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Vanstone Nurseries was started by David and Eunice Vanstone who moved to the fertile plains north of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in May 1982 with their young sons, Ashley who was 2 ½ years and Owen who was 6 months. They settled on what was known as the Levett farm (NE36-12-7) and began cleaning up the yard site of this old and neglected early homestead. The land was at this time owned by David’s father who provided invaluable help especially during those early years.
It was David and Eunice’s intention in moving to the area to establish a wholesale production nursery. To this end cuttings and seedlings of trees and shrubs were acquired and planted into the field. The Vanstones built their house and a small greenhouse during that first year. Income was sparse so summer vegetables were grown and sold directly from the yard during 1983. David also taught in the Diploma Agriculture program for the first 8 winters while the business was becoming established. Eunice found herself increasingly busy in caring for her growing family as Tim was born in 1983 and Jessica in 1985.
Steady development has taken place over the years. Production has become more focused on perennial flowers and ornamental shrubs and roses. Greenhouse space has increased to 27,000 sq. ft. An insulated 6400 sq. ft. shed is used for controlled winter storage of plants and as a year-round work space. Propagation facilities utilize the most current technology. Traditionally, shrubs were grown in the fields. However, during recent years there has been significant investment in containerized production. Most shrubs are now grown in a containerized area which has excellent drainage, all weather access and fully automated watering.
Vanstone Nurseries grows for about 250 garden centres from North-western Ontario throughout Manitoba and into Saskatchewan and Alberta. Increasingly spring sales are supplemented by sales throughout the growing season.
Vanstone Nurseries considers the delivery of the plants an important step in their wholesale business. Care is needed to prevent damage from improper temperature, timing or handling. When possible Vanstone delivers their own product; otherwise carriers are chosen with discretion.
The nursery is in the succession stage of development. Owen and Tim are stepping up to the plate to accept responsibilities previously assumed by David. They have worked in the business from school days and totally understand its philosophy and operations. They have ideas and energy to move Vanstone forward into a new generation with the ambition of becoming a top Manitoba nursery with the best perennials and shrubs around.
View the Vanstone History Picture Gallery here
Read about the Family Team:DavidDavid left an ornamental plant research position at the Morden Research Station in 1982 to start a nursery of his own just north of Portage la Prairie. What was then an abandoned yard site has become the home of a growing production nursery, and this can be credited primarily to the hard work and vision of David along with the constant support of his wife Eunice. He is now the owner and general manager of the operation with a particular management interest in the perennial production. He works hard to ensure that administrative details are kept in order and that everything keeps running smoothly, even in the busy spring rush. OwenOwen manages the sales and marketing for the nursery and enjoys interacting with all the customers to help find solutions for their needs. He also oversees the production of container grown shrubs and fruit and is always interested in finding new plants to grow and better ways to grow them. Besides his commitments to the family business, Owen has also been an extension instructor at both Red River College and Assiniboine Community College and has served in an advisory capacity at both of these institutions as well. In the fall of 2007 he combined his teaching expertise with his knowledge of nursery production practices to assist the industry in the delivery of the Domestic Phytosanitary Certification Program (DPCP), now known as Clean Plants (www.cleanplants.ca). Owen is also very involved in industry association activities. He serves as a board member for Landscape Manitoba and the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, now serving as the chair of Growers Canada. This gives him the opportunity to see nurseries across the country and around the world and to gain valuable perspective which is used to improve Vanstone Nurseries. TimAfter earning a diploma in Business Administration at Red River College, Tim joined the business and has become an integral part of operations. He now manages the bulk of the shipping process and oversees the majority of the facility and maintenance concerns at the nursery. During the production season Tim is responsible for the potting process and supervises the ongoing plant care in the container field. He is also responsible for the field production. Besides his involvement in the nursery business, Tim is also quite busy with his own growing family. He and his wife Olga welcomed their first son into the world in summer 2009.
Four Generations:
Staff:
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