Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Monday, December 26, 2022
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Thursday, December 18, 2014
The Poinsettia, in the Shadow of the Christmas Tree
From USDA:
The beautiful poinsettia stands as a decoration on its own. NRCS photo by Analia Bertucci.
The poinsettia – academic types may call it by its binomial name, and biologists might refer to its species. But how many of us are guilty of calling it that red flower with the pointy leaves used to decorate during the holidays?
In the world of holiday shrubbery, the poinsettia has always taken a backseat to the Christmas tree. With its lights and ornaments, the tree has become the icon of the holiday in contrast to the poinsettia, which is usually placed in a nearby corner.
Perhaps it’s because we don’t fully understand it. For example, did you know the color portion is not the flower? They aren’t petals, they’re leaves called bracts. The flower portion is actually that tiny button-shaped piece in the middle of the top.
Have you ever spent quality time with a poinsettia? I mean, really looked at the rich, deep green of the bottom leaves, the unique shape and layering of the bracts – that vibrant and full-on beauty of its intense coloring. Its flower may be small, but it is darned regal-looking surrounded by the brilliant hues of its foliage.
The poinsettia, native to Mexico and Central America, was introduced into the United States in 1825 by Joel Roberts Poinsett, who was the first U.S. Minister to Mexico. Since then, the number of American poinsettia producers has grown. According to the Connecticut Greenhouse Grower’s Association’s Buyer’s Guide, the state has 17 poinsettia growers.
One of those is Grower Direct Farms of Somers, a family run wholesale greenhouse operation that produces annual and perennial ornamental plants. Owners Leonard and Elaine Van Wingerden are constantly striving to be on the forefront of leading edge technologies.
Several years ago, they noticed their electric bills climbing at an astronomical rate. One factor driving up those costs was the amount of heat required to grow poinsettias and other plants. The Van Wingerden’s knew they couldn’t continue status quo and stay in business, so they began looking for serious and effective ways to conserve and cut costs.
The Van Wingerden’s decided to take advantage of several USDA programs, including a conservation program offered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, (NRCS). The Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, helps farmers and ranchers conserve natural resources while improving their operation.
Grower Direct Farms has worked with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in installing micro-irrigation watering systems in its farm’s greenhouses. NRCS photo by Analia Bertucci.
They worked with NRCS to complete an energy audit. And with financial assistance from NRCS, they installed a micro-irrigation system on four acres of land. A micro-irrigation system targets water to a plant’s root zone more efficiently and with less waste. They are also now in the process of installing insulation and solar curtains in the growing space to improve their operation’s energy efficiency.
With the help of NRCS and other USDA agencies, the Van Wingerden’s farm now grows acres of beautiful poinsettias in a more efficient way.
As for the holiday rivalry, the Christmas tree and poinsettia are beautiful and perfect examples of Mother Nature at her finest. But a poinsettia is a masterpiece with no need for extraneous adornment. It stands bright and shiny on its own.
Poinsettias being grown in Grower Direct Farms just in time for the holidays. NRCS photo by Analia Bertucci.
Looking Under the Hood of Michigan's Agriculture
From USDA:
That’s a lot of cherry pies! Check back on January 8 when we resume the Census of Agriculture Spotlight!
The Census of Agriculture is the most complete account of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Every Thursday USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will highlight new Census data and the power of the information to shape the future of American agriculture.
When you think of Michigan, you may think of Detroit and the car industry, however our agriculture industry is also critical to our state’s economy. Agriculture’s economic impact on the Michigan economy recently surpassed the $100 billion mark. Traveling through Michigan, you can easily see just how diverse agriculture in our state truly is. In the latest Census of Agriculture, Michigan farmers reported growing many various types of fruits, vegetable and livestock commodities. In fact Michigan produces more than 300 different commodities.
While the Great Lakes provide our crop growers with an abundance of fertile lands and water, it is our dairy farmers that produce our most valuable commodity. According to the Census, in 2012, Michigan dairy farmers sold more than $1.5 billion worth of milk from their cows. And despite the decrease in the number of such farms, the number of dairy cows in Michigan keeps growing. As of 2012, there were more than 376,000 milk cows on 2,409 of our dairy farms.
It is our fruits and vegetable farms, however, which truly make our agriculture unique. For example, our tart cherry growers lead the nation in production of this essential fruit. Michigan had nearly 37,000 acres of farmland dedicated to tart cherry production.
Our farmers are also the second largest producers of tame blueberries, accounting for nearly a quarter of all cultivated blueberry production in the United States. In 2012, Census counted nearly 19,000 acres of Michigan land dedicated to these berries. So when you’re buying blueberries in a supermarket, there’s a good chance that you’re getting a taste of Michigan.
Another interesting fact that you may not know is that most of the cucumbers used for pickling in the United States comes from Michigan. Our farmers harvested more than 25,000 acres of cucumbers for pickle processing in 2012. That’s more than a third of all the acres in the nation dedicated to this crop.
Finally, considering that we’re currently in the holiday season, I’d be remiss if I didn’t boast Michigan’s Christmas tree industry. In 2012, Michigan farmers cut down more than 1.7 million Christmas trees to make everyone’s holiday season as jolly as possible.
As you can see, Michigan agriculture is very diverse and its impact is extremely widespread. Of course this is just a sample of the wonders our farming industry has to offer. To check out all of the other elements of our unique agriculture sector, check out the latest Census page.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How Do We Count Thee?
From USDA:
According to the 2012 #AgCensus there were 12,079 farms in the U.S. that harvested a total of 17.3 million cut Christmas Trees. What will the 2014 Census of Horticulture reveal?
Just as millions of Americans venture out this time of year to purchase a fresh cut Christmas tree, I too am busy visiting and talking with Christmas tree growers. However for me, the visits are important outreach opportunities with producers to prepare for the 2014 Census of Horticulture, which we at USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) just mailed this week.
This special study will help us do more than just count Christmas trees. It will look at the entire horticulture sector in the United States and gather a full count of this $14.5 billion industry. The Census of Horticulture will paint a detailed picture of U.S. producers nationwide – those who grow all those cherished holiday trimmings, from fresh cut Christmas trees, to poinsettias, holly and more.
As I visited with producers, industry associations, and stakeholders to gather their input in the horticulture census, I heard one message repeated over and over again. They need and value this data. For a specialty industry such as theirs, a study like this provides detailed and unbiased data to help them advocate for their industry, whether for decisions on funding, policy, or research, this information is an invaluable tool.
So if you are a grower and you receive a Census of Horticulture form in the mail this holiday season, please respond! While the results may be a year away, this is the prime opportunity for you to help ensure the continued sustainability of your industry.
And, if you are like me and heading out to get fresh holiday decorations take note! These 40,000 growers impact our lives around the holidays and also bring us fresh cut flowers throughout the year; plants, fruits and vegetables to grow in our gardens; landscaping for our yards and parks; and more. If you are purchasing a fresh cut decoration this season (from a farm or even from your local retail store) remember there was a farmer who planted and nourished that seed!
Amanda Dawson, NASS census administrator, visited many nursery and floriculture operations when planning for the Census of Horticulture, including this greenhouse in Maryland filled with poinsettias.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Plaza Lights 1
Lights of the Country Club Plaza, Kansas City, Missouri. December 16, 2014. Photo taken with Samsung Galaxy 4 from the third floor of the Intercontinental Hotel.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)