For the Big Stone City Brown Family, it all started in a chicken coop almost 50 years ago. A love of gardening and growing gladiolas was the impetus for Lou, the family patriarch. His wife, Marie, remembers it being about the same time she gave birth to their first child. Today, Lou presents as a sun kissed happy healthy fun loving guy whose appearance and spirit match that of a much younger man, all necessary for continued success in the nursery business.
In “coming home” I am now a frequent visitor and have become quite familiar with the place and the people and thought I would take you through the annual cycle of the greenhouse business. Next year’s season really starts the summer prior when they “cook the dirt” in July/August which is their word for sanitizing the soil and readying it for next year’s planting. In the fall, they fill 8000 pots with said soil after which they might sneak away to a trade show in the city. This is also when they do next year’s ordering from various companies. November, December and January are their months’ to rest when Lou also visits his children who live in California.
February is when the growing year action begins with seed planting in the 8000 aforementioned pots and then the replanting of starts in March. This activity is accomplished through the use of 14 seasonal employees who are with them through the May sales cycle. Sounds like most of these plant loving folks return every year for both the work and the camaraderie. It seems like it might be a nice warm mood elevating place to be in the dead of winter around here. Early April has the crew readying the greenhouses and business operation for the onslaught of customers that, weather permitting, hits the end of April and continues through May at a high level of intensity. After the long winter, the first wave of purchasing is focused on flowers for potting and then vegetable garden planting. There is still a steady stream of customers in June when attention turns to trees, shrubs, insect/critter deterrents, etc. Everything comes to a halt by July 1 when there is silence, once again, and everyone can breathe. I have observed that Lou doesn’t have time to get his own garden planted until about June 1st or whenever enough tree sales have occurred to clear the garden plot. For anyone wondering, Big Boy is his tomato variety of choice. There are setbacks, like over and under planting to adequately meet supply and demand, and like last year when gale force winds picked up one of the greenhouses which did major damage upon reentry. The business is very rewarding, albeit very hard, work for the family who are pretty much “on the clock” 24/7 April-June. They clean up and catch up on some well-deserved rest in July and then, start the whole process all over again. If you stop by over the summer, you might catch Lou in his yard resting and always ready to chat with a neighbor, friend or customer who happens by.
Today, Lou’s has 17 greenhouses; orders some 14,000 geraniums and 7000 boxes of petunias, both area favorites. People come from near and far to take advantage of quality, choice and good prices that rival that of bigger city greenhouses in the area. They have 120 carts which are all in use during the buying frenzy in early May. In addition, they sell to over 20 wholesalers throughout the area. Two of their sons (Marty and Steve), along with daughter, Julie, work harmoniously alongside Lou and Marie in the business. When asked about maintaining good relations in a family business they have a quiet chuckle at various family member roles as troublemaker/instigator, avoider/denier and mediator/peacemaker. At the end of the day, it is a serious high risk endeavor that requires everyone’s contributions and patience. As the sun gracefully sets on another successful season at Lou’s Greenhouse you can feel the joy and satisfaction of a job well done. Area residents are fortunate to have such a great place to meet their summer gardening needs. 2018