May/June 2012 • Volume 30 • Number 3
Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association • Serving Colorado, New Mexico, & Wyoming
Flow
Move Efficiently in Busy Times 10 How to Avoid Mistakes & Missed Opportunities in Busy Times 13 Tips for Great Customer Service 17 What Gardening Customers Want 22 Member Profile: Veterans to Farmers
Hardy, Colorado-Grown
LEADERS IN
NURSERY STOCK Flowering Shrubs • Junipers Ornamental Grasses • Vines • Perennials Container-Grown Shade & Fruit Trees since 1957
Represented by Les Ratekin 303-670-1499 • 303-670-1133 fax lesratekin@earthlink.net
2224 North Shields Street Fort Collins, Colorado 80524 970-484-1289 | fax 970-484-1386
ftcollinswholesalenursery.com availability password: hotwings
800-794-1289 Our quality is your success
www.HollandiaNursery.com
www.g erdes - w h o les a le- n u rs er y.co m
Serving 28 States plus Canada! All photograpy shot on location.
Scan this QR code with your smartphone to visit our website!
GERDES WHOLESALE NURSERY - Since 1999, our nursery has been providing premium quality nursery stock to the wholesale market. We provide a wide variety of sizes, from seedlings to trees up to 16' tall. Let us help you locate the right plant material for your landscape needs.
PHONE: (815) 943-0305 • FAX: (815) 943-0306 • EMAIL: jason@gerdes-wholesale-nursery.com 2
LooseLeaf May/June 2012
Our Mission Professionals growing for a better tomorrow... your growing resource. Cover Photo Courtesy of Veterans to Farmers
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In This Issue 5
Calendar, New Members, Classifieds, & Advertisers
7
Board Message: Flow Efficiently
8
CNGA – A Member Driven Organization
10 11 12 13 14 15
How to Avoid Mistakes & Missed Opportunities in Busy Times Getting Everything Done... and Done Well! Being Prepared: The ABCs of Staff Training Tips for Great Customer Service... even When It’s Busy
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How to Function Efficiently with a Mission Statement What Customers Want: Top 10 Garden Center Qualities & Top 5 Gardening Needs
18 CSU Update: Nursery Production &
Transplant Success of Chanticleer® Pear
20 Safety Corner: Proper Techniques to Prevent Back Injuries
21 N.M. Chapter News: Innovation 22 Member Profile: Veterans to Farmers, Denver, Colo.
Ways to Relax & Avoid Stress during Chaos The Display Garden as an Oasis for Staff & Customers
Board Of Directors Dan Gerace, President Welby Gardens Company, Inc. 303.288.3398 dangerace@hardyboyplant.com Bill Kluth, Vice President Tagawa Greenhouse Enterprises, LLC 303.659.1260 x205 bkluth@tagawas.com
Stan Brown Alameda Wholesale Nursery, Inc. 303.761.6131 stan@alamedawholesale.com Steve Carlson Carlton Plants 303.530.7510 scarlson@carltonplants.com Jesse Eastman Fort Collins Nursery 970.482.1984 j.eastman@fortcollinsnursery.com
Davey Rock, Secretary/Treasurer Trinitiy Farms 720.810.1232 rockandrock@mac.com
Tom Halverstadt Country Lane Wholesale Nursery 303.688.2442 countrylane@myedl.com
Kent Broome Bailey Nurseries, Inc. 303.823.5093 kent.broome@baileynursery.com
Sarada Krishnan, Ph.D. Denver Botanic Gardens 720.865.3601 krishnans@botanicgardens.org
Bob Lefevre Advanced Green Solutions 303.916.0609 1950rfl@gmail.com Monica Phelan Phelan Gardens 719.574.8058 monicaphelan@phelangardens.com Les Ratekin Ratekin Enterprises 303.670.1499 lesratekin@earthlink.net Terry Shaw Harding Nursery, Inc. 719.596.5712 hardingoffice@aol.com
Publishing Info
EDITORIAL
Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association
Sharon R. Harris Executive Director Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 303.758.6672 sharris@coloradonga.org
959 S. Kipling Pkwy., Ste 200 Lakewood, CO 80226 303.758.6672 or 888.758.6672 Fax: 303.758.6805 info@coloradonga.org www.coloradonga.org The LooseLeaf is produced by CNGA and Keystone Millbrook Printing Company 3540 West Jefferson Hwy Grand Ledge, MI 48837-9750 Fax: 517.627.4201 www.keystonemillbrook.com www.colorado nga.org
Ex-Officio Members
The LooseLeaf feature writer and editor is Tanya Ishikawa of Buffalo Trails Multimedia Communications www.coloradonga.org/editor-tanya-ishikawa Visit www.coloradonga.org for classified advertisements, plant publications, upcoming events, a member directory, and much more!
Jim Klett, Ex-Officio CSU Dept. of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture 970.491.7179 jim.klett@colostate.edu Lynn Payne, N.M. Chapter Senator Sunland Nursery Company 505.988.9626 ld@paynes.com Sharon Harris, Executive Director CNGA 303.758.6672 sharris@coloradonga.org
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dan Gerace
Sharon Harris
Tanya Ishikawa
Dr. Jim Klett
Dr. Tony Koski
Alison O’Connor
Lynn Payne
Rick Spalenka
Amy Statkevicus
ADVERTISING INFO Bill Spilman Tel: 877.878.3260 Fax: 517.627.4201 adsalesfirm@gmail.com
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Quality specimen trees Evergreen Flowering Shade
Baxter
WholESalE NurSEry
888-777-8199 Emmett, Idaho | baxternursery.com
Your #1 source.
All the latest for your hydroponic and traditional growing! • Complete line of nursery & greenhouse containers. • OMRI and traditional soils from SunGro along with standard and JUMBO perlite and vermiculite. • USDA & OMRI certified organic fertilizers, disease & pest control • Greenhouse coverings — hard and soft. • And much more!
Nurturing grower businesses for 100 years! Delivery to Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, New Mexico & Kansas
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DWF Growers Supply 4800 Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80216 Phone: 303-399-3235 Fax: 303-376-3125 Toll-free: 1-800-829-8280 LooseLeaf May/June 2012
calendar
2012 Outreach and Member BBQs
Women in Horticulture Luncheon Thursday, Sept.13
CNGA will be hosting BBQs around the region again this summer with locations and dates yet to be determined by this magazine’s print deadline. Look for detailed information in an upcoming E-Leaf. Thank you to our BBQ sponsors: Wells Fargo Insurance Services, Pinnacol Assurance, and Richards, Seeley & Schaefer.
Enjoy a guest speaker, lunch, and networking. Thank you to our sponsors: Pinnacol Assurance, Wells Fargo Insurance Services and Little Valley Wholesale Nursery!
Save the Dates
CNREF & CFF Golf Tournament Monday, Sept. 24
Colorado Certified Nursery Professional (CCNP) Seminars Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Colorado Springs, Colo.
Noon shot gun start, Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course, Castle Rock, Colo.
Perennials: July 31, Britton’s Nursery; Trees: Aug. 7, Harding Nursery; Shrubs: Aug. 14, Summerland Gardens; Landscape Design: Aug. 21 Phelan Gardens; Exam: Sept. 11, Colorado Springs Utilities.
11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Lakewood Country Club, Lakewood, Colo.
For more information and current sponsors, visit the CNGA website under the Events tab. Sponsorships available; sign up now to get the biggest bang for your buck.
Thanks to our event sponsors:
new MEMBERS Scrambled Acres 100 W. Squaw Creek Edwards, Colo. 81632 Tel: 970.926.9090 Fax: 970.926.9090 Katie Langdon & Casey Frehel, Owners katie@scrambled-acres.com Founded 2011 Turn-Key Aquaponics, LLC 650 S. Cherry St., Suite 500 Denver, Colo. 80246 720.212.6055 James W. Frasche info@fishngreens.com http://fishngreens.com Founded 2011
The Summoners Shrubbery 34729 Wolf Creek Trail Kiowa, Colo. 80117 303.621.8568 Mark Pierson & Scott Weber, Owners mark@fiberoflife.com Founded 2012 Munson Landscaping & Excavating 7370 Burgess Rd. Colorado Springs, Colo. 80908 Tel: 719.495.2837 Fax: 719.495.7863 Jack Munson, Owner munsonlandscape@aol.com Founded 1990
classified ADS CNGA offers free posts of online classified ads to members, including items for sale or lease and job openings. For more information on the postings below and to see other current postings, visit the Industry Professional side of www.coloradonga.org and click on Classifieds under the Resources tab.
Jean Reeder 862 Panorama Pl. Windsor, Colo. 80550 970.674.0000 jjbreeder@comcast.net
Terri B. King 2257 Ivanhoe St. Denver, Colo. 80207 303.399.3575 terribking@msn.com
Stephen A. Scott 710 S. Lions Park Dr. Cheyenne, Wyo. 82001 307.637.6458 steve@botanic.org
Gail McLaughlin 5315 E. Thrill Pl. Denver, Colo. 80207 303.883.2693 dragon49fly@hotmail.com
Peggy Kohl 1615 Newcastle St. Colorado Springs, Colo. 80907 719.271.5218 pegkohl@q.com
Linda M. Hellow 7085 S. Penrose Ct. Centennial, Colo. 80122 303.798.0390 lindahellow@gmail.com
advertisers Alpha One Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 American Clay Works & Supply Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Greenhouse For Sale by Owner
Baxter Wholesale Nursery, Inc.
Turnkey greenhouse facility located in sunny Las Cruces, N.M. 56,000 Sq. Ft. Gutter Connect Greenhouses.11,000 Sq. Ft. Warehouse and office building. 2.92 Acres of land. Established market. Trained employees. Contact Lynn Payne at 505-988-9626 or ld@paynes.com .
Britton Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Register for Calendar events with CNGA unless otherwise noted.
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Carlton Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Circle D Farm Sales, Inc.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Clayton Tree Farm LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 DWF Growers Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Gerdes Wholesale Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Tel: 303.758.6672 or 888.758.6672 Fax: 303.758.6805 E-mail: info@coloradonga.org
Harding Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CNGA is the host of calendar events unless otherwise noted. For more information, registration forms, and directions to programs, go to the Industry Professional site on www.coloradonga.org and open the Calendar under the Events tab.
Jayker Wholesale Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
www.colorado nga.org
Hash Tree Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
RatekinEnterprises/Hollandia Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Richards, Seeley & Schaefer, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
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ally for mulated f c f i c Spe lorado Plants & or Soil r Co s. u o
AlphaOneInc.com
RichaRds, seeley & schaefeR, inc.
Insurance by Greenhouse Specialists WestminsteR, coloRado
303-429-3561 castle Rock
303-814-2679
www.rss-insurance.com eschaefer@rss-insurance.com
Workers’ Compensation Dividend Plan Member Discounts Safety Plans Competitive Pricing
Greenhouse Packages Garden Center Packages Boiler/Crop Insurance Commercial Automobile Home & Auto
EndorsEd by thE Colorado nursEry & GrEEnhousE assoCiation
“Professional Insurance Service with a Personal Touch” 6
LooseLeaf May/June 2012
Flow Efficiently It’s spring! Does your labor flow efficiently? When it breaks wide open, can you be effective or are you just putting out fires? Many of us are about to have the busiest week of all time. Hopefully that doesn’t mean more hours than you have ever worked in one week. Don’t get me wrong – hard work, long hours, and putting in the extra effort are all part of the equation. However, working smarter is the key to being profitable; well thought out plans reduce double work. We all are hoping to break weekly sales records over the next few weeks, and many of us will do just that. Can you do it without also having record labor expenses? With increased sales, your increase in wages should be proportional, following some type of percentage. The only way that can happen is if you keep everything in line. If sales are down, can spending be reduced by the same percentage? The reduction of spending may not entirely fix the issue but makes it less of a problem. Managing labor spending can be difficult, and managers and laborers look at this differently. For example, when sales are less then projected, a manager would try to finish harvesting/ shipping sooner and send workers home. On the other hand, a laborer might feel less pressure over reduced sales and work slow enough to still get done at the same time, so they don’t take home a smaller paycheck. The Solution: set goals for the number of labor hours to a set number of units sold, stick with it, and reward groups through recognition and wage compensation for achieving the goal. The laborer can not be rewarded for less hours worked, that just means less money to them.
We all know the feeling of sales numbers doubling every week and then shrinking by half every week. The only way for that to happen efficiently is to have systems in place that can accommodate the sudden increase and decrease of business. For most of us, it always seems to take a few weeks to get in the stride; it goes well for a few weeks and then the season is over. Remember and anticipate the bugs you dealt with last spring. Think about efficiently transplanting, order pulling, loading and unloading product, checking out customers, and handling parking problems, shrinkage, labor availability, scheduling, and challenges with the weather. Try to implement those protocols as soon as you can. As you read this, if you don’t have your systems in place to double your output next week, then quit reading this article, jump to the pages with the lists in this Looseleaf and try to implement those ideas to fix those systems. (On the other hand, if you are reading this after the peak of spring hopefully you will find this issue useful in planning for next year). I see you think you are ready – or as close as you can be. Good for you! Still consider meeting with other members of the team and make sure you have your systems in place and ready to go. I hope that you will find this issue of the Looseleaf incredibly useful with its concise lists and focused topics to fine-tune your well-oiled machine. Regardless of your role in the company, during spring every single person can make a difference. Try to inspire others – work smarter. Once it is over, there will be time enough to rest and recover.
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
By Dan Gerace CNGA Board President
“Jump to the pages with the lists in this Looseleaf and try to implement those ideas to fix those systems.”
Good luck and have a great season!
Your full-time people need to be able to step up and help manage and train the new seasonal employees. Those that don’t are usually threatened and for a good reason: they usually are not your best performers. Do seasonal workers get the chance to move into full-time positions if they out-perform other individuals? This can help keep everyone motivated. Every year our labor force gets better, even the seasonal employees know that if they want to get hired back they need to show “ganas” (which is Spanish for “the desire”).
www.colorado nga.org
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CNGA — A MEMBER-DRIVEN ORGANIZATION
By Sharon R. Harris CNGA Executive Director
Committee Produces Tree Planting Recommendations During my years with CNGA, a couple issues have continued to surface without a clear decision of what is the best way to accomplish specific tasks. The one discussion that seems to drive more “lively” conversation is on the wire basket: remove all, none, or part of it. I am a selfproclaimed Pollyanna and firmly believe if you get people in the same room to talk respectfully that the result can be, and often is, finding middle ground.
group who had some very strong opinions and interests had just worked through more than 200 trees, so why not try the wire basket. The hope was that CNGA could take a leadership role in reducing the amount of finger pointing from different industry segments on the “right” way to plant a tree. The criticisms go beyond the basket type to planting depth, backfill, and staking. All these variables and more, a total of 10, are included in the recommendations.
Following the successful completion in 2011 of the Front Range Tree Recommendation List, I asked that group of industry experts if they would be willing to address the wire basket issue. Now this isn’t my first attempt at this topic and the first one didn’t go well at all. But this
The initial group agreed and after including three representatives from ALCC as well, we were off and running. After reviewing all the source material that could be found from state and national groups, the committee began their process. They did more reviewing, discussing, making their cases, and discussing again until a framework began to emerge. Under the skilled facilitation of Dr. Jim Klett, all opinions, experiences, and recommendations were heard. The group started out with the goal of reaching consensus – not a compromise – and they held to that outcome throughout the process. The resulting recommendations are consistent with a consensus approach, and based on positive feedback received from close to 200 people who attended the related session at ProGreen, the group has succeeded in their work. The next step is to take the recommendation to the GreenCO Board of Directors to request it become the newest GreenCO Best Management Practice (BMP). The recommendation is available in a downloadable version on the CNGA website at www.coloradonga.org/greenco-tree-plantingrecommendations I’d sure like to hear your thoughts on the recommendations and how you’re using them. One board member has suggested that we make a waterproof tree wrap out of the recommendations. What do you think about that idea?
Hope you’re having a wonderful and prosperous spring!
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LooseLeaf May/June 2012
Flow— Move Efficiently in Busy Times We know you are busy, and we respect your time. So, the CNGA Communications Committee planned this issue of the LooseLeaf to look and feel differently than other issues. To provide you with the most useful publication at this busiest time of the year, we hope you will find the following pages to be quick, easy reading. We’re not talking fluff; this special issue is full of helpful yet succinct lists of tips and ideas for success during the busy season. We hope you will find them valuable and perhaps even post the handy “tip sheets” at your company for all employees to read. Sincere thanks to the following CNGA members who took the time to answer surveys and work with our editor to complete this month’s LooseLeaf: All Seasons Landscaping (Englewood, Colo.), Bookcliff Gardens (Grand Junction, Colo.), City & County of Broomfield (Colo.), DWF Grower Supply (Denver, Colo.), Echter’s Greenhouse and Garden Center (Arvada, Colo.), Fossil Creek Nursery, Inc. (Fort Collins, Colo.), High Country Gardens (Santa Fe, N.M.), James Nursery Company, Inc. (Denver, Colo), Jayker Nursery, Inc. (Meridian, Idaho), Prairie Gold Nursery/ Faller Landscape (York, Neb.), Tagawa Greenhouse (Parker, Colo.), Turn-Key Aquaponics (Denver, Colo.), and Welby Gardens (Denver, Colo.). www.colorado nga.org
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How to Avoid Mistakes and Missed Opportunities When It’s Busy It’s easy to get caught “in the weeds” and lose sight of the bigger picture when you are scrambling to get through busy times. Acting rashly or making mistakes can happen all too quickly, but can be avoided if companies establish a solid operating foundation and if managers and employees take time to step back and refocus. The following are some general tips for getting through this busy season. You can find more tips about specific areas such as training and customer service in the other lists in the next pages. Step 1: Build a Solid Foundation by Having:
A plan with specific goals and clear delegation of who is accountable for achieving them. The right staff for the right job.
Step 2: Keep the Focus by:
Adequate training. Shared awareness among staff of who, what, where, when, why and how the chore or project needs to be done. Good communication. Concentration on great customer service. Regular performance reviews. A commitment to minimizing and not repeating mistakes.
Knowing that lack of focus can lead to lost sales. Organizing your thoughts and tasks for the next day. Staying organized and focussed throughout the day. Sharing the responsibilities and involving other staff in accomplishing goals. Receiving deliveries promptly and sending paperwork immediately into the business office. Entering new inventory quickly and accurately into the point of sale system. Reviewing sales data from the point of sale system regularly (weekly is good) to identify trends and adjust buying. Analyzing whether each task is an efficient use of time and dollars. Listening to people and being open to their ideas and concerns. Restating the problem and thinking it through instead of “flying off the handle.” Writing notes. Gathering staff regularly to discuss experiences, issues and upcoming promotions and events. Readjusting strategy or methodology as necessary.
Photo credit: Faller Landscape and Nursery, York, Neb.
“Ask yourself if what you are doing is an efficient use of time and dollars. Sometimes we start new projects during slow times that turn into monsters later.” – Todd Faller, Prairie Gold Nursery/ Faller Landscape
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LooseLeaf May/June 2012
Ways to Get Everything Done... and Done Well Many CNGA members agree multitasking is challenging and can result in poorly completed work. People are generally more efficient and can accomplish more when prioritizing and dealing with one task at a time. To avoid tasks getting half done and falling through the cracks, our survey respondents had the following advice. 1. Prepare every employee for success. • Review your staff job descriptions and make sure everyone knows the chain of command and who reports to whom. • Support staff by having management out in the nurseries and greenhouses, checking on processes and whether plans are being followed. • Ensure everyone knows when the big promotional and sales events are scheduled. 2. Create to-do lists for daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal tasks. • Whether you write tasks on paper or type them into an outlook calendar, make sure your to-do lists are accessible when you need them. If you have the capabilities, send them to an app on your smart phone or iPad so you can refer and add to them wherever you are at. • Set up reminders ahead of tasks to notify you of upcoming work demands and allow you to better plan your schedule. • Update to-do lists as you recognize new tasks that need to get done. • Organize lists at the end of each day when it is quiet, so you are ready to address tasks the next
day. Prioritize (and re-prioritize) each task by importance and set timelines. 3. Expect the unexpected and schedule your day with some built-in flexibility. • Take care of immediate needs and issues as they arise, knowing you can refer back to your to-do list when you are free again. • Leave time in between larger projects to take care of small items. • Complete tasks no matter how many times you are interrupted. 4. Set the stage for smooth operations. • Order materials in advance for multiple projects to economize on time and expenses. • Create the optimal space for each project. Being cramped can hinder progress. • Get rid of clutter as soon as it is created. • Maximize travel by avoiding trips with empty loads. If you know a client or project is in the same direction as another trip, load up the truck for the additional purpose. 5. Keep a winner’s attitude. •
Start early. By planning ahead, whether it is a few weeks or a few months, you have more time to determine the most efficient way to accomplish tasks and the most effective delegation of duties.
•
Stay focused on completing each individual task as best as you can.
•
Be realistic about what you can accomplish.
Photo credit: Bookcliff Gardens, Grand Junction, Colo.
“It’s easy to become overwhelmed with the mountain of stuff in front of me, but just taking one thing at a time makes so much difference.” – Dennis Hill, Bookcliff Gardens
www.colorado nga.org
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Being Prepared: The ABCs of Staff Training A reas of Training • Company policies, mission and goals • Customer service • Safety • Specific job skills • Teamwork • Store layout and inventory placement • Products and plant features • Services available to customers such as delivery or installation • Solutions to plant disease and pest issues • How to access helpful information and resources on the company’s website • Preferred responses to commonly asked questions
B asic Training Philosophy • Provide an orientation to new employees to familiarize them with procedures and policies, and provide materials such as handbooks. Share expectations such as timely arrival at work and extended work hours when necessary. • Have new employees work directly under skilled supervisors to pick up the expected way of doing things. Provide a mentor for every employee. • In addition to verbal training, always have manuals or “cheat sheets” that employees can access without having to take up time of others.
• Emphasize that the employee should admit the limits of their knowledge and then find the answer from someone with the expertise. • Cross train as many people as possible to fill multiple tasks/roles. • Test and evaluate training effectiveness.
C ontinuous Education • Meet weekly to review promotions and sale items, talk about what happened and what problems arose in the past week, and share what customers are saying and asking about. • Begin on-the-job training with real experience and responsibility early. Experience is the best trainer. • Show short videos specific to relevant areas, such as “The Guest” about customer service. • Provide access to outside training opportunities such as workshops and conferences. • Train that change can happen at any time, and offer training to help employees adapt to new requirements and procedures. • Employees need to know what their level of authority is and who they go to when the situation requires them to go beyond that level to take care of the customers.
“Train well in advance and test/evaluate training effectiveness.” – Jim Frasche, Turn-Key Aquaponics
Photo credit: Turn-Key Aquaponics, Denver, Colo.
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LooseLeaf May/June 2012
Tips for Providing Great Customer Service... even When It’s Busy! Before the customer enters your business: •
Provide helpful, clearly visible signage for pricing, plant and product information.
•
Set up an accurate point of sale system so staff can easily check plant and product availability.
•
Cross merchandise product from one department into another if appropriate to make it more appealing and available to customers.
•
Hire great people – always look for great people skills, not necessarily garden center experience which can be taught. Knowing how to connect with people and care for them and their needs are talents that are hard to teach.
•
Find another staff member to help when you are not available for a while or unable to help due to the size of a customer’s request, or make an appointment for later.
•
Make shopping fun. Try to make customers smile by having a great attitude and even by using humor. Because garden center purchases may be considered non-essential by many customers, it might as well be a happy experience.
•
Listen with interest and keep notes when useful. Try to react to each customer in a personal way that shows you care.
•
Be aware that many customers are also pressed for time so have concise answers as to what is best to address their needs.
•
Ensure that all staff (old and new) are welltrained and knowledgable.
•
Be sure you have adequate staffing everyday.
•
•
Use radios only as devices for short employeeto-employee communications; call back on a phone if necessary.
Provide customers with peace of mind, so they know that you are there to support their experience with growing plants.
•
Follow through on promises in a timely way: Do what you say you will do, when you say you will do it. Return phone calls and e-mails.
•
Be sure to learn the needs of new customers, especially if they are unfamiliar with your store and its layout.
After the customer arrives: •
Remember the Golden Rule: Treat others as you wish to be treated. Be courteous and respectful.
•
Stay organized and focussed.
•
Greet everyone with eye contact and a smile. Give prompt attention to ensure customers feel recognized and acknowledged. Never appear as if you are ignoring a customer.
Photo credit: Echter’s Greenhouse and Garden Center, Arvada, Colo.
“Always make the best impression first. Try to react to each customer in a personal way that shows you care.” ––Chery Puckett, James Nursery Co.
www.colorado nga.org
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Ways to Relax and Avoid Stress during Chaos O.K. We know it’s going to get busy. Heck, you’ve been busy – it’s May already. Where did April go anyway? Here are some ideas to help you and your co-workers remain calm or regain your composure during this hectic season.
• Be glad to be where you are.
Be prepared for busy times by getting organized and ready.
• Realize some things that happen are out of your control (but you can control your response to those happenings with the tips on this list).
• Provide good staff training and clear expectations and goals. • Try to prepare well ahead of the season by ordering plenty of supplies: boxes, clipboards, radios, and anything you will need. • Preassemble whatever you can.
• Seclude yourself in an office or private space when you have to vent and release tension. • Remember that you will get through the day.
Take care of yourselves and others. • Talk with supervisors and managers about issues so they can help solve them. • Encourage employees to take good care of themselves so they can focus and work efficiently.
• Know your customers.
• Maintain your health by eating and sleeping well. Remember: you can’t help others when you are tired, hungry or thirsty.
• Use past experiences and mistakes as opportunities to be better prepared for the next time.
• Be sure staff schedules are arranged so they can take regular breaks and get refreshed.
• Hire the right staff and schedule them effectively.
Be the calm you wish to see in your world. • Be sure management is setting a calm atmosphere and a tone of enjoyment. • Establish a positive, relaxed company culture. • Keep light hearted, not light minded. • Relax, have fun, smile, laugh, joke, and share a good attitude about the busy times. • Do your best everyday.
• Schedule exercise such as a short daily walk or stretching (right after lunch can be a good time). • Get a massage (even 15 minutes every couple of weeks is helpful); consider hiring a masseuse to come and give chair massages at your greenhouse or nursery. • Don’t forget to breathe, and take a few deep breaths every once in a while.
“I find that if leadership stays calm and focused, I am more likely to remain calm.” – Deb Pfaff, City & County of Broomfield
Photo credit: City & County of Broomfield
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LooseLeaf May/June 2012
Photo credit: RgsDesigns LLC, Cedaredge, Colo.
Ways to Relax The Display Garden as an Oasis of Relaxation By Rick Spalenka, ASLA Healthcare and Therapeutic Design Chair
Garden – it’s a Middle Ages word that comes from many places, be it, England, France or Germany. No matter how you try to understand the origin of the word “garden” there is a common beginning. All the earlier forms of the word seem to mean an “enclosure.” That is a separation from the surroundings. When you realize that the Middle Ages were a time when you had to struggle simply to survive, you understand that the world around you was both hostile and dangerous. You make a “garden” to find an escape from those hostile surroundings. Times have changed but the need to find respite from a hostile world hasn’t. The green industry is no different than any other industry that makes a product and finds value in displaying that product for sale. Our “display garden” has proven to be an effective way of displaying our products, but are we missing the maximum potential value that this garden can provide? Why not display our product and create a place where our customers and staff can find an escape from the little stresses that constantly impact our lives?
many natural-looking elements as a space can accommodate. Include the sound of gentle water. Avoid artsy structures that are difficult to interpret. The Negative Congruence Theory states that when one is feeling bad any abstract image is interpreted as bad. That does not mean to avoid elements like boulders to suggest islands, shrubs to suggest clouds, or pea gravel to suggest water as the Oriental garden designers mastered. Just leave abstract art out of your garden. Relaxing gardens have been with us for centuries but we have forgotten that gardens are for our whole bodies and not just our eyes. Rick Spalenka is a landscape architect and the owner of RgsDesigns LLC in Cedaredge, Colo. He specializes in designing therapeutic landscaping, and chairs the Healthcare and Therapeutic Design Network for the American Society of Landscape Architects.
There is copious data to verify that being surrounded by living green plant material has positive effects on our physical and mental health. Researchers have shown that our bodies subconsciously relax when we are surrounded by an environment similar to those of our earlier ancestors. Some call it biophilia referring to “genetic memories of water, food, shade, and escape from predators (that) form the basis of our survival instincts” (Precognitive Theory by E.O. Wilson). Others refer to it as Intra-Indigenous Consciousness, which is the cumulative psychological knowledge of human evolution which is genetically stored. It is the indigenous psyche within each person and it can be activated through direct experiences with nature, natural elements and natural systems (http://wilderdom.com/psycho-evolutionary/ IntraIndigenous Consciousness.html). How do we make our display gardens a respite from stresses for our customers and staff as well as a marketing tool? Simply remember that the garden is that enclosure or separation from our real or imagined stress-causing factors that are subconsciously relieved by being in as natural a space as we can make. Erect barriers from noise, distractions or unsightly views and incorporate as
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How to Function Efficiently with a Mission Statement Who? Management is responsible for creating the mission statement and ensuring it is integrated into the company’s daily operation. While employees may contribute to the creation of the mission statement, everyone should know and understand it and apply it to their work. What? A mission statement explains what a company aims to accomplish and captures its values through describing the vision for the future and establishing goals and objectives. To be effective, the statement must address the core business concerns of making a profit and serving the customer. When? The statement only needs to be created once, but it can be updated as often as necessary to reflect changes in the company or the times. Owners, managers and employees should refer to it regularly enough to remind them of their goals and values but not so much that it becomes stale and meaningless. Where? It should be easily accessible to all employees. Besides providing a copy in employee handbooks, the statement can be posted on company bulletin boards and even on its website and other places where customers can see it. Photo credit: High Country Gardens, Santa Fe, N.M.
Why? The mission statement helps companies stay focussed because it can help owners and management: • share their objectives and philosophy with employees; • guide employees in their daily tasks; • evaluate employee performance and success in sticking to and meeting set goals. and helps the staff: • know what is considered important; • avoid extraneous or unnecessary tasks; • overcome challenging times by concentrating on priorities; • make decisions and work independently; • serve the community better.
“I ask employees to ask themselves if what they are doing contributes to the mission (they can be rewarded) or detracts from the mission, which can get them fired.” – Jim Frasche, Turn-Key Aquaponics
“When making decisions and in a quandry always refer to your mission statement; it helps employees make the correct small decisions findependently.” – Jack Fetig, Fossil Creek Nursery
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LooseLeaf May/June 2012
What Customers Want
Top 10 Garden Center Qualities & Top 5 Gardening Needs To ďŹ nd out what customers want the most, the Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association not only polled members, but also asked visitors at the 2012 Colorado Home & Garden Show and on the CNGA website. Below are the results ranked with the most frequent answers at the top. What are the qualities of your favorite garden centers? 1. good value and fair prices 2. great plant variety 3. high quality plants 4. great customer service: knowledgable, helpful, respectful, honest, friendly, and timely 5. great store layout
6. helpful, timely communications, such as basic plant information, growing calendars, moneysaving tips and ways to be successful in growing plants 7. great prices, deals and free help 8. extra services such as plant delivery and installation or landscaping and design plans 9. great company philosophy 10. an enjoyable shopping experience What do you need most this gardening season? 1. new plant varieties including tropical plants 2. vegetables and fruits 3. garden/yard decorations 4. fertilizer and other gardening helpers 5. lawn products
Clayton Tree Farm Specimen Trees for Color and Comfort
Shade and Ornamental B&B and Container Trees Growing Grounds Nampa and Wilder, Idaho Photo credit: Echter’s Greenhouse and Garden Center, Arvada, Colo.
www.colorado nga.org
Office 208.482.6600 trees@claytontreefarm.com www.claytontreefarm.com
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CSU UPDATE
Nursery Tree Production and Transplant Success ® of Chanticleer Pear This project is evaluating three container types to observe tree growth, overwintering success and landscape establishment potential using Chanticleer® pear. The study was designed to look at two fabric containers not widely used for nursery tree production, comparing them with the traditional black plastic pot. The three container types are all #15 in size and include standard black plastic, Root Pouch® and Smart Pot (Fig. 1).
By Alison O’Connor, Dr. Jim Klett, and Dr. Tony Koski Colorado State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Using alternative materials for container-grown trees is being investigated because of the expense of using black plastic pots, the waste related to their use, production problems with root circling issues in plastic containers, and the expense of consolidating containers for winter survival. Plants growing in plastic containers often experience large, daily soil temperature swings, which damages plant roots and can negatively affect the health and vigor of woody plants. Another objective is to look at overwintering potential of these container types and to determine if fabric containers have better winter survival due to more consistent temperatures compared to black plastic. This research project is two-fold. The first study examines how container type affected root and shoot growth and container temperatures (summer, fall and winter) during the production of Chanticleer® pear. The second study is using trees produced in the nursery setting and planting them into the landscape to evaluate how container type affects establishment in the landscape from fall planting.
Trees were potted into containers in May 2010; the first destructive harvest to evaluate tree growth took place in September 2010, and the first landscape planting was done in October 2010. The second harvest and landscape planting occurred in September 2011 and October 2011, respectively. Container media temperatures were recorded 5 centimeters down in the center of the pot, and 5 centimeters in and 5 centimeters down on the southwest side throughout the winters of 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 and summer of 2011. Media temperatures were recorded on an hourly basis. The two overwintering methods included leaving trees “lined out” on the wire trellis or consolidating trees pot-to-pot. Growth measurements include height, caliper, leaf area, new shoot growth, and leader growth. At each destructive harvest, fresh and dry shoot, root and leaf weights were taken. In addition, the container root ball is evaluated for circling roots, bottom root matting and how the root ball holds together. Once planted in the landscape, height and caliper are recorded monthly, in addition to tree width at the end of the season. During summer 2011, potential stress was measured using the pressure bomb to collect pre-dawn leaf water potentials.
Research Results from 2010 and 2011: • In 2010, there were no significant container effects on: fresh and dry leaf weight, shoot and root weight and new growth increments. In 2011, there were significant container effects on: height, caliper, leaf area, percent leaf moisture, and root ball integrity.
Figure 1: The three container types used for this research study (left to right): black plastic, Root Pouch® and Smart Pot®, all #15 in size.
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LooseLeaf May/June 2012
• Overwintering treatments from 2010-2011 were significant for height, dry leaf weight, dry shoot weight, leader growth, and total root ball dry weight. The consolidated overwintering treatment resulted in larger plants with significantly larger root systems. • Black plastic containers encouraged significantly more circling roots and bottom root matting than Root Pouch® or Smart Pot®. • Analysis of 2010-2011 winter thermocouple data showed that black plastic containers had the greatest temperature fluctuations for both overwintering treatments.
• Roots of the trees planted in the landscape had different structures based on container types; roots in black plastic pots didn’t expand growth as much as the roots in fabric containers did (Fig. 2). We are currently running statistics on the remaining growth and temperature data. Additional data will be collected on the landscape-planted trees in the summers of 2012 and 2013. Further results will be published in a future issue of Looseleaf.
Conclusions to date: • It was observationally noted in spring 2011 that trees in black plastic pots flowered and leafed out earlier than trees in Root Pouch® and Smart Pot®, and likely suffered more frost damage on early spring growth; growth of trees in black plastic pots was significantly less vigorous in 2011. Black plastic containers likely warmed up the media faster, which stimulated root growth. • After the first growing season, new root growth reached the sides of black plastic containers and started to circle, but this was less common for Root Pouch® and Smart Pot® containers.
Figure 2: Comparison of the root systems of two different container types, one year after planting in the landscape. On left: black plastic container root system; on right: Root Pouch® root system.
HASH TREE COMPANY WHOLESALE CONIFER NURSERY
Growers of Quality Specimen Conifers Selected Seed Sources of Pine, Fir & Spruce
877--875--8733 1199 Bear Creek Road Princeton, ID 83857
Fax: E--Mail: Web: www.colorado nga.org
208--875--0731 Sales@hashtree.com www.hashtree.com 19
SAFETY CORNER
Proper Techniques to Prevent Back Injuries From Pinnacol Assurance
“Regularly remind employees of safe working procedures.”
Lifting, reaching, bending, pushing, pulling – these simple functions can put employees at risk for back injuries if done improperly. In addition, back injuries can also occur when employees are working in the cold, using a computer for extended periods, standing for long periods without a break, or have the potential to slip and fall.
Standing
All industries, from agriculture to administration, have employees who are at risk. Here are some ways employees can avoid back injuries:
• Place needed tools or other items in front of employees, below shoulder height and as close to the employee as possible. • Position items for the shortest arm reach to avoid over-stretching while reaching up or down. • Position shared items to accommodate both taller and shorter employees.
Workstations • Provide adjustable workstations and fit the workspace to the employee. • Design computer workstations and accompanying keyboards that encourage a natural posture.
Lifting • Do not carry loads that are too heavy. Know your weight limits. • Keep heavy materials close to the work area. • Ensure that items to be lifted are stored at a level that is between hand and shoulder height. • Avoid twisting your body when lifting materials. • Lift with your legs, not your back.
• Encourage employees to wear shoe insoles that cushion the foot. • Provide cushioned floor mats at workstations. • Offer sit/stand stools and foot rests so employees can shift their posture.
Reaching/awkward posture
Pushing/pulling • Do not push or pull loads that are too heavy. Know your weight limits. • Ensure carts, dollies, and hampers are in proper working order with wheels that run straight and smoothly. • Push/pull items along a straight path. Avoid turns, stairs, doors, and inclines (if possible). • Clear all pathways of debris and ensure they have dry, even surfaces.
General • Provide regular break periods and encourage employees to stretch. • Rotate employees to tasks that require different body movements. • Regularly remind employees of safe working procedures. Conduct new hire training, as well as regularly scheduled safety training.
Resources • Pinnacol offers policyholders a free “Proper Lifting Techniques” poster to help prevent back injuries in the workplace. This poster is available in both English and Spanish. You can also order a free copy of the “Office Ergonomics” DVD to help you establish an effective office ergonomics program. To order these and other free materials, go to the Resources section of our website at www.pinnacol.com. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your Pinnacol marketing representative.
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LooseLeaf May/June 2012
Innovation Greetings from the Land of Enchantment! The current buzzword is innovation. We are all innovators. Don’t think so? Are you still in business? Is it all just business as usual or are you doing things a little differently? Total retail sales for many of us are off by as much as 30 percent, so expenses have to be reduced by a comparable amount. The two big items on the profit and loss statement are purchases and payroll. Reducing purchases is easy once you wrap your head around the fact that what has taken years to learn now has to be unlearned! That means everything you’ve learned the hard way, decisions that are tried and true, are now wrong. Old habits die hard, especially since it takes such a long time to achieve correct stocking requirements. You’ve become accustomed to stocking what you know your customers will buy in both depth and breadth of inventory. And now, that doesn’t work. Why? Because people aren’t making the same purchasing decisions. Some of your customers have deep pockets and spending a few hundred dollars on fresh new house plants or a few color pots for this weekend’s party is no big deal. But they may not be spending like that now. A paradigm is something we very seldom experience. You know the sun always comes up in the east, but one day you wake up and that’s not what you see! Impossible you say? That’s what the Swiss watchmakers said years ago. Their watches were the best in the world, and always had been. Then this new idea that watches
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CHAPTER NEWS NEW MEXICO
made in Japan with totally different technology was introduced. It will never catch on they thought. Yeah right! Again, a paradigm is something that seems impossible, something you know so well you would bet every last dollar on it, only to find out you’re wrong! The watch I wear says Seiko on it. I don’t ever have to wind it. If it stops working, I don’t take it to the watch maker for repair; I just get a new battery! Now let’s talk about payroll. You thought changing inventory stocking habits were difficult. You talk to a business consultant and you’re almost sure to hear something like “you have got to be brutal!” Well, I respectfully disagree. But again, you have to change what you’ve always done. You have to be thoughtful, considerate and practical. Both employer and employee have come to anticipate annual pay raises. Sorry, another paradigm! So what are we talking, annual pay reductions? Sounds crazy but payroll has to be reduced. Either you reduce the number of employees or you reduce what is paid to each one. This is really tough because there are emotions involved. In Santa Fe, the minimum wage is $10.29 an hour. We have to think seriously about reducing expenses and still maintain the best customer service we can. Consider investing more in signage, a lot more signage! Place shopping carts in more than one location so customers don’t have to search for them. Make it as easy as you can for customers to help themselves! It’s not business as usual; it quite possibly never will be, so do things differently than you’ve ever done before: innovate! And embrace it!
By Lynn Payne CNGA New Mexico Chapter Senator
“Do things differently than you’ve ever done before: innovate!”
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MEMBER PROFILE
Veterans to Farmers Turns Protectors into Providers
Veterans to Farmers 4255 Yarrow St. Wheat Ridge, Colo. 80033 info@veteranstofarmers.org veteranstofarmers.org
What is the Veterans to Farmers Program? The program’s mission is to provide American post-9/11 veterans (and when possible all veterans) with pride, education and fulfillment through a permanent source of sustainable income, community and contribution on the family farm. Veterans train to become farmers utilizing controlled environment agriculture and sustainable technologies. Training begins at a central farm, operated by Circle Fresh Farms, Inc., with classroom learning consisting of greenhouse construction, equipment operation, plant physiology, pest diagnosis, soil composition, irrigation, and business management. The majority of the training is paid “on the job” experience. The goal is for each farm to have a greenhouse and a family residence where the veterans can become established and eventually have an opportunity to sell their business through a network.
How did the program get started? Buck Adams, a Marine Corps veteran who was raised on a farm, is the founder of Denverbased Circle Fresh Farms, an innovative network of Colorado organic-hydroponic greenhouse farms offering fresh local produce, year-round. Adams had the idea for Veterans to Farmers (VTF) “on paper” for almost four years, and in
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March 2011, the Circle Fresh Farms team made it a goal to bring in veterans to train. The response to the first job training offer was overwhelming, so the company offered another opening a few months later and was again inundated with applications.
Tell us the stories of the first two veterans in the program. When Air Force veteran Adam Cutlip heard about the program, he jumped in his truck and drove from Kentucky to Colorado, not even knowing where he would live. He ended up staying at his job training site at Nicholas Farms in Pueblo. Now a program graduate, he still works there as a manager growing lettuce and tomatoes at the 12,000-square-foot greenhouse. An investor has contracted a 4-acre plot with a 7,000-square-foot greenhouse and an 850-square-foot house. Adam will become part owner and manager of this operation and share the home with his wife and young daughter. Marine Corps veteran Ben Maestas is a Denver East High School graduate. He was a program “rover”, working on various farms and helping design and build an organic hydroponic greenhouse in Denver. He is studying agricultural engineering at Colorado State University, aided by a 2012 CNREF scholarship, and is gaining skills for upgrading greenhouse systems to be even more sustainable and efficient.
LooseLeaf May/June 2012
What are the plans for the program’s second year? The application process is being streamlined and Adams is finalizing a business plan to create a model that can be replicated at any location. VTF is also working with the Farmer-Veteran Coalition, a California-based national network that raises funds, educates and advocates with the aim of mobilizing veterans to feed America. Adams is getting ready to hire eight veterans for a VTF project in Wheat Ridge. Denver has joined with the program to develop an 8,000-square-foot greenhouse and local produce market at 24th Avenue and Tremont Street, northeast of downtown. Plans are also being made to place the veterans in a “roving” farmer’s market sales program as part of training this summer. The expansion from growing plants to sales and marketing will provide opportunities to transition back to civilian life through establishing work schedules, interacting with the public, as well as giving them the pride of seeing and sharing what they have grown.
What skills are transferrable from military training to this type of work? Unlike some potential workers, veterans are accustomed to hard work as well as difficult decision-making. They have developed the motivation and dedication to jobs, a sense of pride, and are self-motivated and self-directed; all critical for small business owners. People attracted to the military are usually fiercely independent but trained for teamwork, which are both useful in farming. In the marines, attention to detail is “hammered into you,” said Adams. “That’s important when dealing with living organisms. You can’t make mistakes; you have to be there for the plants. As a military person, you have your troops and now you have your crops.”
transition to operating their own companies,” Adams explained. “Our intention is to create both a sense of pride and a sense of security with what they are doing through business ownership.” In addition to benefiting veterans, the program aims to assist rural areas through the establishment or re-establishment of farms that increase commerce and the tax base. The program also supports the concept of local, independent businesses including farms and produce markets to improve the long-term health of communities.
How can other CNGA members support the program? The staff of CNGA has already been helping out in various ways providing access to training tools and resources as well as promoting the program, Adams explained. He sees lots of opportunities for cooperation with CNGA members; each partnership will probably be unique depending on the possibilities at each greenhouse or nursery. Not only can the program find veterans to apprentice at member companies, but owners planning to sell or lease land or facilities may find program graduates to own or manage them. While the demand from veterans and business owners for the VTF program remains high, the program’s growth depends on future funding such as the acquisition of grants and foundation money. “We’d like to create 1,000 farms in 10 years,” Adams said. “When you combine what’s happening with the organic food movement and the resurgence of local foods with the fact that over a half million veterans will become unemployed over the next few years, there’s plenty of opportunity to make those 1,000 farms a reality.”
“We’d like to create 1,000 farms in 10 years,” – Buck Adams VTF Founder
Can this work be therapeutic for veterans? Horticultural has tremendous benefits. “Tons of documented cases” have proven that nurturing living organisms and watching them go through the life cycle is beneficial mentally, emotionally and even physically. The growing environment alone provides a relaxing atmosphere that reduces stress and anxiety. Harvesting and taking food to other people also has a positive effect, especially for individuals returning from overstimulated environments. The greenhouse is like a decompression chamber. While the program offers no formal counseling yet, the plan is to collaborate with nonprofit organizations and other veterans programs to provide additional assistance.
Is this program a resource for labor shortages in the industry? “Yes, the veterans could help fill labor needs in the green industry, but the goal is for them to www.colorado nga.org
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Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 959 S. Kipling Pky, #200 Lakewood, CO 80226
July/August 2011
Colorado Nurse
ry & Greenhouse
Association
• Volume 29 • Number 4
• Serving Colora
do, New Mexic
o, & Wyoming
Connect
Reaching Ou t to Stakehold ers
8 Knowing Your Customer s Creates Long -Lasting, Profitable Conn ections 12 Making Connections through the Inter net
Nov./Dec. 2011
14 The Bene fits of Community Outre
ach
Colorado Nurse
ry & Greenhouse
22 Member Profile: Santa Fe Gree nhouses & High Country Gardens
Association
• Volume 29 • Number 6
• Serving Colora
o, & Wyoming
Innovate 11 Maximize Inventory Management with RFID Tags Number 1 Jan./Feb. 2012 • Volume 30 •
14 Support Customers with QR Code s
Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse
Check out the valuable content of the 2011 and 2012 issues of The LooseLeaf and learn from your peers with expert tips, case studies, and a full range of information and news about issues and developments in the green industry. CNGA provides easy access to back issues online at issuu.com/looseleaf.
do, New Mexic
Developing a Trendsetter Attitude
12 Streamline Information with a POS System
Are you looking for another resource to take your business to the next level?
New Mexico, Association • Serving Colorado,
& Wyoming
23 Member Profile: Pine Lane Nurs ery
May/June 2011
November/December 2011
Value: Recognizing and Maintaining Value
Innovate: Developing a Trendsetter Attitude
• Dr. Charlie Hall and ANLA Executive Director Bob Dolibois on marketing the benefits of the green industry • landscape architects and managers discuss creating and maintaining value • Member Profile: Highlands Garden Center • CSU on weed control in container-grown plants
July/August 2011
Connect: Reaching out to Stakeholders
March/April
g Rememberin Do
2012 • Volum e 30 • Numb er 2
ColoradoWe What We Do Nursery Why & Greenhouse Assoc
iation • Servin g Colora
8 A Family of Growers – Our Story
13 Retailers Plan for Less Variety
do, New Mexic
o, & Wyoming
• Gary Eastman on knowing your retail customers • Facebook, Groupons and Internet media for business promotion • examples of how to thank and get feedback from customers • Member Profile: Santa Fe Greenhouses and High Country Gardens • CSU on impact of irrigation on shrubs
16 Returning to the Farm 18 Successful Company Closings
Sourcing
Using Creativ ity in Finding Resour ces 8 2012 Inven tory
Forecast
13 Filling Truc ks to Keep Freight Costs Down 16 Creativity Sourcing and Substituti ons 22 Member Profile: Graff’s Turf Farm
s
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22 Member Profile: Welby Gardens
September/October 2011
Plan: Organizing for Success • advice on financial planning and why it is critical to success • why monitoring operational costs can increase profitability • four different company management styles • Member Profile: Gard’N-Wise • CSU Multi-Site Woody Plant Trials • ASLA of Colorado update
• RFID tags, POS systems, QR codes, mobile cash registers, and merchandising/marketing innovations • marketing tips from Ikea and Kohl’s • Member Profile: Pine Lane Nursery • CSU on underused perennials • ebb and flow watering in the desert
January/February 2012
Remembering: Why We Do What We Do • • • • •
retailers plan for 2012 trends local produce as a new product line real experiences in company transitions Member Profile: Welby Gardens CSU on 2012 Annuals
March/April 2012
Sourcing: Using Creativity in Finding Resources • • • • • •
Growers forecast diverse inventory & sporadic shortages Supplier-retailer cooperation keeps freight costs down Creative sourcing & substitutions add up to more sales Landscape architects share sourcing ideas CSU Update on Top Perennial Performers Member Profile: Graff’s Turf Farms in Fort Morgan, Colo.
To obtain hard copies of any past issues, contact CNGA at info@coloradonga.org, 303.758.6672, or 888.758.6672.
LooseLeaf May/June 2012