An old man nearing the end of his days reflects on his very difficult life. He thinks of all the tsuris (Yiddish for misery) he’s experienced — business failures, illness, family and financial problems — and the list goes on. The man, visited by his rabbi, asks, “I’ve been devoted to God, followed his laws and yet I’ve experienced nothing... read more
Genetics and breeding are at the core of advances in ornamentals. Many improvements have been made in plant breeding throughout the years, and ornamentals are no exception. Today’s plant developers can select desired traits for ornamentals right in the lab. They couldn’t before, says Jeff Gibson, Landscape Business Manager for Ball Horticultural Company. “We’re using a lot of advanced scientific... read more
That sigh of relief you might have heard late last month was the collective exhalation from contractors across the country expressing their relief that two rule changes that would drastically alter the H-2B visiting worker program were put on hold until later this year. On December 16, Congress included language as part of its spending bill that delayed the change... read more
Every day, Alonzo sat on a crate outside Walgreens, cheerfully greeting passersby. His jovial “hi!” rang out like a song as yuppie parents and their children strolled by. Alonzo lived in the men’s shelter up the street from me in Chicago. He donned a worn black cap, jeans and a grungy shirt every day. He was thin as a rail,... read more
So, what’s your budget like this year? Budget!?! Frank, you know you can’t budget in this industry! There are way too many variables — there’s the weather, there are labor issues, things die… Frank! It simply can’t be done. No way, no how, just forget it! Sound familiar? I hear it all the time. But the truth is, budgeting can... read more
How did you get into the lawn care industry? (did you start with this company, work elsewhere, etc.)? Started with Lawn Pride, Inc. in 1994. How did you become a part of Lawn Pride? I started as an in-house telemarketer, worked in the landscaping department, moved into an office/receptionist type position, next office manager and finally general manager. What makes... read more
