The Break Room

Comment

Comment by Bonnie Weller on March 25, 2011 at 9:07am

Yes, write that book. You'd save us the trouble of making the mistakes you did. Although mistakes are a great way to learn aren't they - if they don't cost you a lot of money.
To fire yourself? That would be your biggest mistake. No, No. write the book.

Comment by Michael Pawelek on March 24, 2011 at 5:31pm

Bonnie, I think I could write a more interesting book on all the nursery/business mistakes I've made over the years and still survived!  I've tried to fire myself many times but can't quite build up the courage to do so!!! :)

Comment by Bonnie Weller on March 22, 2011 at 9:02pm

Michael, You're so wonderfully organized you could write a book.  Thanks for filling me in on your order of operations, and yes, I can believe you've sold out your nursery.

Comment by Michael Pawelek on March 22, 2011 at 8:23am

Bonnie, Yes I start rooting cuttings and planting seeds in August each year for the following spring and transplant everything to their final containers from September to December. In between plantings I blend my soil mix, fill containers and cart them to the appropriate benches. I try to have the batches of containers filled and on the benches 3-5 days before any upcomming transplant and the coordination for the 150 or so varieties I grow to have them all at their peak by March 1st. can be daunting. This year will be easier as I dropped growing the 6,000 Poinsettias I have grown for over 35 years. Growing the Spring crop and Poinsettia crop in my area overlap too much and I no longer feel I can maintain a proper profit margin with the poinsettias. Spring sales for me have always been awesome. I know no one is going to believe me but I have already sold out my whole nursery and closed last sunday March 20th.! I was only open for 18 days this season and had over 4,000 customers come out and wipe me out. Some of my customers have been comming for the whole 39 years I have been in business and are a very dedicated group. I am now growing for three generations of some families! I pray Spring sales for everyone else are great this year. The nursery business is really tough to be in and we all deserve to make a good living for the excess hours we put in. 40 hour work week....what's that????????? :)

Comment by Bonnie Weller on March 22, 2011 at 7:58am

Michael,

I replied to your comment but didn't "add..." it, so it 'went away.'  Aren't you the one who does his own potting?  Either way, to have your loss of 8 houses, it's admirable that you didn't quit.

Comment by Michael Pawelek on March 22, 2011 at 7:06am

Unfortunately those of us who work in the greenhouse industry may face weather/earth related hardships at any time. Back in 1981 I had a late Spring tornado blast through my operation and level all 8 of the greenhouses I had at the time. Having constructed all the greenhouses one at a time by myself as my operation grew it's first 5 years this was devastating and I almost decided to quit the nursery business. I had started the business "officially" in 1976 by borrowing fifteen hundred dollars from my parents and built the other greenhouses as money came in. Luckily I did not face any personal peril and did not have to face permanent danger such as the radiation in Japan but I do know what "starting over" from scratch is all about. My operation has also taken 2 hits by Hurricanes with 90-120 mph winds with structural damage. My impression of the Japanese is that they are in general very industrious and hard working so where it is possible they will rebuild and be back in operation as quick as possible. The trauma from loss of loved ones will be lenghtly, even generational, but life goes on.

Comment by Steve on March 22, 2011 at 12:46am

Remember that some of our suppliers are headquartered in Japan... Sakata comes to mind.  I wonder if they had any facilities in the north.

 

s.

Comment by Bonnie Weller on March 21, 2011 at 10:06pm

   Those newscasters over there.  They amaze me.  I don't know if I'd have the courage they do.

   We have no friends or relatives, nor do our friends here know any of the many, many victims.