Trends Research Report conducted by the Garden Writers Association Foundation (GWAF) in November, over 41 million U.S. households (38%) grew a vegetable garden in 2009." Click here for the full story.
The Maumee Valley Growers Tarta Bus - watch for it around town! |
|||
| … Contact Maumee Valley Growers … © 2008 Copyright Maumee Valley Growers, All Rights Reserved … webmaster | |||
Maumee Valley Growers is proud to provide support for
“Master Gardener Video Tips”
hosted by the online Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune. These are tips from
local area master gardeners demonstrating techniques they use every day to
grow healthier plants, combat garden pests, and more.
