Our team recently returned from the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS), held last week at the Baltimore Convention Center over three days, where we showcased our work from Casey Tree Farm. Every year, MANTS draws thousands of horticulture professionals to explore innovations in plants, nursery stock, and landscape tools across over 330,000 square feet of exhibit space.
As one of the few nonprofits exhibiting, we connected with growers, suppliers, and partners to highlight our sustainable growing methods, urban-hardy stock, and unique ties to DC and nearby communities working toward regional canopy goals. Conversations buzzed around urban canopy restoration, with visitors impressed by our efforts to expand production at Casey Tree Farm—now poised for even greater capacity after breaking ground on new fields last year.
Throughout each day, the farm team shared updates about the Farm, where we grow more than 50,000 trees and harvest nearly 10,000 every year, drawing interest from first-time visitors and longtime partners.
Attendees were especially eager to learn about our new accreditation as a land trust and our ongoing conservation work, from protecting native habitats to sustainable propagation practices that support biodiversity in the region. These discussions highlighted Casey Trees’ growing role in conservation beyond planting, inspiring potential collaborations for future preservation projects.
Our sustainable grow bags remain a crowd favorite: raising questions about planting, harvesting, and shipping, a key consideration for delivering resilient stock to city streets and parks. These conversations reinforced partnerships and uncovered fresh opportunities to supply trees for public projects. MANTS also inspired peer-to-peer insights on industry trends, allowing our team to connect with other nurseries and clients while swapping stories that fuel smarter tree care practices.
Back at Casey Tree Farm, our team is hard at work caring for our trees through the winter months. Amidst a landscape of stunning white sycamores, our farm crew continues to support our trees at every step of the growing process, from installing rootbags to pruning young trees to ensure their health and survival.
Energized by new leads and familiar faces, we’re channeling our takeaways from MANTS into our 2026 plantings and canopy goals. Stay tuned for more updates from Casey Tree Farm as we grow greener spaces together.
