FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 17, 2006

Contact: Katara Williams
Office of Public Relations
P.O. Box 10010
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70813
(225)771-2242 / (225) 771-4374 Fax
www.suagcenter.com

SU Ag Center Researcher featured in Better Homes and Gardens

"A walk through the couple's nursery is like a walk through the United Nations of plants," is a quote from Better Homes and Gardens magazine used to describe Ag Center Researcher Mila Berhane and husband's beautiful and diverse nursery in a feature story in the Early Spring 2006 issue.

Andeab and Mila Berhane and their 3-acre nursery are featured in the Garden Ideas and Outdoor Living edition of Better Homes and Garden. The Berhanes are described as a plant minded couple that nurtures a business-and a marriage- with hardworking hands and caring hearts.

In their privately owned Greenhand Nursery, the couple spends about 50 hrs a week planting and caring for houseplants, flowers, trees, herbs, gingers, and even ethnic vegetables such as bitter melon. The nursery consists of two 30X90-foot greenhouses and numerous outside potted plants. They have so many plants that Mila could not provide a number, "they just keep popping up everywhere," says Mila during her interview. Once these plants are grown to perfection they are sold at the Baton Rouge farmer's market.

During the interview with Better Homes and Gardens, Mila describes gardening as "a hobby that got out of hand," and attributes the success of their marriage to their common love of gardening. "We always say we have lasted a long time because we have the same hobby and we don't have time to quarrel about anything else," Mila says.

In addition to the in-depth feature story of the Berhanes, these experts provide readers of Better Homes and Gardens with tips for great gardening results in a separate article entitled 7 steps to Gardening Success. A pictorial of the exotic plants grown in their nursery are also featured.

"Andeab and Mila have put their superior knowledge of plant nurturing into practice" says Chancellor Leodrey Williams. "Mila brings the same level of care and enthusiasm to her job at the Southern University Ag Center and the Ag Center family congratulates the Berhanes on their outstanding achievements."

This issue of Better Homes and Gardens is currently available in stores nationwide.

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