KINTNERSVILLE, Pa. — “We grow way too many things, but that isn’t going to change. We have stuff no one else has,” Lloyd Traven said of Peace Tree Farm, recognized as the largest certified organic transplant grower in the U.S. The operation is comprised of an acre of greenhouses on a 25-acre farm.
Although Traven and his wife, Candy, consider their key production line to be the propagation of herbs and vegetables, they also are known for growing unique and unusual plants. Recently, the Travens opened their wholesale operation for other growers to examine their unique operation and consider the benefits of sustainable holiday plants.
“Consumers know the advantages of eating organically grown food, but it’s a bit harder sell to convince them of the benefits of chemical-free ornamentals and flowers,” Traven admitted. “But what is good for the environment is good for your family.”
More than that, Traven touts sustainable plants as being hardier and more resistant to pests and fungi. The Travens found out that it is impossible to get certified organic stock in annual and perennial flowers, and for this reason grow their own under certified conditions. By law, they are not legally able to say flowers are certified organic.
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