What an amazing shot this is with the colorful tassles against the sandy camel
and hills. The fluffy thing in the foreground is Dave Eastburn's bunny puppet, Twinkie.

This was Dave Eastburn's third time in the Middle East and he lived there for nine months when he did some post graduate work.

"The land is full of more than 3,000 years of history. The birth of our faith is in this land as well," he says. "I love visiting and hiking, uncovering reminders and ruins of the past but also seeing a country with a focus on the future. Anywone who can turn a wasteland into an oasis has my attention. In America, so many of our resources come 'naturally' and we too easily take for granted the abundances of our land. In Israel, you see how little can be turned into a supplier to the world in agriculture, technology, medicine and survival, to name a few. Israel is known for its diamond industry. Taking raw diamonds and with one wrong cut it can turn millions of dollars of beauty into a pile of gravel. Much like our challenges with growing! The innovations that originate here give me ideas to integrate into my business."

Eastburn first started working with Agrexco in 2001 and visited in 2002 looking for new sources for vegetative material. "I was looking at the market place and seeking sources whom Gro' n Sell could strategically partner with. Their commitment to quality, sanitation and efficient transportation were some of the reasons for us aligining with them. At the time, their focus was Europe and they had no real presence in the U.S. market and most U.S. distributors were unaware of the Agrexco group. We feel that the Agrexco group, along with the other breeders that we represent, to be key partners in our mutual success."

Look how clean this greenhouse is, and stylish, too.

Eastburn was especially impressed with the sanitation protocols. "I had been visiting many source sites but felt they were raising the bar for vegetative production protocols and techniques," he says. "Transportation is also key and I saw the commitment in both local and international logistics in addition to the ability to prepare, assemble and expedite unrooted cuttings to the U.S. market that others had not figured out."

Gro 'N Sell buys herbs and perennials from Hishtil, specialty crops from Jaldety and a wide selection of genetics from Cohen.

When asked if he would recommend the trip to other growers, he laughed and said, "No. I really don't want them to see the benefits. It takes away from our competitive edge."

Eastburn takes Twinkie, a friendly bunny puppet, on many of his trips. In addition to being a good luck charm, the bunny opens doors and is a favorite among children in other countries.

Twinkie, the well-traveled rabbit.