By JEFF BURBRINK
Extension Educator
Purdue Extension Elkhart County

Jeff Burbrink

GOSHEN — Maybe it’s the cold weather or the lack of green outside, but I am feeling nostalgic right now. It started with some unexpected emotions when I drove past the old Troyer Seed Company building in Goshen. I had memories of Vern and Vicky Stroman and family working hard, giving advice, selling plants and everything that helped them grow.

The pining did not stop there. Nearly everyone in Elkhart has a story about Mike Maloney, the larger-than-life proprietor of Martin’s Pet and Garden, who trained thousands of people to have a green thumb, a man who always remembered your name and your family’s names.   

Steve and Jack at Kruse Farm Supply near Bristol, and Sue, Kim and Adele at McIntosh Garden Center south of Goshen were equally known for their wisdom on all thing’s plants, pets and outdoors. The legendary Krider Nursey in Middlebury not only supplied residents with quality plants, they also constructed and exhibited a gardening exhibition at the 1933-34 World’s Fair in Chicago, and pioneered mail order plant sales well before the internet. Tom Yoder, long time manager at Everett’s Garden Center, was another wealth of knowledge in the Goshen area.

I truly miss these family-owned businesses, known for quality products, and quality advice. The family members and long-term employees knew their stuff, and you went there because you trusted them.

We hear a lot these days about buying local, whether its food, supplies or services. I think there is a good case to make for buying your garden supplies locally, too. I won’t lie. Those box stores can offer savings, but they often have no one there with the knowledge if you need advice.

Think about the questions you’ve had when shopping for garden supplies. When should you plant your bulbs? How much fertilizer should I buy? What are these spots on my leaves? Is this bug harming my plant? Garden centers that are locally owned and operated, and are in that business year-round, have a stake in your future success.

Another issue is quality. The quality of the plants is often poor at box stores and would be an embarrassment to local garden shop owners. Frankly, there is more to selling plants than keeping them watered. Displaying plants on hot asphalt parking lots does not instill trust in most people who know a quality plant when they see one.

We still have a few locally owned garden centers left, and I would encourage you to visit them often. Take advantage of the sites, the smells and the knowledge in these settings, and let them know you appreciate their talents. Better yet, make it a family outing, and teach your children and grandchildren that not all things need to be bought on the internet or in a superstore.