Tompkins Weekly

Eye on Agriculture: A Gift that Keeps on Growing



By Sue Henninger
Tompkins Weekly

TRUMANSBURG – Amanda Shenstone spends almost as much time on her computer as she does with the plants she and her husband Mark raise in their Trumansburg nursery, Graceful Gardens. As so often seems to be the case, recognizing an opportunity when it revealed itself has allowed her to pursue both passions at the same time.
“We had been farming vegetables since 1985,” she explained. “But we weren’t making much money and the industry was changing-moving in the direction of Community Supported Agriculture farms.”

The Shenstone’s found themselves at a crossroads. They weren’t interested in running a CSA, but they enjoyed participating in the Ithaca Farmers Market, which they’d been part of since its inception.
“There were already so many vegetables there,” Amanda noted. “We decided to diversify and try plants. They were well-received.”
At the same time, the internet also began to take off. Knowing from the start that they wouldn’t be able to compete with big companies like Burpee, the couple decided to run a web-based garden business. This turned out to be a niche that was just waiting to be filled.
“We sold our online plants in packs of 32 right from the beginning,” said Amanda. “And by 2000 we were off and running!”
To be successful in a web-based business it’s crucial to understand how web sales work, since things are constantly changing. Continuously improving their website and developing an extensive email list, along with taking advantage of several social media resources, like Facebook, Instagram, and a blog, has helped keep Graceful Gardens growing. However, there’s definitely a price to pay.
“We (Mark and I) used to be together gardening,” Amanda noted regretfully, “But you have to be aggressive and keep at the marketing constantly. I’m in the office most of the time…There’s stuff to do seven days a week.”
This time of year, while she works at the computer, Mark is cleaning and sanitizing the two large greenhouses to get rid of any bugs, bacteria or fungi that could potentially harm the 2017 plants. To ensure cash flow in the slower months, Graceful Gardens offers gift certificates for the holiday season, special occasions like birthdays, or as a thank you gift. Come January the couple will start planting and the growing cycle will begin all over again.
The underlying concept of Graceful Gardens remains the same year-to-year. The Shenstone’s offer amateur gardening customers “collections” like the Cottage Garden Sampler or Hummingbird Haven, where they can personally select the plants for them. More experienced horticulturists can self-select up to eight varieties of four-packs of plants (32 per order). Healthy, vigorous plants are carefully packed and shipped to eagerly waiting customers around the second week of April.
Amanda is constantly seeking out new plants to add to their inventory. This year’s severe drought gave her a not-always-welcome chance to determine which garden varieties proved to be the most drought-resistant. Plants that managed to survive with limited water and attention made the cut for a new category of offerings, “Drought Tolerant Plants.” Additionally, site visitors have always had questions about deer resistant plants. “Everyone has this problem,” she admitted. Unless deer are starving, there are a few plants they will avoid and Graceful Gardens is happy to mix these in with their Delphinium, Annual, and Perennial plant packs or to suggest their “Farewell My Deer” collection.
Though online ordering can feel impersonal, this isn’t how Graceful Gardens operates. Amanda has managed to create an upbeat, interactive gardening community around their business.
“When I confirm an order I send a personal email, not an automatic response,” she said. “For repeat customers I always say ‘It’s good to hear from you again’ or I try to add something to connect us.”
One of the things she’s most proud of is the feedback she gets from her customers, who contact her to share their planting adventures or photos of their gardens.
Because the nursery is not set up for visitors, the Shenstone’s work hard to provide a virtual experience that’s every bit as satisfying to their customers as a real one. Their website invites online visitors into their gardens and nursery with a combination of welcoming and informative content and colorful photographs of Amanda and Mark and the plants they raise.
The couple also encourages the public to visit them in-person at the Ithaca Farmer’s Market from the first week in April until the last week in August (or whenever they run out of plants). Though Amanda estimates that the website generates approximately 85 percent of Graceful Gardens business, the Market is another income stream that gives them a chance to see their vendor friends and interact with community members in a vibrant setting. Their plants add greatly to the market landscape, she maintains, adding “We’re at the corner entrance. You can’t miss our display!”
Sometimes it’s a challenge for families to live and work together, but Graceful Gardens is a perfect fit for this pair.
“We’re companionable; we think alike,” Amanda said. “We like working at home and not having to commute.”
She observed that they both knew right from the start that agriculture was the field for them and that the psychological benefits of gardening are many; a deep sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, being able to work outdoors, and having the chance to enjoy their beautiful flowers at the end of the day.
What does the future hold for the Shenstone’s and their nursery?
“We plan to do this for as long as we’re able to,” she said. “We enjoy it and want to see it keep growing. It’s still a small business; we’d like it to be a tiny bit bigger. Maybe make a little more money, though we know farming will never get you rich!”

 

 

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