This highly-regarded , popular , annual gathering actually started in Gilroy in 1967 by Glenn and Jane Goldsmith , founders of Goldsmith ’ s Seeds , now owned by Syngenta , located on the west side of Gilroy . The Goldsmith family is well known in the industry , world-wide , for significant advances in the vegetable and floral industry . One of the most popular cherry-type tomatoes grown by amateur gardeners everywhere is named Sweet 100 . Gilroyans should know that this variety of tomato was developed decades ago by the Goldsmiths .
Alkaloids are plant compounds that make plants unpalatable to herbivores including insects . It ' s one of nature ' s survival mechanisms . Plant alkaloids are also used extensively in medicine . The Goldsmiths found that the alkaloids in the native vinca , when bred with commercially desired varieties , made their plants repel whitefly . This discovery thrust their Vinca hybrid to the top and interest poured in from across the country and overseas .
These trade shows should serve as a reminder of how important the horticulture and agriculture industry is to our region . Young people should know that good careers in agriculture and ag-science can be found in South Santa Clara County ! Great paying managerial , scientific and ag-sales related jobs can be found at these locally-based American , Dutch and Japanese companies . A career in plant breeding can be attractive to those who love the idea of conducting complex scientific experiments in a lab but having the opportunity to work outside in fields of flowers , vegetables and plants .
The neat rows of colorful flowers and lush vegetables outside any plant breeders office are all experiments being watched closely by scientists . While non-hybrid , open pollinating plants have a role in agriculture and gardens everywhere , it ’ s the hybrids , developed by plant breeders , which has allowed agriculture , worldwide , to keep up with population growth and combat against plant diseases , rise in temperature , and drought .
Joel Goldsmith , son of Glenn and Jane , believes one of their most successful projects was in the nineties with the development of an improved hybrid bedding flower called , Vinca . For years , growers around the world had stopped producing the once-popular , heat resistant , bedding-flower because of its susceptibility to the devisating whitefly . Glenn and Jane ventured to the jungles of Madagascar to collect native Vinca . They found unique alkaloids in the native vinca that did not exist in the commercially-grown , problematic varieties .
South Santa Clara County has long been known for agriculture production . Garlic and mushrooms come to most people ' s minds first . Row crops such as corn , pumpkins , tomatoes , peppers and lettuce are observed almost year round . Thousands of cattle roam the hillsides . Acres of wine grapes add to the beauty of this region . Years ago , prunes and dairy cattle could be found all around the valley floor . Today , nursery , flower crops , and plant breeders all play a significant role in the uniqueness of south county and our local economy that all of our agriculture related businesses help support .
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