Report from Growers – Steady as She Goes

These are truly unprecedented times we are in, is what I tell my family, unprecedented times. Other than the September 11 tragedy, it is difficult to recall any event in my lifetime that has dominated the news, our conversations, and concerns like the COVID-19 virus. It is evident that the disease is impacting our daily lives, every segment of our market and until it has run its course, businesses will struggle and ultimately some will die.

How is our green industry & growers weathering the storm?

A display at Mast Young Plants from growers — *Mast Young Plants*

We visited with greenhouse operations to get a feeling of their pulse for the moment. To put things in perspective, I share insight in recalling my years growing up in rural America. There is an outlook on life that exists and prevails with most farmers. They possess a focus and dependency on the change of seasons and the ensuing annual cycle that repeats and repeats. The farmers take the bumper crop yields as they do the devastating droughts, avoiding over-reacting to either.

Next, they realize whatever the current conditions are that cause a shout for joy or a shout of despair; they don’t, they are farmers – cautious and careful. Never mind the hoopla and for other times, there’s no time for tears. Their livelihood depends on critical attention to the current crop and preparing for the season ahead. That same farmer mindset lives with the growers; greenhouses and nurseries. Despite the storm raging, they navigate their ships; steady as she goes and stay the course.

Growers and workers packaging — Mast Young Plants

rows of plants from growers — Mast Young Plants

Most of the grower feedback has been just that. Ultimately, we are not sure what the future holds, but our houses are full of crops growing, some finishing and we plan to ship when ready. The sun rises and sets each day and there is work to be done. The attitude is reassuring to their people, their customers and should be for us. The leadership maintains a close attentive eye on its market. When they describe current conditions this week, it is not a matter of changing day by day, but hour by hour. The uncertainty would be overwhelming if it wasn’t for the network that exists among them. However, unlike most industries, when necessary, they talk to each other. The connection that exists among growers, despite being competitors, is surprisingly supportive.

There is no denying; Spring is critical to our industry like no other season.

Customers have endured the mundane, gray, colorless days of winter and have a hunger for color. They count on growers for dazzling flowers, fragrant blooms and the promise that comes with every pack and pot of fresh new plants. Spring is underway in the south and to date, garden center sales are on-track, but as owners caution, it is a fluid situation at this time.

growers and greenhouse plants — *Mast Young Plants*

We really have no experience dealing with a virus that devastates our economy. Encouragement though, is found knowing that during the Great Depression the sales of flowers were sustained while most industries plummeted. Flowers have always brought comfort to counter sadness as evident at funerals. Look to our growers for inspiration in these unpredictable times. As with farmers under stress, I don’t see reactions of panic or hopelessness in our colleagues in the green industry. Perhaps they follow the wise words of Rudyard Kipling over 120 years ago, “…Keep your head when all about you are losing theirs.”