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Wednesday, August 20 - Friday, August 22, 2003
Park Inn & Suites in the Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania

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11:00 am - 6:00 pm	NASGA Board Meeting
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm	Welcome Reception

Hotel Continental Breakfast (included with room)

Tour Stops

Pedricktown, NJ
Perry Farms -- Hosted by J. Perry, Jr.
Using plasticulture in the production of strawberries and vegetables on 300 Acres

Shiloh, NJ
ARC Greenhouses -- Hosted by Bruce Cobb
Hydroponic techniques with lettuce & herbs

Millville, NJ
Wheaton Village for Lunch on Your Own
Glass blowing, crafts, folk-life center

Pittsgrove, NJ
Walker Brothers Farms -- Hosted by Scott Walker
Sell blueberry and raspberry plants, and is a major distributor of asparagus seed & crowns, as well as production & sales of strawberry plants & plugs.

Clayton, NJ
Eastern ProPak - Hosted by Jersey Fruit Co-op
Major blueberry and peach packing facility with large cooler operation

Cherry Hill, NJ
Springdale Farms Market -- Hosted by Tom Jarvis
Introducing hydroponic greenhouse strawberries for the gourmet market, as well as strawberries grown matted row and plastic. This expansive farm market is in a busy upscale area.

Dinner in Springdale's “Conservatory”

Traveling Tour of Philadelphia

Hotel Continental Breakfast (included with room)

Tour Stops

Kennett Square, PA
Basciani Foods - Hosted by Mike & Mario Basciani
Mushroom Farm

Avondale, PA
Glen Willow Orchard Market - Hosted by Stephen & Tom Rosazza
Tree-fruit, Plastic grown vegetables

Option One -- Intercourse, PA
Village of shops with traditional Amish items

Option Two -- Leola, PA
Produce Auction and field trials

Lunch on Your Own (At Village, Auction or Funks)

Millersville, PA
Funks Farm Market -- Hosted by Fred Funk
High tunnel strawberries and raspberries. A hugely popular farm market operation.

Holtwood, PA
Cedar Meadow Farm -- Hosted by Steve Groff
Steve has developed the "Permanent Cover Cropping System" involving cover crops, crop rotation & no-till. Steve is a nationally known speaker.

Elkton, MD
Walnut Springs Farms
NASGA Board Member and tour host Phil Johnson welcomes you to his farm

Dinner in Phil’s gardens

A Unique Opportunity for A Great Educational Experience

Our 2003 Summer Tour will expose you to new production techniques and marketing ideas as you travel to innovative farms, processing facilities, and farm markets in Southern New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania. Then you'll probably want to add a day or two of your own to explore the history and patriotic treasures of nearby Philadelphia. The Brandywine Valley is the doorway to the land of the Amish in Lancaster County, and Longwood Gardens and Winterthur, two esteemed public gardens, are within a few miles of our hotel. Find more about attractions in the area at www.brandywinecvb.org/attraction.htm. This is a great chance to combine business with a family vacation.

	Perry Farms -- This 300 acre plus farm will have peppers, pickles, zuchinni, squash and tomatoes in production during our visit. They grow everything in plastic and replant in September.
	ARC Greenhouses -- Growing herbs, greens and lettuces for chefs and local retail markets, this farm focuses on responding to market needs. Learn more about their extensive capacity to meet demand at www.ARCgreenhouses.com.
	Wheaton Village -- During our lunch stop use your free time to visit the Museum of American Glass, crafts & trades row, the folklife center, or the stained glass studio. To get a preview visit www.wheatonvillage.org .
	Walker Brothers Farm -- Greenhouse grown plugs are planted in early fall through plastic mulch in double rows at densities of @17,400 plants per acre on fumigated, raised beds. A row cover is used to protect plants from winter damage. On the web at www.jerseyasparagus.com
	Eastern ProPak -- Packers for the Jersey Fruit Cooperative, largest peach and nectarine shipper in NJ. On our visit they’ll be handling peaches, but they also pack blueberries from mid-June to mid-August. Learn more abut how this cooperative operates at www.jerseyfruit.com
	Springdale Farms -- A 100-acre farm that produces 32 varieties of fruits & vegetables. Introducing a new hydronic system for growing long-stem strawberries in the greenhouse for the gourmet market. We’ll dine in Springdale’s “Conservatory,” a beautiful glass surrounded room. See www.springdalefarms.com.
	Basciani Foods --Basciani’s intense focus on quality and service is legendary. Since 1925 the goal of this family owned operation has been to consistently deliver the finest quality product with lightning-fast service. Their website is www.bascianifoods.com. Glen Willow Orchard Market -- A small farm market operation that is similar to those of many NASGA members.
	Intercourse, PA -- Intercourse is the hub where the Amish and local folks do their business and host thousands of visitors each year. Get the flavor of this village at www.800padutch.com
	Leola Produce Auction -- A highlight of the week in Amish country. Funks Farm Market -- After viewing their production area that includes high tunnels, visit the unique farm market that has made Fred Funk a sought after speaker on promotions and marketing.
	Cedar Meadow Farms -- Showcasing the “Permanent Cover Cropping System” that Steve Groff has developed and tested on his 175 acre farm. Innovative practices and strategies have resulted in a system that has increased profits and greatly reduced soil erosion and pesticides. On the web at www.cedarmeadowfarm.com
	Walnut Springs Farms -- The farm of our NASGA host Phil Johnson. We’ll enjoy an old fashioned Maryland Crab Dinner in the gardens at this prospering family farm.

Hotel and Travel Information

About the Hotel

Park Inn & Suites Brandywine Valley
P.O. Box 607, Route 1 & Route 202, Concordville, PA 19331
Phone: 358-1700 s www.parkhtls.com

The hotel offers a deluxe continental breakfast, outdoor seasonal pool, fitness room, business center, & in-room modem hookup. Golf and tennis are nearby. Delaware’s tax-free shopping is 10 minutes away. Check-in time is after 3:00 pm/check-out before Noon.

Hotel Reservations

The Deadline to reserve a room in the NASGA group block is Monday, July 21. Discounted room rates will not be available after the deadline and we cannot guarantee room availability.

To Make Reservations

Call: 610-358-1700

To Ensure Receipt of our Group Rate

Ask for Group Reservations and mention the North American Strawberry Growers Association

Room Rates:

$75 single/double
$20 for each additional guest over 2. (Max. 4 to a room.)
Rate includes daily deluxe continental breakfast.

Hotel room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes in effect
at the time of making the reservation (currently 6% and 2%). Hotel
Policy: You will be asked for a credit card to guarantee your reservation.
Cancellation of rooms less than a week before the meeting could result
in penalties. When calling to cancel, please ask for a cancellation number.
No shows will have a day’s lodging charged to their credit card.

Traveling to the Summer Tour

Driving Directions to the Park Inn & Suites:

From Philadelphia: Take I-95 South to the exit for West Chester/ Rt. 322 West. Stay on Rt. 322 West for about 8 miles until Rt. 1. Make a left onto Rt. 1 & Rt. 202 make a U-Turn.

From Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia: Take I-95 North to Delaware (DE) exit #8 (Concord Pike/West Chester). Follow Rt. 202 North about 8 miles. The hotel will be on the right side just before Rt. 1.

From New York and No. NJ: Take the NJ turnpike South to exit 2. Follow Rt. 322 West over the Commodore Barry Bridge in PA. Stay on Rt. 322 West for about 8 miles to Rt. 1. Turn left onto Rt. 1 South. Take Rt. 1 until junction of Rt 1 & Rt. 202. Make a U-turn onto Rt. 1 North. The hotel is the 3rd driveway on the right.

From Western PA: Take the PA Turnpike East to exit 23. Take Rt. 100 South to Rt. 202 South. After about 12 miles turn left onto Rt. 1 North.

Public Transportation:

The hotel is served by Philadelphia International Airport, 13 miles away. Baltimore/Washington International Airport is 80 miles away. There is an Amtrak train station located 16 miles from the hotel in Wilmington, DE. Ground transportation is available through Delaware Express which services both airports and the train station. You can make reservations for your ground transport on-line by going to www.delexpress.com or call them at:

Delaware Express
P.O. Box 7736
Newark, DE 19714
302-454-7800 or 800-648-5466

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