I love this blog post from Tom Peters. It's titled, "This is not a recession...think of it as a recalibration." It perfectly summarizes how I feel about our economic concerns. Tom say's, "everything is different now". How true. We in the horticulture business we're dealing with these changes even before the current economic roller coaster. Things are different now. The post encourages us to look to the incredible possibilities that are becoming available to us. We don't see them because we are so focused on our day to day lives, but the time to change is when everyone around you is hunkering down and doing their best to keep the status quo. Change is scary and people don't like to be scared. If you have the courage to face change with an air of excitement, you will start to see the opportunities afforded to us. Change is not easy, but it's our only choice.
Millennials want to meet you
This is interesting, and I feel good news for garden centers. The nursery business is fixated on what generation x and y are up to. Well this seems like it might translate over to the garden businesses. This was listed under "Millennials". According to Iconoculture, "The second-annual UnFancy Food Show — a celebration of handmade, decidedly unfussy food — was held at a dive bar in Brooklyn on June 29, 2008." The web page continues, "treats included country pâté with wild ramps; blackberry ice cream; and direct-trade, stone-ground organic chocolate." Sounds delicious to me. What's the take on this? According to Iconoculture, "The 'local, sustainable, organic' mantra isn't just for hardcore foodies. More and more consumers want to know where their food comes from (and want to meet the people who make that food)." Local, sustainable, organic, and they want to meet the people who make that food. The small garden center is local, sells sustainable products, and can be organic leaning. You can usually meet the owners of the smaller operations. You should also be able to meet the people who "make"the plants and garden products via a blog. I am asked all the time why anyone should spend their time blogging. Because it's another way for people to "meet" the people behind that local, sustainable, organic, garden center.
What I find interesting is the idea of an un-fancy food event appeals to me, decidedly not a millennial. I think this trend extends beyond a certain age group. People are looking for connections in their lives. Who owns that small business down the road? How do they fit into the fabric of the neighborhood? Here is the money line from Iconoculture, " Food is no longer mere sustenance. Young, hip, creative people are seeing food as an (edible) art form and a creative outlet (New York Times 3.16.08)" Take food out and substitute "gardening". I think the future can be bright for those of us that understand this.
Another take on Smith and Hawken
It's good to hear from people who work at the companies we talk about. The last post about Smith and Hawken elicited a response from Drake in PA. This is great, as I am only one person with a opinion. Sometimes I don't see the whole picture and it's always good to get another opinion. One area that Drake in PA had a different take on was customer service. Drake in PA a say's, "I’m also intrigued by what you refer to as a 'lack of customer service' leading to our demise. We have one of the highest customer service ratings in the industry." I don't know what rating service Drake in PA is talking about. If I was a potential customer of Smith and Hawken and Google Smith and Hawken on the first page at the bottom is Dave's Garden, with the Scoop on Smith and Hawken. The feedback on the company shows, 11 positives, 5 neutrals, and 13 negative reviews. I am not going to repeat the reviews here, except to say if I was a potential customer I would have second thoughts after reading these reviews.
Dave's Garden is just one rating service, but it is a popular one. As a potential customer it's great to be able to read what others have said about a company. Each review must be looked at in the context of that particular moment, and that persons mood. Never the less, a larger number of people have had a negative experience.
This is the problem with working at large corporations. The people at Smith and Hawken, like Drake in PA are excited about what they do, and hope to grow the company. Meanwhile the company that owns the brand, Scotts/Miracle Gro wants to sell. They say it's a drag on earnings. What a drag for the brand. Enthusiastic employees. Not so enthusiastic owners. Hard to get any traction.
Stay excited, Drake in PA. Perhaps you are right, and the company will continue. Maybe with owners that want to grow the brand, rather than sell it.
Smith and Hawken, the down hill spiral
Lot's of people wondering what is going on with Smith and Hawken, the garden supply company owned by Scotts/Miracle-Gro. We have talked about this company before, when the last rumor of Scotts selling the brand. Judging by the negative reviews at Dave's Garden it won't be long. Besides the quality of the tools going down, it's the lack customer service that is the biggest complaint. It's no secret Scott's want's to sell the brand. Who will buy it is another question. When a brand starts getting negative publicity year after year trying to resurrect it becomes harder and harder. Sometimes it's just better to start anew. I watched this company from the get go, visiting their stores in Berkley, and Palo Alto, well over 20 years ago.The stores we're so cool because they promoted quality tools from England we hadn't seen before. Cheap shovels that fell apart and had to be replaced every year was the norm. Suddenly there was a place promoting quality, which was so novel then.
I don't fault Paul Hawken for selling the brand. Nor Scott's for buying the brand. It was just a strange marriage from the beginning. It seems another example of a large corporation looking beyond it's core, and trying to buy a certain reputation and customer. With instant messaging and reviews available for all to see it's getting harder and harder for companies to fake it.
Pay at scan for Independents
A question for the wholesale growers who sell to The Depot, and other chains. Why not offer the pay at scan deal to the independents? In case you don't know, wholesale growers who sell to the box stores are not paid until the plants they supply are sold at retail. If the plants don't sell they have to pick them up, and are not paid. It seems to me that most independents would take better care of the plants so there would be less pickups. You might think that once independents got a hold of this deal, they would allow the plants to go downhill and then just return them, like The Boxes. I doubt it though, since the condition of the plants is a big selling feature for the independents.
We have been told in the past to look to the boxes and other large chains like Target, to see how they operate. We are told that there are ideas we as independents can use. Well, how about pay at scan for independents? Don't tell me that only the Big Boys can produce the volume to make this work. Apparently they can't.
As we end the year who knows what 2009 has in store? It will be a year of great change in the nursery business. I have a feeling we are going to see more large companies hitting the skids. There is just not enough volume to support all the wholesale operations. The ones that remain will need to figure out what "nursery industry" they want to service. I feel that the industry will continue to fragment. You cannot service the box stores and chains while still giving the service that independents require. You'll have to pick. If I we're a grower I would find out how to service the independents and stick with them. Sure it means your company will be smaller, but it will be more nimble, and less effected by one or two large businesses.
I think 2009 will be a very, very, interesting year when it comes to the nursery industry. Maybe the most interesting any of us in the trade have seen for quite a while.
Happy New Year!
Plant growers and the box stores
With both Hines and Bordiers Nursery having filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy one wonders just what these companies will focus on after the emerge from bankruptcy. Will they return to the chains like Home Depot? Will they focus on independent garden centers? I am sure one of the areas that got theses places in trouble is the pay by scan that Home depot and other chains require. Pay at scan means the grower, like Bordier's does not get paid until it is sold to the end customer by Home Depot. If The Depot does not sell the plants they are returned to the grower and not paid for. This explains the row upon row of clipped rosemary I saw at our local Home Depot. They we're selling them at prices I would have to pay for them. They we're from The Pinery, owned by Bordiers. So the bottom line is, the customer got a great deal on clipped Christmas Trees, but the supplier went belly up. What happens next year? Will growers who want to do business with the chains still sign on to pay at scan next year? Will they return to the independents that have to pay when the receive the plants, not just when they are sold? I don't think there are enough independents to support all these growers. Big changes coming down the pike when it comes to plant growers. Will growers who currently do not supply the chains start seeing an opportunity, and start selling to them? I could see that happening, except I can't imagine any grower signing up for pay by scan. Does this mean The Depot and others will have to start paying for the plants when the arrive? Gee, what will they do when the plants start to die and they can't return them. What the rest of us independents have had to do all along, "Eat the loss."
From the comments in the last post I see that El Modeno Gardens Nursery has not filed for bankruptcy protection. A comment before indicated that they had. So we will wait and see what happens. El Modeno has been thick in the box stores for the last few years, and they have to play by the same rules as every other grower. Perhaps, financially they are better prepared to weather the storm. Time will tell. I do agree that the box stores have sucked the life out of these companies, but it takes two to tango, and the companies knew who they we're getting in bed with from the get go.
Stay focused, stay positive
Here is a classic example of the types of issues you deal with in the nursery business. According to the HeraldNet, out of Everett, WA., "Bob Wolf is patiently waiting for his nightmare to finish melting." The snow began falling, "It started a week ago, when the snow fell so fast and furious at his business, Monroe Aquatic Nursery, he couldn't keep it from accumulating on the greenhouses." So all night Bob is running around trying to push the snow off the top of the greenhouses, to no avail. Next thing you know he has lost $40,000 in greenhouse that insurance doesn't cover. I felt for this nursery since we have been in that situation before. Here you are staring at a huge loss of equipment during a time of the year when the only hope of re-cooping your losses comes months away, in spring. When asked if he was considering closing the operation he said, "God no...I would never let that happen".
I don't know what Bob or his nursery's financial situation is like, but I think it's important to focus on the determination to stay in business. Some of the largest corporations in America, staffed with the most "talented' minds in finance can't survive without holding their hands out to you and me for relief. People like Bob are working their tails off to stay in business. No hand outs, just hard work and determination in the face of what can seem insurmountable odds.
There is no doubt in my mind that small business is the engine that runs our nation. While all the attention is focused on the big operations, the small business just keep chugging along. It's not easy, and there is no promise of a happy ending. We don't go around looking for handouts. Sure we borrow money at times to stay afloat, but if we can't pay it back that's our problem. It's people like Bob and the other small business owners that are the backbone of our economic system. When I read stories of insurmountable odds, and the "let's get it done" attitude of people like Bob, it gives me confidence. A lot more confidence than the feeling I get when you see huge corporations line up to receive our tax dollars.
Bordier's Nursery Files Chapter 11
According to trollerbk.com Irvine, CA based Bordier's Nursery filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on December 23. With over 600 employees and $27,000,000 in sales it was a California staple, until now. Bordier's is a family owned company that's been in the nursery business since 1922. I came about this news because this blog had been showing up under searches for "Bordier's Bankruptcy". The only information I could find was the above web page. Bordier's also own's The Pinery Tree Farms which claimed to be the largest producer of Living Christmas Trees around. They produced all those sheared Christmas Rosemary and other trees you see at Home Depot and Lowe's. We did business along time ago with Bordier's when we had The Happy Frog Garden Center in Auburn. They seemed to be involved more and more with the chains, although I do know of independents that had done business with them.
Since information is scarce, if you can add to what we know it would be helpful.
Thank you Senator Boxer
After I wrote to my congressional representatives concerning my outrage at allowing themselves a raise Senator Boxer responded. I thought I would print her answer to my question as to what her position was on the pay raise. Here is her answer,
" Dear Friend:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the current financial crisis. I appreciate hearing from you on this critical issue.
As you know, Congress recently approved a massive financial rescue package (P.L. 110-343). I disapproved of the toxic assets purchase plan, as I do not feel that this is the most effective way to alleviate the ongoing credit crisis, and I worry about ever recovering taxpayer funds from these assets. Thankfully, the Administration is now working to invest funds directly into banks, providing liquidity and giving American taxpayers an equity share in these institutions.
As we provide carefully targeted assistance to financial institutions, we must also take steps to get the fundamentals of our economy back on track, since we are in a recession and I want to ensure it is not a deep one.Â
We need to get to work on a second economic stimulus package that provides emergency financial assistance to the states, addresses the housing crisis, creates jobs through infrastructure investments, and extends unemployment benefits.
Furthermore, I strongly believe that Congress needs to exercise its oversight responsibilities, and I am pleased to report that this work has begun. Committees in both the House and Senate are holding hearings to examine what went wrong and who needs to be held accountable and what laws were not enforced. In addition, we must determine if new laws are needed. It is critical that good people be placed in regulatory positions.
Be assured that I will continue to speak out forcefully about the failures that led to this crisis and keep working with my colleagues to strengthen confidence in our markets while protecting the American taxpayers.
Again, thank you for writing to me. Please feel free to contact me again about any issue of importance to you.
Barbara Boxer United States Senator
Thank you senator for answering my e-mail. It would have been nice however, if you had answered my question. If we ran our businesses like you run yours, we would be out of business. I love this money line from The Senator, " It is critical that good people be placed in regulatory positions."
How true that is!
Bare root arrives today
We are having our bare root fruit trees arrive today. This is earlier than we have ever brought them in before. We get our trees from Dave Wilson Nursery, in Hickman CA. Bare root is one of those seasons that reminds one just how many years we have been doing this. While unloading and healing in the fruit trees is hard work it means that we have something timely to sell. We figured that if we brought them in early this year we might get a few early sales.
All of our trees are semi-dwarf types. We don't even carry standard trees anymore. Even the growers at Apple Hill use semi-dwarf trees. They can be kept smaller, and produce fruit earlier than standard trees. We will see if this year fruit sales are as good as vegetable sales last spring. With the interest in growing your own fruit and vegetables, semi-dwarf fruit trees should be popular.
Congressional pay raise
While I have always tried to keep politics out of my blog, this time I just have to speak up. For our congress to vote itself a pay raise during a time when we are being asked to bailout various private enterprises, boggles the mind. I just wrote my congressional representatives an e-mail expressing my disgust with this action. The actual amount of money is minuscule, when compared with the money we are supplying for the bail outs. It's the symbolism of an institution so out of touch with everyday life that they find it perfectly o.k. to vote themselves a raise, while the rest of us are just doing our best to get by. This crosses party lines. Every citizen of The United States should be outraged, and contact their representatives to ask for an accounting.
This is a great opportunity for you to get involved. I have rarely written to my congressional representatives in the past. This time it's different. It has become clear that our elected officials have lost touch with reality, and it's our job as their employers to set them straight.
My 2 cents!
Last native nursery for Western Sydney closes retail
It appears that the same garden center issues we deal with here are issues being addressed in garden centers worldwide. According to The Hawkesbury Gazette, "Hawkesbury plant lovers will be forced to travel elsewhere following the announcement Cranebrook Native Nursery would be closing its retail nursery permanently on Christmas Eve." I would appear that our friends "down under" are loosing another retail garden center. "According to Cranebrook Native Nursery owner Peter Adcock, the move is due to the nursery's inability to compete with larger retailers such as Bunnings." "We are the second native nursery in western Sydney to have closed and now the area will not be serviced by a native nursery." I assume Bunnings is like Home Depot or Lowe's? According to Peter,"The sad thing is the trend towards 'McDonald's gardening' - where everyone goes to Bunnings where you can get cheap stock, but the range is very small." He also say's, "No-one wants to be involved in plant-only nurseries anymore. There just isn't a way to make it financially sustainable." Ouch!
I am sorry to see this development. It sounds like the same issues we are dealing with here. I hope that they will find success with their new direction.
Gardening trends for 2009?
I am not one for following trends. It's more fun to be a part of creating new trends. Never the less I enjoy reading what people think is coming down the pike. The Garden Media Group has released it's trends forecast for gardening in 2009. Entitled "Gardening goes back to the future-GIY style" What's GIY? Grow it yourself. In February of 2007 we we're told by Nursery Retailer Magazine that the new trend was DIFM, (Do it for me). I guess that's out the door. The trends listed include, "Eco-boosting", "Locavore", "Info-Lust", and "Bubbling".
For fun here is the list from 2007. Did these trends come to pass? You be the judge. I found some of the trends for 2009 interesting, like "Global Colors". According to The Media Group, “'Colors are bold, crazy, exaggerated, and in-your-face, almost like pop-art, and reflect a playful spirit in the face of world events,'†says Donna Dorian, former style editor of Garden Design Magazine." This explains why I enjoy visiting Monica's new Daycare, which includes the use of these very colors. "Info-Lust" is interesting, as we have been talking about it here for years. Two other trends seem counter-intuitive, "Locavore" and "Worldly", yet we discussed them here in 2007.Â
Back in 2006 we we're told that blogging really was'nt of any use to garden centers, or garden center owners. My how things have changed. I find it interesting that so many of the subjects we have been talking about over the years are now exciting trends. That's the nature of trends, by the time the media notices them we are already moving on to the next thing. Waiting to see what is "in" for the new year means you are already late to the party. Better yet is to be a trend setter. I still stand by my post of February 2007, "following trends is safe but boring, bucking the trends and creating your own style is scary, but ultimately more rewarding."
Widening our focus
As much as we would like the nursery to be a year round business, here in the foothills and mountains the winter time causes most people to stop most gardening activities. I suspect most garden centers are that way, unless they are in a urban location where walk in traffic is greater. This time of year is when the money made in spring starts to dwindle away. This year even more so. So rather than get a second job we decided to create a new job. "Miss Monica's" Garden Valley Preschool is coming along nicely. We heard from the state that they may be out to do the inspection in January. Once the inspection is complete we will be open for business.
I know that spring will come again. The nursery will once again be busy and winter soon forgotten. Yet, I am much more enthusiastic about the daycare right now. We have been hearing from so many people just how much this was needed. We are confident that the daycare will be a success! The daycare, unlike retail has a steady income stream once you have the numbers. This is the exact opposite of the nursery, where you have tremendous ups in spring, and lows in winter. Of course this year w
ho knows what next year brings.
I enjoy working on the child care. It lifts your spirits when you walk in and see the colors we are working with. It's most likely the only type of business that could 
get away with using these colors. Monica has used her talents to create a mural for the kids to hang their artwork. We 
have been building cubbies for toy storage as well as the kids cubbies. They are all being painted different colors.
What's great about the location is it allows us to work in the daycare, while being able to see if anyone enters the garden center. Of course once the daycare is up and running I won't get to hang out there much, but until then I enjoy the warmth and colors during this rainy, and cold time of year. We have also set up a swing set in the playground which is right next to the garden center. We also put a gate in where Monica will be able to take the kids into the garden center directly from the playground.
The lesson I have learned from our project is to open your mind to the possibilities. Don't fail to see the big picture. As nursery people we sometimes see the world from only the perceptive of being a nursery person. There may be other business and personal opportunities around you that you fail to notice because of a narrow perspective. We had wanted to build a daycare in this area 10 years ago, but got caught up in the nursery business. The nursery business is a wonderful career, yet it's not all there is. Maybe there is something that can compliment your garden center business. Maybe it has nothing to do with a garden center. We need to supply our community with what it want's. The nursery is one part of the equation, and now the children's nursery is another part. Today with it being cold and snowy, I think I'll enjoy working with the second part of the equation, which is warmer and drier.
Embracing change can be nerve racking at times.
This information just in. According to Amy at Garden Rant NPR (National Public Radio) has laid off Ketzel Levine, who authored the NPR "Talking Plants" Blog. This is sad news, but not unexpected. We are seeing layoffs at all the major news outlets. For the last few years we have been talking about how the power is shifting from the traditional media outlets to non-traditional media. What is non-traditional media? Stuff like this blog. We always kind of knew this was coming down the pike, but it's still kind of weird to see it happening. Our responsibility to our readers has just taken a big leap. People are still looking for the truth. Where can they find the answers to the important questions in their lives? It will become more and more important to find those bloggers that you trust and can go to for information.
Sure, you can still write anything that comes in your head without any thought of what the consequences are, but that kind of blog will soon be ignored for more insightful writing. Right now people are figuring out where the good blogs are, and using them for much of their information. What are we telling our readers?
Are you a blogger that want's to help support small, locally owned business? Then your writing can have a direct impact on people, and their businesses. You now have the power to influence the world for the better. The power has shifted form major media and paid writers, to bloggers, and for the most part un-paid writters. What's your motivation to keep writting? How about changing the world?
I think many of us bloggers are a bit afraid of this power shift. It was easier when you had major media to do the "important" stuff, while we wrote whatever. Now we are charged with the responsibility of actually having to account for our writting, and the resultant effects. Sure no one pay's us, but we still choose to write and people read what we write. How are you going to use this new power to influence your world?
Make no doubt about it, our little hobby (blogging) has completely changed the face of garden reporting. The media outlets know it, which is why they have started their own blogs. Unfortunately for Ketzel, and others like her, the large media outlets have other problems that blogging just couldn't solve. We knew the world was changing, but the speed that it's happening has caught a lot of us off guard.