#Garden2Grow2016

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Welcome to Garden2Grow 2016! We are in our

sixth year for this event.

We want Garden2Grow to reflect your versatility

and to be a platform for discussing how we

individually and collectively grow our audiences

and cultivate connections through creative

and sharable content. Speaking of sharing, I’m

delighted at the opportunity to introduce our

beautiful city and state, as well as my Moss

Mountain Farm to guests from near and far. I

hope you enjoy being here half as much as I enjoy

hosting.

And a very special thank you goes out to the

perennial hard workers who make this event

a reality year after year. We wouldn’t be here

without your efforts.

Enjoy!Allen

Welcome to Garden 2 Grow...

#Garden2Grow2016#MossMountainFarm

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Agenda .................................Page 4

Influencer Bios ......................Page 9

Sponsor Bios .......................Page 23

Staff .....................................Page 39

Table of Contents

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1. The Big Sister Oak

2. Garden Home

3. Art Studio

4. Summer Kitchen

5. Terrace Garden

6. Small Pond

7. Bantam Temple

8. Eagle Fountain

9. Swan Pond

10. Antique Rose Garden

11. Organic Vegetable Garden

12. West Paddock

13. Apiary

14. Gift Shop/Restrooms

15. Daffodil Hill

16. Garden Home Cottage

17. Poultryville

18. Sheep Pasture

19. Grange Hall

20. Croquet Lawn

21. Miss Big Fig

22. East Lawn

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Moss Mountain Farm Map

2122

7:45 a.m.

8:00 a.m.

8:45 a.m.

9:45 a.m.

10:00 a.m.

10:15 a.m.

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

11:30 - 12:30 p.m.

12:30 - 12:45 p.m.

12:45 - 1:45 p.m.

1:45 - 2:00 p.m.

2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

3:30 - 4:15 p.m.

4:15 - 5:00 p.m.

5:15 - 6:00 p.m.

6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

8:00 - 9:00 p.m.

9:00 p.m.

Shuttle to Lost Forty Brewery

Arrive at Lost Forty for Tour

Breakfast

Shuttle to Heifer International

Arrive at Heifer Welcome Center

Welcome from Allen

Heifer Tour

Lunch in pavilion at Heifer

Break

Shuttle to Moss Mountain Farm

Welcome and Charging Station/Break

SunPatiens Workshop @ Big Sister OakTour of Terrace Garden

Good Dirt Workshop @ Vegetable Garden

Rose Garden Tour

Coffee & Cocktails @ Big Sister Oakwith WestRock Coffee

House Tour

Dinner under TentWine by Stargazer Barn

Flowers Arranged by J Schwanke of uBloom

Mix & Mingle under Big Sister Oak

Shuttle to Hotel

Tuesday, May 10th

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v

7:45 a.m.

8:45 a.m.

9:15 a.m.

9:30 - 10:15 a.m.

10:15 - 10:30 a.m.

10:30 - 11:15 p.m.

11:15 - 12:30 p.m.

12:30 - 1:15 p.m.

1:30 - 2:15 p.m.

2:15 - 2:45 p.m.

3:00 - 3:45 p.m.

3:45 - 4:00 p.m.

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

8:00 - 8:45 p.m.

8:45 p.m.

Shuttle to Moss Mountain Farm

Continental Breakfast

Group Photo under Big Sister Oak

Bonnie Plants Workshop @ Vegetable Garden

Break

Crescent Garden Workshop @ Eagle Fountain

Lunch & Keynote @ Grange Hall

Jobe's Organics Workshop @ East Lawn

Home Grown Seed Workshop @ Vegetable Garden

Break

AM Leonard Workshop @ Croquet Lawn

Break

Poultryville Tour

Roundtable Discussion & Cocktails@ Big Sister Oak

Dinner under Tent Wine by Stargazer Barn

Flowers Arranged by J Schwanke of uBloom

Entertainment under Big Sister Oak

Shuttle to Hotel

Wednesday, May 11 th

#Garden2Grow2016#MossMountainFarm

6 Garden 2 Grow 2016

#Garden2Grow2016#MossMountainFarm

We want Garden2Grow to reflect

your versatility and to be a platform for

discussing how we individually

and collectively grow our audiences

and cultivate connections through

creative and sharable content.

7

Speaker Tab

Influencers

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2 0 1 6

Welcome Influencers!Michelle Slatalla, GardenistaKeynote Speakerwww.gardenista.comIn 2012, Michelle created and launched Gardenista, an online

sourcebook to offer guidance on every aspect of exterior design,

from landscaping and hardscape materials to outdoor lighting

fixtures and the perfect paint color for your front door. (Gardenista

is the sister of interior design site, Remodelista.) Before this

foray into digital publishing (and before digital publishing was

invented), Michelle was a newspaper, magazine and book writer.

She was a weekly columnist at The New York Times for 10 years,

the etiquette columnist for Real Simple magazine , a parenting

columnist for Time magazine, and the author of six books

(five of which she co-wrote with her husband, Josh Quittner).

She’s finishing the manuscript for another book: Gardenista,

The Definitive Guide to Stylish Outdoor Spaces, which will be

published by Artisan Books in October. She’s a lifelong gardener,

like her father and grandmother before her, the main difference

being she has the good luck to garden in Mill Valley, California

(zone 10b) rather than in her hometown of Chicago (zone you

don't want to know). She has three daughters, mostly grown, two

dogs (helpful diggers), and three lemon trees (all Meyers).

10 #Garden2Grow2016

Jason Ambrosino, Overlook Acres www.overlookacres.org Jason was raised in upstate New York and grew up working on

farms. He graduated from Norwich University in 2004 and served

as an Armor Officer in the Army until he retired in 2014. Shortly

after, he began raising a herd of goats and focusing on more

sustainable living. He and his wife purchased a fantastic home

with a barn and nearly eight acres, where they have built and

continued to grow the Overlook Acres brand. The farm is home

to goats, pigs, chickens, turkeys, horses, and rabbits. Overlook

Acres hopes to one day provide veterans suffering from PTSD an

opportunity to farm and work with animals — a treatment that has

proven very effective in helping veterans with the disorder. Jason

and his wife are also writing a series of books devoted to teaching

children more about farming, homesteading and sustainable

living. Overlook Acres currently has 54,000 fans/likes on Facebook

and support continues to grow.

Brittany May and Penny Ausley, Happy Days Farmwww.happy-days-farm.comPenny and Brittany have been the blogging team behind Happy

Days Farm since 2012. In 2006, Penny fulfilled a dream of

moving into the country on some acreage. For as long as she can

remember, she has had a passion for flowers, plants, and trees,

and she immediately went to work landscaping and developing

the gardens on her new property. She loves to bring the outdoors

inside, so many of her flowers are grown with the idea that they

will eventually be part of her home decor. Brittany always wanted

to be a photographer, and flowers were often the subject of her

photos. She has always loved gardening with a special focus on

herbs. After finishing her graduate degree, she began studying to

become a herbalist, because it combined a love of gardening, with

a love for animals, and a talent for research. This study has had

the dual benefit of not only creating a beautiful garden, but also

supplemental, healthy food and medicinal items to use with their

animals. Research has come in handy for creating their website,

and generating the content for their blog and Facebook. Together

they run the farm, which includes a chicken coop, heritage turkeys,

guinea house, and rabbits.

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Rachael Brugger, Hobby Farmswww.hobbyfarms.comRachael Brugger is the managing editor for Hobby Farms. She

grows food and medicine in her ever-expanding backyard garden

in Lexington, Ky. When not bringing you a daily dose of farming

know-how, you can find her in the kitchen not following recipes,

on her yoga mat in a satisfying pigeon pose, or exploring the

world’s nooks and crannies. Follow her on Instagram

@rachaelbrugger.

Jennifer Burcke, 1840 Farm www.1840farm.comJennifer spends her days living and writing at the intersection

of family, food, and farming at 1840 Farm. Over a decade ago,

she and her family made the decision to move from their home

in Kansas to the Seacoast of New Hampshire. A few years later,

they purchased an abandoned farmhouse and began the work of

bringing it back to life. Today, three generations of her family call

1840 Farm home along with their dogs, a flock of heritage breed

hens, a small herd of dairy goats, and a French Angora rabbit. Her

farming journey started from scratch, but it wasn’t long before

she was sharing her daily adventures through a blog. Six years

later, she still loves to create recipes in the farmhouse kitchen and

dream up new handmade product for their Etsy shop. She shares

those recipes, handmade products, and daily experiences with her

community of readers and followers through her blog and social

media channels.

Moose www.pallensmith.comYou might be surprised to learn that the smartest animal at the

farm is Moose, the donkey. His job on the farm is babysitting,

part protecting the sheep from coyotes and part keeping Trudy

the horse company. Every once in a while, he gets a little petulant

(and greedy when it comes to snacks) but, for the most part, he

takes life slow and steady.

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Melissa Caughey, Tilly’s Nestwww.tillysnest.comMelissa Caughey is a nurse practitioner, backyard chicken keeper,

beekeeper, and master gardener. She grew up in rural New Jersey with

many fond memories of her best friend's dairy farm. In her late teens,

she moved to Los Angeles and spent about 15 years there as a "city girl.”

More than 10 years ago, Melissa and her husband decided to move back

east and settle on Cape Cod, Mass. After putting down new roots and

growing a family, the gardening and farming seeds that were planted

in her heart years ago began to sprout. Over the past six years, Melissa

has shared her family's adventures on her award-winning blog, Tilly's

Nest. There, insight into keeping a flock, life's lessons, chicken care,

crafts, gardening, heartwarming stories chronicling their adventures,

beekeeping and more are bursting from the pages. Melissa also writes

for HGTV, HGTV Gardens, DIY Network, Mother Earth News publications,

Community Chickens, Keeping Backyard Bees and contributes to

Country Living. Her blog has received the Blue Ribbon Blogger Award

from Country Living and has been named one of the Top 10 Gardening

Blogs by Better Homes and Gardens in 2014 and 2016. She travels the

country giving lectures about chickens, gardening, and beekeeping.

Her first book, A Kid's Guide to Keeping Chickens, has won the 2016

Learning Magazine Teacher's Choice Award and the 2016 AAAS/Subaru

SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books.

David J. Ellis, The American Gardener/ The American Horticultural Societywww.ahs.orgDavid J. Ellis is director of communications for the American Horticultural

Society (AHS), a 20,000-member national non-profit gardening

organization based in Alexandria, Va. During his 22-year tenure with

the organization, he has overseen the society's garden book publishing

program, website, and media relations. He is also the editor of its

award-winning, bimonthly magazine, The American Gardener. David

has coordinated publication of more than 15 gardening books and

served as a contributing editor for the American Horticultural Society New Encyclopedia of Gardening Techniques (Mitchell Beazley/Octopus,

2009). He has been a guest on several radio and television programs

and frequently serves as an expert source for garden-related articles in

popular magazines, blogs, and other publications. An active member of

the Garden Writers Association (GWA), he was named a GWA Fellow in

2008. David and his wife, Janice, and their two teenagers live in Silver

Spring, Md., where he maintains a large, eclectic garden.

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Sara Gasbarra, Verdurawww.saragasbarra.comChicago native, Sara Gasbarra, is the founder of Verdura, a full-service

garden design company that cultivates culinary gardens for chefs,

restaurants and hotels in Chicago. She specializes in creating a season-

long garden plan specifically tailored to the needs of a restaurant

kitchen, sourcing unique and rare varieties of plants and vegetables,

organic growing practices, custom-designed irrigation systems and

urban farming in unconventional spaces. Sara also serves as Vice

President of Slow Food Chicago's Board of Directors. Her inspiration

for cultivating edible green spaces for her chef clientele is drawn

directly from childhood memories of summers spent gardening and

cooking with her Italian-born father. Sara's favorite edibles to grow for

her restaurant clients include Japanese Red Giant mustard, Lady Bird

nasturtium, Kyoto Red and Parisian Market carrots, Dentata lavender,

heirloom French harlequin and tangerine gem marigolds, Siam Queen

basil and wood sorrels in every color.

Daniel Bear Hunleywww.pinterest.com/danielhunleyNamed one of Time Magazine’s Top 30 Style Pinners, Daniel Bear

Hunley is a social influencer from Nashville, Tenn., with 1.6 million

followers. His Southern, masculine eye for food, interior design,

and fashion helped form a unique aesthetic on the platform. As an

influencer, he's worked with Microsoft, Martha Stewart Living, World

Market, Coca-Cola, Tiffany & Co, and Patrón Tequila and has been

featured on HLN, the Huffington Post, and Mashable.com.

When not on Pinterest, Daniel is working his 9-to-5 as the Brand

Manager for Music City Roots, a weekly Americana Concert broadcast

over PBS (think Austin City Limits meets Grand Ole Opry.)

Amos www.pallensmith.comSomething of a Chicken Casanova, Amos the Buff Orpington does

not lack for personality. This Head Rooster in Charge is dedicated to

protecting his harem and expanding his flock every chance he gets.

When he’s not busy with the hens, Amos likes to supervise day to day

operations around the farm and welcome new guests to the farm by

soliciting for treats.

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Amy Renea Kauffman, A Nest for All Seasonswww.anestforallseasons.comAmy Renea is a writer and photographer based out of York, Penn.,

currently living in Humacao, Puerto Rico. She blogs at A Nest for

All Seasons, and her work is seen regularly at Houzz.com. Her first

book, Crafting With Nature, was released this year and focuses on

growing and gathering crafting materials in your own backyard.

Luke & Sindy Marion, The MIGardenerwww.migardener.comLuke founded MIgardener in 2011 with the intent to inspire others to grow a garden, live healthier lives and

have fun doing it, all with the help of social media. In 2014, his fiancé joined in the dream and with her career

in graphic design, and knowledge of healthy food, she created infograms and took on the role of social media

coordinator. In 2015, they were married and dedicated their full attention to building MIgardener, working

in the 100 percent organic garden to achieve financial independence and monetize the site’s huge following.

They began on YouTube and came up with the slogan “Grow Big or Go Home” to help drive home their

mission. MIgardener strives to provide premium, free information for everyone, everywhere. MIgardener has

been viewed in every country worldwide and in all 50 states. They average more than 500,000 hits a month

on YouTube alone and receive more than 20,000 visits per month on MIgardener.com

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Duncan www.pallensmith.comMr. Duncan wears many hats around Moss Mountain Farm,

but he takes his job as the head of the house most seriously. He

spends his days tirelessly assisting Allen with all manner of tasks,

only taking short breaks for head scratches and the occasional

treat. He considers his morning walks around the farm with his

master to be the best part of his day.

Nick“The Garden Guy” & Allison McCullough, Think Outside the Boxwoodwww.thinkingoutsidetheboxwood.comAllison and Nick are the dynamic duo behind Thinking Outside the Boxwood. Allison’s finance degree and

background in retail marketing helped shape her passion for bringing a business vision to life in print and

online. As the head of marketing for McCullough’s Landscape & Nursery, Allison ensures the brand is known

for thoughtful communications and special touches that can only come from a family-owned business. When

it comes to the art and science of landscape design, Nick has talents in both worlds. He studied horticulture

and art history in the states and then landscape design in northwest England. The aesthetic of English

gardens made a profound impact on Nick, and his projects often have ties to the design elements found in

the English countryside. He’s an APLD-certified designer and has won numerous awards including Young

Professional of the Year from the Perennial Plant Association and Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association.

His love of cultivating extends to Red Twig Farms — where perennials, annuals, specimen trees, and hedges

are grown for use in his designs. His social media presence of over 3 million Pinterest followers makes him a

standout in the industry, and a sought-after public speaker.

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Russell McLendon, Mother Nature Network www.mnn.comRussell McLendon is science editor for Mother Nature Network, a

science and environmental website based in Atlanta. He has been

with MNN since its founding in 2008, producing news articles,

explainers, blog posts and infographics about a wide range

of topics. He regularly covers big global problems like climate

change and habitat loss, but also tries to highlight the good things

our species does, from protecting forests and coral reefs to the

individual benefits of gardening and spending time in nature.

He has degrees in journalism and environmental anthropology

from the University of Georgia, where he also spent four years at

the school's independent student newspaper, including two as

the editorial cartoonist. After graduating, he covered hurricanes

Katrina and Rita in Louisiana, then worked at Atlanta's Creative

Loafing newsweekly before landing at MNN. He was introduced

to gardening as a kid when he helped his grandparents tend their

lakehouse vegetable garden on summer weekends. He and his

brother later took over that garden as adults, carrying on their

grandparents' hobby (and their feud with okra-stealing deer).

Russell now lives with his wife and dog in Atlanta, the "city in a

forest" where squirrels kindly let him eat a few of his homegrown

tomatoes every year.

Tara Nolan, Savvy Gardeningwww.savvygardening.comTara is a garden writer and editor whose work has appeared in

the Toronto Star, one of Canada’s national newspapers, as well

as in Reader’s Digest and Canadian Living and on websites, like

Design*Sponge. In March 2016, she appeared on a television show

called Garden Wisdom on WNED Buffalo as an edibles expert.

She is a co-founder, with three other garden writers, of Savvy

Gardening and was the award-winning web editor of Canadian

Gardening magazine’s website for six years. Tara’s first gardening

book, Raised Bed Revolution for Cool Springs Press, was released

in spring 2016. Tara does work for the Toronto Botanical Garden

and the Canadian Garden Council (as a social media advisor), and

volunteers for the Royal Botanical Garden. She also is a member of

GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators.

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Gary Pilarchik, The Rusted Garden

www.therustedgarden.blogspot.comGary has been in the garden for more than 20 years. He’s a clinical

mental health therapist by trade, and his YouTube Channel, The

Rusted Garden, became a way to relax and enjoy his garden.

He uploaded his first video in 2011 and now has well over 600

garden videos. He decided early on to make videos that are

focused, teach, and quickly get to point. The star of his videos

is the garden. His hope is to help people learn about gardening

and have a more successful garden. Two years ago, he started a

second YouTube Channel, My First Vegetable Garden, to help new

gardeners have a great experience through learning about and

growing vegetables. His approach to gardening is holistic and

takes four factors into account — the needs of the plants, the needs

of the soil, all of nature, and the needs of the gardener. Too often

the gardener's needs are overlooked as a part of the equation.

He believes children should learn vegetables come from a garden

and not a grocery store. A handful of seeds can literally transform

a backyard into a living work of art that you can eat. If that isn't

magical, he doesn’t know what is.

Jennifer Prock, Décor Gold Designs www.decorgolddesigns.comJennifer was born in the Bay Area in northern California. While

a teenager, her family moved to Oklahoma. There she attended

Oklahoma State University and received a bachelor of science

degree in Interior Design. She moved to Texas for the first time in

the late 1990s. Shortly thereafter, she began a decorative painting

business which she owned for nearly a decade. From 2006 through

2012, Jennifer lived in Orange County as well as on Oahu, Maui

and Kauai. Jennifer is active in golden retriever rescue and

contributes her spare time helping to care for and assist in the well-

being of senior goldens. Most recently, her passion has centered

around photography. In May 2015, she launched her Instagram

account, @decorgold. She has been humbled and grateful with the

pace of growth the account has been able to sustain. Knowing that

the next step in the process was a design and decor website and

blog, in February 2016, Jennifer launched decorgolddesigns.com.

A bit of trivia: the name of the website is the combination of her

passion for decorating and golden retrievers.

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Stephanie Rose, Garden Therapy www.gardentherapy.caStephanie Rose is the creator of Garden Therapy, which started as a

personal blog and has bloomed into a rich idea bank of crafty garden

projects for creative home gardeners, therapy gardens, and educational

programs. She began writing to log her garden therapy journey

while recovering from a sudden and debilitating illness, and she soon

connected with others who also used gardening as therapy. Later, she

shifted the blog to focus on DIY healthy living, gardening, and craft

projects. Garden Therapy now contains more than 700 diverse projects

with step-by-step tutorials to ensure that gardening is accessible to

everyone. Stephanie writes for BHG.com, eBay, and Evermine and

contributes to print magazines like Willow and Sage, Romantic Homes,

Country Woman, All You, and Women’s Day. Garden Therapy was

recently named one of Better Homes and Gardens Top 10 Gardening Blogs. Stephanie’s first book, Garden

Made: A Year of Seasonal Projects to Beautify Your Garden and Your Life was published in 2015 and

showcases more than 40 down-to-earth ideas for garden crafts and more. She lives in Vancouver, BC, where

she works full-time as a writer, photographer, influencer, and artist. As a Master Gardener, she volunteers

with a school-to-farm program that teaches inner-city children how to grow and cook their own food.

Nancy Wallace, Wallace Gardenswww.nancywallacegardens.comNancy is the founder of Wallace Gardens, a residential garden design

business located in the Atlanta-metro area, specializing in custom

container gardens, garden design plans, and landscape renovation

services. When the world economy went into an unimaginable

downturn in 2008, Nancy's seven-year co-ownership of an award-

winning garden boutique suddenly became an unprofitable enterprise.

Nancy's small-business recession story and how she coped with

hardship was captured in two separate interviews on National Public

Radio in 2008 and 2009, like a retelling of the Phoenix. Wallace Gardens

is now a thriving garden design and installation business, collaborating

with clients, architects, and builders to achieve the ultimate landscape

concept. Sourcing beautiful and unusual plants is always part of the seasonal chase. Nancy personally

designs and installs approximately 175 container gardens in the spring and again in the fall for her repeat

clients. Wallace Gardens also provides weekly container garden maintenance services. She grew up in

northern California's Santa Cruz mountains, with a view of the Monterey Bay and the California redwoods.

She is now anchored to a garden (and home) in the state of Georgia with a partner she refers to as The Italian,

where they cook together and discuss politics over the kitchen table with their favorite bottle of wine.

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Max Wastler, All Plaidoutwww.allplaidout.comMax Wastler is a writer, photographer, clothing designer,

and television show host based in Chicago. With a decade of

experience in the apparel world, working as a designer, producer,

and traveling salesperson, Max has helped many of America's

best-known manufacturers to share their stories in the ever-

evolving digital world. He was the co-host of the web series,

Made Right Here, presented by Maxwell House Coffee, and he is

currently the Cultural Bloodhound for Basil Hayden's Bourbon,

traveling the country to share stories on basilhaydens.com of

folks who make products in much the same way Basil Hayden's is

made: small batch, handcrafted, American made.

Kristy Wickswww.kristywicks.comKristy loves and appreciates all that is beautiful in life. Her

family has lived all over the world, and while traveling as a flight

attendant for more than 17 years, she has developed a deep

appreciation for meeting new people, learning about different

cultures, and searching for interesting stories. She writes because

she loves to do it, and she’s fascinated by the challenges of

bringing together the right mixture of colors, textures and lighting

to make the perfect “styling or vignette” and then expressing

that beauty through photographing, editing and finally telling

the story. Little did she know, her posts would attract more than

166,000 Instagram followers. Aside from the KristyWicks.com blog,

she is first and foremost a wife, mother and a proud member of a

large, "albeit competitive family" who lives for get-togethers, cook-

offs and mass amounts of game playing whenever possible.

20 #Garden2Grow2016

Monica Willis, Modern Farmerwww.modernfarmer.comA food and travel writer, location producer, and stylist based in

New York City and Nashville, Monica Michael Willis is currently

the editor-at-large at Modern Farmer magazine as well as a

contributing senior editor-digital strategist for The Foundry @ Time

Inc. The former features director at Country Living, Willis served as

a contributing editor at Gardener magazine and Bobvila.com, and

has written for Martha Stewart Living, HGTV Magazine, Everyday

with Rachael Ray, Real Simple, Parent & Child, and Family Fun,

among others. She sits on the board of directors of the Lotus

Garden, a 30-year-old nonprofit community garden on the roof of

a parking garage on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Brett Youmans, Green Thumb White Apronwww.greenthumbwhiteapron.comSome of Brett’s earliest childhood memories are of sitting on his

Southern grandmother’s counter while she let him “help.” Or

digging in the dirt in his grandfather’s garden learning lessons that

he still uses today. Eating what his garden produces makes him

feel more connected to the food he grows and inspires him to be a

better cook. In his home on the web, Green Thumb | White Apron,

he shares gardening tips, craft ideas, flavorful garden-to-table

recipes, and the daily life of his chickens though the Chicken Cam,

a live, HD streaming video feed.

Trudy www.pallensmith.comOur official hostess and resident equine, Miss Trudy, grew up on

an Amish farm pulling a cart before settling down here at Moss

Mountain Farm. She loves meeting guests, adores the camera, and

enjoys spending most days grazing with her boyfriend Moose.

Often, she can be persuaded to take just about anyone on a

carriage ride in exchange for a bit of sweet crunchy apple.

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Beth MarshallBeth Marshall is the Associate Brand Manager for Gardner's Edge.

A homegrown gardener, her love of gardening and nature began as

a child growing up with a grandfather who was an avid gardener and

outdoorsman. She was fascinated with the over-sized vegetables he

would grow, and the contraptions he would invent to assist keeping

them watered and supported. He had many friends in the small town

they lived in that allowed him to take her and her brothers mushroom

hunting in their woods, and fishing on their country farms.

This lifestyle of sharing and learning about gardening, enjoying the

outdoors and cooking is a tradition she continues. She persistently

looks for new ways to improve her gardening experience with new products and methods. Her

free time is often spent with her 3 year old granddaughter, teaching her about gardening and

cooking. Beth is currently involved setting up a new garden located on site at A.M. Leonard. Her

hope is this will be a place for employees to become more connected with the products sold by

Gardener’s Edge while they get involved and learn and share their gardening experiences. This

new garden will also provide a testing grounds to vet new products being considered for addition

to the A.M. Leonard and Gardener’s Edge Brand.

Dara BarclayDara Barclay is a Marketing Coordinator for Gardener’s Edge, and

a gardening novice who is taking on her first year of gardening

with her husband. Growing up, her grandmother grew a variety of

vegetables, and many tomatoes. She spent countless summer days

helping her mother and grandmother water and tend to the garden.

Then, eventually lending a hand with canning produce in the kitchen.

Dara’s father nurtured her love of animals through various 4-H and

FFA projects by helping her raise rabbits, pigs, turkeys and dairy

feeders for the yearly county fair. Chickens are also a staple for Dara’s

family, and they often have to sell eggs to family and friends to make

room for more! Over the years the backyard was also home to several goats and two rescued

miniature donkeys. After studying agricultural communication at The Ohio State University

she found a start (and home) at A.M. Leonard, the parent company for Gardener’s Edge. Dara

cherishes her childhood memories and plans to make new gardening memories with her husband,

and re-learn the art of canning!

#GardenersEdge #AMLeonard

24 #Garden2Grow2016

Bonnie Plants began in 1918 in the backyard of Bonnie and

Livingston Paulk in the small Alabama town of Union Springs.

The company has grown to be a national wholesaler with more

than 70 greenhouse locations around the country, providing

vegetables, herbs and flowers to more than 15,000 feed stores,

independent nurseries and home improvement retailers.

Customers recognize our exclusive biodegradable peat pots,

family history and commitment to quality plants.

Lois ChaplinLois Trigg Chaplin is the Director of Marketing for Bonnie Plants and a lifelong

vegetable and herb gardener. She began gardening as a child by the force

of fate and a little help from dad after moving to the piney woods of North

Florida from her native, and very urban, Havana, Cuba. Wonderful gardening

experiences led to the study of horticulture and entomology in Gainesville,

Florida (Univ. of Fla.), where an insect accompanies every plant. After her first

career as garden editor of Southern Living magazine (13 years), she went solo

for 20 years, communicating gardening in print, web, TV, and on stage for

companies, publications, and garden brands. She is also author of multiple

books, including the best-selling Southern Gardener’s Book of Lists. In 2009,

her work with client Bonnie Plants led to the position that she has now and

the wonderful opportunity to help others grow vegetables and herbs through

brand outreach at Bonnie Plants.

Amanda DavisAmanda Davis is in charge of all things social for Bonnie Plants. As a child, she

longed to spend time in her grandfather’s summer garden, but was thwarted

by his “no kids” policy. Having joined Bonnie’s marketing team in 2013, she’s

since devoted herself to figuring out her garden style and soaking up loads

of garden wisdom (in addition to her many online duties). Amanda is a 2011

graduate of Auburn University with a degree in public relations, and she

actually attended the school’s first-ever course on social media. When she’s not

snapping Instagram photos or tweeting her heart out, you’ll probably find her

cooking, reading, or hanging out with her husband, Clark—and, sometime in

September, their newborn baby!

#BonniePlants

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Kim HarruffKimberly Harruff is the Director of Bonnie Plants’ 3rd Grade Cabbage Program.

Her grandmother, “Momma Mae,” had such a beautiful yard that traffic would

literally stop so people could admire it. Momma Mae got her granddaughter

involved in the art of growing early in life, making Kim act as lookout while she

rustled fruit from pepper plants for seed during visits to Callaway Gardens (in

Pine Mountain, Georgia). The garden bug firmly planted, Kim went on to earn

a degree in environmental biology with a focus in botany. After graduation,

she acquired the nickname “Swampstomper,” thanks to her work advising

landowners on the best native plants to help improve their wetland areas. Kim

joined Bonnie Plants in 2012 and now oversees the annual delivery of nearly

a million cabbage plants to students in over 12,300 elementary schools in 48

states. She also manages the yearly contest in which each state selects a $1,000

prize winner, and works with schools to honor each child’s accomplishment.

Su Reid-St.JohnSu Reid-St. John is the Marketing Producer for Bonnie Plants. An enthusiastic

vegetable and herb gardener, she has fond childhood memories of helping

her grandfather harvest vegetables from his enormous garden, then later

viewing with awe the groaning shelves of canned produce from that harvest in

her grandmother’s root cellar. Partly in an attempt to make them proud, she

became a Master Gardener in 2013. Before she came to Bonnie, Su, a Vermont

native, worked as an editor for Health and Cooking Light magazines, and for

Sharecare.com, a health information website. She is delighted to have found

yet another way – and, she thinks, the best one yet -- to help teach people

about living healthy. This includes her 8-year-old daughter, Zoe, who has been

known to nibble growing bunches of red lettuce to nubs if Mama looks away

long enough. Su also plays “Mama” to three friendly hens, one of whom left

Garden 2 Blog in 2013 as a fertilized egg!

Byron FordByron Ford is Bonnie’s “web guy” and vice president of the Shelby County, AL

Master Gardeners to boot. He’s passionate about the internet and is always

thinking about ways to bring tech and dirt together in a way that makes sense.

Before coming on full-time with Bonnie Plants, Byron, who has a BFA from

Auburn University, was co-founder of a Birmingham-based software company,

and has also been part of several web and marketing teams that have made

great things happen. When he’s not bouncing between browsers and servers,

Byron, with help from his wife Christie, stays busy ripping up the front yard for

the family vegetable garden and watching their three boys learn about where

food comes from – and, hopefully, changing those chicken nugget-loving palates

to ones that crave all things fresh and homegrown!

26 #Garden2Grow2016

From its beginnings over 15 years ago, the approach has been simple; bridge design and functionality

into every one of our products. From classic to contemporary styles we have products that fit every

landscape and color ranges that inspire. Crescent Garden offers easy to install lawn and garden

products that are lightweight, durable and come with a warranty. Come grow with us.

Paula DouerAfter growing up in the family’s plastics business, Paula and her husband

Harry Tchira founded Crescent Garden over 15 years ago. With her

manufacturing background and their desire to cultivate the Lawn and

Garden market, their venture has bloomed into the trend setting business it is

today. Paula gets a majority of her inspiration for new products and designs

working in the trendy Miami Design District and residing with her husband

Harry and two seedlings, Gabrielle and Joseph, in stylish Miami Beach.

#CrescentGarden #HuntingCrescent

Barbara Wise As a seasoned veteran in the horticulture industry, Barbara Wise

joined Crescent Garden in 2015 to be a Sales Rep for the Ohio Valley

area and to assist in growing their social media presence. During

her career as a commercial landscaper and nurseryman, Barbara’s

passion for creative yet functional garden design led her to becoming a

nationally known speaker for container gardening and to write her first

book “Container Gardening For All Seasons” (Quartos Publishing). Her

transition to sales and marketing with Crescent Garden was a natural

one when she realized how many of the beautiful planters in her

power-point presentations over the years had been Crescent planters!

As a garden writer, Barbara has written for Tennessee Gardener,

Nashville House, Home, and Garden, and several industry related

publications. She enjoys using her one-acre home in Brentwood, TN

as a trial garden for new plants on the market, traveling with her

husband, visiting her four grown sons and her grandchildren, and

coming to Moss Mountain Farm whenever she gets the opportunity.

#CrescentGarden #HuntingCrescent

27

28 #Garden2Grow2016

Our company was founded on the idea that gardening products should be effective, easy to use and

ecologically responsible. As parents and seasoned gardeners, we aim to create products that not only help

yield beautiful, lush landscapes but are safe for children to handle and sustainability produced so as to

prevent harm to the planet we’ll one day pass on to them.

Alva HortonAlva grew up on the Outer Banks of North Carolina where she was

mesmerized from a young age with her grandmother’s green thumb

– growing award winning roses in sand is no small feat! Fascinated

by color and the act of creating beautiful spaces both outside and in;

she continued her design journey through obtaining undergraduate

degrees in Interior Architecture and Studio Art with a later MA in

Architectural History. After which, she spent several years in Northern

England as a marketing director for a rather eccentric (but never boring)

Interior Designer. Returning to the South; Alva began her own firm,

Gingham Creative, a little over 2 years ago and since has worked with

creative industries from Egypt to LA. Having met Suzy at an event and

instantaneously admiring her vivacious personality, her adventure

with GOOD DIRT began in late 2015. The opportunity to nurture this

particular brand’s digital footprint is already one of the best experiences

of her career thus far and working alongside Al and Suzy is nothing short

of pure joy. Currently Alva is in the midst of cultivating four different

varieties of Lavender and attempting to create a "Bohemian" feel in the

back yard of her downtown Durham home, but first - more coffee please!

#GoodDirt

29

Al NewsomAl grew up in North Carolina spending time with two grandfathers. One

was a farmer and one an avid gardener. From early on, it was clear

gardening was in his DNA. He started doing yardwork for neighbors at

the age of thirteen and by the time he was fifteen, he contracted with

a home builder to maintain the lawns of their newly built homes until

they sold. He went to North Carolina State University and majored

in Horticulture, all the while thinking that one day he would have his

own nursery. But, soon he discovered he liked the creative aspect of

gardening and started his own design-build landscape firm while still

a senior in college. The company grew over the next 16 years and

he added a retail store named “The City Gardener”, selling garden

accessories and furniture, and also representing 50+ artists who specialized in garden art. Eventually

Al sold his company and as a result, has spent the last 16 years working with Ball Seed Company,

introducing new plant varieties to the trade and developing marketing programs and strategies for

growers. Gardening and horticulture are not his only passions. He also loves to experience live music,

both local and national, as much as possible. He also caught the Outsider Art fever several years ago

and has a curated wonderful collection of works. Loving the art of cultivating friendships most of all,

GOOD DIRT was born in order to connect with people on a larger scale.

Suzy NewsomSuzy was born in Brazil and moved to San Antonio, Texas in 1989. She

studied international business and marketing at Georgetown University

and then spent 12 years working for a medical device manufacturer. As

the Director of international sales, she travelled extensively throughout

Latin America, Europe and Asia. Prior to her move to Raleigh in

1995, Suzy was living, working, and studying in France. She took an

intentional break from the corporate world to start a family when she

met her husband Al & simultaneously began seeking new ventures that

were creative in nature but would also embrace her new family life. In

2014, the idea of GOOD DIRT began to blossom and the product came

to market last fall. Since childhood Suzy has had a love for nature, animals and a respect for the Earth.

She is passionate about her children, tending her garden, entertaining, meeting new people, traveling

& studying new cultures. Just as importantly, she strives to give back to the community. Near and

dear to her heart are organizations that promote gardening as an escape for at-risk youth and for the

mentally ill. It is her hope that younger generations learn about the beauty of life through cultivating

gardens either on the farm or in the city, one plant at a time.

#GoodDirt

30 #Garden2Grow2016

Sakata has been breeding and producing seed of innovative vegetable varieties for

many years – over 100, in fact! Some of the company’s earliest breakthroughs are

still popular today; and, many of their new offerings like Jalafuego jalapeñopeppers

and Peppermint Swiss chard are fast becoming mainstays in the home garden.

Nevertheless, they are not content to rest – that’s why they are so excited to

introduce their new lineup, including Tiger collard and Majestic Red pepper.

To ensure their home garden product line offers the finest in flavor, disease

resistance, wide adaptability and early maturity, Sakata Home Grown selects the

best of the best from Sakata’s worldwide breeding locations. In addition, their focus

is on varieties that work for a range of regions, seasons and end-use.

Seeds of Sakata Home Grown vegetable varieties can be found via mail-order seed

catalogs and on retail seed racks, and plants of their varieties can be purchased in

many garden centers. Plus, shoppers can find produce of Sakata varieties at farms

stands and at grocery stores (FYI: Broccolini® was bred by Sakata). And, you might

be surprised to know, Sakata is the Broccoli King! 70% of the world’s broccoli has

been bred by Sakata. One other thing, none of their offerings, either flowers or

vegetables, are Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) products. From the garden to

the table, Sakata Home Grown vegetables are sure to garner rave reviews!

Sakata Home Grown is headquartered in Morgan Hill, CA.

#HomeGrown #SunPatiens

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Tracy LeeTracy Lee is the Product Development & Marketing Manager for Sakata

Seed America’s Home Grown division. Tracy started life right here in

Arkansas, then moved to the coastal low country of SC. There she grew up

helping her Nana plant cockscomb and shell peas from her grandfather’s

sandy garden (although her favorite activity was thumping the fruit

on his watermelon plants). She headed to Clemson University to study

Architecture, using her extra classes for a minor in Landscape Architecture.

After graduation she worked on projects for the South Carolina Botanical

Garden and quickly realized she wanted a more hands-on relationship

with the plants. So, back to Clemson she went to get her graduate degree

in horticulture. Tracy has since spent over 17 years in the vegetable and

flower industry, first at Park Seed Company in SC, then at W. Atlee Burpee

in Bucks County, PA. After coming to Sakata over 6 years ago, she decided

to trade her substantial suburban shade garden for an urban setting.

Now in a center-city Philadelphia rowhouse, Tracy plants a slew of edibles

(and a few ornamentals) in her tight little back yard and on her bright,

sunny roof deck. An avid foodie and cook, Tracy most enjoys being at the

beginning of the supply chain to bring the latest and greatest vegetables

to market. She is almost fanatical about ensuring Sakata focuses on flavor,

disease resistance, wide adaptability, early maturity–all essential for the

home gardener!

Alecia TroyAlecia Troy is the Senior Marketing Manager for Sakata Seed America’s

Vegetable and Flower divisions. A second-generation native to the bay

area of California, Alecia knows she’s quite spoiled with fantastic year-

round gardening weather and tries to take advantage of it at every

turn. Alecia always considered herself a very happy flower gardener.

However, upon joining Sakata, she quickly realized she’d been missing

out on the joys of vegetable gardening. Still a relative newbie to the

veggie territory, she relies on knowledgeable Sakata Home Grown guru

Tracy Lee for guidance and encouragement. Alecia has over 25 years

of experience in the wholesale vegetable and flower industry and has

been with Sakata for nearly four years. Alecia manages, coordinates and

implements vegetable and flowers marketing communications plans and

activities in the U.S.

#HomeGrown #SunPatiens

32 #Garden2Grow2016

Easy Gardener, a manufacturer and distributor of garden products, has been in business since 1983 and

sells to the top retailers both domestically and internationally. Its brands include Easy Gardener, WeedBlock,

Ross, Jobe’s and Jobe’s Organics. Easy Gardner’s newest hit product line is the Jobe’s Organics granular, the

most successful launch in the company’s history. Please join us for an interesting session in bioremediation,

organics and solutions for the Baby Boomers. We will provide some really interesting facts and figures and

move into a fun interactive, hands-on session that is sure to be informative and memorable.

James HerrmannJames Herrmann is the new Vice President of Marketing for the Jobe’s

Company and a novice gardener working towards his master gardener

certification. He has spent most of his career working in the Agriculture

industry in various aspects from animal feeds to all-natural insecticides. In

his various roles he has worked to combine cutting edge technology while

preserving product heritage. Now at the Jobe’s Company he is continuing to

integrate his reverence for company heritage with innovate technologies. In

his short time with the company he has introduced a new website, updated

product packaging and worked to introduce new organic products into the

Jobe’s Organics line. Throughout his career he has helped to launch and

promote new products and brands but he especially enthusiastic about the

potential of the Jobe’s Organics line of products.

Martin Rainey In 1993 Martin began his career in the Lawn and Garden Industry working

for a small DIY retailer. In 1997, he relocated to Florida where Martin was

the Garden Department Manager at The Home Depot for both the inside and

outside garden. Following his new found gardening products passion, he

was hired by the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company where he worked for 11 years

in various sales and business development roles. In 2011, Martin left Scotts

and went to work for Oldcastle managing their lawn and garden national

business at Lowe’s. He recently joined Easy Gardener Products as the

Director of Product Development and will be relocating to Waco, TX in the

coming months.

#Jobes

#StargazerBarn

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Some might call Humboldt County a dreary place. Roughly five hours north of sunny San Francisco, it

touches the Pacific coastline, shelters a forest of Redwoods and habitually wears a cloak of fog and clouds.

Ironically, these conditions make it the ideal place to plant fields of bright tulips, irises and stunning Oriental

and hybrid lilies. Stargazer Barn put down roots in Humboldt California recently and now ships its bounty

across the country, delighting recipients with fresh, gorgeous blooms straight from the farm.

The barn also serves as a gathering place for growers, makers and artisans who share a

dedication to quality. The flowers are grown on the edge of the ocean, and a

vintner grows grapes in the mountains, 30 miles inland.

Few people know the Stargazer Lily was bred by Dr. Leslie Woodruff where the barn sits,

so its name is an homage to that amazing lily, says Bill Prescott. He tells the story

behind its discovery and gives some insight into the flower field’s daily operations.

Bill PrescottBill Prescott is the Marketing Communication Associate for the Sun Valley

Floral Farm in Arcata, California. Sun Valley is the largest flower farm in the

United States. Mr. Prescott has written the “Flower Talk with Lily“ blog for Sun

Valley weekly for the last three years, and manages all aspects of their social

media platform. Mr. Prescott is also frequent contributor to the Huffington

Post, usually writing about flowers and flower trends. He sits on the promotion

committee of the California Cut Flower Commission, and the Board of Directors

of Humboldt Made, as well as running www.prescottdesigns.com , his social

media consulting business. Mr. Prescott’s his latest project is the www.

StargazerBarn.com e-commerce website which brings the best farm fresh

flowers, small batch wines and artisanal delights to connoisseurs across the

United States. Stargazer Barn recently partnered with P. Allen Smith, to share

their wonderful flowers with the P Allen Smith community.

#Jobes

#StargazerBarn

34 #Garden2Grow2016

“We believe in people and the drive not only to survive, but to live

with dignity and achieve great things. We also believe that honest,

fair and efficient commerce can fuel great, positive change.”

An international company, proudly based in Arkansas, Westrock’s strength is their

people. The coffee roasting and packaging facility is located in North Little Rock, their

trading desks are in Europe, and origin export facilities are in Rwanda and Tanzania.

Westrock works with smallholder farmers around the globe to create

some of the finest coffees in the world. Westrock is committed to creating

great coffee from crop to cup. By operating at each level of the coffee supply chain,

Westrock offers complete transparency to consumers and fair, honest

trade to their farmer partners. In turn, the partnerships impact the farmers,

their families and their entire communities. Learn more at WestrockCoffee.com.

Tori CochranTori Cochran is the Director of Green Coffee and Certified Q Grader at Westrock

Coffee Company. She believes that Westrock Coffee is unique because of its direct

partnerships with employees at origin and feels honored to work hand-in-hand

with Westrock’s farmer partners.

Coffee of choice: Westrock’s Roaster’s Choice

#WestRockCoffee

35

Elizabeth McLaughlinElizabeth McLaughlin wears many hats as the Executive Vice President of Sales

& Marketing for Westrock Coffee. She feels blessed to work for an organization

whose goal is to help make life better for those in less privileged places who are

willing to work hard.

Coffee of choice: Westrock’s Meza Morning Blend

Tori GayTori Gay is the Marketing Manager at Westrock Coffee Company. She is

passionate about working for a company that goes the extra mile to do what will

create real change while also empowering all who are involved to do their best

work.

Coffee of choice: Westrock’s Rwanda Select Reserve Dark Roast

Tim Greulich Tim Greulich is the Senior Manager of Sales and Marketing at Westrock Coffee

Company.

His passion for Westrock Coffee comes from knowing that each bag or box of

coffee sold is making a difference for someone, somewhere.

Coffee of choice: Westrock’s Rwanda Ngoma

Peter GuerinPeter Guerin is the Director of Blend & Product Development and Certified Q

Grader (Coffee Taster Level II) at Westrock Coffee Company. What drives him is

the fact that through Westrock he has the opportunity to make an impact in the

lives of people around world.

Coffee of choice: Westrock’s Rwanda Select Reserve Light Roast

#WestRockCoffee

Special Thanks!

John Mayner with Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau

Arkansas Parks and Tourism

J Schwanke with uBloom

Kelly James Blank with Blank Art and Design

Ben E. Keith Co.

37

Staff

Staff Tab

39

A few of the people who made this happen:

Head CheeseP. Allen Smith

Master Marketer Mike Mueller

Keeper of the Head CheeseLaura Leech

Emissary to Our PartnersBeth Porter

Mr. ManagerLaura Grimes

Social ButterflyHeaven Mercer

The Creative MindsKatherine Laughlin, Katie Lunsford

DeMandyMandy Shoptaw

Word SmithMelissa Tucker

Guard of the CoffersPam Holden

ShutterbugMark Fonville

Photography HoarderSuzanne Selby

Scottish AmbassadorJames Sumpter

Hucksters of Fine GoodsShannon Lloyd, Chance Slaughter

The Man Who Makes the Internet WorkTodd Orr

Makers of Video MagicBrent Walker, Christie Kratz, Patrick Green, Chip Simons, Heaven Mercer, Jeff Cerino

Green Thumb GoddessJeanetta Darley

Garden Task MasterNicole Claas

Garden DesignersMary Talbot, Caleb Melchoir

Farm SentinelsJoyce Smith, Chris Smith

Hortus, Ltd. is an integrated media and marketing

services company that operates across a broad

spectrum of lifestyle topics. Our brand is rooted

in the garden and the land, but in the last few

years has organically evolved to encompass the

following themes: outdoor living and design,

interior design, homebuilding, food and cooking,

entertaining, pets and animals and agriculture

and farming. As a company, we help to create the

content that is sent out every day – from Allen’s

television shows to online articles, book publication

to guest appearances. The company includes

broadcast, digital and print publications and sales

and marketing strategy development. It is the

partnership of each of these branches that helps

bring P. Allen Smith to consumers worldwide every

day. The online segment produces PAllenSmith.

com and its microsites and manages all social

media accounts while the publication segment

develops content for books, e-books and the

countless number of retail and trade magazine

articles. The broadcasting segment is made up of

our production crew, a hard-working team that

captures and directs all video footage, and our

editors, whose skills produce three weekly national

television programs, segments for news programs,

commercials, tips and both of our eHow shows.

And the marketing segment designs packaging,

promotional and advertising materials and the

licensing of various trademarks. Together we take

the experience and skill of P. Allen Smith and

deliver it to our viewers each day.

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Brought to you by P. Allen Smith Garden Home in partnership with:

#Garden2Grow2016