Reflections on Cultivate, and the Value of Showing Up
August 12, 2023 
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.
Amidst the dizzying “to and fro” pace of airport travel, a small houseplant in a sturdier-than-expected paper bag recently became my own little beacon of brief but warm moments of connection with some fellow travelers, TSA officers, and airline staff. I was headed home after Cultivate’23 and I was determined to get my new friend, a sweet little lasagna fern, home safely with me.
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.
While meeting face to face on the show floor with industry-leading growers and suppliers in a sea of colorful plants and flowers, I learned about everything from tracking sustainability metrics to cutting-edge technologies, equipment, and solutions. The “aha” moments were so numerous that it was a challenge to keep track of them all.
I also had a wonderful time getting to know the leadership and advocacy team at AmericanHort.
“Each day, AmericanHort demonstrates its commitment to the green industry in three primary ways — through its advocacy efforts, educational programs, and by providing opportunities to connect with industry experts and colleagues,” says Mary Beth Cowardin, AmericanHort Vice President of Marketing and Member Engagement. “Additionally, the association provides a range of education programs and resources to assist individuals and businesses perform better, learn best practices, and adapt to evolving industry trends. Lastly, through events, such as the recently held Cultivate’23 trade show and conference, the association provides opportunities for members to connect with industry peers to build their professional network and conduct business. It is through these collaborative efforts that we fulfill our mission.”
My close friends and I have a saying: “This can only happen now,” to describe particularly exceptional occurrences in our lives. As all our work and private lives move forward and time tumbles on, these “aha,” warm, fuzzy moments are the crucial little pockets of reprieve that slow the pace and are threaded together to create, well, life. And this industry is full of them.
As it turns out, the pilot sitting next to me on the last leg of my flight home was about to fly that very plane back to Columbus once we arrived in Jacksonville, FL. He quietly sat in the window seat the whole trip — our only point of conversation as I exited the plane: a friendly wish of good luck on getting my fern safely home. How ideal that a little green houseplant can represent the great equalizer in a hectic world and slow it all down for just a brief flash of time. This is how I think we show up — by recognizing, with eyes wide open, the power of a connective human network that, much like plants in the natural world surrounding us, keeps the forward momentum of positive progress humming along.
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