Be sure to tune in to my newest podcast on the iHeart media app, or wherever you get your podcasts. These shows are when I sit down for one-on-one conversations with fascinating people to learn about their individual careers, how they evolved, and what stories they can share with listeners.
A couple of weeks ago, we all watched the Big Game. It was ranked the 2nd-most watched in its history, with more than 125 million viewers. We also watched the commercials - some of the most fun we'll see this year. But what do these spots cost to air? What does it take to create a winning campaign? And what have been some of the most memorable Big Game ads over the years? I went to the PepsiCo world headquarters in Purchase, New York to ask Mark Kirkham, Chief Marketing Officer for PepsiCo’s beverage division. It was a very interesting and informative conversation and a beautiful tour of the grounds.
Enjoy these photos and please listen to my podcast.
The PepsiCo world headquarters sits on more than 100 acres in the quaint hamlet of Purchase in the town of Harrison, New York – less than an hour from my farm. Seven buildings surround a center courtyard. This sculpture in a large water fountain is David Wynne’s “Girl with Dolphin.” It is one of 45 outdoor pieces included in the Donald M. Kendal Sculpture Gardens.
The square block buildings were designed with strips of dark windows topped by rows of tan stone. Trees and bushes line the courtyard and driveway.
The trees are meticulously manicured all around the complex. These buildings were designed by architect Edward Durrell Stone whose works also include the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Here is another view. The area is still under several inches of snow, but it is finally beginning to melt away.
Small ponds provide tranquil spaces for employees and guests who are free to visit the garden on weekends from March to November, and on selected holidays.
The corporate flag outside the complex is flown alongside the United States Stars and Stripes.
Here is another installation art piece on the grounds. The Donald M. Sculpture Gardens includes works from many modern artists including August Rodin, Henry Moore, and Alexander Calder.
These three tall sculptures are part of Arnaldo Pomodoro’s “Triad.” The sculpture garden was meant to create an “atmosphere of stability and creativity” according to former CEO Donald M. Kendall. I used to cater for the Kendall family and also for parties here at the headquarters – you’ll hear about it in my podcast.
Inside, the floors are spacious. This is an in-house cafeteria space offering, of course, PepsiCo products.
A big gumball machine also sits on the ground floor – and yes, it works. Two gumballs for a dollar.
And vintage bottle crates decorate the area – remember any of these?
Expansive beverage and work spaces fill other floors for department meetings.
Here I am with beverage division CMO Mark Kirkham just before my podcast began. During the show, I ask him the difference between marketing and advertising and why both are so important for every single American company. I ask him about the commercials his company produced for the Big Game and how they ranked against all the others. Which was your favorite? We talked about business, and how his brands have evolved. And we talked about consumers, what they want, and all the choices they have. It was a very informative conversation.
And here I am in the company golf cart after the podcast – yes, I am driving. Please listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts. It’s out now!
Gardeners, it's time to start those brassicas from seed.
Here at my farm, I always start the year off planting seeds indoors for the next growing season. Last week, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, started pots of broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage - all considered brassicas, or cole crops - a genus of plants in the mustard family, scientifically known as Brassicaceae, whose members are informally referred to as cruciferous vegetables. The seedlings will be nurtured in the greenhouse until they’re mature enough to move to my vegetable garden.
Enjoy these photos.
Here is one of my brassica beds in summer. I grow lots of brassicas and save them all for me and my family.
Cabbages are popular brassicas. A common variety, green cabbage, has densely packed green leaves that grow lighter towards the center. They’re just right for picking when they feel firm and have compacted leaves, with little to no wilting on the outer casings.
This is known as Savoy cabbage, with its loose layers of frilly leaves. This thick-ribbed head cabbage, also called curly cabbage, is delicious in salads and has a slightly peppery flavor.
Ranging from red to purple, this head cabbage has a stronger flavor than green cabbage and can be eaten cooked or raw, adding texture and snap to dishes.
You may recognize this brassica – it’s broccoli. I grew lots of broccoli every year. When mature, some of my broccoli heads are bigger than one’s hand.
Kale is a leafy green vegetable that is also in the Brassicaceae family. It has green or purple leaves, in which the central leaves do not form a head.
And another brassica or cruciferous vegetable is the cauliflower. The word “cauliflower” is Latin, meaning “flowers of cabbage” and the low-growing plant looks very similar to cabbage until the large leaves open up and reveal the “curd,” the most commonly consumed part of the vegetable. Most are familiar with the white varieties, but cauliflower also grows in yellow-orange, purple, and even green.
This time of year my head house tables are often filled with seeds ready to be planted in pots and trays. I use seeds from favorite sources, seeds I’ve picked up during my travels, and sometimes seeds exchanged with friends.
Johnny’s Selected Seeds is a privately held, employee-owned organic seed producer. Johnny’s offers hundreds of varieties of organic vegetable, herb, flower, fruit and farm seeds that are known to be strong, dependable growers.
And all the beautiful vegetables start out here in my head house seeded in small pots or trays. My head gardener, Ryan McCallister, prepares the pots ahead of time, so there are always some ready to use.
When starting from seed, it is best to use a pre-made seed starting mix that contains the proper amounts of vermiculite, perlite and peat moss. Seed starting mixes are available at garden supply stores. I use Miracle-Gro seed starting potting mix.
Holes for the seeds can be made in the center of the containers with one’s finger or end of a marker.
Ryan writes the seed variety on small wooden markers also from Johnny’s. This information is good to know for planting the next season.
Ryan places markers in the pots to identify the varieties.
Seeds are small, so be very careful when pouring them out of the packet. Seeds are planted at different times depending on their maturity durations.
Ryan drops one to three seeds in each cell. Any weak seedlings will be thinned out later. When buying or ordering seeds, be sure to read the hardiness of the plant. And know your hardiness zone, so you can select the right seeds for your area.
Once the pots are seeded, they are covered up with another layer of soil mix.
Ryan spreads the soil mix across the pots completely and evenly.
Ryan gives the seeds a thorough watering. These seeds will be selectively thinned in a few weeks. The process eliminates the weaker sprout and prevents overcrowding, so seedlings don’t have any competition for soil nutrients or room to mature.
And then finally, the pots are placed under plastic covers and put on a shelf under lights in a warm area of my greenhouse. It’s still February, but let the growing season begin – I’m ready!
Wintertime pruning continues at my farm - next on the list, the orchard trees.
If you grow fruit trees, the best time to prune them is now - in winter - or in very early spring before any new growth begins. Pruning not only helps to develop proper shape and form, but also encourages new growth, promotes high fruit yield, and maintains good tree health. I have more than 200 fruit trees in my orchard - peaches, apples, pears, cherries, medlars, and others. This year, I called on the experts from The Arborist, Inc. in nearby Bedford Hills, New York to take on the big job.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
There’s still a lot of snow on the ground, but the orchard trees need pruning to ensure they continue to produce an abundance of fruit. All my fruit trees are extremely healthy, in part because of all the care and maintenance that is done to maintain them.
The tree experts at The Arborist specialize in pruning fruit trees.
Before starting on any tree, foreman Ray assesses the tree and decides where he will start trimming.
With all the snow on the ground, it is also necessary to shovel a path, so the crew can work on each tree and safely set up their ladders.
A bow saw, or pruning saw, cuts on both the fore stroke and back stroke and is designed for cutting thicker, older branches.
I prefer much of the work be done by hand. Cutting by hand gives my trees a more natural appearance and shape.
Pruning cuts should be made fairly flush to the branch from which it grew. The idea is to leave slight stubs. By removing any more, the remaining branch has too much of an opening for disease to enter. Here, one can see where a cut was made. And cuts should be clean – something that can only be done with good, sharp tools.
After cutting the old, thick branches, Ray focuses on the Ds of pruning and removes any dead, diseased, damaged, defective, or deranged branches.
Dead branches, or those without any signs of new growth, are cut, so the energy is directed to the branches with fruiting buds.
Ray cuts branches that are rubbing or crisscrossing each other, preventing any healthy new growth. Basically, the goal is to create a tree with well spaced lateral branches. Any branches which interfere with the tree’s shape or create a dense framework should be removed.
And he prunes the suckers away from the tree trunk to prevent them from taking over.
For slightly larger branches up to two-inches in diameter, they use bypass loppers.
Here, a long handled pole pruner is used to remove harder to reach branches.
Pole pruners can reach high branches and trim multiple branches at once, saving time and effort. It’s important to have all the necessary tools at hand, so these tasks can be done efficiently.
When pruning, it’s always a good idea to pick up branches during the process, so there isn’t a lot of time wasted with clean-up in the end.
Neat and tidy piles are made along the shoveled foot path, so they can be retrieved easily. The branches are either saved for kindling or processed through a wood chipper to make mulch.
Some of my fruit trees have long branches which weigh heavy when laden with fruit. To support them, I use “crutches” with natural “v” notches that could cradle the heavy limbs.
Removing crowded branches helps let in light and promote good air circulation.
A good pruning improves productivity and promotes more fruiting. I like to prune my trees annually to establish and maintain good structure and shape.
I instructed the crew to cut about a third of the new growth including all the suckers. There is still a lot more work to be done, but I am looking forward to many lustrous green trees heavy with fruits come summer.
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