Apr 2, 2012

What a Week! By Tim Hodson

It’s hard to believe but the 2012 edition of California Spring Trials is already starting to fade in the rear view mirror.

It was an incredibly busy week as we made our way up to coast but it was great to see all of our friends at the various stops and check out the latest new variety introductions and related programs. But it really felt good to get back home on Friday night.

Throughout the week, the mood of the growers that I talked to as well as many of the breeders was very upbeat. It’s really wasn’t too surprising since many parts of the country are experiencing an earlier-than-usual spring season.

Were you following our journey via our Culture Connection newsletter that we sent out along the way last week?

If you weren’t, here are the links to each newsletter.

Scenes from Spring Trials – Day 1 & 2

Scenes from Spring Trials – Day 3 & 4

Scenes from Spring Trials – Day 5 & 6

Also, we posted a whole bunch of photos from our trip on our Flickr page on www.CaliforniaSpringTrials.com and we will be adding more in the days to come, so be sure to check back often.

We will have complete coverage of 2012 California Spring Trials in the June and July issues of GPN.

Mark Your Calendars

On Thursday, April 19, at 2 p.m. Eastern, GPN will be presenting a special webinar on “Marketing & Merchandising Ideas from Abroad.” The is the first of four webinars in our Big Grower webinar series.

Dave Edenfield, president of The Visions Group, will discuss some of the latest horticulture marketing and merchandising ideas that he observed on his most recent trip to Europe.

The European marketplace is widely recognized for introducing unique merchandising techniques that are designed to get consumers to react with their wallets. From distinctively different colored containers, to decorative accessories, to informative and entertaining plant tags, European growers are finding inventive and original ways to present their products at retail.

While this webinar is tailored to large growers who want to learn about some of the innovative yet practical ideas that European growers and retailers are using to sell green goods – any size grower can participate.

Click here to register.