2/2002
Pack Your Bags
Chris Beytes and Jennifer White
The California Pack Trials keep growing in size, and we continue to get more requests from growers on how they should plan their trips. It’s a great way to see the newest varieties and marketing first hand. You’ll find plant breeders, distributors, propagators and even finished plant growers during a trip up (or down) the coast of California. Contact each company individually to make appointments, and remember that some of them may be closed all or part of the weekends. For those of you who want to experience European trials, check out our sister magazine FloraCulture International. note: highlighted names below contain e-mail links
April 6-16--Plug Connection, Vista. Contact Lisa Finnegan, Tel: (760) 631-0992, Fax: (760) 940-1555
April 8-17--Paul Ecke Ranch, Encinitas. Contact Dawn Woodruff, Tel: (760) 944-4085, Fax: (760) 944-4002
April 8-17--Fischer USA (at the Paul Ecke Ranch), Encinitas. Contact Harvey Lang, Tel: (303) 415-1466, Fax: (303) 415-1605
April 8-19--Selecta First Class (at D&E Propagators), Encinitas. Contact Angela Storm or Stefan Reiner
April 5-17--EuroAmerican Propagators, Bonsall. Contact Nicole Jackson, Tel: (760) 731-6029
April 5-17--Proven Winners (at EuroAmerican Propagators), Bonsall. Contact Nicole Jackson, Tel: (760) 731-6029
April 6-18--GroLink, Oxnard. Contact Jeanne Grant, Tel: (800) 451-6319, Fax: (805) 984-7248
April 6-18--Danziger (at GroLink), Oxnard. Contact Jeanne Grant, Tel: (800) 451-6319, Fax: (805) 984-7248
April 6-15--PanAmerican Seed, Santa Paula. Contact Mary Long, Tel: (630) 588-3187, Fax: (630) 231-3609
April 8-17--Twyford International Inc., Santa Paula. Contact Charline Chandler or Susan Smith, Tel: (800) 905-3263, trials@Twyford.com
April 6-16--Benary Seeds (at Colorama Greenhouse), Carpinteria. Contact Niles Riese, Tel: (219) 982-0758, Fax: (219) 982-1139
April 8-16--Oglevee, Ltd., Lompoc. Closed April 13-14. Contact Jason Riley, Tel: (724) 628-8360; or Alan Zaeske, Tel: (517) 381-8708
April 8-18--Bodger Seeds Ltd., Lompoc. Contact Janice Seiberling, Tel: (626) 442-6161, Fax: (626) 442-5063
April 8-19--Suntory Corporation/Jackson & Perkins Wholesale (at Gilroy Young Plants), Gilroy. Contact Lou Aguirre, Tel: (800) 877-6737, Fax: (541) 864-2819
April 8-19--Royal Van Zanten, Nipomo. Contact Peter Hesse, Tel: (805) 431-0741
April 6-15--Ball FloraPlant, Arroyo Grande. Contact Jen Calhoun, Tel: (630) 588-3153, Fax: (630) 231-5921
April 7-16--American Takii, Salinas. Contact Nicole Shioya, Tel: (831) 443-4901, Fax: (831) 443-3976
April 8-13--Yoder Brothers, Inc., Salinas. Contact Karrie Smith, Tel: (800) 232-9557, Fax: (330) 564-0047
8-15--Sakata Seed America, Salinas. Contact Danielle Casa-Sorci, Tel: (408) 778-7758 ext. 250, Fax: (408) 778-7768
April 8-17--Goldsmith Seeds/Goldsmith Plants, Gilroy. Contact Keith Muraoka, Tel: (800) 549-0158, Fax: (408) 848-5429
April 7-16--S&G Seeds, Gilroy. Contact Hope Evarts, Tel: (800) 323-7253, Fax: (630) 969-4580
April 8-19--Golden State Bulb Growers, Watsonville. Contact Tom Lukens, June Roque or Tom Weaver, Tel: (831) 728-0500, Fax: (831) 761-1282, gsbg@cruzio.com
8-16--Daehnfeldt Inc. (at Golden Field Greenhouses), Castroville. Closed April 14. Contact Kathy Cron, Tel: (219) 982-7969, Fax: (219) 982-7970
9-17--Kieft Seeds (at Gilroy Young Plants), Gilroy. Contact Jeff McGrew, Tel/Fax: (360) 445-2031
How to Go
Plotting a Pack Trial schedule can be more daunting than the actual trip. Here’s a sample itinerary to use as a guide. Last year, I flew into San Diego and worked my way north; just reverse the schedule to travel north to south, flying into San Jose or San Francisco. There’s no benefit to either direction. I usually alternate from year to year for variety’s sake. The real juggling act is making sure the trials can accommodate me when I want to visit. I often have to change a schedule two or three times to make it all work out. Be sure to call or fax each trial you plan to visit. Chris Beytes, editor and eight-year Pack Trial veteran.
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Sunday |
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Fly into San Diego |
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Lodging: Country Inn,
Encinitas
(619) 944-0427 |
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Monday |
Timeframe: |
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Plug Connection |
8 a.m. to 10 a.m. |
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Paul Ecke Ranch/Fischer |
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
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Lodging: Country Inn |
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Tuesday |
Timeframe: |
Notes: |
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Selecta |
8 a.m. to 10 a.m. |
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EuroAmerican Propagators, Proven Winners |
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
EuroAmerican is about 45 minutes from Selecta, which is about five minutes from the Country Inn. |
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Drive North to Ventura Beach (about 4 hours from Encinitas; take I-15 to 1-10 to 101 into Ventura) |
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Lodging: Clarion,
Ventura Beach
(805) 648-4653 |
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Wednesday |
Timeframe: |
Notes: |
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GroLink/Danziger |
8 a.m. to 10 a.m. |
GroLink is about 15 minutes from the hotel. |
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PanAmerican Seed |
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
PanAmerican is about 30 minutes from GroLink. |
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Benary |
4 p.m. to 6 p.m. |
Benary is about 45 minutes from PanAmerican. |
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Lodging: Clarion |
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Thursday |
Timeframe: |
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Twyford |
7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. |
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Oglevee |
12 p.m. to 2 p.m. |
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Drive to Lompoc
(about two hours from Santa Paula) |
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Bodger |
2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. |
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Lodging: Sandcastle Inn, Pismo Beach
(805) 773-2422 |
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Friday |
Timeframe: |
Notes: |
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Van Zanten |
8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. |
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Ball FloraPlant |
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
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Drive North to Gilroy - about 4 hours. |
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Lodging: Forest Park Inn,
Gilroy,
(408) 848-5144 |
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Forest Park Inn is "Seed Central" in Gilroy--every guest is visiting Pack Trials. |
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Saturday |
Timeframe: |
Notes: |
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American Takii |
8 a.m. to 10 a.m. |
Both Takii and Yoder are about 45 minutes south of Gilroy, in Salinas. |
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Yoder Brothers |
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
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Lodging: Forest Park Inn |
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Sunday |
Notes: |
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Day off |
Take a drive up to San Francisco or the Napa Valley, or head out to the Monterey Peninsula, Cannery Row, Pebble Beach, etc. |
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Lodging: Forest Park Inn |
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Monday |
Timeframe: |
Notes: |
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Sakata Seeds |
9 a.m. to 12 p.m. |
Sakata is in Salinas, hence the slightly later start |
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Goldsmith Seeds/Goldsmith Plants |
1 p.m. to 8 p.m. |
Be sure to stick around for dinner at Goldsmith |
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Lodging: Forest Park Inn |
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Tuesday |
Timeframe: |
Notes: |
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S&G Seeds |
8 a.m. to 11 a.m. |
S&G is five minutes from the Forest Park Inn. |
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Golden State Bulb |
12 p.m. to 2 p.m. |
Golden State is about 45 minutes from S&G. |
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Daehnfeldt |
3 p.m. to 5 p.m. |
Daehnfeldt is about 20 minutes from Golden State. |
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Lodging: Forest Park Inn |
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Be sure to have lunch or dinner in Castroville at the Central Texan BBQ! Tell Don you’re one of those crazy flower people and he’ll treat you right. |
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Wednesday |
Timeframe: |
Notes: |
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Kieft Seeds, Suntory, Jackson & Perkins
(at Gilroy Young Plants) |
8 a.m. to 10 a.m. |
Gilroy Young Plants is just 15 minutes from the hotel. |
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Fly Home from San Jose in afternoon. |
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It’s about 45 minutes to the San Jose airport; 1 1/2 hours to San Francisco International. |