I met Jack, owner Logan Keeney’s Uncle this Spring at Farmer Brown’s Marketplace in Apalachin, NY while photographing & promoting Mother’s Day hanging baskets. Obviously, gardening runs in the genes with the Keeney Klan.  Jack is not only a #garden #enthusiast, he’s ray of brilliance with knowledge of just about any plant on premises.  I was quickly fascinated by him…

Knowing Jack was a sap for info, while marketing #Perennials at FBM, I brought him a #milkweed stem hosting a tiny Monarch #caterpillar.  I participate in Kentucky University’s Monarch Watch program,  and thought he would “dig it” – all pun intended!

Approaching him with a smile, I said, “I have a gift for you, but I warn you, it can change your Life.”  Well… it not only changed his, it changed all of ours!  Within an hour, Jack built FBM a Monarch enclosure, hunted for baby caterpillars on the surrounding Milkweed and propagated the Milkweed plants FBM already had for sale. 

With Jack on staff, customers shopping at FBM are introduced to the #Monarchs- in all stages of their Life cycle and handed a wealth of #butterfly knowledge.

It occurred to Logan, Jack was a wealth of knowledge that FBM should be sharing,  hence, “Chats with Jack” was born!  Wednesday through Saturday, 10 to 5pm,  Jack will be open to any questions about planting, propagating, transplanting, plant identification, plant disease and his new found love, Monarch Rearing. 

These are just a few topics we mustered up.  Jack will take just about any gardening question you throw at him.  Can’t make it in to see Jack, visit FBM’s website  & click “Chats with Jack” to leave your question.

No questions to ask???… you may simply want to visit Jack at Farmer Brown’s for a tour of the Monarch enclosure and to see what these inquisitive little creatures have to teach us!  Kids will love it – a definite day adventure before school starts!