# flower jobs



## cnycharles (Oct 4, 2012)

Hello all,
We all at work heard today that the parent company for our greenhouse range had decided to sell the newark ny greenhouses and ours in utica, ny. We knew that the other place was being shut down slowly and was up for sale, but it was sprung on us today though there had been lots of heavy rumors for the last few weeks. We had had a large box store contract (to supply annual and perennial flowering plants of all shapes and sizes), which they did not renew a month or so ago. I was told that our owners had tried to get another contract for the spring, but it fell through so they just decided to close our greenhouse range as well. They bought our three sites as a group a few years ago, but told us that they hadn't wanted our site, but it was a package deal. We will be working on closing down our range for a few weeks, and then after that, a skeleton crew will watch boilers while they search for a buyer. We were told today that there isn't anyone presently looking, but that could change. We have been doing three month seasonal layoffs for the last few years, and that typically started right around now, so we had expected to be seasonally unemployed, but now there is no guarantee that there will be a new owner or that they would want to employ us (though it usually does happen), or if it takes a while, we may all be forced to look elsewhere anyhow.

So, if anyone knows of a garden center, nursery, nature center, agricultural facility, greenhouse arboretum or anything like this that is looking to hire someone, please let me know. I have also worked long-term on golf courses and have some landscape design training, so any interesting employment will be strongly considered and info accepted! I also have some photographic skills. Any location would be considered, and if necessary, good work in another country wouldn't be ruled out.

Hopefully, I'll soon be able to report, like a few other members here who have told us about new jobs, I'll be able to do the same!

thanks and regards,
charles


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## Shiva (Oct 4, 2012)

Good luck Charles. I hope things get better for you.


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## Hera (Oct 4, 2012)

Will keep you in mind Charles. Good luck.


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## cnycharles (Oct 4, 2012)

Thank you!  there are more people who have worked there that I am more worried about, since they have families, mortgages and families in the area, and aren't as mobile. Of course, there is serious concern about any sort of job in this present day and age, whether or not someone is able, willing and mobile!


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## nikv (Oct 4, 2012)

I'm on the West Coast, but I'll keep my eyes and ears open and let you know if I hear of anything. Good luck!


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## John Boy (Oct 4, 2012)

Oh boy, it seems to get us all, eventually. It's heartbreaking, and it sucks. I know the feeling too well. Being stuck in Germany myself (work) I'd go back to the U.K. tomorrow, but it doesn't look that way. Keep your nose in the wind, something will happen.


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## likespaphs (Oct 4, 2012)

you know this site?
http://www.hortjobs.com/
sometimes the aergc job board has stuff but nothing current
http://www.aergc.org/job.php
this is probably too far away time wise
http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2012/03/officials_say_orchid-breeding.html
this is in ohio but they always seem to be looking
http://www.greencirclegrowers.com/opportunities


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Oct 4, 2012)

Charles- Don't know if this will help, but it's a local nursery out in Cutchogue. Run by really cool people, well educated, and a really level headed approach to landscaping and gardening...basically from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden background. I have no clue if they are hiring, probably not, because it's a small business, but if you contact them and talk to Anne or Nancy please feel free to use me as a reference.
http://trimblesnursery.com/staff.html


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## Clark (Oct 5, 2012)

Good luck on your search Charles.

Just noticed the unemployment rate dropped.
Hopefully the trend will continue.


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## maitaman (Oct 5, 2012)

the unemployment rate always drops at election time. It´s a typical political ploy.
Hope you find a good job, Charles. I´m in Panama and the job field is pretty good, but we´re one of the strongest economies in the Americas. Not ,too much in teh plant area. Even the fence posts take root and grow. It´s quite a sight. We have more than a thousand listed species of orchids here. They are building golf courses. I´ll see if they are hiring from outside the country. This is a paradise and things cost about a quarter what they do in the states. We use the dollar, so there isn´t any problem with exchange rates and that kind of crap.


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## The Orchid Boy (Oct 5, 2012)

There are a few nurseries around Columbus, NE and a large one in Omaha, NE, there's also The Plant House in Omaha which specializes in rare plants, tropicals, and especially orchids. I don't know how far you're willing to go but there's some ideas.


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## Ray (Oct 5, 2012)

Hark Orchideen in Michigan, maybe?


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## likespaphs2 (Oct 5, 2012)

www.mendelbio.com/jobopportunities/index.php


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## SlipperFan (Oct 5, 2012)

Good luck, Charles. That is really disappointing.



Ray said:


> Hark Orchideen in Michigan, maybe?


They just had their groundbreaking ceremony. I don't know when it will be up and running, but it might be worth looking at. However, it won't be a typical greenhouse.


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Oct 5, 2012)

Best of luck Charles!
Its always disheartening to find yourself out of work. 

I do however love how supportive and amazing this forum is! 

Sent from my BlackBerry 9300 using Tapatalk


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## NYEric (Oct 6, 2012)

Whoa!  Good luck. Do you have a horticultural degfree?


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## cnycharles (Oct 7, 2012)

thanks all, it is very helpful. and yes, people here are great! I will check the links, thank you. I have done some brief internet searching for ny greenhouse job, but end up having to weed out jobs for 'greenhouse gas' remediation etc.

I just saw this morning on the ogd, that hark orchideen won't be officially hiring until the facility is expected to be completed, in may 2013. I don't know if they would do an interview and if they wanted, make a letter of intent for may... I have seen pictures of highly automated greenhouse/orchid facilities, so have a pretty good idea of what they will be like. Glen Decker I believe gave our orchid society a tour of things in europe, when he went on a trip there, and he went inside an automated orchid production facility.

I have some first college experience with computer science, transferred to get two year degree landscape design (called landscape development for 2 yr degree). Later went back to school to transfer and receive 4 yr floriculture/ornamental horticulture degree, with long-term experience in golf course work and greenhouse/seedling/mature plant production.

I am of course bummed out, but there are a number of people there who have not much else, and few options unless they try to sell their houses (with a mortgage), kids and family in the area and go completely somewhere else, probably losing the house. I can see the faces of the people who know they have few options, and they are good people, and it is very sad. At our orchid society show yesterday I was told that in syracuse one of the newspapers eliminated about 100 jobs and many long-term employees were let go, so it is all over. One thing that I hate to be right about, was when years ago I had fellow workers who kept telling me that I should buy a house, I was wasting my money on rent! Though I agreed that building an investment in a stable economy or area was theoretically a good idea, I felt that things weren't good enough in the area or a large enough job base, and if the job was gone, I would be out big-time. None of us expected this, exactly, but i'm thankful at least that I don't have to carry a house payment and move to somewhere else, and all that.

thanks again, will let people know what happens


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