Flashback Friday to the Gulf States Horticultural Expo

Posted by Hanna Pettus

Let's take a trip down memory lane... To the week of January 27-31, or as some like to call it, the week of "snowmageddon"or the "snowpocalypse." I like to think of it as the week that I learned how to talk on the phone, and I mean REALLY talk on the phone. Unlike my cohorts who got three days out of school because Auburn got a white blanket of snow, I was in Mobile, AL, where it did something rare, it iced. As Seth posted earlier on the blog, a weather event such as the one that took place in January is one that only happens every 30 years or so. Great timing Mother Nature, great timing, since this was the week that the Gulf States Horticultural Expo (GSHE) was set to take place. Just to give you a little background information, the GSHE is an annual trade show open to people in the horticultural industry and other allied industries. Approximately 3000 people attend the show and there are about 380 companies who exhibit. So, to say the least, ice and snow covering the gulf states area on the travel days of Tuesday and Wednesday was not good. 

My assistantship is through the Alabama Nursery and Landscape Association who "put on" the trade show each year, so I had to go to Mobile to work the show. I got to Mobile on Monday of that week, and as soon as I got to the convention center, there was work to be done. We had to prepare like the show was going to happen like normal, but boy was this year the furthest from that that you could get. We found out Monday afternoon that the city of Mobile was going to be closed on Tuesday, therefore the convention center would be closed. Begin freakout. Set-up was supposed to be happening, what were we going to do?! Mr. Harwell being the calm man that he is, talked to the convention center folks and worked it out so that we could have access to the building regardless of it being closed. No food, no convention center employees to clean and monitor things, but we would make it work. Tuesday came and around noon the mayor of Mobile decided that the city would be closed again on Wednesday. Turns out that was the smartest decision that he could have made because around 2 pm it began to rain, and did not stop until about 9 pm. With the temps at about 28 degrees and dropping lower that night, everything froze... SOLID. 

This is a picture of the crosswalk over the highway connecting the hotel and the convention center. There was about an inch of ice covering everything.

This is outside of the hotel. Looks like snow, but was solid ice.

So the phone part... I'll get to that now. As part of my job, I was responsible for checking the phone messages and calling people back. As you might have guessed, there were a lot of people wondering if the trade show would even happen. We had the slogan "the show will go on" and had to reiterate that to all those who were concerned. I was a meteorologist, highway patrol worker,  and people-calming super hero! You may be wondering, why didn't you just postpone? Well, there was no way that was going to happen. Try getting in contact with 3000 people in just a few short hours and making sure that they all get word not to come into town. It wasn't going to happen. So we went on as we would in normal circumstances. I estimate that I made over 200 phone calls in three days. The ALNLA board members joked that I should put on my resume that I am now an expert in crisis management. An expert? I don't know about that, but I am definitely more confident making phone calls now.

This blog post may be a little boring... I don't have many pictures from the GSHE because we were SO BUSY that week. Oh, did I mention that the city was closed again on Thursday? Yeah, that happened. The convention center was technically closed the first day of the show but we still went on anyways. Harrell's fertilizer company graciously donated lunch for the exhibitors and attendees to have that day. And for that, everyone was grateful.

Until next time, adios amigos! And thanks for following our blog!

Hanna P.

New Beginnings

Posted by Ann Fleener

The last time I posted to this blog I had just completed my PhD, was ready for a break and was excited about all the future held. I hoped to find a job in an Education Department at a Public Garden and promised to let you know when I'd accepted one. Well I am happy to tell you I am the new Director of Public Programs at Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City, OK!

My dream for several years has been to become a Director of Education and this position (though it's name is a bit different) is exactly that!  Several told me it would take at least 3 years to work my way up to Director of Education and I am so thankful to have been offered this position. I am looking forward to starting next Monday, February 24th.

Now a little about Myriad Gardens and my new position:

Myriad is a 17 acre public/private garden located in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City. Public/private simply means the land is owned by the city and it receives city support but also can garner support from other sources. As it is public/private it feels a bit like a cross between a park and a garden. The garden has no fence so many of the city's residents can be found there on their lunch break enjoying the beautiful surroundings or playing a weekend game of ultimate frisbee on the great lawn. In the center of the garden is a lovely conservatory that charges admission (making this the part that feels more like a traditional garden). Both areas blend beautifully so that they are enjoyed by those specifically interested in visiting a garden and those enjoying the garden for it's park-like qualities.

As the Director of Public Programs I will work to develop, implement, and evaluate any educational program offered at the garden. We'll offer classes for people ages pre-school to retiree and classes will include everything from book reading hour with pre-school children, to birding classes, to a landscape design seminar. I'm so excited about this job as it will include everything I love: educating others about horticulture, landscape design, marketing, business, and perhaps my favorite: working with people! 

One of the first projects I'll be working on is brainstorming ideas for transforming the Children's Garden into "The Secret Garden" for a big event we'll have this summer. I'll be helping with the design of the space as well as coming up with educational programs we can offer in conjunction with the event.  I can't wait to get started!

I am so thankful for the years I spent at Auburn and feel that all my experiences there prepared me for my upcoming career. I could not have asked for a better, more enjoyable experience. It is bittersweet to be officially leaving the place I've called home since 2007 but I'm already brainstorming ideas for ways Myriad can partner with Auburn. I hope to have many reasons to come back every now and then.

War Eagle!

Ann Fleener
Public Horticulture Class of 2013

The second full week

It's Kira Chaloupka, here, writing about the second full week of the semester. Yes, it's the first week of February, but if you read Seth's post or if you were in Alabama last week you'd know we had a few "snow" days plus the MLK Holiday the week before.

I'll give a brief update of things going on in the Dean's Office...
We've been hard at work gearing up for the shortest, yet busiest month of the year. Next week I will be assisting Amanda, "the lady I work for," with the Annual Hall of Honor Banquet hosted by the Agricultural Alumni Association. Five great gentlemen will be recognized and honored for their accomplishments and advances in the agriculture industry. The week following I will be helping coordinate and lead the FFA Spring Judging Clinics with over 700 high schoolers visiting campus over the course of 2 days, learning about topics from nursery and greenhouse to livestock and horses. Lastly and two days after the Clinics, I will help with Inside Ag Hill -- an event for admitted students to experience the College of Agriculture and meet with students and faculty in their department. Dispersed between all these events are the many campus visits that run through our office. It keeps me busy, but keeps me going. Here's a quick shoutout to Amanda, my boss and mentor, who is the reason I stay busy, but also why I am still going -- Thank you, Amanda.

Cruising in the PT -- Amanda & Kira

See what's going on in the College of Agriculture by checking out their blog:
http://wareaglewords.blogspot.com

The big event this week was the day long interview process to determine the next cohort of pubic horticulture students. Our candidates included Molly Anne Dutton, Jayne Funderburk, Heath Gober, Patrick Thompson (all from Auburn) and Evan Ware from Virginia Tech/Louisville. We welcomed each of them with our words of wisdom and experiences and can't wait for some (maybe all) of them to join us in May!

L-R: Heath, Jayne, Evan, Molly Anne, Monte, Leah, Kira, Patrick, Hanna

It's been a good week and I'm looking forward to the next three. We'll catch up in a month or so when I'm up to post again. Till then, stay warm!

KLC

Frozen

Seth Allen

First year Public Horticulture M.S. student,

and camellia fanatic

Growing up in south Alabama, I’ve only seen snow a handful of times. So the flakes that fell last week were an exciting event for me and many other students here at Auburn. Of course the fun starts to wear off in a few days when your driveway is the last in the neighborhood to de-ice!

This picture from my mother is of camellia ‘Daijokan’ covered in ice back home in Loxley, AL. despite the freezing rain and ice in South Alabama the Gulf States Horticultural Expo in Mobile managed to pull through and be a huge success! The expo is a great opportunity to meet up with old friends and meet new people in the green industry.

Thanks goes to Matt Nichols for this picture of me, Bobby Green of Green Nurseries, and Matt’s brother Tim Nichols who together run Nichols Nursery. Matt and Tim are maple authorities and Bobby Green knows a thing or two about camellias! It’s wonderful to be around such enthusiastic plant people!

The Auburn Chapter of PLANET came to lend a hand loading up at the end of the expo. Many vendors donated plants from their booths to PLANET for their spring plant sale. Funds from the sale go to help students attend Career Days competitions and other club activities. The Club is a great way for students to get involved in the green industry.

Thanks goes to everyone involved in making the expo a success!