12 A sea of flowers at 2011 Pack Trials - Floraculture International

Certifiable in California
by John Ingwersen
turnover
Veiling Rhein-Maas in Herungen,
Germany is a joint venture between
FloraHolland and the German organisation
Landgard. The former FloraHolland
location at Venlo was merged into
this joint venture in late November last
year. So far, Veiling Rhein-Maas has
been achieving higher sales than had
been predicted.
Production and sales are becoming
increasingly international in nature.
Also in Germany last year, the logistics
hub of Tradepark Bremen was set up
in partnership with the Flower Nursery
Products Wholesale Association
(VGB).
By integrating the TFA import auction,
FloraHolland has been able to offer
growers and traders more market
opportunities and a broader, more indepth
assortment. It is partly thanks to
this move that the number of overseas
members of the cooperative has
grown to over 500. |||
Less-than-fully
rational optimists
It’s been nearly three years now since the financial crisis and subsequent
economic meltdown, and almost four since the beginning of the housing
crash in the US. I recall pretty clearly when that happened, in July of
2007. Things were going along swimmingly , then someone turned the
lights out. Well, after lots of fun and games for the past few years, I’m
pleased to announce that while I haven’t found the light switch yet, I have
managed to get some batteries into my trusty flashlight and visibility is
improving. What is that over there, a spot of optimism perhaps Let’s get
some more light on that…
I guess it all starts with the fact that to be a grower one really must be an
optimist at heart. Considering all the challenges we face that makes a lot
of sense. It’s hard enough competing with the known variables, much
less the antics of mother nature. And then there’s the planning cycle, at
least in the exterior landscape business. The palm and cycad seed I plant
today will be ready to sell at the soonest in 3 to 4 years, and quite often
much longer. Given fluctuations in economic conditions, the mere act of
planting a crop that won’t be ready for years in and of itself represents an
act of faith. If you hit it right, the payoff can be pretty good. If you hit
it wrong, you’ve got the makings of a big heap of green waste. Pessimists
would shrink from that scenario; too much risk for the potential of too
little reward.
So, while the pessimist might possess the more rational outlook, it bears
pointing out that one of the main reasons humanity has progressed is
because of those less-than-fully rational optimists. For my part, that
means it’s time to start browsing lists from various seed vendors. This
is fun. I hate going to the mall, but I can spend hours going through
seed availability lists. Should I get this one, or that one What the heck,
let’s try a couple thousand of both. I’m sure I’ll be able to sell it at some
point, assuming I can sprout it and grow it successfully, of course. Take
Jubea chilensis, the Chilean Wine Palm, for example. The seed can take
up to 2 years to sprout, and then about another 8-9 years before you’ve
got a saleable plant. There’s no way I can justify planting that seed from
a business perspective. In the same amount of time I could raise and sell
3 or 4 crops turns of other, faster palms. But I do it because I happen
to like the plant, and because I’m not just creating a bit of cabbage, I’m
helping to start a legacy. A Chilean Wine Palm can live to be more
than 200 years old (if I have my numbers right, I think they can live
even longer than that) and so there’s a bit of gratification knowing that
something I started will be still be around long after I’m gone. Perhaps it’s
putting it a bit simplistically, but to me that’s one of the rewarding parts
of what it means to be a grower.
And so, even with all the moaning and groaning and complaining that
growers are so fond of, we keep growing away, partly because growing is
what we do, and partly because we know, really, that tomorrow is going to
be a better day. Now where’s that darn light switch…..
John Ingwersen graduated with a degree in marketing
from Georgetown University in 1990, and founded
Jungle Jack’s, Inc. in 1995.
sales@junglejacksthailand.com
June 2011 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com 41