Ben
Cecil:
Owner/Operator, slave to the grind
Originally from Elizabethtown, KY, I graduated from Western Kentucky
University in 1999 with a BS in Agriculture, with an emphasis in
Horticulture. Upon graduation I started as an Extension Agent
for Horticulture in Jefferson County, KY (Louisville Area).
After about 10 months there, I accepted the position of
Nursery Manager and Propagator at Bernheim Arboretum where I began to
develop my deep appreciation for the diversity of high quality
ornamental plants that were hardy in 6a. I also gained a great initial
understanding of cutting propagation and grafting due to the many
different plants we were expected to produce. While actual
percentages of takes were not important in this position, the copious
amount of failures allowed me to work through issues that many new
propagators face. Along with the freedom to fail, the
extraordinary experience shared by many, many people (far too many to
list) made my advancements come at a greater clip.
In 2002 I decided to try my hand in the commercial nursery sector. That
decision lead me to Tallahassee,FL where I was the Pest and Plant
Health Manager for Imperial Nurseries. Man what an
experience. I was exposed to the daily operation of a
container operation of about 300 acres. Seeing things occur
on this scale can really put some apparently small decisions in true
perspective when seeing the success or failure over 100,000 plants
instead of 500. While there, I also spent many hours with
their propagator, Charlotte LeBlanc. Her 20 years of
experience and willingness to share lessons learned were
invaluable. A truly beautiful person who's time was much too
short on this Earth. This job gave me the confidence to run
a
container operation from start to finish.
This was when I decided to move back to Kentucky and try my hand at
growing from cutting to finished plant. When one is on their
own, they realize exactly how much they don't know. This
happened at Oldham County Nursery. No, I did not fail
completely, but the amount of time it took to propagate in acceptable
percentages and grow the plants to "Garden Center Quality" was
exceptional to start. I eventually settled down and things began to run
more smoothly, but there were still plenty of items to learn.
Unfortunately, the owners decided to close the nursery before
I could see the growing process develop completely.
This is when I decided that SRN had to start! I felt there
were far too many plants not being offered to the industry and public.
Tom and I met in December of 2006 to discuss the business
plan. Two months later it was a done deal. Since
then Tom and I have watched our dream grow at a controlled rate
and enjoyed every minute of it.
Along
with the above activities, I am on the Board of Directors with the
Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association, Vice President of the Louisville Nursery
Association, member of the International Plant
Propagator's Society, Eastern Region, and committee member of the Theodore Klein Plant Award program.
Tom Abell Owner/ Trainee to be slave to the grind
I
was born and raised in Elizabethtown, KY. I graduated East Hardin
High in 1972, After I graduated high school, I joined the US Navy
and retired after 20 years and 6 months. My duty assignments
were: NTC Great Lakes IL (Basic Training); USS Oklahoma CG5 Yokosuka,
Japan; USS California DGN 36 (Plank Owner) Norfolk, VA; NAS Cubi Point,
Philippines; NAS Memphis Millington, TN; NAS Agana Guam; NS San Diego,
CA Tug Boat YTM 704; USS Mount Vernon LSD 39 Long Beach, CA; NAF Atsugi
Japan.
After retiring, I worked for Urbane Electric in Carizzo
Springs, TX as a machine operator. Let's just say that wasn't for
me. So, I went to ATD Truck Driving School in Waco, TX.
When I finished school, I was hired to drive for Burlington
Motors. They were our of Monroe, LA. I really enjoyed the
job, but it kept me away from my home. I decided to move back
home to E'town and started college at ECC in 1993. I was still in
college when in 1996, I was hired on at Dana Corporation and have been
there ever since.
I had several talks with Ben about the
nursery business and am beginning to believe it is "growing" on me.
Through Ben's patience and willingness to explain the complicated
process of growing plants, I have become more comfortable with all the
considerations of plant production and enjoy it greatly. I find
the work quite relaxing though very physical at times.
The
Name:
Many people asked me how we came up with such an unusual name.
Well, it happened as follows: My sister, Rachael,
is a
great friend to Tom (purely platonic!!). He appreciated her
kindness and insight so much he requested she be included in the name
in some shape or form. After some thought and consideration
of my sister's personality, I decided her grossly happy disposition and
agonizlying bubbly presence reminded me of a "sunny" person.
Being I have referred to her as "Ray" for my entire life (she
has 6 years on me), a ray of sunshine seemed to fit. Thus the
name that exists now.