Alice and Carmen spoke to Dennis Schrader of Landcraft Environments, a wholesale plant and garden source with distributors all over the Northeast. Schrader spoke about the striking tropical plants with which he made a name for himself and Landcraft.

The subject of this week's show is the business of local horticulture. Greg Keil talks about his wholesale flower business--a family-owned business growing plants and selling them less than 50 miles from Manhattan.

Burnt Rock Farm is owned by Justin Rich and Lindsay Lyman-Clarke. Justin runs the day to day operations of the farm, while Lindsay works in town and provides vital labor on nights and weekends. Justin was first introduced to farming as a summer job at a well-established organic vegetable farm. He went on to earn a bachelor’s in environmental geology and then a master’s in horticulture and soil science. He met Lyman-Clarke, originally from Richmond, in graduate school at Cornell and the couple decided to come home to Vermont where she now works for Burton. After purchasing the foreclosed property in 2008, Justin continued working at Full Moon Farm in Burlington gaining experience before moving to Hinesburg.

While Burnt Rock is known for its sweet potatoes, 2013 will see 7 acres of vegetable production and 5 acres of intensively managed cover crops on our glacially terraced soils along and above the banks of the Huntington River. All crops are certified organic by Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) as they strive to grow the highest quality produce while also stewarding the soil. Burnt Rock makes use of organic amendments such as compost, wood ash, and rock mineral fertilizers, and to keep their soils as biologically healthy as possible though active management of cover crops. Produce is sold at the Burlington Winter Farmers’ Market, The Intervale Food Hub CSA in Burlington, City Market in Burlington, Healthy Living in South Burlington, Joe’s CSA in Montpelier, and through Pakeen Farm CSA in metro Boston. Thanks to our sponsor, Hearst Ranch.

"Farmers' markets are available, but they might not be what you want for you business in the long term." [10:20]

-- Justin Rich on Greenhorn Radio