By P.J. Heller Micah Hollinger remembers his grandfather saying how he survived his first few years in business “on love and turnips.” “That’s kind of been our motto,” says Hollinger, chief executive officer of Resource Recycling Inc., in Lima, Ohio. “We can make it on love and turnips, if nothing else.” Love, in this case, is his dedication and passion …
By SMPN When devastating floods swept through the Texas Hill Country in early July, claiming the lives of over 130 people, a wave of grief was quickly followed by controversy. Some blamed the tragedy on a cloud seeding operation that took place more than 100 miles away, pointing fingers at Rainmaker Technology Corporation and its CEO, Augustus Doricko. Though experts …
By P.J. Heller Little did Bill Gaston know when he landed a summer job while in high school with a tree surgeon company that more than five decades later, he would still be in the industry. “The first couple of days at work, when I saw these guys climb trees, I knew immediately I could do it,” he recalls. “It …
By P.J. Heller When Zach Brooks took a midlife sharp U-turn change in careers, he had a unique goal in mind. “We set out to create a fully off-the-grid sustainable farm where we turn sunshine, rainwater and other people’s garbage into food and shelter and improvements to the planet,” he says. “That was kind of our North Star.” Brooks laid …
By P.J. Heller Sam DeLullo enjoys getting out of the office now and then to visit and reconnect with customers he hasn’t seen for a while. “The most interesting thing I find is to see what’s changed over the course of the years,” says DeLullo. The same is certainly true for anyone who comes back to visit Woodbed Corp. (WOODBED …
By P.J. Heller At some point during the school year, students are usually taught about their state, including the official state flower, official state bird, official state tree and official state animal. What’s often missing from those classroom lessons is the official state soil. Yes, all 50 states have each selected an official soil that has special significance to it. …
By P.J. Heller When Mark Highland launched Organic Mechanics Soil Company in 2006, his focus was on offering “earth friendly” soil products. “There were no compost-based, peat-free potting soils on the market in 2006,” he recalls. “I saw that niche and went for it. Environmental sustainability is a core value at Organic Mechanics.” Since the launch of that first product …
By P.J. Heller For peat’s sake, look to Canada. That’s the message from the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA), especially when it comes to peatland science and restoration. “We’ve been recognized for our leadership, our environmental stewardship across the world,” says Asha Hingorani, president of the CSPMA, which represents more than a dozen horticultural peat moss producers in Canada …
By P.J. Heller Sales of consumer soil products are much more robust than previously believed, according to a recent survey commissioned by the Mulch & Soil Council. And projections from another survey paint a bright picture for 2024, especially with Gen Y (27-41) respondents saying they expected to spend more money and time on gardening than the previous year. The …
By P.J. Heller Brad Morgan followed the proverbial phrase, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” to create a successful business. In his case, though, the correct phrase would be, “When life gives you manure, make compost.” And that’s exactly what Morgan has been doing since 1996, when he and his father, Dale Morgan, launched Morgan Composting and its Dairy …
