The Vermont Plantsmen’s Association (VPA) was incorporated by the State of Vermont on March 10, 1964 as a non-profit organization. The plant industry in Vermont has matured in the 40-year existence of the Association. The VPA has developed along with it. It started when Fred Abbey, originator and owner of Gardenside Nursery in Shelburne, and Dr. Harrison Flint, Extension Ornamental Horticulturist at the University of Vermont when they had discussions in the early 1960’s regarding the possibility of a plantsmen’s organization.
Dr. Flint, wrote the following regarding the organization in the September, 1963 issue of Green Mountain Grower, an Extension Publication for the plant industry:
“At the 1963 Plantsmen’s Day, held August 15, a committee was formed from the floor to develop a commercial and professional plantsmen’s organization in Vermont. This organization could include such persons as commercial growers of ornamental plants and flowers, professional grounds maintenance personnel and suppliers and others with related interests.
The committee consists of George Brady, John Chapin, Albert Chappell, Neil Frink (chairman), Dana Halladay, H. Parks Holcomb and Dorothy Martinetti. This committee and two acting members, George Mitchell and Rodney Trevett, met August 29, will meet again September 26 and plan to have proposals as to Constitution and By-Laws ready for action at the general organizational meeting to be held November 10 in Burlington in conjunction with the 14th Annual Chrysanthemum Show of the Commercial Flower Growers of Vermont.
Possible member benefits of such an organization, as outlined by the committee, include group action toward desirable legislation, group insurance, group quantity purchasing and shipping, product promotion, consumer education, and generally better communication among plantsmen, especially concerning available surpluses. The committee is most anxious to have additional comment from would-be members of such an organization.”
Notice of the first meeting appearing in the Green Mountain Grower: January 28, 1964 - “The first annual meeting of Vermont Plantsmen’s Association, 2 p.m. In Horticultural Hall, Municipal Auditorium, Barre, Vermont, in conjunction with the Vermont Farm Show. Primary business: Election of officers and discussion of projects. To date 40 members have pledged dues for 1964. If you haven’t returned your pledge card, join this organization by doing it now.”
The History of The Vermont Plantsmen, by Lewis Hill
Lewis Hill of Greensboro wrote the following article in the 1991 winter issue of The Dirt, News Quarterly for The Vermont Plantsmen’s Association, Inc.:
“In the early 1960’s a small group of Vermont nurserymen began to discuss the need for a statewide organization. Vermont already had dairy, sheep, poultry, apple, maple, beekeeper, potato and other agricultural groups. Even several floral producers, such as the gladiolus growers, met regularly.
After three or four preliminary gatherings, with the help of Harrison Flint, Ornamental Horticulturist with the UVM Extension Service and several officials from the Vermont Department of Agriculture, the growers composed a set of bylaws and a statement of purpose. They held their first official meeting at the Vermont Farm Show in February, 1964, in the Barre auditorium. Because of the lack of space, and since no one took the new group very seriously, they were assigned a small room under the stage in the auditorium.
Some thirty nursery growers, greenhouse operators, and landscapers met in the hot, crowded quarters that day to listen to the plans of the organizers. They adopted the following statement of purpose: ‘The object of this organization shall be
for the purpose of improving the condition of floriculture and ornamental horticulture, and to help beautify the state with plants, through promotion, education, legislation, mutual benefits, and information of public interest’.
Most of the officers elected that day were growers who had been active in getting the association started. They were Fred Abbey, president; Lewis Hill, Greensboro, vice president; Richard Salter, Reading, executive secretary; and Richard Stevens, Springfield, treasurer. The executive committee consisted of H. Parks Holcomb, Marlboro; Marvin Carley, Brattleboro; and Grace Clark of Bristol. After much discussion, the name Vermont Plantsmen’s Association was chosen (feminists had not yet become active). To counteract the unpleasant dealings, the public had experienced with unscrupulous nursery salesmen and landscapers during the first half of the century, the group composed and adopted a code of ethics for their members.
As with other statewide organizations, the mileage from Newport to Brattleboro didn’t make it easy for the members to get together often, so the winter meeting was the main one held for many years. The varied interests of the members sometimes caused problems too. Landscapers felt they had little in common with greenhouse growers, and greenhouse growers claimed different challenges from those of nursery growers.
During those early years the group became better organized and grew rapidly during the 1960’s and 1970’s when several other plant oriented groups joined. Speakers tended to discuss mostly plant propagation and culture, with topics such as fertilizers, pest control, new varieties, as well as reports of experimental programs taking place at the University of Vermont. New fertilizers and chemicals for insect, disease and weed control were being introduced rapidly, and many of the topics dealt with their use. Membership increased as it became increasingly important for growers to keep informed, and both the meetings and newsletter, The Potting Bench, helped accomplish this.
Under the guidance of later Extension Horticulturists, first Norman Pellett, and presently, Leonard Perry, the group organized field trips to other New England states and to Canada, and began to hold twilight summer meetings at growers’ places of business. Meetings attracted exhibitors of both nursery plants and related products, and these added interest to the gatherings as well as financial help. The Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance service, successfully managed by first, Richard Salter, then Mary West for many years, also attracted new members.
Summer meetings at Lake Champagne (in Randolph Center) allowed members to enjoy Phil Hodgdon’s famous barbecues and offered a chance for members to get together, picnic and swap ideas and plants. The group also sponsored bus tours to nurseries and display gardens in New England and Canada. The spring flower show grew from small gatherings in Barre to many large, colorful exhibits in Burlington malls and also included educational lectures.”
First Executive Secretary. Richard (Dick) Salter of Reading, the first Executive Secretary serving for twenty years, was largely responsible for the management and programs of the Vermont Plantsmen’s Association. Dick wrote and distributed the newsletter named The Potting Bench. He instituted advertising by members and others in the publication to help defray the cost. He managed the finances, scheduled the meetings, contacted the speakers and kept the organization on track. He managed a Blue Cross/Blue Shield Health Insurance Program for members and employees families, collecting premiums, filing claims and keeping the records which allowed the organization’s members low-cost health insurance.
Dick helped organize and manage the annual flower shows held in various sites including the Barre Auditorium, St. Monica’s School in Barre, the Armory in Berlin, and the Burlington Auditorium. Dick represented the VPA on the Board of Directors of the New England Greenhouse Conference where he served as Hospitality Chairperson many times. He invited and strongly encouraged the various Vermont Secretaries of Agriculture and the Deans of the University of Vermont College of Agriculture to attend and speak at meetings.