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Prides Corner Farms
Compared to 2023, sales in spring 2024 were down quite a bit for Lebanon, Connecticut-based grower Prides Corner Farms. Heading into 2025, president and owner Mark Sellew fears weather — especially extreme weather events — could derail the positive momentum they’ve been building. Sellew warns that growers tend to prioritize spring plant care, but fall acclimation is equally crucial.
Greenhouse Management spoke with Sellew about concerns with pests, disease, labor and wages, as well as the importance of a diversified client base and knowing your customers.
Greenhouse Management: What’s your overall outlook for 2025?
Mark Sellew: To be honest with you, I’m very optimistic about next year overall. I really am. I think our customers finished the year much stronger than many expected. The weather was excellent, and inventories were sold down.
GM: What are your top three concerns or challenges for spring 2025?
MS: Biological risks remain among the top three, if not at the very top. Boxwood blight has been rough, but it’s abated a bit, and growers have adapted. We have strong spray programs, and we’ve gotten rid of all the susceptible varieties. However, box tree moth and Phytophthora ramorum have become problematic. In fact, they found a new Phytophthora in Oregon this fall that quarantined a bunch of growers. It’s tough and attacks evergreens that come from the British Isles. We operate our own diagnostic lab because I prefer to keep our diagnostics in-house. I feel it gives us more control of our destiny than having to rely on an outside lab.
Labor is another concern. We have a very secure workforce with the H-2A program, but I’m still concerned because of the strong talks about deportations with the new administration. I know our local Hispanic employees are showing concern about this as well. So, it’s moved to the top of our list.
And I’d say the increased cost associated with labor is the other main concern. Our H-2A wage rate, which is the starting wage at Prides Corner, went up about 6%, or close to $19 per hour. As our labor costs go up, I have to find ways to be more productive as an employer. What happens with the H-2A entry rate is that there’s wage compression with our local workers. As a result, we have to give raises to them as well, to be fair. So, everyone’s getting a very healthy raise at Prides Corner, which I’m very happy about. I love that, but it’s a challenge at our company to raise efficiencies and productivity so we can continue to be profitable.
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GM: What procedures have you put in place to ensure success this spring?
MS: We maintain a very diverse client base. Our largest customer is only 4 percentage points of our total sales. So, as we’ve grown the company, we’ve focused on building a very diversified customer base. We continue to move up the food chain with these customers, and we’ve become the No. 1, 2 or 3 supplier for them. Our ability to be successful and grow the business is high touch, high delivery. We have a saying: Buy less, sell more. It’s kind of counterintuitive, but we want our customers to get deliveries at least once a week. We have some large customers who receive twice-a-week delivery. So, our ability to get to people quickly with a diversified product line, to keep it fresh and be their first choice every week is where we like to be. It’s our sweet spot.
GM: What advice would you have for an industry colleague who’s struggling with their spring?
MS: I believe that many of my colleagues — and I’m talking other business owners — really do not put the voice of the customer as a No. 1 priority. They have to go out and meet the customer. They have to get to know their customer. They have to understand, listen to them and understand their feedback. It’s been by far the best way I’ve been able to grow as a nurseryman. And when customers see that you care and that you are listening to them, good things happen.
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