Hionis Greenhouses in Whitehouse Station , NJ , provided a acquisition experience for the third Eastern Produce Council ( EPC ) Leadership Class . The group toured the surgery ’s greenhouse facilities on October 5th and benefit from a seminar on leading by John Eric Jacobsen , a flight simulator with the Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education .
Tim Hionis ( far right ) explain greenhouse operations to the EPC group .
Tim Hionis , co - owner of Hionis , summarise the operation ’s three - decennium account , started by Hionis ’ father and mother ( Spiro and Angie ) and now execute by him and his three pal ( Pete , Spiro , and Gerry ) . “ My parent started with a one - acre greenhouse in 1985 , ” he said . “ We have now grown to two locations with a total of 15 acres under screening , producing a across-the-board variety of product year - round . ”
Andrew Hernandez of LGS condition out the retail coffee plant shipper .
Greater incorporation of the floral side of the produce clientele is one of EPC ’s aims . “ Florals and plant have become an increasingly crucial look of the produce department , ” order Susan McAleavey Sarlund , EPC Executive Director . “ We want more floral entity increasingly involved with our organization and the various sectors of our industry . Visiting Hionis was part of this integration plan . ”
In summation to the plentiful declension Chrysanthemum morifolium swamp the entire installation , EPC participants view greenhouse operation for succulents , poinsettias , and tropicals . The process also produce Easter flowering bulbs , spring bedding plants and annuals , and flowering basket . Hionis excuse the role of the operation ’s technology and peculiarly repoint out a new computerized automatonlike “ sticking machine ” used to plant un - rooted cuttings in seedling tray . “ This automobile has been a lifesaver for us this preceding year with the Labour Party shortage , ” he explained . “ Without this machine , my brothers and I would have been here all Nox doing this workplace . ”
Hionis also let the cat out of the bag about new selling chance for greenhouse mathematical product . “ We are look increased demand for succulents , ” he said . “ We have also started offer coffee plants which have become a novelty item . ”
Tim Hionis explains the single-valued function of the new machine to establish un - rooted cuttings in seedling tray .
Meeting people who exercise in all different parts of the produce domain is a fundamental benefit of the EPC ’s Leadership Class , noted Vena ’s Rose . “ I ’m used to what I see every day in my office at the produce market , ” she said . “ In our EPC class , there are citizenry who lot with deportation , or buying , or other aspects of the business . make an apprehension of what they deal with on a daily ground is helpful . It lay everything into view . ”
From Left to Right : John Eric Jacobsen , Rutgers ; Dylan Dembeck of Minkus Family Farms ; Michael Harwood of New York Apple Sales ; Frank Ciammaruconi of Wakefern ; Al Murray of the New Jersey Agricultural Society ; Tim Hionis , Hionis Greenhouses ; Susan McAleavey Sarlund of EPC ; Olga Welch of Rutgers ; Andrew Hernandez of LGS Specialty Sales ; Kelsey Rose of John Vena Inc. ; Phu Dinh of FreshPro .
For more information : Eastern Produce Council[email protected]www.easternproducecouncil.com
