On the QT | The Official Newsletter of GWA February-March 2016 | Page 19
2016 MANTS
Publishers, too, have responded with the largest
offering ever of books on subjects ranging from
heirloom vegetables, organic backyard gardening
and heritage apples, to indoor marijuana cultivation and straw bale gardening. Subjects some in
the publishing world wouldn’t touch a decade ago
have now found a new and burgeoning consumer
market.
The number of farmers markets rose to
8,476 in August 2015, according to
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
1,755
3,706
8,284
8,476
This group is about half of the nearly 100 GWA members who were spotted during
the three-day run of MANTS in Baltimore.
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1994
2004
2014
2015
GWA Secretary Maria Zampini and Executive Director Maria Ungaro present a
check for $2,500 to the Horticultural Research Institute. The funds were donated
by GWA directors and other members.
This issue of QT marks the beginning of an
on-going series about new directions in garden
writing. In future issues, you will hear from those
in the field of seed production, organics, edible
garden projects and others. Our new food
gardening committee thinks this area of garden
communication has been neglected in our
organization, and we hope that you will enjoy
these new perspectives.
GWA member Jim Long is a garden columnist, book
author and organic herb gardener. He markets his
herb health formulas and books through his website,
www.longcreekherbs.com and travels the world
searching for new and unusual edible plants.
PHOTO S COUR TE SY K IR K R. B ROW N
We seek story submissions for this column. Please
ask the editor for details ([email protected]).
(Left to right) Mark Osgerby from Proven Winners, Lorraine Ballato, and Chris
Hansen of Chick Charms, meet GWA’s new Deputy Director Ashley Sullivan and
Executive Director Maria Ungaro (right).
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