The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers 2014 National Conference Oct. 19-22 in Newark, DE, Growers’ School, banquet and tour have all sold out, but there are still spaces available in the educational sessions on Oct. 20-21 and also in the post-conference tours on Oct. 23 at North Creek Nurseries in Landenberg, PA, Lilies and Lavender farm and design studio in Doylestown, PA, and Barefoot Gardens in Doylestown, PA.

The conference educational sessions schedule is as follows.

Monday, Oct. 20

7:50 a.m. Welcome, Frank Arnosky, ASCFG President.

8 a.m. New Varieties, John Dole, North Carolina State University, Raleigh. John Dole will present the results of the ASCFG 2014 Cut Flower Trials and postharvest research on new cultivars. Audience participation is welcome in this popular session.

9:45 a.m. Hiring and Managing Farm Crews, Mike Hutchison, Robin Hollow Farm, Saunderstown, RI, and Chip Planck, Wheatland Vegetable Farm, Purcellville, VA. Hear from these experienced growers how they find and keep their crews, and how each built a successful operation by doing so, followed by a Q&A session.

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Lunch (on your own)

Concurrent Sessions

1 p.m. Basic and Advanced Techniques for Selling to Florists and Supermarkets, Pamela Arnosky, Texas Specialty Flowers and Lisa Ziegler, The Gardener’s Workshop. Are supermarket sales for you? Lisa and Pamela will help you discover your opportunities.

1 p.m. Design Basics & Beyond, Jennie Love, Love ‘n Fresh Flowers, and Sullivan Owen, Sullivan Owen Floral & Event Design. Two designers will cover tips, tools, concepts, and mechanics of large and small arrangements, wedding bouquets and personal flowers.

3 p.m. Selling to Wholesalers, Keith Cramer, Cramers’ Posie Patch, and Steven Catando, DV Flora. Explore the ins and outs of tackling the wholesale supply chain.

2:45 p.m. Going Local — Together, Becky Devlin, Roost Flowers, Ellen Frost, Local Color Flower, Polly Hutchison, Robin Hollow Farm and Sarah Rhyhanen, Saipua. A panel discussion on the views of both growers and designers and how we can best work together.

4:15 p.m. Cooperative Wholesaling Among Farmers, Barbara Lamborne, Greenstone Fields, Joe Schmitt, Fair Field Flowers, and Diane Szukovathy, Jello Mold Farm. A look at several successful co-ops around the country and how they made it happen.

4:15 p.m. Wild World of Weddings, Ellen Frost, Local Color Flower, Jennie Love, Love ‘n Fresh Flowers, Sullivan Owen, Sullivan Owen Floral & Event Design, and Sarah Rhyhanen, Saipua. Learn from the experts during this panel discussion on building and managing a successful wedding flower business.

7 p.m.-9p.m. Farmer Florist Cocktail Mixer — Meet Our Vendors.

Wednesday, Oct. 22

8:30 a.m. Regional Break-Out Sessions, Virtual Farm Tours, Rita Anders, Cuts of Color, Texas, Keith Cramer, Cramers’ Posie Patch, Pennsylvania, Marian Maloney, Memory Orchard, Mississippi, Paula Rice, Beehaven Farm, Idaho, Karl Vahrmeyer, Green Park Nurseries, Ontario.

10:15 a.m. Greenhouse/

Hoophouse Intensive, Frank Arnosky, Texas Specialty Cut Flowers and Dave Dowling, Ednie Flower Bulb. In-depth look at setting up and using greenhouses or hoophouses: from seed starting houses to heated hoophouses, how big, how to heat it, crops, equipment and day-to-day management for both the new and advanced grower. Bring your questions for both speakers.

11:30 a.m.-1p.m. Lunch (on your own)

1:30 p.m. Ummm — Growing Flowers is Still Farming, Ellen Polishuk, Potomac Vegetable Farms. Just because you are growing flowers and not fruits and vegetables doesn’t mean you can blow off good soil management practices. Let’s remember the basics of how soil works and what your role is as the manager of this complex biological universe.

3:15 p.m. Stretch Your Peony Season, Dave Dowling, Ednie Flower Bulb. Dave will share his expertise in early and late peony production and sales.

4 p.m. A Season of Dahlias, Bob Wollam, Wollam Gardens. Imagine successfully overwintering 4,000 dahlias and having them bloom in May. Hear how Bob accomplished this.