Nourse Farms

Nourse Farms had a wonderful time last week at the Southeast Strawberry Expo; talk about an informational session with a view (see picture 5)! We thoroughly enjoyed the educational breakout sessions and are thankful for opportunities like this Expo that allow us to discuss and connect with our strawberry colleagues. At Nourse Farms, we understand that we are stronger together, and we look forward to continuing to address Neopestalotiopsis (Neo-P) headfirst alongside the admirable strawberry industry. Do you want to learn how Nourse Farms is mitigating the risk of Neo-P? Click here (https://lnkd.in/g4K6B464) to read our recent blog post. Nourse Farms is committed to working with researchers, experts, and industry leaders to understand Neo-P and its impact. We will continue sharing information and update our growers as information becomes available.

Did you know that Nourse Farms is #hiring? We’re looking for a #GeneralManager (NC), #FarmManager (MA), #JuniorStaffAccountant (MA), and more! Check out openings on our Careers page: https://lnkd.in/eHYpTYdk #nowhiring #agriculture #jobopenings #applynow #teamwork #dreamteam

All of us here at Nourse Farms hope you have a fa-boo-lous Halloween! ??

Meet our commercial laboratory manager, Elizabeth! Elizabeth first began her educational pursuit in Veterinary and Animal Science and held a national Veterinary Technician certification for several years. She was introduced to bench science while working in an animal research laboratory. Elizabeth boasts extensive molecular biology research experience, working with mammalian and murine cell culture and murine model systems, cancer biology, cell signaling pathways, immunology, and metabolism. Elizabeth joined the Nourse Farms about a year ago and has proved to be a fantastic addition to our crew! As commercial laboratory manager, Elizabeth ensures that our lab staff follows protocols, runs efficiently, and determines best practices to increase production and meet our increasing goals. She is currently trialing a new rooting system that could be implemented with a planting robot in our new lab across the street from our headquarters in Whatley, MA. We appreciate that Elizabeth radiates positivity throughout our lab and provides unwavering support to our staff. Elizabeth's favorite memory of working at Nourse Farms is when she toured the coolers and was amazed by the sight! She loved seeing the millions of plants ready to head out the door and was shocked by the volume of plants that Nourse Farms ships to customers. When Elizabeth isn't at work, she adores spending time with her husband, her dog Marshall, and her cat Lily, especially when cheering on the New York Yankees (a risky admission in Red Sox territory!). She is an enormous billiard enthusiast, and you can find her traveling to different states to compete in tournaments with her 8-ball and 9-ball teams. In another life, Elizabeth was definitely a mermaid! She loves to spend her free time swimming and is happiest around the pool, especially when it coincides with a backyard BBQ with her friends and family. Elizabeth thinks the berry that best describes her is a strawberry because they're bright and sunny! Elizabeth starts every day with a smile and a positive attitude. #dreamteam #teamwork #plantpropagation #berryplants #berries #lab

Meet our administrative coordinator, Leanne! Leanne is an avid gardener, fitting perfectly into the Nourse Farms crew. Leanne earned her degree in early childhood education and owned a daycare for three years. While Leanne loved working with children, she was ready for a career change. Leanne began her career change at Nourse Farms six years ago as a temporary employee, and we’re so fortunate she stayed! Since starting at Nourse Farms, Leanne has held numerous positions, including customer service representative, receptionist, and administrative assistant. As our administrative coordinator, Leanne is Nourse Farm's right-hand, always jumping in to lend a helping hand to others. Leanne is the safety champion for the organization, ensuring that everyone is up to date with various trainings, procedures, and protocols. She coordinates purchasing, travel arrangements, and supports Nourse Farms’ management and leadership teams. In addition to her workload, Leanne is an angel to our barn cats. She has found over 20 barn kittens the loving homes they deserve and has trapped and spayed the mother. Leanne's can-do spirit and infectious smile have had a long-lasting impact on our work culture. We are so proud of Leanne; when she's not absolutely smashing it at Nourse Farms, she's actively pursuing a degree in Communications at Southern New Hampshire University (shout out to Petey the Penmen!). Leanne's favorite work memory is our beloved general manager's retirement party. She holds this memory close to her heart because it was an opportunity to spend time with the whole crew, laugh, and dance all night (who doesn't love a kickback with your coworkers?!). Outside of work, Leanne appreciates spending time in her garden! Her garden is filled with tasty crops of strawberries, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, blueberries, pumpkins, and raspberries (psst, don't tell the other varieties, but Caroline raspberry is her favorite!). Leanne loves sharing quality time with her husband and four cats, preferably with a good true crime podcast and a cup of tasty coffee. Leanne thinks the berry that best describes her is Malwina because she loves June AND July! #meettheteam #teamwork #dreamteam #ag #agriculture #workplace

Here at Nourse Farms, we grow differently, mitigating risks using smart growing practices. “Our stringent quality control processes are designed to ensure our plants are in the best position to meet the highest standards of cleanliness and health,” said John Place, Nourse Farms CEO. “Our advanced systems promote superior root development, increased airflow around the plants, and stronger, healthier plants that are ready to thrive once they reach our customers.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/evAYaFFf #berries #berryplants #ag #agriculture #CEA #smallfruitplants #growingpractices #modernfarming

Please see this important message from our CEO John Place. So grateful our team is safe.

Our CEO John Place recently visited our nursery to see how our plants are looking. They’re robust and almost ready for digging season! #strawberry #strawberryplants #nursery #agriculture #berries #softfruit #ceo

We had a busy week at Nourse Farms last week! We are so "berry" delighted to have had the opportunity to participate in the 2024 NASGA Summer Tour. We met NORTH AMERICAN STRAWBERRY GROWERS ASSOCIATION INC (NASGA) members and showed them all the exciting things happening in the world of berry plant propagation at our Whately, MA location. We walked the life cycle of a berry plant, taste-tested berries (for quality control purposes, of course!), got a sneak peek of the new greenhouse, and celebrated all that is happening in agriculture with a dinner that featured produce from local farms. Thank you, NASGA, for inviting us to host a portion of your summer tour. Want to learn more about NASGA? Click here: https://lnkd.in/ePhHhC6k

Meet one of our growers, Christian! Christian has always had an affinity for growing and is fascinated with plants' ability to build themselves out of seemingly thin air. His curiosity for plants landed him at Penn State University, where he majored in Plant Sciences and Horticulture. Christian has worked in multiple greenhouses and grow-ops, including a tomato breeder, a genetic engineering lab, and a large medical cannabis grow facility. For the last year, Christian has played a pivotal part on our greenhouse team, ensuring our plants thrive and live their best lives! To do so, Christian provides the ideal environment for our nursery plants by managing our greenhouses' temperature, humidity, and airflow. Christian tackles the day-to-day operations of the greenhouse, including watering, providing nutrients, and helping to maintain pristine greenhouse and production equipment conditions. Watch out if you're a bug in our greenhouse; Christian excels at scouting pests and diseases and is quick to apply beneficial organisms and pesticides to combat and remediate any issues. Christian values working with a passionate and hardworking crew and appreciates that their dedication shows in our final product. Christian's favorite work memory involves a cute bunny and a high-speed chase. Christian found a baby rabbit that snuck its way into the greenhouse and struggled to capture it. While trying to catch the bunny was troublesome, it was impossible to stay upset because it was too cute! When Christian isn't at the greenhouse, he loves to spend time in nature, primarily hiking and fishing in freshwaters along the East Coast (central Pennsylvania is his favorite place to go!). He also enjoys challenging himself in the kitchen and whipping up new creations. While he loves switching things up, his favorite thing to cook is his mother's red sauce recipe with homemade meatballs. Christian thinks the berry that best describes him is a thornless blackberry because the plants are tough and resilient while still producing delicious fruit.