January 2022 - 16

INTERN OF THE YEAR
... continued from page 12
16-week internship, he spent four
weeks at four different facilities
learning how and why Green Circle
does what it does.
" Because each facility is so unique
in its crop and processes, I was
exposed to a variety of new growing
perspectives and horticultural
experiences, " he remarks.
He started his rotation in Plant 1,
Green Circle Growers' oldest facility.
Since it was still January, the pace
was a little slower; this allowed
him the chance to ease into a
new job and a new location. He
worked with two different growers
" getting acquainted with backpack
sprayers, watering and edging,
weekly tasks like push tests
and pest cards and learning the
structure of the company. "
His next assignment was in
Plant 6 that focused on plug
production, where " I got a lot of
experience applying PGRs, scouting
for pests and maintaining a clean
workspace. "
Cole enjoyed the fast-paced
environment in Plant 6. " There was a
lot to get done each day, " he says, so
it always kept him on his toes. Unlike
the other three locations where
he moved around a lot, " I stayed
in one section in Plant 6 for the
entirety of the rotation, which was
helpful in seeing what a 'typical'
month looks like for an employee.
There was so much movement of
the plugs and I saw new plants
every day. "
During his next rotation, Cole
was assigned to Plant 4, Green
Circle Growers' orchid range, where
the company's signature orchid
brand, Just Add Ice orchids, is
grown. Just Add Ice orchids are
sold at retail locations across the
country. According to the company's
website, " Green Circle Growers
has 33 acres of dedicated orchid
production, making it the largest
orchid producer in North America.
Just Add Ice orchids are grown in
an environmentally friendly fashion,
using highly efficient growing
techniques, water conservation and
a sustainable heat source. "
During this rotation, Cole gained
experience with the company's
16 JANUARY 2022 GPNMAG.COM
CONTENDING WITH COVID
Participating in an internship program during a pandemic can
create a few challenges. Just ask Joy Johnson, the 2020 Intern of
the Year. The COVID-19 crisis forced many growers and universities
to cancel their internship plans for 2020.
Cole Bieker didn't have to contend with as many challenges as
Joy did, but COVID was still a threat when he began his internship
in January 2021.
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Cole says he was fascinated by the
technology and how precisely the
greenhouse environment could be
controlled to produce the orchids.
In Plant 4, the growing team
focused on sustainability when it
came to overall crop production and
protection. " It was clear that Green
Circle has orchid growing down to a
science, " he remarks.
The final stop of Cole's 16-week
internship was in Plant 2, where " I
received an in-depth look at how
growers approach their main and
complex task of growing, including
chemical use and being mindful of
sustainability. "
He says it was the perfect place to
finish off his time at Green Circle. The
last four weeks allowed him to revisit
most of the skills he had learned and
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January 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2022
