Keeping It Green

Join the Keeping It Green team as they chat with one of Penn State Extension’s newest hires, Patricia Prade. She studied forestry within the Brazilian university system with no interest in insects—until something changed. We'll explore what sparked her newfound fascination, her research on the invasive Brazilian pepper tree in Florida, and the role of classical biological control in managing invasive species.

Episode Hosts/Speakers:

Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host) 

Sandy Feather, Penn State Extension (host)

Patricia Prade, Penn State Extension

Picture credit: Marcelo Vitorino 

Keeping It Green has an email: [email protected]
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode? Want more information on something we talked about? Send us your questions and comments, or just say hello! We would love to hear from you!

Check out Penn State Extension's Green Industry Team website!

Join the Keeping It Green team as they chat with Tom Bechtel, owner and CEO of Heritage Lawn and Landscape. Tom shares insights into the wide range of services his company provides across three counties in south-central Pennsylvania. He also delves into his strategies for building a strong workforce, focusing on employee retention through education and empowerment. Plus, discover how a chance meeting with Canadian provincial foresters in Algonquin Provincial Park sparked Tom's lifelong passion for horticulture.

Episode Hosts/Speakers:  
Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host) 

Tim Abbey, Penn State Extension (host)

Tom Butzler, Penn State Extension (host)

Sandy Feather, Penn State Extension (host)

Tom Bechtel, owner and CEO of Heritage Lawn and Landscape 

Keeping It Green has an email: [email protected]
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode? Want more information on something we talked about? Send us your questions and comments, or just say hello! We would love to hear from you!

Check out Penn State Extension's Green Industry Team website!

Join us as Alyssa shares her journey in horticulture, which began with childhood greenhouse visits alongside her great-grandmother. In this episode, she talks about how her passion blossomed through school, eventually leading her to study horticulture at Penn College. Alyssa's career took root at Hershey Gardens, where she started as the Children’s Garden caretaker and, over 15 years, grew into the role of Horticultural Manager. Now, she oversees popular spaces like the Rose, Sensory, and Japanese gardens and leads a partnership with Penn State, testing new plants at Hershey Gardens.

Episode Hosts/Speakers:
Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host) 

Tom Butzler, Penn State Extension (host)

Alyssa Hagerman, horticultural manager at Hershey Gardens 

Photo credit: Tom Butzler, Penn State Extension

Keeping It Green has an email: [email protected]
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode? Want more information on something we talked about? Send us your questions and comments, or just say hello! We would love to hear from you!

Check out Penn State Extension's Green Industry Team website!

In this episode, we chat with Andrew Bunting, vice president of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). Andrew discusses the history of PHS and its four main priorities: creating healthy living environments, increasing access to fresh food, expanding economic opportunity, and building meaningful social connections. He also reviews some of their major programs, such as the Gold Medal Plants and the Philadelphia Flower Show. Most intriguing is their vacant lot program. This initiative uses gardening and landscaping to clean, green, and maintain vacant lots in 13,000 lots to develop green spaces in urban areas. PHS partners with contractors and community groups to turn vacant lots into public green spaces, creating lasting benefits such as improved mental health.

Episode Hosts/Speakers:
Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host) 

Tim Abbey, Penn State Extension (host)

Andrew Bunting, Vice President of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Association 

Photo credit: Pennsylvania Horticulture Society

Keeping It Green has an email: [email protected]
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode? Want more information on something we talked about? Send us your questions and comments, or just say hello! We would love to hear from you!

Check out Penn State Extension's Green Industry Team website!

In this episode, we sit down with Jennifer Shaffer, Director of the Organic Land Care Program at the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA). Jennifer discusses how NOFA's mission of sustainable farming extends to their Organic Land Care Program, which aims to bring organic farming principles to landscapes. This program is designed for landscaping professionals and offers the only internationally recognized accreditation for organic land care. Jennifer shares insights into how the program educates land care providers on organic practices and sets industry standards, and highlights the program’s expansion from the Northeast to regions across the United States, including the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest.

Episode Hosts/Speakers:             Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host) 

Tim Abbey, Penn State Extension (host)

Jennifer Shaffer, Director of the Organic Land Care Program at the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA)

Caption –  Photo: Tim Abbey, Penn State

Keeping It Green has an email: [email protected]
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode? Want more information on something we talked about? Send us your questions and comments, or just say hello! We would love to hear from you!

Check out Penn State Extension's Green Industry Team website!

Join the Keeping It Green podcast as they explore the role of a generalist in horticulture education with Penn State extension horticulturist Emelie Swackhamer. For decades, Emelie has been helping farmers, growers, homeowners, and landscapers with plant issues. In this episode, she shares her expertise on problems like the spotted lanternfly and delves into the challenges facing our native beech tree, particularly beech leaf disease, including the life cycle of the disease and how nematodes are spread. The discussion expands to address invasive species, pondering how to deal with them amidst ongoing trade and the movement of firewood. Are we destined for constant invasions of pests in the future? The crew philosophizes on the topic, exploring potential solutions and the realities of invasive management. And how does Emelie pass the time during her long walks from Maine to Florida?

Episode Hosts/Speakers:  Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host) 

Sandy Feather, Penn State Extension (host)

Emelie Swackhamer, Penn State Extension 

Picture caption: Symptoms of beech leaf disease include darkening and thickening of the tissue between leaf veins that are most visible when viewed against the light sky. Photo: Emelie Swackhamer, Penn State 

Keeping It Green has an email: [email protected]
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode? Want more information on something we talked about? Send us your questions and comments, or just say hello! We would love to hear from you!

Check out Penn State Extension's Green Industry Team website!

Weeks of rain and several days of warm weather have sparked an array of color and growth in Pennsylvania's landscapes. On the latest episode of The Green Industry podcast, our team examines the changes in plant and insect life occurring statewide. We delve into the prevalence of invasive species and wonder if there is connection between the uptick in 'mulch volcanoes' and social media. 

Episode Hosts/Speakers:            
Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host) 

Tom Butzler, Penn State Extension (host)

Tim Abbey, Penn State Extension (host) 

Sandy Feather, Penn State Extension (host)

Caption – A mulch volcano around the trunk of a shade tree. Photo courtesy of Tom Butzler

Keeping It Green has an email: [email protected]
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode? Want more information on something we talked about? Send us your questions and comments, or just say hello! We would love to hear from you!

Check out Penn State Extension's Green Industry Team website!

Little Swatara Creek Flowers was born when Christine Williams decided to grow the flowers for her daughter's wedding on their family farm. This choice led to a shift, with cut flowers gradually taking over parts of the land traditionally dedicated to livestock and crops. Join us as we dive into how this business came to life, highlighting the importance of soil health and the knowledge Christine acquired to kickstart her journey into cut flower farming.

Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host)
Tom Butzler, Penn State Extension (host)
Christine Williams, owner of Little Swatara Creek Flowers

Image: Sunflowers are just one of the crops grown by Little Swatara Creek Flowers. Photo courtesy of Tom Butzler

Keeping It Green has an email: [email protected]
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode? Want more information on something we talked about? Send us your questions and comments, or just say hello! We would love to hear from you!

Check out Penn State Extension's Green Industry Team website!

The Green Industry podcast team jumps into mid-west horticulture with Michelle Catania, the Green Industry Outreach Coordinator at Morton Arboretum. This interview offers a journey through time, exploring the legacy of the Morton family, pivotal in the inception of Arbor Day and the establishment of the sprawling 1800-acre Morton Arboretum. The interview extends beyond the Morton family, exploring the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and its impact on urban soil. The discussion addresses challenges beyond Chicago's boundaries, focusing on the hurdles prairie soils pose in nurturing tree growth. And what does a boat anchor have to do with planting trees?

Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host)
Tim Abbey, Penn State Extension (host)
Michelle Catania, Morton Arboretum’s Green Industry Outreach Coordinator

Image: Urban soils can be tough on trees in cities throughout the US. Vinnie Cotrone, Penn State Extension

Keeping It Green has an email: [email protected]
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode? Want more information on something we talked about? Send us your questions and comments, or just say hello! We would love to hear from you!

Check out Penn State Extension's Green Industry Team website!

Join us as Art and Abe Van Wingerden delve into their upbringing within the greenhouse business their parents pioneered. What began as a modest venture has blossomed into a sprawling enterprise spanning 450 acres across two locations, complemented by over 50 grower partners. Their conversation ranges from labor dynamics, where they prioritize fostering a world-class employee experience, to their commitment to sustainability practices like water retention and innovative energy solutions (ever wondered how they heat the largest single-story building in the US?). They also discuss their decision-making process regarding crop selection, facilitated by public and private trial gardens, and a relationship with plant breeders and consumers. But it's not all business; basketball emerges as both a stress reliever and a way to strengthen family bonds.

Margaret Pickoff, Penn State Extension (host) 
Tim Abbey, Penn State Extension (host)
Art Van Wingerden, owners of Metrolina Greenhouses 
Abe Van Wingerden, owners of Metrolina Greenhouses

Image: Spring plants and hanging baskets are nearing readiness for shipment from Metrolina Greenhouses. The hanging baskets are currently undergoing automated watering on a conveyor system. Photo by Krystal Snyder

Keeping It Green has an email: [email protected]
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode? Want more information on something we talked about? Send us your questions and comments, or just say hello! We would love to hear from you!

Check out Penn State Extension's Green Industry Team website!