MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ON
Incoming VNLA President
CHRISTOPHER BROWN, JR. of Lancaster Farms
What is your title/who do you work for? Western Farms Manager / Lancaster Farms How many years have you been in this position? 4 years in my current role, 12 years with Lancaster Farms How did you decide to pursue a career in the green industry? I started working in the industry as a young teenager in North Carolina for what was then Wight’s Nurseries with my father as a summer job. After working several summers on the farm I went away to school but still found myself coming back each summer to work. I always loved sharing my passion for the industry with my father and decided to pursue it as a career soon thereafter. What path led you to your current position? Since my start in the green industry I have been fortunate to work in and manage many of the departments in the nursery. I would say that being able to experience all aspects of production and shipping has led me to where I am today. That along with my father and countless other mentors and peers constantly challenging me to think differently. What is the best part of your job? The best part of my job is simple, the people! Everyday in our line of work is different, however the one constant is the people. They are by far our industry’s greatest asset, besides the plants we produce of course. It does not matter what part of the industry you are in, the relationships we have with our colleagues go much farther than just business and we all strive to make each other the best we can be! What are some unique challenges of your job? We tell everyone that we are in the plant business, but I like to think that we are in the people business. My father has always told me “it does not matter how smart you are, you can not run a nursery alone.” That saying has stuck with me over the years and I try to remind myself of it everyday. The profession we have chosen is demanding, physically and mentally! Constantly striving to produce plants at a higher quality and more efficiently takes its toll on everyone and managing not only yourself through the ups and downs of a season but others as well is a daily challenge. What is one lesson you’ve learned the hard way in your career? Only one lesson I have learned the hard way? I do not think that one lesson I have learned came easy. Obviously listening
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to the advice of others has helped me and made some things easier, but it has also hurt me. The best and worst part about growing plants is everyone does it differently. What works for me most of the time will not work for you. That is by far the thing that took some getting used to and it is still hard for me today. When I see other nurseries doing something differently I have to pause and look at it from all angles before I try it. Do you have a mentor in the industry? There are so many people who have influenced me along the way directly or indirectly. Whether it has been someone
Christopher with Nikki, Finn and Lilly
