Gardens of Change

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

24 degrees here on the mountain as things wind down for the night. Karl the Wonder Dog snores loudly in front of the wood stove, little birdy toy 2 inches from his nose. Apparently the toy rolled away from his grasp just as he went to sleep.

It takes just seconds for dogs to go to sleep or to go back to sleep. That ability irritates my jealously, especially at 3 AM when an animal passes the house. I have one good ear and its apparently on the pillow and useless while Karl's good ears bring him to protective alert and he barks. He works a drill reminiscent of an Army routine and when it's over he retreats to sleep in seconds. I toss and roll and watch the clock, hoping to get back to sleep in time to wake up for work. Right now Karl is in deep sleep and that's good.

The only picture on this post is one of a garden on Peacham Pond Road three years ago. It is a great garden, now fallen into serious weed-i-ness, the height of garden disarray. Just the same it has strong bones and with a few days work it can come alive so that it's both beautiful and walkable again. There's a chance this might happen this summer. It would make Gail happy and I know it would really make Fr. Joe, our summer time neighbor happy too.

Just as gardens change, our priorities change and recently I have been neglectful of many email questions and telephone calls. Forgiveness please. Spring gardening is only a thought here but in many places people have been planting for a while and they have questions. I have realigned my priorities long enough to set up a Facebook account for myself

http://facebook.com/george.africa

and that has taken me some time. I also set up a Facebook fan page for Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and that is available at

http://companies.to/vermontflowerfarm

As I continue to learn the challenges of social networking, I have added Twitter to my list and I am there almost daily at http://twitter.com/vtflowerfarm It's been a while but I try to write on the consortium of world wide garden blogs, Blotanical (from Australia) whose membership bestowed this blog, The Vermont Gardener, with Best Vermont Garden Blog last year. Finally I have updated much of our website Vermont Flower Farm, the final part of my recent work, and the target of all the social media work.

So as I have continued to get my feet wet with social networking, I have brought out impatience in some. A few gardeners have signed off and I can respect that too. I'm bringing this all together in time for the emergence of Spring here in Vermont and I know you will enjoy any or all of the opportunities to review what is happening at Vermont Flower Farm.

Thanks for sticking with us during our move to the valley and please come back here once in a while to see what's up. In short order, I should have all of these opportunities networked to each other to make it easier for you.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the night is quiet and the maples have frozen in anticipation of tomorrow's warm temperatures and another great run. Maple syrup is a good thing!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener

How to Get the Word Out?

Thursday, February 4, 2010

A bright, sunny afternoon here on the mountain. The temperature pulled its way up to 15 degrees by noon but wind chills keep dropping it back down, forced lower by persistent winds averaging 5 mph but bursting to 20. Snow clouds whip by my office window in little whirls. It's cold out there!

I have been on a mission to learn more about social networking lately and some of it makes sense and some is more confusing. We have had our website, vermontflowerfarm.com for several years, our blog, The Vermont Gardener, for four years, a Facebook page for a month or so (look for George Africa) and we just began using Twitter (look for vtflowerfarm). With the demise of advertising on television, radio and in various printed formats, and a noted decline in classified ads by 70% over the past 10 years, I am trying to reach conclusion on social networking. Do I continue with this blog, put more emphasis on Facebook or work Twitter to the n-th degree? Is a combination of the three the way to go? Read this article and help me figure this out.




All sorts of social demographics work into the equation and in the flower business, any business I guess, you have to know your customer very well. Since fresh grown and picked flowers have a limited season, it's real important to get our message out correctly the first time. Gail and I have about given up on newspaper and magazine ads except for special events. We were about ready to toss the costliness of radio ads until Gail had a chance to pick up a three minute spot on Friday afternoons. She doesn't have to prepare all that much and tells listeners whats blooming, what is on special, planting how-to-dos, and her cares and concerns. Reflecting on her success last year, Gail concludes that the radio talk brings in a number of people including male construction workers looking for "Where's that woman I heard on the radio today?" Bring in the men and you eventually bring in the wives and girlfriends, parents and families.

I get a chuckle out of how new customers ask for "that woman" even though Gail mentions herself by name. I shouldn't be surprised as Vermont is the land of "my husband", "my wife" and "my girlfriend" even if the couple have been married or living together for years. There's a strange, nameless way Vermonters handle their relationships but as long as they leave with some flowers, we really don't care what they call each other. It's not as callous as that but I think you get the message.



Current data shows that as people grow older they are less involved with technology. I believe this may offer a misrepresentation because baby boomers were the first group to experience widespread exposure to computer technology and probably a portion of those in the current age 60 and up group either have not had computer experience, don't own a computer or don't want to learn to operate one. The next group to follow shows close to 100% exposure and an extremely high rate on continued involvement.

Even though I'd like you to be thinking about gardening and a visit to Vermont Flower Farm this summer, help me with this question about social networking. Do you ever read this blog, like it or want to move right along; do you have a Facebook page or do you use Twitter? I need some direction and you can help. If that fails, point yourself in the direction of Marshfield this summer and we'll talk when you get here.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where it's almost time to make a fresh batch of noodles. What flowers are pictured above? Amaryllis that are just finishing up. Reds, whites and Apple Blossom.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardner
Vermont Flower Farm.com