Breakout sessions will be offered on Thursday, Aug. 11, and Friday, Aug. 12. Here's a look at just some of the sessions planned - more info to come!

The 8 Keys to Successful Farm Succession - David L. Marrison
As farmers plan to transfer the family business to the next generation, there are a myriad of decisions to be made. You’ll learn the eight basic questions to ask when developing a farm succession plan. This presentation will provide an overview of succession planning and discuss how to plan for profitability of the business for future generations. Learn how to develop the managerial skills of the succeeding generation. Tips also will be given on how to share responsibilities between generations, how to develop a plan for managerial transfer, and how to anticipate management voids created by people moving up, retiring or leaving the business.

Family Communication in Farm Succession - David L. Marrison
Do you fear talking about your farm succession and estate planning ideas with your family? Is there someone in your family who refuses to plan for the transition of your business to the next generation? Do you see a family relationship train wreck approaching? This presentation will answer these questions and help participants understand family communication and the barriers to family communications. Concepts will be taught to help families communicate effectively as they develop their farm succession and estate plans. Learn from other family communication nightmares and take the steps necessary to begin the farm transition process.

Stock Types of Planting Products - Jim Rockis
This presentation will focus on different stock types of various products available for Christmas Tree growers to plant: plugs, seedlings and plug transplants. The discussion will include tips on proper handling procedures to follow when plant stock arrives at your business. You’ll learn the importance of lift timing and proper storage and why these practices are so critical for peak product performance.

Characteristics of a Successful Business - Tom Shay
Why is one farm successful while the one down the road is not? Interview a number of businesses and you’ll find that the most successful share a series of common traits. This session is designed to help you figure out what to do, what not to do and what to stop doing. Tom Shay will help you identify those areas to concentrate on in order to grow the profitability of your operation.

Seeing the Forest through the Trees: Using Wreaths, Greens and Savvy Marketing to Grow Your Business - Shannon Kuhrt
This informative and interactive course will inspire and motivate you to "see the forest through the trees." In just one hour, you'll see how adding wreaths, greens and other products to your inventory is easy to do and can help grow your business. The presentation will jump-start your creativity with ideas you can implement right away and, most importantly, with minimal time and effort. The energetic "Generation X" presenter will toss in some marketing tidbits, relay the importance of using technology and show you that you're not just selling trees, you're selling an experience.

Canaan Fir Research at OSU/OARDC - Dr. Jim Brown and Dr. Randall Heiligmann
For nearly 40 years, staff at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center has conducted research on all aspects related to use of Canaan fir for Christmas Trees. This two-part session will examine some of that research, including natural range/location of the native stands, genetic differences, soil/site requirements and cultural practices for production and use of Canaan fir. Brown and Heiligmann will also discuss the development and work of the three clonal-grafted seed orchards on the OARDC campus.

Bridging the Gap from Wholesale to the Consumer - Roger Blackwell
As a wholesaler, a great deal of your success depends upon the ability of your retail customers to effectively market the product to consumers. So, what can you do to impact sales? Professor Blackwell will discuss ways to increase Real Tree purchases, as an industry and as an individual business, even with limited funds.

Easy Solutions to Mastering Social Media - Katy Walterscheidt
You keep hearing how important social media is, but where do you start and what should you do? Social media is still a fairly new and rapidly changing medium that can be a bit intimidating. This hands-on session will discuss the various social media tools available to you, and offer tips and tricks for easily managing social media in just a few minutes a day. By the end of this session, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to master social media.

Designing Events that Draw Your Customers - John Hensler
“Over-the-top” events maximize your farm’s visibility. From the summer parade route to the fall pumpkin patch to a full-blown Christmas festival, your farm’s special events can bring added traffic. Event marketing begins with an assessment of where you’ve been and your goals for the future. This session will help you take a realistic look at your personal attributes and your farm’s attributes and design “over-the-top” events to maximize exposure and get your customers excited about their visit to your farm. You’ll see a video presentation showing the how and why of successful event planning such as pumpkin contests, car shows, pet weekends and Christmas festivals held at Hensler Nursery Inc. Bring your questions and leave the session with a myriad of tips and ideas for events that will boost your business and customer traffic.

Return to Convention Main Page