Coal is fuel of choice for Ohio grower
Cedar Lane Farms' coal-burning heat system was the focus of a March 4 article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Tom Machamer, president and co-owner of the Wooster, Ohio, greenhouse operation, first wrote about the company's Atmospheric Fluidized Bed Combustion system in GMPRO August 2004, just after it had been installed. Machamer told the newspaper the 8.5 million Btu system costs him $1 for coal that generates the same amount of heat that would cost $5 for natural gas. The system heats about 2½ acres of greenhouses. The company worked with Enercon Systems to construct the boiler and received federal funding to install the system. Cedar Lane spent nearly $500,000 for the storage facilities for the boiler, coal, lime and ash. Machamer told the paper he is looking forward to new technology that would burn coal to convert sawdust, corn husks and other biomass products into syngas, which would then be burned in gas-fired boilers.
Inmates could replace migrant workers
Colorado farmers may be teaching inmates how to grow and harvest crops if a pilot program run by the state's Correction Dept. is successful. Concerned with the loss of migrant laborers due to stricter immigration legislation, farmers are worried that they won't have enough laborers. The program will be initiated in Pueblo County, where half of the migrant labor force may not return. Frank Sobolik with Colo. St. Univ. Co-op. Ext. told the N.Y. Times that Pueblo County farmers are very concerned because they are producing high-value crops that have a high labor requirement. Inmates who volunteer for the work will be paid about 60 cents a day. Iowa Dept. of Corrections is looking at a similar program and has already received inquiries from farmers about inmate availability.
Pre-transplant PGR dips control annuals
More growers are using plant growth regulator dips on plugs and liners prior to transplant to control plant height of aggressive annuals. Mich. St. Univ. floriculture ext. specialist Erik Runkle said these dips are useful to regulate the initial growth of plants in mixed containers. These pre-transplant dips enable less-aggressive, untreated plants to become established before aggressive plants take over. MSU researchers identified suggested rates for dips of uniconazole (active ingredient in Sumagic and Concise) and paclobutrazol (active ingredient in Piccolo, Bonzi and Paczol).
Truck driver shortage expected to worsen
If you're having a difficult time finding qualified truck drivers, you're not alone. It's estimated that the U.S. is short about 20,000 long-haul drivers. and that shortage could increase to 111,000 drivers by 2014, reports the Kansas City Star. American Trucking Assoc. pres. and CEO Bill Graves said finding drivers has become the No. 1 concern (over rising fuel costs) for trucking companies. Previously considered mainly a problem for large national haulers, the shortage is now affecting smaller companies that account for most of the industry's employment. The reasons for the shortage include stagnant wages, competitive shipping rates and truckers' difficult lifestyle.
Worth a visit
The nursery business deserves its own action/adventure serial, "The Great Nursery Adventure: A Year in the Life of Greene Family Nursery." This month, the family faces a shipping emergency. Only on GreenBeam.com.
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