Creativity and enthusiasm in gardening

A contest with a purpose

Shafter, California, is a small city northwest of Bakersfield, and it’s home to one of our growing media plants. The associates who work here are used to getting their hands dirty, but they were able to do it recently in a creative way. They planted their own gardens using the growing media that they made, and they took the opportunity to learn just how good our products are.

Assurance Technicians Lorie and Fernando were at the heart of the challenge. They had two plain, white planters and access to all the growing media to plant flowers and vegetables. Next, they needed associates to participate.

Two teams were created; and they were judged on attentiveness and ability to maintain the garden, growth of their plants, and how much was harvested. Each team was tasked to decorate its planter as well. This is when the artistic sides were unveiled.

Their creative sides

Each member painted and decorated a section of the five-sided planters. One associate was so proud of his team’s work that he brought his family to the plant on a Saturday to see the planter. His children added their own touch.

Lorie says the associates tended to the gardens on their breaks and were overall amazed at what our soils can do. The competition inspired them to try a variety of our products at home and made them even more passionate and enthusiastic about their jobs.

“Our associates are extremely proud of their gardens,” Lorie says. “They're already a close-knit group, but the contest helped bring them together even more. Planting and tending to the gardens has helped them understand why our soils are the best out there.”