Pajaro Valley Sold to Rocket Farms
After 45 years in the floral industry, which included induction into SAF's Floriculture Hall of Fame in 2001, Arne Thirup, AAF, has decided to sell the business he founded, Pajaro Valley Greenhouses, in Watsonville, Calif., to Rocket Farms, based in Salinas, Calif.
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Arne Thirup, AAF | "We just decided it was time," says Thirup, whose operation was best known for its roses, gerberas and stephanotis among other specialty crops. Thirup says he's thought about selling for the last few years, which he says "have been a struggle for cut flower growers." He waited for a buyer that wouldn't require that he stay in the business to run it. "I'll be 80, so it's time to move on," he says.
Rocket Farms, primarily a potted plant grower, acquired Pajaro's shipping facilities and 25 acres in greenhouses, about 60 percent of which is in rose production, and 20 percent in gerbera production. Sales manager Doug Brothers says they've taken out some of the existing production but will evaluate each crop to see which ones are viable.
"We like the gerbera production, and we have some great (gerbera) growers on board from Pajaro Valley. We'll probably infuse some new varieties and continue on with that program," Brothers says, "but we'll really look at every crop and assess what shows promise and what doesn't." Roses is one crop Brothers says has a "question mark" on it for long-term production, but "we'll continue through Mother's Day and assess it from there to determine what makes sense."
Between one-third and one-half of Pajaro's employees will stay on with Rocket Farms, Brothers says.
The company will likely convert a number of the greenhouses for potted phalaenopsis production, which the company started doing about two years ago, as well as potted colored calla plants, according to Brothers.
"The coastal location (of Pajaro Valley) is really appealing," Brothers says. "It allows us to control temperatures more easily than in Gilroy and Southern California."
— Kate F. Penn
kpenn@safnow.org
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