Kaw Valley Greenhouses inc.
Celebrating Kansas Voices
Local Business of Manhattan, Kansas
Kaw Valley Greenhouses in a local business here in Manhattan, Kansas and was started by my grandmother Patricia Edmunds in 1967. there are nine children in the Edmunds family and out of those nine there are only four owners of the business, one of whom is my father Knute Edmunds. Kaw Valley Greenhouses in a local business which specializes in bedding plants like certain flowers and vegetables.
A Little History
Kaw Valley was started in 1967 as just a family project so that my grandmother could keep her nine children busy on the small Kansas farm. My grandmother had set up a small greenhouse next to the house and the children were able o grow their plants and then sell them on the side of Zeandale Road just across the Kansas River.
Becoming A Part of the Community
After the children had grown older and my father coming back from college (the only in his family to attend at the time) the business seemed to take off. My grandmother had past away at a fairly early age and the four owners, my father (Knute), my aunt (Chris), and my two uncles (Joe and Pete) decided they would like to carry on the business and let it grow. My grandfather was a professor here at Kansas State University and decided to help so he went to the manager at Dillions and set up an arrangement so that the owners of Kaw Valley could sell their plants at there Dillons stores in Manhattan and surrounding areas. In result Kaw Valley Greenhouses stared to play a role in the lives of people throughout the community.
Present Day Kaw Valley Greenhouses
(From the left to right) Chris, Pete, Joe, Knute (my father)
Kaw Valley Greenhouses today is a thriving business and still continues to grow. My other aunt (not in the picture) opened her own stores here in Manhattan called Westside and Eastside Market where you can get fresh produce and our locally grown Kaw Valley Greenhouse plants. Kaw Valley Greenhouses no longer sells at Dillons but we have now opened our own stores throughout the state of Kansas and into Missouri, Nebraska, and small parts of Iowa. Kaw Valley Greenhouses has played a huge whole and probably the biggest role in the childhood and throughout my adulthood. That being said I believe that Kaw Valley Greenhouses has played an even bigger role in the childhood and adulthood for the people and community of Manhattan, Kansas.
Proven Winners
My aunt Terry Olson owners Westside and Eastside Market where Kaw Valley Greenhouses sells their plants in Manhattan, Kansas. Terry Olson talks about Kaw Valley Greenhouses Proven Winners plants in this video.
Proven Winners Plants and Demonstration at Eastside Market 2012.wmv