What's going on in NJ's Green Industry

Adult Day Center of Somerset County Announces Laura DePrado as Recipient of the 2025 Steve Kalafer Community Leadership Award

We are thrilled to announce that the Adult Day Center (ADC) will be honoring Laura DePrado, CEO and Founder of Final Touch Plantscaping, LLC, at their 14th Annual Generations Gala, taking place on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at The Palace at Somerset Park from 6-9pm.

This year’s recipient of the Steve Kalafer Community Leadership Award, Laura DePrado is a trailblazing CEO, journalist, and Horticultural Therapy Practitioner whose work has transformed lives across all ages and abilities. From cancer patients and caregivers to seniors in memory care and individuals in recovery, Laura’s nature-based programs bring healing, hope, and connection to our community.

Her impact reaches far beyond programming. Laura has championed horticultural therapy through advocacy, education, and public service—including launching ADC’s own horticultural therapy initiative in 2012 and authoring legislation that established New Jersey Horticultural Therapy Week in 2015.

“Laura has been a true advocate for connecting people and our natural environment, demonstrated through her work promoting and using horticulture therapy to strengthen the individual.” said Ed Wengryn NJ Secretary of Agriculture. “Her passion for making the world a better place by using the beauty of plants and the impacts to the human senses of sight, smell, taste, and texture to heal the individual soul and spirit, makes Laura unique in her ability to touch and inspire people and why I am glad to call her a friend.”

“She is a friend to all of humanity and well deserving of this recognition,” Wengryn added. Click HERE for the complete press release.

🌟Join NJNLA at the Gala! 🌟

Join NJNLA for an unforgettable evening as we celebrate Laura’s legacy and the generations she continues to inspire. We are looking to fill a table of ten for this special event, and we’d love for you to be part of it.

Tickets: $250 each

All proceeds benefit the programs and services of the Adult Day Center of Somerset County, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.



Interested in joining us? Please contact Lori to reserve your spot at the table.

Plant of the Month - Attracting Garden Motion and Wonder

As part of your NJNLA membership, you’ll receive our Plant of the Month article—an easy-to-use resource designed to help you educate both your staff and your clients. Each month highlights a featured plant with practical insights, care tips, and talking points you can share to boost knowledge, enhance customer engagement, and showcase your expertise. It’s a simple, professional way to add value to your business while keeping your team and clients inspired by the beauty of plants!

Click HERE to read this month's article on a species that provides a magnetic appeal for pollinators, ensuring the garden is filled with more than just color and texture.

Not a Current Member? Not to worry - join today and receive the rest of 2025 and all of 2026 for one low price (new members only)! Click HERE to join!

Join NJNLA at the NJGIC Annual Golf Outing – September 30th!

Mark your calendars! The New Jersey Green Industry Council’s Annual Golf Outing returns on Tuesday, September 30th at the beautiful Forsgate Country Club. Don’t miss this chance to network, relax, and enjoy a great day on the green.

Click HERE for outing details or to reserve your foursome OR

Click HERE to register online

Or contact Lori at 908-310-9722 or email njgic.director@gmail.com



Sponsorship opportunities are also available—reserve yours today!

Upcoming Events

September 2nd - Ag Night at the Somerset Patriots Game! Be part of an unforgettable evening celebrating New Jersey agriculture at the ballpark with the NJ Agricultural Society! Get your discounted $13.50 ticket and enjoy pre-game group photo of NJ’s Ag Community (5:45 PM on-field)​, FarmVoice Video Presentation on the big screen, a chance to win $10K, enjoy Women in Sports Night and ​Baseball Bingo Location: TD Bank Ballpark, 1 Patriots Park, Bridgewater, NJ, Game Time: 6:35 PM | Gates Open: 5:30 PM. Get your tickets now! Click HERE for details.

September 30th - NJGIC Golf Outing for Legislative Awareness - Forsgate Country Club. Click HERE for details.

Wednesdays from October 8th thru October 29th - NJNLA Live Recertification Webinars - Save the Date(s): NJNLA’s Landscape Conference Online is Back! Good news! As a member benefit, NJNLA will once again be offering live online recertification webinars this October. Mark your calendars for October 8, 15, 22 & 29 from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Earn the recertification credits you need from the convenience of your home or office. Full details and registration will be available soon—stay tuned!

October 7th - Save the Date: Joint NJNLA/Rutgers Meeting at RAREC! We’re excited to announce a Joint NJNLA/Rutgers Meeting at the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center (RAREC) in Cumberland County. Stay tuned—full details and registration information will be available shortly. Vendor opportunities will also be available—don’t miss your chance to connect with industry professionals!

October 16-17th - NJ Shade Tree Federation 100th Annual Conference - Join NJNLA at Harrah's Atlantic City. Click HERE for more information.

October 28th - 14th Annual Generations Gala honoring Laura DePrado at The Palace at Somerset Park. Join NJNLA at this celebration! Contact Lori to reserve your spot at the NJNLA table!

November 20th - NJNLA Annual Dinner - returning by popular demand to Johnson's Locust Hall Farm, we can’t wait to come together to celebrate this year’s award winners and honor the best of our industry. Full details and award announcements will be shared soon—but for now, be sure to mark your calendar. This is a celebration you won’t want to miss!

December 9-11th - NJ Turfgrass Association's Green Expo, Atlantic City. Click HERE for more details.

January 27-28th, 2026 - Total Pro Expo Landscape Trade Show & Conference - New Jersey Convention Center, Edison, New Jersey. Be on the lookout for exclusive NJNLA member discounts on registration and exhibit space.