An Outside Perspective

Tuesday, April 16, 2012

A windy morning here on the mountain above Peacham Pond. The 38° temperature is tolerable but the wind provides a chill we wish would dissipate. Yesterday afternoon's sun and warmth were the harbinger of the spring we really want but apparently it was short lived and we'll have to dream a little more. I had the first delivery truck arrive yesterday morning and it's an interesting annual event meeting the same truck drivers you have met for years and years. This truck was from Griffin Greenhouse Supplies in Tewksbury, Massachusetts and we have known the driver from the years he used to deliver here at the house. I always ask about his kids as one had some very special needs at birth but now both kids are fine, doing well in school and playing sports too. 6 and 9, 7 and 10 years old--I can't remember for sure but like all kids they are kids that grow fast.

We order specific supplies from Griffin because they are a wholesaler and even though we have to pay freight, we can do the best with their prices for pots, landscape fabric, certain potting mixes. Yesterday we had 1500 black plastic nursery pots arrive as we are repotting the hostas into 6 quart pots from 4. I was surprised that the pots were only 60 cents a piece because being plastic,  they are actually an oil related product and such items never go down in price. I think Gail should have ordered more but maybe she has a plan she hasn't shared with me yet.

Griffin recently bought out the only other New England greenhouse supply giant, W H Milikowski, Inc from Strafford, Connecticut back in January. I had read about this in my trade magazines but I wanted to ask the driver how the transition was going during the busiest time of the year. He was very positive about the purchase even though it probably made some of his days longer than last year. As he prepared to leave he tried his cell phone to call the next stop and get them to expect him because they have to pick up from the side of the road--their nursery and greenhouses are a ways off the main road and a small bridge with weight limits prevents him from driving in. "Heh, when you gettin' cell service in Vermont? 'Bout time isn't it?" A perennial question for sure!  Seems like every year the driver asks the same thing, knowing that his job is sometimes more difficult when he has to take the truck off the main road to a new location in the middle of nowhere--like today when he made his first trip to East Hlll Tree Farm in Plainfield. Been there?

So with a yard full of supplies to deal with and plastic covering  to get off the potted perennials today (winter is over, right?) , I guess I better get going here. For those of you who are new to The Vermont Gardener or our Vermont Flower Farm  web site, you might enjoy reading a recent story Andrew Nemethy from Maple Corner Media wrote for release to VTDigger and other publications. It gives a different insight into Gail and me and the flowers we love to grow and the customers we enjoy meeting again and again. Take a look on VtDigger at
 http://vtdigger.org/2013/04/14/in-this-state-for-this-gardening-couple-lifes-been-a-moving-busy-experience

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
Always here to help you grow your green thumb!