Greetings and Happy Holidays Everyone! 
Congratulations to Greg and Liese as they are now officially retired! With that news, I am looking forward to continuing the 'Tip of the Month' section of our newsletter. I would also like to thank Liese for writing this section since the Oak Hill/Orchids Garden Centre merger in June, giving me the chance to catch my breath. This month, however, instead of sharing a growing tip, I would like to introduce myself to let you know a little about me and the history of our orchid business here in Waunakee, Wisconsin.
I'm Chuck Acker, head orchid grower at Orchids Garden Centre & Nursery. Much like Liese, I have had the good fortune of growing up in the orchid business. Some of you may recall the family business of Orchids by the Ackers that my parents started in the early 1960's. At that time our business was mainly focused on the production of orchids for the wholesale cut-flower market. As a very young boy I grew up filling tens of thousands of glass water tubes for the cut orchids that were shipped each year. Not a job I miss today!
During the mid 70's the orchid plant craze started to creep into the upper Midwest and our doors opened to the general public for the first time. Orchid plant sales took off with a vengeance and our focus changed from wholesale cut-flower production to retail plant production. No more filling glass water tubes for me! Yippie!! Prior to graduating high school in 1977, my father asked me to help grow his orchids as a full time endeavor and become an apprentice to our extensive orchid breeding program. Needless to say I didn't have to think twice about that offer. For the next 30 years I would be pollinating orchids to create new hybrids, oversee all aspects of the growing environment and become night watchman, which consisted of living in the house attached to the greenhouse that I had grown up in. A dream job for sure!
In the fall of 2007 the family business changed hands and thus the name change to Orchids Garden Centre & Nursery. This change of ownership has brought new life to the old nursery with the addition of nearly 50,000 square feet of new greenhouse space, new product lines including an expanded garden center and the modernization of the old inefficient glass greenhouses and heating system. Our new owner, Kent Franz, his wife Cheryl and son Skylar now live in the house that I once grew up in. I no longer live on the premises and thus have been relinquished of my night duties. I don't miss some of the long winter nights overseeing the mechanics, however, I do miss my short commute to and from work through the boiler room!
My father Walter, was very close to Liese's father Hermann Pigors. They had exchanged many orchid plants between each other throughout the years. As a young boy I recall the countless hours of orchid conversation between the two men while I sat and listened, attempting to figure out what they were talking about. Unfortunately my father has since passed and with every visit to our greenhouse Hermann still makes time to stop and visit with my mother. The Pigors family will always be held very close to my heart as I'm sure they will be in yours too.
The acquisition of the Oak Hill stock has now more than doubled our orchid plant inventory. With that, I have noticed many of the old cultivars that used to be in our collection back on our benches once again. It's like living my childhood all over again, at the age of 53! We are diligently going through the stud plant collection one by one, repotting and dividing what we can to ensure their health, vigor and future availability. We are also de-flasking and purchasing thousands of new seedlings that will soon find their way on to our ever changing web site. Soon we will also be adding our existing stock of blooming size hybrid and mericlone orchids of assorted genera to entice you even more.
We are striving to maintain every aspect of customer service and plant quality that was built by the Pigors family. If there is anything that you feel we can improve or change to better serve you, please feel free to let us know. Meanwhile, I look forward to breeding and growing the orchids that will hopefully someday find a place in your heart and in your growing collection.
In next month's issue I will resume the 'Tip of the Month' where I will be discussing our most widely used potting mixes and their components used in production at our nursery.
Happy Growing Everyone!
Chuck Acker
