Page 23 - MNLGA Free State Spring 2024_WEB SPREADS

MEMBER EVENT

Chesapeake Green Recap

he 21st Annual Chesapeake Green Horticulture Symposium was held on
February 15th and 16th at the Maritime Institute Conference Center in
TLinthicum, MD. The MNLGA welcomed 390 participants during the two-
day symposium.

The education committee met last summer to plan another fantastic
conference with great speakers and relevant industry topics. The first day
hosted Nursery Grower, Landscape Contractor, Greenhouse Grower, Retail
Growers, and Garden Center Tracks. We were excited to welcome Dan
Benarcik from Chanticleer Garden as our keynote speaker. Benarcik spoke with
attendees about the “Five Principles to Elevate Our Designing Game” and gave
participants tips to help tackle the upcoming season, such as what to plant
and how to expand one’s design.
The highlight of the first day was the silent auction. Seventeen full tables of
participants joined, and there was a lot of great energy and playful banter
between attendees outbidding one another for incredible items pulled together
by Ginny Rosenkranz and Hank Doong. We thank Ginny and Hank for their
efforts each year in organizing the auction. We certainly couldn’t do it without
them! The auction was a great success and $3,300 will go directly to the
MNLGA scholarship fund to help students in their horticulture and agriculture
studies. We thank you all for supporting the auction year-over-year with TOP ROW:
donations and bids. Kathleen Hester, rep from Gowan USA, chats with symposium
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attendee.
George Mayo shares information about the CPH Program.

CENTER ROW:
Flier Systems USA Inc.’s, Michiel van der Waal presents to
Nursery and Greenhouse Growers during day one.
Martha Pindale, Tim Babikow, and George Mayo catch up.

CENTER ROW:
Chessie Green attendees listen to the presenter.
Attendees take a moment to place their bid during the day one
Silent Auction.
Attendees network between sessions..

22 SPRING 2024 • Free State News Membership Matters • SPRING 2024 23