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The UNLA (Utah Nursery and Landscape Association) 2006 Utah Green Industry Conference and Trade Show just wrapped up another successful kick start to the green season! For those of you who haven't attended this event in the past, I can't imagine why! With a little something for everyone in the Green Industry, this event has become possibly the most important winter time event for green pros in the area. With training classes covering a huge variety of subjects, from plant propagation to sprinkler planning and design, greenhouse training tracts, tree training and certifications, turf, ornamental and water use classes, there's something for everyone. Add to that their ever growing trade show with over 150 vendors showing their latest and greatest and I'd have to ask, what more could you want?!

I've attended this conference every time I've had the chance over the years, catching a few classes and getting in to see the familiar faces and the new products on the trade show floor. The County's South Towne Center really makes it a pleasure to get over and spend the day, in the middle of winter, thinking about spring that is just around the corner. I always get something new from the classes that I can use during the year, even though I've always been guilty of sneaking off tract and attending a class or two in an area I don't do business in. Why? Because it's interesting and I can't think of a single other place where you could slip out of a tree pest and identification class, walk next door and take in a class on pond pumps and filters. Make sure you check out my interview with Diane Mower-Jones, Executive Director of the UNLA in by clicking 10 Questions about the UNLA 2006 GIC and Trade Show.

Over on the Trade Show floor, the equipment dealers were out in full force, showing off everything from the latest chainsaw or backpack blower to full on earth moving equipment and everything in between. A surprising number of out of state nursery growers continues to grow in representation, indicating the importance of the exploding market in Utah and the surrounding states. Information was flying fast and furious, deals being struck and just some good old shooting the breeze too, as an estimated 1500 attendees made their way through the rows of booths soaking it all in. I caught up with the usual cast of characters including John Salmon of Rocky Mountain Turf, Brad Rowberry from United Sales & Service, Chuck Cornett and Henry Ortega at LESCO, Jerry Boyer and Doug Johnson at Steve Regan Company, Russ Jacobsen from Dale Winchester and Associates and Nick Newman from Horizon. I saw plenty of new faces as well, a sure sign of our ever growing market. Products from a whole host of manufacturers were represented including Stihl, Echo, Toro, Bobcat, Exmark, Walker, Dixie Chopper, New Holland, Grasshopper, Rainbird, Hunter, LESCO, Simplot and many, many more. Mulch to mowers, flowers to fertilizer, evergreens to skid steers, it was all here!

On Tuesday the 24th, to open the trade show, the UNLA brought in Thurl "Big T" Bailey, known to most of you as the former Jazz player, now Jazz commentator, to address the attendees. Before you ask yourself what he has to do with the Green Industry, (as I did and was put in my place..lol..thanks Henry), Thurl has a company called Fertile Earth that specializes in fertilizer delivery systems for residential sprinkler systems. He addressed the crowd for an hour with entertaining stories from his days with the Jazz, growing up and his college National Championship team.

If you can’t tell that I’m a fan of this wintertime event, well, maybe you need another cup of coffee! The UNLA puts on a great show with help from Utah State University and a host of related agencies, associations and companies to make their training classes worthwhile and broad reaching for everyone in the Green Industry. Whether you work in a greenhouse or nursery, as a pond or landscape contractor, arborist, groundskeeper, irrigation contractor, designer, dealer or student, from agronomy to business issues, this conference has something for you. If you didn’t get a chance to make it this year, make sure you make space for it next year and we’ll see you there!