Starting Seeds with QR Codes: Promoting Your Business

Shameless self promotion

I see QR codes everywhere. QR codes (Quick Response codes) are two dimensional bar codes that can be used to quickly disseminate advertising and marketing materials. These graphics have been part of the manufacturing industry since 1994 when they were first developed for Toyota by Denso Wave, Inc. Anyone with a smartphone now has a bar code reader in their pocket. 

There are a multitude of free QR generators that one can use to create the graphic. QR codes can store up to 4,296 alphanumeric characters including a URL, contact information, a telephone number, and even a poem (if you read the Google Chart Tools Infographics Overview). Google provides an app for generating your own QR code. http://createqrcode.appspot.com/

So what does this have to do with starting seeds? Last week, I was touring the Parker area south of Denver and stopped in to Tagawa Gardens. While wandering around, I spotted a QR code on one of their seed racks. After using the bar code reader on my own smartphone, the link pulled up a YouTube video, which was developed by Tagawa Gardens staff. The video includes basic seed starting guidelines and some ideas to improve success. Of course they also promoted additional products for the gardener, which could be purchased on site of course. I thought this was a clever use of the QR code providing information to the customer and acting as the silent sales associate.

Building a Farm Food Safety Plan: Pre-Registration

Building a Farm Food Safety Plan: Pre-Registration

Attached please find announcements for an upcoming webinar March 27 2012 titled “Fundamentals of Creating a Colorado Farm Food Safety Plan”.  This effort is the result of an increasing interest by food purchasers to have producers document how food is cared for and what precautions are taken prior to food leaving the farm.  It is also an excellent  collaboration between Dr. Marisa Bunning, Asst. Prof. of Food Sci. and Human Nutrition, and Ms. Martha Sullins, Regional Extension Specialist, and a class of graduate students enrolled in “Delivery of Cooperative Extension Programs” this Spring semester.

If you have the opportunity to share the specifics with colleagues, others on your list serves, or perhaps in newsletters, we would appreciate you doing so.  The webinar is free of charge BUT YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO PRE-REGISTER. 

Building a Farm Food Safety Plan: Pre-Registration

For more information, contact: 

Dennis Lamm, Ph.D., PAS

Professor and Extension Specialist

Director, M.Agr.-Ag Extension Education

113A Shepardson Bldg.

Colorado State University

Fort Collins, CO 80523-1101

970.491.2074 (office)

970.222.9451 (cell)

970.491.4895 (fax)

Dennis.Lamm@colostate.edu