Loma Vista Nursery Employee Features
We at Loma Vista Nursery are not only proud of our plants, but we are also proud of our operations and the people who work here, which is why we are featuring blogs and videos about the people who make up our incredible team and how we run our nursery.
Introducing: Brooke Stamm
Brooke is one of the most vital members of the Loma Vista Nursery team because without her, we wouldn’t have any plants. She started out in production four years ago, and now she is our plant propagator and perennial grower. On the propagation side of things, she creates new plants through various means such as seeds, divisions, and grafting, but the majority of her propagation comes from cuttings. This is a nifty process where Brooke and her team cut off small segments of plants, introduce them to a root hormone solution, and then monitor the cutting as it becomes an autonomous plant of its own.
above: Brooke in one of the propagation houses.
Brooke also grows all of our perennials. Her responsibilities include pruning, spacing, watering, and fertilizing the perennials throughout their life cycle. Her roles at the nursery fit her perfectly because she is a bonafide plant-enthusiast to say the least. She can tell you anything you need to know about any of the plants she grows. If you’re interested in learning about her top five favorite plants, you can see her selection HERE.
Her ‘Roots’
Brooke is a Kansas native, through and through. She grew up in Washington, KS, which is north of Manhattan and just a little south of the Nebraska border. Brooke is proud of her small-town roots, so she appreciates that she now gets to live in Ottawa where our container facility is located. Even as a young child, her passion has always been plants. Some of her favorite memories are planting flowers with her mom each spring. This love of plants and the outdoors lead Brooke to earn a BS in Horticulture and Greenhouse Management at Kansas State University (go Wildcats!).
above: One of our perennial/propagation houses.
From Intern to Now
Brooke has been with Loma Vista Nursery going on four years, but before she was a full-time employee, Brooke was one of our summer interns. Loma Vista has a paid summer internship program for juniors to seniors in college. During the program, interns rotate through every department from production and propagation to inventory, shipping, and marketing. Our goal is not to have interns just water the same five plants all summer. Instead, we want to give them accessible skills that will make them successful participants in the horticulture industry.
above: Brooke and Leanne (head of Human Resources) at a career fair at Kansas State University.
Before her internship here, Brooke had never really thought about propagation, but after taking part in all of the nursery operations, she fell in love with it. She also fell in love with Loma Vista Nursery. When asked why she likes to work here, Brooke says, “The nursery is an impressive operation, and there is always something new for me to learn whether it be a new plant or a new way to do things.” However, her favorite thing about Loma Vista is the environment. “We all feel like one big family. Everyone supports each other and gets along.”
An Industry She Believes In
Brooke is a huge advocate for the horticulture industry. She is involved with the Kansas City chapter of Emerging Leaders in Horticulture, and she is constantly getting involved with career fairs at colleges and talking to students in high school, middle school, and even elementary school about the value of the horticulture industry. Brooke says that when she goes to trade shows, she is constantly awed by the level of camaraderie between everyone. “Horticulture is vital for our green and sustainable impact on the world, and because of that, everyone in the industry is very supportive of one another. I can’t name another industry where competitors get along so well and are so willing to share trade secrets,” she says. Brooke feels blessed to work in this industry, and we are so honored that she works with us.
above: Brooke with our nursery cat, Goldie.
Come Work With Us (And Brooke!)
Interested in joining our team at Loma Vista Nursery? Check out our career page HERE or contact us for general inquiries. Email: sales@lomavistanursery.com Phone: (785) 229-7200
Click HERE to see Brooke’s top five favorite plants.
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