2013 Winter Meeting Registration Packet January 16 18, 2013

Transcription

1 2013 Winter Meeting Registration Packet January 16 18, 2013 Holiday Inn Harrisburg East 4751 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111

2 Dear PCTGA Member, The 2013 PCTGA winter meeting will be the start of a new way of doing things in the Christmas Tree industry. PCTGA is joining with the Penn State Short Course to provide the best education for our struggling industry in the country. Now, you ask how I can say that? Well with Rick Bates from Penn State, Jim Rockis of Reliable Source from West Virginia and yours truly as the members of the Winter Meeting Committee, we simply out-worked everyone else. We attended conferences throughout the country and only picked the best topics and speakers. If you had to pay to hear these speakers anywhere else, the actual cost would be $1852 to hear speakers of this caliber and learn what they will be presenting at our PCTGA meeting. We need your support at this meeting to show our competition that we mean business in fighting the fake tree. Learn how to grow the best possible trees and save money while knowing that you are one of the best growers in your area. Learn how to diversify your farm and grow some pumpkins or gourds from Mike Orzolek, formerly of Penn State. Do you have a pest problem on your trees? Learn how to control them from Jill Sidebottom from North Carolina State University. Want to grow trees faster for less? Listen to Dwayne Berkey tell you how to use the right fertilizers. Find out how Valley View Nursery Center, the largest garden center in Maryland, sells real and fake trees. This is important stuff that you need to know! Just take a minute to read the list of presenters at this year s meeting and you will see the value in attending. There will be no Northeast Tree Meeting this year either, per Paul Shealer. With no Short Course and no Northeast Training, PCTGA s Winter Meeting seems to be the only game in town with top-notch education courses and opportunities to gain your much-needed pesticide credits. We will be having an evening session with all of our presenters to look at problem pests and issues under the microscopes with Sarah Pickel of PDA. So, don t forget to bring all your samples of problems and we ll take a close look at them. This year s program has so many secrets of how to grow the best trees that we are going to limit the size of attendance to the first 200 people. There will be no exceptions, so make sure you sign up quickly. I want to see the 200 people that are serious about growing trees sign up for the 2013 meeting. Remember only 200 can attend and then we close registration. Sincerely, Gary Thomas Winter Meeting Chairman

3 Department of Plant Science Phone: (814) College of Agricultural Sciences Fax: (814) The Pennsylvania State University Tyson Building University Park, PA TO: Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers FROM: Rick Bates, Associate Professor of Horticulture, Penn State RMB RE: 2013 Christmas Tree Management Short Course DATE: November 19, 2012 This year the Penn State Christmas Tree Management Short Course will be combined with the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association Winter Meeting, January 16-18, at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg East. Together we ve developed an excellent expanded program, flush with excellent topics and speakers, and one which addresses the continued need for core and category pesticide recertification credit. I remain committed to providing the Christmas Tree industry with much needed education and research, however new teaching responsibilities and new research projects, which require frequent travel to Asia, necessitated a change regarding the Short Course. In addition, it is my hope that partnering with PCTGA to provide a single winter educational meeting will result in an even stronger state association. Please support PCTGA by making a commitment to attend this year s meeting. Have a great harvest and a Merry Christmas. College of Agricultural Sciences An Equal Opportunity University

4 PCTGA Winter Meeting Program January 16 18, 2013 Wednesday, January 16 5:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Registration Open 7:00 p.m. Mix & Mingle Thursday, January 17 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Registration Open 7:30 a.m. 8:15 a.m. Breakfast (on your own) 8:30 a.m. 8:45 a.m. Welcome from Melissa Holby, PCTGA President 8:45 a.m. 9:45 a.m. Pumpkin Production Dr. Mike Orzolek, Prof Emeritus Vegetable Crops, Dept. Plant Science, Penn State University Pumpkin production from year to year has been between 6,000 to 8,000 acres in Pennsylvania. With a large urban population within 200 miles of Pennsylvania, 95% are carving pumpkins or jack-a-lanterns. In regards to marketing, approximately 60% is grown for the retail markets and 40% for the wholesale market. In the last few years, there has been a dramatic increase in the development of new hybrid pumpkin varieties. Pumpkin fruit size falls into three sizes; small (1 to 8 lbs.), medium (9 to 24 lbs.) and large (larger than 25 lbs.). Plant size ranges from compact bush to medium and large vines. Newer pumpkin hybrids are generally both powdery and downy mildew resistant. There is movement in the seed industry to also include both phytophora and virus resistance. Most pumpkin hybrids do not have any resistance to seed corn maggot, aphids, cucumber beetles and flea beetles. Multiple methods of pumpkin production include conventional (no irrigation), conventional (irrigation drip or overhead), plasticulture and no-till. Pumpkins can be established from either seed or transplants, depending on production method. Fertility will be discussed during this presentation. 9:45 a.m. 10:45 a.m. The Impact of Water Quality on Pesticide Performance Bill Riden, Pesticide Education Specialist, Pesticide Education Program, Penn State University 10:45 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Break This presentation takes a look at the factors that may be impeding the performance of your pesticides including water ph, turbidity, dissolved minerals and salinity. Attendees will learn how to test and possible solutions to problems. 11:00 a.m. 12:15 p.m. Fertilizing from A-Z, with Other Growing Practices Duane Berkey, Co-Owner Berkey s Nursery This presentation will cover many aspects of growing Christmas Trees. However, it will primarily focus on fertilizing.

5 12:15 p.m. 12:45 p.m. Update on the Collaborative Fir Germplasm Evaluation Project (CoFirGE) Gary Thomas, PCTGA Winter Meeting Chairman 12:45 p.m. 2:00 p.m. Lunch (on your own) 2:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Reading the Economic Tea Leaves: What s Coming & How to Prepare for It Dr. Alex White, Owner, A. White Enterprises, Financial Advisor, Verity Asset Management Alex will discuss several key economic indicators and trends and provide his best guess as to the direction of the US economy over the next 12 months. He will lay out several suggestions for preparing for the upcoming economy both from a personal and business standpoint. 3:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Fraser Fir Integrated Pest Management Jill R. Sidebottom, North Carolina Cooperative Extension (NCCE) Mountain Conifer IPM Specialist and Brad Edwards, NCCE Area Christmas Tree IPM Technician 4:00 p.m. 4:15 p.m. Break The foundation for Fraser fir Christmas Tree integrated pest management in North Carolina includes groundcover management, scouting, and proper pesticide selection and application when necessary. In this session, information available on the Fraser fir IPM blog and North Carolina Cooperative Extension Fraser Fir Pest Control Portal will be reviewed. Emphasis will be placed on practical control of the bad bugs (otherwise known as "MAAS" mites, aphids, adelgids and scales), without doing away with good bugs (otherwise known as "PPP's" predators, parasitoids and pollinators). 4:15 p.m. 5:15 p.m. Featured Farm: Taylor Trees Dan and Anne Taylor Dan and Anne Taylor starting growing trees as employees of Eric Sundback in Maryland. They have now grown to selling thousands of trees on retail lots in Washington, D.C. Hear about how Dan and Anne learned the trade from Eric and Gloria Sundback, and now sell their trees in the highest per capita income city in the nation to some of the most demanding customers around. Want to open a retail lot? These are the growers who will tell you how to be successful. 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Dinner and Awards Presentation 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Identification of Conifer Insects, Diseases and Abiotic Problems Sarah Pickel, IPM Education Specialist, PA Department of Agriculture and Brian Schildt, IPM Scouting Consultant This session provides an opportunity to observe common conifer pests and problems up close and personal using photos, microscopes and hand lenses. There will also be time for discussion with the Department of Agriculture s IPM Program staff, so bring along your samples and questions.

6 Friday, January 18 7:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Registration Open 7:15 a.m. 8:00 a.m. Breakfast (on your own) 8:15 a.m. 8:30 a.m. How My Wreaths Won the National Competition Gary Hague, Hague's Christmas Trees 8:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. Your Brand s Story and How to Increase Return on Investment (ROI) Jay Bustard, Bustard's Christmas Trees; Gary Thomas, Jarrettsville Nurseries; and Gary Hague, Hague's Christmas Trees This session will look at various marketing objectives. How to communicate these objectives to your customers and increase sales and profit will also be discussed. 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Control of the Elongate Hemlock Scale Jill R. Sidebottom, North Carolina Cooperative Extension (NCCE) Mountain Conifer IPM Specialist 10:30 a.m. 10:45 a.m. Break In the last five years, the elongate hemlock scale (EHS) has become one of the most important pests of North Carolina's number one Christmas Tree, the Fraser fir. It is harder and more expensive to control than any other pest, yet while treating for scales, virtually all other pests can be successfully controlled. Learn the latest research on controls using Safari and other insecticides, impacts of these on the parasitic wasp, and impact of scale on post-harvest tree quality. 10:45 a.m. 11:45 a.m. The Changing Face of Agriculture Dr. Alex White, Owner, A. White Enterprises, Financial Advisor, Verity Asset Management 11:45 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Lunch (on your own) Agriculture is a rapidly changing industry. Some of those changes are good; others may present significant challenges to producers. Alex will point out several of the major changes in agriculture that he has been observing or that he expects to see in the future. Then we ll open the floor to get different viewpoints, observations and suggested strategies to prepare or take advantage of these changes. 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. Selling Real & Artificial Trees at the Largest Garden Center in the Mid-Atlantic Carrie Engel, Valley View Farms started as a small roadside produce stand in It s now one of the largest Garden Centers in the Mid-Atlantic. They sell thousands of cut Christmas Trees as well as hundreds of artificial trees, and have over 125 decorated trees on display. They have a large international Christmas Shop that sells any and every type of Christmas lights and decorations. Learn how Valley View s wholesale customers sell their products as well as the fake tree.

7 2:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Pesticide Formulations Tracey L. Harpster, B.S., M.S., Research Support Technician, Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University 3:00 p.m. 3:15 p.m. Break This presentation will cover the following objectives: Understand what a pesticide formulation is Know how to interpret common formulation abbreviations (WP, DF, EC, RU, G, S, L) Understand inert ingredients and their purpose in formulations Identify advantages and disadvantages of common formulation types (aerosols, granules, wettable powders) Explain the role of adjuvants in pesticide applications 3:15 p.m. 4:00 p.m. What Employers and Consumers Need to Know About Health Care Reform Vince Phillips, PCTGA Contract Lobbyist Now that the 2012 election is over, voters have given a green light to implementation of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, also known as Affordable Care Act, or simply ACA. It is easily one of the most complex pieces of legislation ever to come out of Congress and its 2,200 pages are dwarfed by the tens of thousands of regulations, Notices and Bulletins from the Federal Government being issued which basically set up a whole new insurance system with lots of compliance requirements for businesses. This presentation will walk you through changes, compliance requirements, and give you resources to help you better understand your obligations under the law Winter Meeting Hotel Information January 16 18, 2013 Holiday Inn Harrisburg East 4751 Lindle Road Harrisburg, PA Room Rate: $86 per night Reservation Deadline: January 2, 2013 Reservation Name: PA Christmas Tree Growers Association The Winter Meeting will be headquartered at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg East, 4751 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA A block of rooms has been reserved under the name Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association at a room rate of $86 per night for single occupancy. This room rate will only be available until January 2, 2013 or until the room block is filled. Reservations received after the above date will be accepted on a space and rate available basis. You must identify yourself as being with the PA Christmas Tree Growers Association Winter Meeting in order to receive the discounted room rate. To ensure that you have a room for the meeting at the Holiday Inn, it is recommended that you make your reservation immediately. Reservations must be made directly with the hotel by calling Hotel room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes.

8 Don t Forget to Enter the 2013 PCTGA Wreath Contest Rules and Guidelines Wreath makers are encouraged to enter the 2013 PCTGA Wreath Contest at the Winter Meeting in January. Winning entries will be eligible for the National Christmas Tree Association Wreath Contest to be held at the NCTA meeting. All wreaths must be submitted in person or sent to be received by 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 17, 2013 at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg East (4751 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111). General Rules are as follows: 1. The exhibitor entering the wreath in the contest must be a current PCTGA member. Wreaths must have been made by the PCTGA member or farm and cannot have been made by contract help or others not directly related to the PCTGA member or farm. 2. In no case, shall one person, family, or farm enter more than two wreaths, one decorated and one undecorated. 3. All wreaths must be submitted in person or sent to be received by 10 a.m. on Thursday, January Securely tied to each wreath should be a sealed envelope containing the maker s name, address, telephone number, and source of greens. Entrants will receive a number for their entry and that number will be placed on the envelope as well as the record sheet. The record sheet will remain confidential and outside of the judging area until the judging is final and the winners announced. 5. Scoring will be under the PCTGA/NCTA Guidelines. 6. Wreaths must be made on a 12-inch ring, of natural greens grown within the state, and the outside diameter must not exceed 24 inches. The weight of the wreath may not exceed 5 pounds. Wreaths may by single or double-faced. 7. Decorated wreaths must contain a bow and may contain dried or other decorative materials and ornaments. 8. Undecorated wreaths will be judged on foliage, color, workmanship (including uniform density, uniform center hole, uniform outside, construction quality, placement of materials, and overall appearance.) Wreaths in the undecorated category can be made with mixed greens; however, we suggest no other materials such as berries or leaves. 9. Decorated wreaths will be judged on craftsmanship, originality, arrangement of decoration, and quality of bow. First, second and third place winners will be placed in both the decorated and undecorated wreath categories. Exhibitors will receive appropriate ribbons. The winners will be announced during the winter meeting. National entries will be handled as follows: the first place winners in the decorated and undecorated categories from the previous two years shall be the Pennsylvania entries in the NCTA contest. If these winners are ineligible (not NCTA members) or are unwilling to enter according to NCTA rules, the required number of entries shall be selected by a drawing of eligible second place winners. Names from the second place pool shall be drawn and those winners, in the order of the drawing, shall be asked if they are willing to be an exhibitor. This process shall be continued until the maximum number of entrants is obtained. Third and fourth place winners will be considered under the same guidelines if no other possible exhibitors are located. If you have further questions, call the PCTGA office at

9 2013 PCTGA Winter Meeting Registration Form January 16 18, 2013 Registration must be returned to the PCTGA office, postmarked on or before January 7, The cancellation deadline is January 10, PCTGA cannot guarantee availability of Thursday dinner tickets to walk-in registrants. PCTGA cannot refund the cost of meal tickets. There is no charge for youth under age 14. CONTACT INFORMATION Business Name: Street Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Fax: MEMBERSHIP STATUS PCTGA Member Non-Member (join now to pay member rate for meeting; option to join PCTGA on reverse side) PCTGA Retired Member (a current or past PCTGA grower who no longer is active in the industry, yet still holds interest) Other State Christmas Tree Association Member (member of neighboring associations are invited to register at member rates) ATTENDEE NAMES List names as they should appear on name badges. Please print clearly and make copies if more room is needed. Children are defined as those individuals 14 and under. 1. Adult Child 2. Adult Child 3. Adult Child 4. Adult Child 5. Adult Child EMERGENCY CONTACT & SPECIAL NEEDS Name of non-attending contact: Phone: Please check here if you have any special dietary needs or require special accommodations in order to participate fully in this meeting. Please call the PCTGA office and a staff person will be happy to discuss your needs. PAYMENT INFORMATION Please complete the registration form price sheet on the back of this form to calculate the amount due. Total Payment $ Cash/Check (make payable to PCTGA) Visa MasterCard Discover Name on Card: Card Number: Signature: Exp. Date: Security Code: PA Christmas Tree Growers Association, 4305 North Sixth Street, Suite A, Harrisburg, PA Phone: , Fax: , events@christmastrees.org, Web:

10 2013 PCTGA Winter Meeting Registration Form January 16 18, 2013 Business Name: 2013 PCTGA MEMBERSHIP Yes, I would like to join PCTGA now & pay the member rate to attend this meeting. $ 195 FULL REGISTRATION (includes Wednesday Mix & Mingle; all meetings & classes on Thursday and Friday; Thursday Dinner) PCTGA Member # of $199 $ PCTGA Retired Member* # of $95 $ Non-Member # of $249 $ While I am registering for the full meeting, I am not able to attend the Thursday evening dinner. THURSDAY ONLY REGISTRATION (does NOT include Thursday Dinner) PCTGA Member # of $150 $ PCTGA Retired Member* # of $70 $ Non-Member # of $200 $ FRIDAY ONLY REGISTRATION PCTGA Member # of $150 $ PCTGA Retired Member* # of $70 $ Non-Member # of $200 $ THURSDAY DINNER REGISTRATION (ONLY includes Thursday Dinner) PCTGA Member # of $85 $ PCTGA Retired Member* # of $65 $ Non-Member # of $100 $ TOTAL $ *Retired Member: A current or past PCTGA grower who no longer is active in the industry, yet still holds interest. There is no charge for youth under age 14. PA Christmas Tree Growers Association, 4305 North Sixth Street, Suite A, Harrisburg, PA Phone: , Fax: , events@christmastrees.org, Web:

11 Exhibitor Promotional Piece Opportunity 2013 Winter Meeting We hope you see the benefit of having a presence at PCTGA s 2013 Winter Meeting. This is your company s opportunity to reach over 200 attendees and promote your products at a VERY low cost. In fact, at $100, your cost to reach these individuals is only 50 cents each! That s a little more than the cost of a postage stamp! And remember, you will not have the opportunity to reach these individuals at either the PSU Short Course or at the Northeast Extension Meeting since neither is being held in So, this could be your ONLY OPPORTUNITY to reach growers about your products and services. For a mere $100, you can include a promotional piece in the on-site packet, distributed to every attendee, at the Winter Meeting. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please send this form, with payment and 200 copies of your promotional piece, to the PCTGA office on or before Wednesday, January 9, If you have questions about this opportunity, contact Sarah Wingert at ads@christmastrees.org or call Take advantage of this great opportunity today! *********************************************************************** CONTACT INFORMATION: (Please print clearly) Business Name: Contact Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Fax: Website: COST TO PARTICIPATE: $100 Payment must accompany form. Please make your check payable to PCTGA or charge to Visa, Discover or MasterCard. Card Number: Exp. Date: 3 Digit Security Code: Signature: Please send this form to: PCTGA, 4305 North Sixth Street, Suite A, Harrisburg, PA or fax it to