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Orchid Enterprise Inc. (OEI) was established in April of 2004
Like most internet businesses, OEI started as a hobby gone wild. It all
started about 20 years ago with a seedling Cattleya orchid from a local
nursery. Placed on a windowsill in a townhouse in Northern Virginia, the
Cattleya put on a new growth and that was all it took. Ken was hooked.
The quest for knowledge had begun and Ken learned of Kensington
Orchids, just a short, 30 minute drive around Washington DC. Merritt
Huntington, owner of Kensington Orchids, became Ken's mentor and was
always giving of his vast knowledge of orchids and the orchid world.
Ken joined the National Capital Orchid Society (NCOS), the American
Orchid Society (AOS), and the Hollin Hills Orchid Soceity (HHOS). Ken
eventually became involved in each of these societies ultimately becoming
president of HHOS, NCOS and an orchid judge at the National Capital
Judging Center in Washington DC.
It was, as a member of NCOS, that Ken met Arthor Holst - author of "The
World of Catasetums". Art traveled throughout Brazil studying the native
habitats of the genus Catasetenae for his yet-to-be-published book. Art
invited Ken to join him on one of his trips to Brazil and they soon became
friends and journeyed together on many future trips. After Art's retirement,
Ken continued his travels to South America where he now he takes fellow
explorers to Ecuador and Peru.
Ken has a Bachelor of Science degree in Protozoology and was formally
trained in microbiology while working on his Masters Degree, studying
sulfur oxidizing bacteria along the volcanic rifts in the Pacific Ocean. Ken's
training has given him the knowledge necessary to establish a laboratory
where OEI germinates and grows orchid seed under controlled sterile
conditions. Ken has been germinating and growing orchids from seed
almost as long as he has been growing orchids.
OEI was originally established to help reduce the number of orchids in
Ken's collection, but somehow this has backfired and Ken's collection just
seems to grow. Ken now manages a 33'X20'X13' greenhouse, a
laboratory, and a grow-room with four 1000W HID lights that run on moving
tracks over benches of seedling and various Catasetenae. The grow-room
is lined with rolling racks of African Violets that benefit from the 4-foot
windows that enclose the 35'X15' room.
The African Violets are a relatively new addition to the OEI collection. Ken
has grown African Violets for as long, if not longer than, Orchids. His
involvement with the various societies and other commitments prevented
Ken from getting too involved with this group of plants. Now that he is no
longer serving on a society Board and is an accredited AOS judge, Ken has
rekindled his interest in the gesnerid group of plants, which African Violets
are a part of. When asked if he planned on becoming a judge for the
African Violet Society, Ken was quick to reply "No..... Not at this time" then
smiled with a look that said "you never know".
Like most internet businesses, OEI started as a hobby gone wild. It all
started about 20 years ago with a seedling Cattleya orchid from a local
nursery. Placed on a windowsill in a townhouse in Northern Virginia, the
Cattleya put on a new growth and that was all it took. Ken was hooked.
The quest for knowledge had begun and Ken learned of Kensington
Orchids, just a short, 30 minute drive around Washington DC. Merritt
Huntington, owner of Kensington Orchids, became Ken's mentor and was
always giving of his vast knowledge of orchids and the orchid world.
Ken joined the National Capital Orchid Society (NCOS), the American
Orchid Society (AOS), and the Hollin Hills Orchid Soceity (HHOS). Ken
eventually became involved in each of these societies ultimately becoming
president of HHOS, NCOS and an orchid judge at the National Capital
Judging Center in Washington DC.
It was, as a member of NCOS, that Ken met Arthor Holst - author of "The
World of Catasetums". Art traveled throughout Brazil studying the native
habitats of the genus Catasetenae for his yet-to-be-published book. Art
invited Ken to join him on one of his trips to Brazil and they soon became
friends and journeyed together on many future trips. After Art's retirement,
Ken continued his travels to South America where he now he takes fellow
explorers to Ecuador and Peru.
Ken has a Bachelor of Science degree in Protozoology and was formally
trained in microbiology while working on his Masters Degree, studying
sulfur oxidizing bacteria along the volcanic rifts in the Pacific Ocean. Ken's
training has given him the knowledge necessary to establish a laboratory
where OEI germinates and grows orchid seed under controlled sterile
conditions. Ken has been germinating and growing orchids from seed
almost as long as he has been growing orchids.
OEI was originally established to help reduce the number of orchids in
Ken's collection, but somehow this has backfired and Ken's collection just
seems to grow. Ken now manages a 33'X20'X13' greenhouse, a
laboratory, and a grow-room with four 1000W HID lights that run on moving
tracks over benches of seedling and various Catasetenae. The grow-room
is lined with rolling racks of African Violets that benefit from the 4-foot
windows that enclose the 35'X15' room.
The African Violets are a relatively new addition to the OEI collection. Ken
has grown African Violets for as long, if not longer than, Orchids. His
involvement with the various societies and other commitments prevented
Ken from getting too involved with this group of plants. Now that he is no
longer serving on a society Board and is an accredited AOS judge, Ken has
rekindled his interest in the gesnerid group of plants, which African Violets
are a part of. When asked if he planned on becoming a judge for the
African Violet Society, Ken was quick to reply "No..... Not at this time" then
smiled with a look that said "you never know".
| Orchid Enterprise Inc. A History |