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Schedule at a Glance
Moderator: MELHEM SAWAYA Focus Greenhouse Management
| 8:30 – 9:00 |
Registration and trade show |
| 9:00 – 9:30 |
CHARLIE HAYES, Founder and president of Advanced Treatment Technologies, Inc. Advanced water treatment |
| 9:30 – 10:00 |
JACK VANDERKOOY, President of Ontario Plants Propagation Limited Our experience with water treatment |
| 10:00 – 10:20 |
Coffee break |
| 10:20 – 10:50 |
SIETSE ELSINGA, Frisia Flora Greenhouses My experience with biocontrols |
| 10:50 – 11:20 |
SARAH MITCHELL, Technical services representative, Syngenta Flowers Multi-cropping with perennials |
| 11:20 – 1:30 |
Luncheon and trade show |
| 1:30 – 2:00 |
ROGER KEHOE, Key account sales manager at Ecke Ranch Poinsettia production |
| 2:00 – 2:30 |
ED HIGGINS, Technical specialist with Ball Horticultural Garden mum production |
| 2:30 – 2:50 |
Coffee break |
| 2:50 – 3:50 |
BREEDERS PANEL DISCUSSION - What are consumers looking for, and what is selling well? |
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SARAH MITCHELL – Syngenta
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ROGER KEHOE – Ecke Ranch
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ALLEN HAMMER – Dummen
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REINOUD HAGEN – Fides
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JOHN GAYDOS – Proven Winners
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GARY VOLLMER – Ball Flora Plants
 CHARLIE HAYES
Founder and president of Advanced Treatment Technologies, Inc.
Advanced water treatment
Every season there is a leading issue for the industry, and this year it is water, fertilizers, chemicals and the handling of all inputs. Since runoff is a major concern, recycling is one of the main ways to handle this issue. This includes the consideration of effective water treatment that is practical and economical.
Hayes is a biochemist with degrees from Southern Nazarene University.
Hayes grew up in a farming environment and spent 10 years as a poultry production manager. During this time he invested 10 years researching the positive impact of high quality water on animal health, which has since expanded into similar research on plant health.
Since 1998, Hayes has dedicated himself to developing water treatment processes in animal and plant agriculture. He helps identify areas of potential improvement in water treatment. These areas can in turn help increase productivity while reducing total costs.
Advanced Treatment Technologies Inc. offers a wide range of products and services, from evaluating existing processes, designing a step-by-step improvement process, and implementing those improvements.
Advanced Treatment Technologies' strategic partner in the horticulture industry is the Dramm Corpporation, which has established a division, "Dramm Water," specifically to address this growing need in plant production and market ATT designs and processes.
 JACK VANDERKOOY
President – Ontario Plants Propagation Limited
Our experience with water treatment
Ontario Plants Propagation is taking steps to be proactive with water management. Vanderkooy will share his experiences with water management, including recycling measures. He will also outline the disinfection system for their irrigation water where a high level of purity is required since their main business is vegetable plant propagation. Bring your questions and he can tell you what doesn't work and what worked for their operation.
Vanderkooy is a lifelong entrepreneur. He sold a dairy farm in Norfolk County in 1993 to venture into greenhouse tomato production. In addition, six years later he launched Proplant Propagation Services, the first dedicated greenhouse vegetable transplant business in Ontario.
In 2001 – 2002, he sold these ventures and moved to Elgin County to start Ontario Plants Propagation Limited. It has steadily grown from three to eight hectares of production space. Annual plant sales capture approximately 35 per cent of the Ontario market, with 10 per cent of total sales going to Quebec and east and 20 per cent into U.S.
In the spring months the company also contracts out floor space for the spring garden centre market. In addition to the typical duties of president, Jack is actively involved, especially in business development. Two sons, Steven and Tim, manage the day-to-day operation of this growing company.
Prior to the creation of Ontario Plants, some of Jack's accomplishments include:
• Chairman of the board – Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Association (1999).
• Director – F&V Energy Co-op (1995).
• President – Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, (1989-90).
• Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) (1988-89 Class 4)
• Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture, University of Guelph, (1976).
 ROGER KEHOE
Key Account Sales Manager at Ecke Ranch
Poinsettia production
"New ways are developed in growing any new crop. Roger Kehoe will bring us the latest information on growing poinsettias. Branching problems, bract edge burn and cropping efficiency are common grower challenges."
Kehoe has been with Ecke for 15 years, serving in a variety of capacities over the years.
He is a frequent speaker and trainer on technical production of poinsettia and annual spring crops in both the U.S. and Canada.
He has 25 years experience as a grower and small business owner in New Jersey, growing a broad range of greenhouse floral and vegetable crops.
Kehoe is a graduate of Rutgers University, with a bachelor of science degree in ornamental horticulture.
 SIETSE ELSINGA
Frisia Flora Greenhouses
My experience with biocontrols
Almost every grower is using biological pest control in one form or another. Many times they think they are doing things right, but may not be getting the expected results. Technical advisors from different companies don't always agree how things should be done.
There are times a grower has to decide on his or her own how to proceed, and one of the options is to give up on biocontrols – if only temporarily – and go back to using chemicals. Elsinga will share his experience with biologicals – the good, the bad, the challenges, and the benefits.
Elsinga was born in the Netherlands and grew up on a farm. He studied greenhouse ornamentals and nursery stock for three years in college, before receiving agricultural teacher training on ornamentals and vegetable crops.
He moved to Canada in early 1990s, and has worked as a grower with several Niagara area greenhouse companies
Since 2007-8, he has been expanding his own greenhouse operation (30,000 square feet), growing various crops with focus on a variety of Patio Standards and mandevillas for spring sales and cuttings/liners.
 SARAH MITCHELL
Technical services representative, Syngenta Flowers
Multi-cropping with perennials
"Are you growing perennials? Do you grow just a small crop for June to extend the bedding plant season, or are you thinking of starting to grow few perennial varieties? Many growers know how to grow perennials but few know how to grow them well. Sarah Mitchell will outline the critical steps that will lead to successful perennials crops."
Mitchell joined the technical services team of Syngenta Flowers in 2010. Mitchell has broad experience ranging from bedding plant plug production, perennial liner propagation and work with finished crops.
She understands that preventing and resolving cultural problems is the key to profitability. With a strong marketing and sales background, Mitchell is passionate about the business side of horticulture too. In particular, she enjoys working with growers to develop efficient, top quality programs for annuals, perennials and potted crops.
Mitchell is a member of the Perennial Plant Association and a board member of Pennsylvania's Capital Region Growers. She earned her bachelor of science degree in horticulture at the University of Wisconsin/Madison.
 ED HIGGINS
Technical specialist with Ball Horticultural
Garden mum production
"Garden mums are a significant crop in many greenhouse operations, and there are many new cultivars on the market. Higgins follows garden mum production throughout North America and knows the dos and don'ts of profitable production. This is not a catalogue overview – it is a presentation on procedures to help growers end up with a perfect crop."
Higgins graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1974 with a bachelor of science degree in Plant Science.
He was employed at a large upscale garden centre/florist for five years in Greenwich through college and for two years after college. He was the head grower/production manager at a three-acre wholesale greenhouse facility for 5 years.
Higgins then joined Yoder Brothers, Inc. where he worked from 1980 through 2005 and was the chrysanthemum product manager there for many years.
Since July of 2005, he has worked with the Ball Horticultural Company and Ball Mums.
BREEDERS PANEL DISCUSSION
Sure to attract a lot of interest is our Breeders' Panel discussion. Where are the people that generate the new variety excitement now leading us? What are consumers looking for, and what is selling well?
- Gary Vollmer – Ball Flora Plants
- Sarah Mitchell – Syngenta
- Roger Kehoe – Ecke Ranch
- Allan Hammer – Dummen
- Reinoud Hagen – Fides
- John Gaydos – Proven Winners
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