Dear NYSNLA Members:

The season is here for the green industry professional.  We have been waiting for this time to dig into the earth and showcase our talents. NYSNLA needs your help to reach out to those who you do business with and respect in the green industry. For the future of NYSNLA’s growth is dependent on the commitment of its regions to welcome new members and educate professionals on the strength and opportunity that our association provides. It is a perfect time to attract new members. We would be happy to provide you with "Come Grow With Us" fliers to display on your counter as a quick go-to guide to explain our benefits, education and regional information. We are the positive influence that new business owners need as a blueprint for growth and correct information in the green industry.

NYSNLA’s strength depends on the recruitment of new members and the involvement of our current members.  I wish you all a successful and enjoyable season!

In partnership,

David Dailey, Jr., CNLP
President

Thank you to members who have recently joined NYSNLA, and many thanks to those who renewed their memberships. We appreciate your support.

If you haven’t yet renewed your membership, do so today or click here for a 2011 membership application.

Membership Directory Updates

Please note these address changes since the directory was printed in March:

Have an address change? Send it to us and we’ll include it in the next E-newsletter.

Do Business with a Member!

Doing business with another NYSNLA member enables you to support progressive green industry businesses that are investing in the future of our industry, and also encourages those who aren’t yet members to join you in NYSNLA.

Look up a NYSNLA member anytime using the Member Search tab at www.nysnla.com.

Creating Opportunities at the 2011 Leadership Forum

The 2011 Leadership Forum will be held Wednesday, November 2nd through Thursday, November 3rd,2011 at the newly renovated Plantations at Cornell in Ithaca. 
You will experience the new Brian C. Nevin Welcome Center on The Plantations at Cornell University and learn best practices in growing a successful business. The Forum will focus on creating dynamic customer service, communication skills, progressive green industry presentations by renowned Cornell professors, and forging relationships with colleagues from across the state.

Sessions:

• How to Create Customers for Life…in 30 Seconds or Less – Rich Gallagher of Point of Contact (pictured below left with a porcupine)
• New and Forgotten Pest- Resistant Trees and Shrubs for New York – Dr. Nina Bassuk, Professor, Horticulture Department and Program Leader of the Urban Horticulture Institute at Cornell University (pictured below center)
• The Go Green Movement: How Do New Initiatives Affect the Greenest Industry? – Dr. Jennifer Grant, Asst. Director & Community IPM Coordinator, Cornell University (pictured below right)
• A Guided Tour of The Plantations

Rich Gallagher	Dr. Nina Bassuk	Dr. Jennifer Grant

Special Events:

Kathryn Boor (pictured at left), Cornell’s Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences, will give a lunch presentation. The Dean’s message will focus on the importance of Cornell’s partnership with the horticulture industry in New York State.

Be a Sponsor! Position your company in the forefront with your name on this year's Leadership Forum materials. Sponsorships offer an effective means of delivering your company’s message. Click here for a sponsorship brochure. You can call Mike or Jaime at Association headquarters for information on tailoring a sponsorship to meet your needs.

Donations Needed! Support Green Industry Education

The Nurserymen’s Foundation Auction will be held at the Leadership Forum’s Annual Reception on November 2nd at the Moakley House at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course on the Cornell campus.

We need your donations!  Auction items raise money to support educational scholarships for nursery and landscape professionals. Please be generous and creative with your donations. Everyone will benefit. You could take home a treasure for a great cause!

This Month’s Supporter Profile

Bristol's Garden Center is a family owned and operated nursery located in Victor, NY.  They have served the Rochester NY region for over 20 years, offering the finest stock of beautiful plants, trees and shrubs. Steve and Tom Sanna strive to offer the widest variety of products to their customers.

Their OLD STYLE Garden Center is full of creativity, ideas and FUN! They have over 11 acres of the finest nursery stock in the Finger Lakes region and carry everything from annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, tropical plants and more.

At Bristol's Garden Center, they also have a wide selection of mulches, such as Black Diamond, Red Ochre, double and triple ground hardwood, pine mulch and more. They also carry bulk compost and a variety of crushed stone and soils for all of your gardening and landscaping needs.

Bristol's Garden Center also carries a wide selection of containers, urns, fountains and statuary. Their Garden Center is located centrally right off of the thruway in Victor, NY.

For a complete listing of products and services, visit Bristol’s Farm Market and Garden.

2011 Partners and Supporters

Thank you to our corporate partners and supporters who invest in the mission and values that NYSNLA represents. With their support, the association continues to serve the needs of its members.

Your sponsorships are always welcome and are a positive way to support your industry and showcase your products and services to fellow NYSNLA members. Please contact us at info@nysnla.com for further sponsorship information.

Partners
The Flanders Group
Milton CAT

Platinum
Belgard Hardscapes/Manufactured by Oldcastle Domine
Preferred Seed Co., Inc.
Unilock, Inc.

Gold
Bristol’s Farm Market & Garden
Clifton Recycling, Inc.

Silver
Association Development Group Inc.
Atlantic Nurseries/Landscape by Atlantic Nurseries
Atlantic Nursery & Garden Shop Inc.
Batavia Turf
Birchcrest Tree & Landscape Inc.
Farm Family Insurance Company / The Wyman Group
Fuschetto & Son Nursery, Inc.
J. Ratto Landscapes, Ltd.
Landscapes East, Inc.
Michael Grimm Services, Inc.
Northridge Nursery and Garden Center
Patrick Manley, Inc.
Rare Earth Nursery
Steven Dubner Landscaping, Inc.
Watson Farms, LLC
WeCare Organics

Bronze
Admar Supply Company
Cazenovia Equipment Co., Inc.
Hadley’s L.L.C. - Landscape Design & Services        
Jansen Nursery, LLC
Jessica Richer, RealtyUSA
K&K Mason - Stone Supply
Metamorphosis Landscape Design Ltd.
Plant Health Care, Inc.
RealTree Landscapes I, LLC
The Evans Agency
Turf Tamerz, Inc. 

Green Industry Professionals recognized at the 2011 Arbor Day Celebration

Even strong winds and a steady rain couldn’t stop the 2011 Arbor Day Celebration in Albany on Thursday, April 28th. The ceremony provided some much needed sunshine at the Capitol as NYSNLA President David Dailey, state officials and other green professionals were there to recognize the significant role trees play in protecting and enriching our environment.

The ceremony featured comments from Joseph Martens, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation, Jackie Moody-Czub, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and Markets, Eric Carlson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Empire State Forest Products Association and David Dailey, NYSNLA President.

The Arbor Day ceremony included framed poster presentations to Alexis Alvey of Commack, NY, (Suffolk County Cornell Cooperative Extension Nursery and Landscape Specialist) winner of the NYSNLA's State Arbor Day poster contest and Arianna Vandezande, a fifth grader from Stewart Manor School in Nassau County, NY, who won the NYS DEC's children's poster contest.

NYSNLA President David Dailey recognized the 2011 Environmental Beautification Award winners (see below).

The day ended with the ceremonial planting of the tree in the park. This year’s tree was a Greenspire Linden donated by Northern Nurseries Inc. in Schenectady, NY.

Congratulations to the 2011 Environmental Beautification Award Winners!
The annual awards program highlights the excellence, creativity and quality in landscape design and construction from our members.

This year’s Environmental Beautification Awards were recognized by President David Dailey at the state Arbor Day Celebration Ceremony on Thursday, April 28 in Albany. More than 30 entries were received this year from across New York State. NYSNLA would like to thank all entrants for submitting their projects. Awards were presented to:

• Luke Kreye of Emil Kreye & Son Inc., Hempstead, in the Unique Use of Water, Unlimited category;

• Pietro Furgiuele of Waterford Tilling, Penfield, in the Unique or Unusual, less than $6,000 category;

• Salvatore Masullo accepted on behalf of Ireland Gannon Associates, East Norwich, in the Residential, $10,000 to $25,000 category;

• Gary Blum of Schlick Design Group, Greenlawn, in the Garden Structures and Pavements, over $25,000 category;

• Angelo Fuschetto of Fuschetto & Son Inc., Melville, in the Residential, $50,000 to $100,000 category;

• Phil Teribile and Dwight Andrews, Terri Associates Landscape Corp., Brightwaters, in the Residential, over $100,000 category;

• Neal Goldberg, Goldberg & Rodler, Inc., Huntington, in the Residential, over $100,000 category.

The winners who were recognized but unable to attend the ceremony:

• Tim Barry of Dodds & Eder, Oyster Bay, for winning in the categories, Residential, over 100,000.

• Steven Dubner of Steven Dubner Landscaping Inc., Dix Hills, in the Commercial, $50,000 to $100,000 category.

NYSNLA extends congratulations to all of the winners and members for participating in this year’s awards program.

Check out the Photo Gallery at www.nysnla.com.

Volunteers Needed for the NYS Fair

The Great New York State Fair is only 90 days away. We need your help! This year’s NYS Fair is scheduled for August 25–September 5, 2011 at the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse. It’s a long NYSNLA tradition to exhibit at the Great New York State Fair. The NYSNLA booth is a place where the general public can interact with green industry professionals to learn about our industry, as well as a place where you can showcase your talent and expertise.

We are recruiting volunteers to help maintain the Gardens and volunteer at the NYSNLA booth. Your time and effort would be greatly appreciated. Mark your calendars now for the great NYS Fair.  More details on volunteering will be sent out soon.

Members in the News

Region 6:

Plantasia
On March 24-27 Region 6 hosted another triumphant Plantasia, Western New York’s premier garden and landscape show, held at the Fairgrounds Event Center and Expo Hall in Hamburg, NY. This year’s theme, “Plantasia Sets the Mood,” was reflected in over 15,000 square feet of fully landscaped theme gardens, blooming trees, shrubs, annual and perennials, water gardens and patios in a breathtaking spring display. Free education seminars given by CNLP’s and garden experts were offered daily. The festivities included a Children’s Discovery Garden, a  Garden Market, as well as  special events, nightly entertainment and live broadcasts. Region 6 again sponsored a CNLP booth to help enlighten attendees on the merits of both hiring and becoming CNLP’s.

In the photo... at the CNLP booth: Brian Geary, CNLP and Helen Makeyenko, CNLP

WNYSNLA and the 2011 Front Yard Garden Contest
The Western New York State Nursery & Landscape Association (WNYSNLA), in partnership with the National Garden Festival, is arranging the details for the 2011 FRONT YARD GARDEN CONTEST.  This event is a unique opportunity for member companies to showcase their goods, services and expertise through this highly publicized event, to support the promotion of the WNYSNLA and the Certified Nursery and Landscape Professional (CNLP) program, and to do something good for Buffalo.

If you are unfamiliar with the National Garden Festival, check out this Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2O7ImfMKJY&feature=related.

Region 7:

On April 12, Region VII hosted an Arbor Day celebration with a tree planting in honor of Graham Skea, commissioner of the Orange County Parks and Grounds.  The planting was dedicated to Graham Skea for his outstanding service and community involvement with county agencies. 

After the planting and dinner, Sara Sciorra, Marketing Director at Masseo Landscape, Inc. gave a presentation on how industry professionals could apply new social marketing techniques to their current marketing practices. This was a follow up from last Fall’s Leadership Forum. It was well received, for specific marketing to work at an inexpensive rate.

Passing of Ralph Nelson Freeman

2001 NYSNLA George L. Good Gold Medal of Horticulture Award Recipient
Ralph Nelson Freeman, 72, of Mattituck, New York, passed away April 2nd, 2011, surrounded by family after a seven-year battle with cancer.

Ralph was born in New London, Connecticut, August 12, 1938, to Ralph and Loretta Freeman. From an early age, he worked alongside his parents in the family-owned business, Flowers by Ralph.

Read more >>

Manager’s Corner

Money-Saving Insurance Tips Presented By:

The Cost of Late Claim Reporting
By: The Flanders Group, NYSNLA Insurance Program Manager

In a perfect model, Workers Compensation claims should be reported within 72 hours after they occur.  Today there are many options for convenience, such as online, fax, email or phone reporting. Still, that isn’t always possible and poses an issue for employers – what does that delay cost?

The direct costs include increased medical costs, increased administrative costs, increased likelihood of lost time from work, which also increases your indemnity costs, and an increased potential of your injured employee retaining counsel (up to 50% after the 3rd day, according to a study by Fireman’s Fund).

Liberty Mutual Group released these increased cost of claims from a study on over 166,000 claims reported:

Read more >>

Milton CAT Landscaper’s Tool Box

Some proven tools that will help you cut down on waste and improve efficiency.

Short-term equipment and work tool rental.

Short-term rental is a cost-effective, convenient and flexible solution to the needs of today’s busy landscapers, and the Milton CAT Rental Alliance makes it easy. Rental Alliance members are independently owned and operated rental stores that understand the landscape business, and carry top of the line CAT machinery and work tools.

Completing jobs on time and on budget, even when things turned out differently than planned; being first to grab new business and saying “yes” to customers’ requests even when they require equipment you don’t currently own…it’s all within your reach with the Milton CAT Rental Alliance network.

Visit www.rentmachines.com today for a list of Alliance Members in your area.
Call the Milton CAT location nearest you for sales rentals or more information on new or used machines and landscaper’s tools.

Clifton Park (518) 877-8000
Batavia (585) 815-6260
Syracuse (315) 476-9981
Binghamton (607) 772-6500

Earn Cash Back and Go Green with Energy Plus®!

As spring begins to bloom, it is time to think about how you can do your part to help the environment, while also earning cash back. NYSNLA has partnered with Energy Plus®, and with this exclusive electricity program, you can support 100% wind generated power and receive ongoing Cash Back rewards.

Choose Energy Plus as your electricity supplier, and you’ll receive these exclusive benefits:

• A $50 Activation Bonus for each business account you sign up (or $25 for your home).
• 3% Cash Back on the electricity supply portion for your business, annually (or 2% for your home).
• No service changes - Your local utility company will continue to read your meter, send your bill and handle any emergencies.
• Go green- When you sign up with Energy Plus, you can also enroll in the green option and support 100% wind power.

Best of all, enjoy the same service from your utility company, and there are no fees or long-term commitments.  Once you sign up, you can enjoy this program Risk-Free!

Enroll Your Business Today! CLICK HERE Or call Energy Plus® at 877-770-3372 and mention Offer Code "NLA-0148."

Room with a View: Available for Immediate Occupancy

By Christopher Gramarekian, Chairman/CEO, Cambridge Pavers, Inc.

Ask yourself: “What do many iconic TV sitcoms, popular over the last few decades, have in common?”  Look back to the seventies at The Brady Bunch, still one of television’s all-time favorites- to the eighties for The Cosby Show- and then to the nineties at Everybody Loves Raymond, to draw attention to just a few.  In the storylines of most of the episodes, the cast — immediate family members, relatives and friends — were regularly seen gathered in the kitchen where all-too-familiar events occurred.

As we look back at our own family lives, how often have we heard this familiar comment (no matter how big the home): “Why is everyone congregating in the kitchen?”  So if TV-land really does mimic real life, get ready for a brand new set: the open-air patio room, complete with lavish cooking, entertaining and leisure-time conveniences.  As modern-day lifestyles, as well as trends in home improvements and vacationing are changing, we see entire households moving much of their daily and special occasion activities out-of-doors while, at the same time, redefining the backyard patio as we once knew it. 

Read more >>

Planning for Agriculture in New York: A Tool Kit for Towns and Counties

The American Farmland Trust is pleased to share with NYSNLA members this new publication providing local communities and their elected officials with the information they need to work together to put the brakes on poorly planned development and keep farmers farming.

Planning for Agriculture in New York is now available to download free of charge.

Business Opportunity: Landscaping Business for Sale

After 30 years in the business in Bethlehem, NY, this turnkey operation is looking for new owners. Included are the book of business, all plant and hardscape inventory, and equipment. The real estate is for sale separately and includes a single family residence, 5.8 acres of land, a barn, and two shed buildings. 

If you are interested, please contact Jessica L. Richer, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker, at (518) 364-7406 or at jricher@realtyusa.com. 

Click here for more information on the business and property.