Grow Your Farm Operation Stronger by Finding People with Great Ideas [Opinion]
April 21, 2021 Recently, I chatted with a researcher who wanted to know more about our survey results on how the pandemic impacted the vegetable industry. I wanted to hear about the work he was doing. It was supposed to be a short talk. It lasted a couple hours.
That’s the sort of thing that happens when two data geeks who love their work get together. I should mention, the ag economist I spoke with wasn’t a newly minted Ph.D. He heads up his own division in his university and had been a high-ranking person in the USDA not long ago.
He reminded me of other people I’ve met, wildly successful people who still get excited about their work.
A few years ago, I was on a conference call with a group of award-winning garden retailers. Each was excellent in their own way; however, one owned a business that had a very high profile in the industry. The other panelists were a little in awe of him.
But he didn’t seek an ego boost. Instead, whenever anyone shared where they were finding success, he’d get enthusiastic and ask questions to fully understand what they’re doing. It infected the other garden retailers, and a remarkable hour passed with practical ideas jumping to creative speculation how to improve common problems.
I took two things from that conversation. Passion for your work is contagious. And you tend to go far when you love what you do. Perhaps because these idea-loving people aren’t striving to reach a goal post. Instead they’re looking at how they can improve today and how that can lead to a better tomorrow.
These kinds of discussions spark every time I’m around vegetable growers who love farming.
During the pandemic, outsiders aren’t visiting your operation, nor have you been able to attend trade shows where you see other growers and have ideas blossom.
And that’s why American Vegetable Grower launched our GROW STRONGER initiative. We’re bringing those ideas to you in our articles and videos. Sharing ideas — the heart of GROW STRONGER — hasn’t been easy this past year. And those ideas are what fuel our industry’s growth.
When you see our GROW STRONGER logo, you’ll know you will find the inspiration you need.
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