Reflections on Cultivate, and the value of showing up

Somehow that fern (courtesy of two kind people at Proven Winners/The Plant Company, Kate Spirgen and Ben Wright), my singular, coveted tangible item, feels analogous to the equally welcoming face-to-face connections I made at the show.

“Just showing up” is an essential factor in this vast industry, as are the common threads of connection, warmth, and encouragement. How we show up for each other was the main dynamic topic that keynote speaker Marlene Eick broached during the “Women in Horticulture” luncheon at Cultivate. The overarching message was about lessons learned from taking on ambitious endeavors — and, as someone still learning all about this industry, could I ever connect with that.

During Marlene’s talk, she asked questions that evoked us all to consider the support that our friends and colleagues provide to help propel us forward in times when we may not be able to see past the moment. This induced a great deal of positive emotion and spawned some lively conversations. The room was energized with the discussions of hundreds of professional women who show up every day for their industry peers, family, friends, and communities to keep everything in motion.

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Photo caption: Wendy Probst (second from right), along with Greenhouse Grower Managing Editor Julie Hullett, Industry Achievement Award winner Todd Perkins of Syngenta Flowers, and Greenhouse Grower Senior Editor Brian Sparks. Courtesy of Greenhouse Grower

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