Digital bytes

Tap away the gray

In late 2013, a letter went out to several major news outlets, government agencies, and industry associations. It was signed by six major names in the horticulture industry and it identified a worrisome problem: the horticulture industry is getting older and there’s a sudden dearth of young talent. As more folks retire, the replacement ranks grow thinner and thinner. With each passing year, the problem grows more foreboding, and the question of how to attract young talent looms.

Nursery Management covered this issue in its April 2014 cover story (page 10).

“The concern comes from how we are attracting younger professionals into the industry to make up the eventual retirement gaps, as we do not have as much time as other industries to address this issue,” Todd Downing, the director of Key Corporate Services, LLC, told Greenhouse Management (see January, page 50).

Which is why we should celebrate the promotional campaigns and video games that are cropping up; they’re introducing the culture at-large to horticulture.

On the Internet this means that sites like whyifarm.com (operated by Beck Hybrids) are working to grow in popularity and develop an audience. The site has garnered almost 11,000 likes on Facebook and 1,000 follows on Twitter.

Why I Farm is a series of real-world testimonials discussing why farming is crucial for the farmer and for the nation.

To appeal to both Generation Y and the generations beyond it, there’s “Tap Flower Lite” (and Tap Flower, but that costs $0.99), a finger-tapping phone game that allows users to link a series of flowers and score points for connections. It’s similar to (über-addictive) Candy Crush in many senses, and will probably appeal to the same crowd. Tap Flower is almost identical to computer-based game “Blooming Gardens,” though it’s unclear which came first.

Both games are dwarfed in popularity by Plants vs. Zombies, a niche cultural phenomenon that exploded through dorm rooms and tablets. As the name suggests, the game pits garden plants against a marauding and increasingly large horde of brain-eating zombies. The game started out as a PC and mobile device exclusive but parent company PopCap recently announced that Plants vs. Zombies would migrate to consoles (Xbox, Playstation, etc.).

And if you’re wondering whether or not Plants vs. Zombies could effectively be tied into the horticulture industry beyond a cursory nod to plants, the majority of game reviews categorized Plants vs. Zombies (and its many knock-offs) as part of the “horticulture horror” genre. Name recognition is one of the most important aspects of marketing and if the industry is connected to a pop culture phenomenon, it can’t be a bad thing.

Increasing visibility is a key component in attracting young talent, and snagging attention from kids and high school students is a massive accomplishment. Pardon the pun, but changing the image of horticulture requires a grassroots movement. So go against the grain; encourage kids to play video games and get sucked into the Internet. Just make sure they’re gaining an appreciation for horticulture.

Chris Mosby is assistant editor of Greenhouse Management.