New Symbol 



For Nursery/Greenhouse Business 



Directional Signs 



DAVID C. SEAVEY 



Patience is Rewarded 



The squeaky wheel finally got the grease as our dili- 

 gent persistence paid off Nearly two years have 

 passed since Rick Simpson. Rolling Green Landscap- 

 ing in Greenland, and UNH Cooperative Extension re- 

 quested approval from the New Hampshire Depart- 

 ment of Transportation for a business directional sign 

 exhibiting a greenhouse/nursery symbol The symbol 

 received approval from the New Hampshire Landscape 

 Association and the New Hampshire Plant Growers As- 

 sociation The New Hampshire Department of Trans- 

 portation Bureau of IVlunicipal Highways approved the 

 request in September. 1004 



We all know that gardening is one of the most 

 popular recreational activities and that ornamental 

 plants improve our quality of life and the air we 

 breathe Now the potted plant symbol finds itself 

 among the ranks of other symbols designating summer 

 and recreational activities and necessary services: gas 

 stations, restaurants, and lodging 



Past History 



A united effort involving UNH Cooperative Extension, 

 New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation, New Hamp- 

 shire Tree Fruit Growers Association. New Hampshire 

 Vegetable Growers Association, and New Hampshire 

 Small Fruit Growers influenced the "powers that be' 

 to adopt a special section dealing with tourism and 

 roadside marketing of agricultural products. In IQOO, a 

 rule change by the New Hampshire Department of 

 Transportation allowed roadside horticultural opera- 

 tions to erect business directional signs on all state 

 highway right-of-ways except interstate turnpikes and 

 divided limited-access highways 



The legislature has mandated the business direc- 

 tional sign as an official state sign which takes prece- 

 dence over local town sign ordinances 



Qualifications 



• One of two criteria must be met: 



I A principal activity is education or illustration 

 of the history or development of specialized ag- 

 ricultural products, processes, or husbandry 



2. A principal activity is the production and sale 

 of seasonal agricultural products An operation 

 that is strictly wholesale would not be eligible. 



• The business must be open at least five hours a 

 day, five days a week, and three months of the year. 

 If the business is closed for more than fifteen days, 

 the sign must be removed or covered 



• The sign must be within five miles of the 

 business 



Sign Construction 



Signs are manufactured in accordance with state speci- 

 fications and have a high quality of workmanship 



The applicant bears all costs of sign manufacture, 

 installation .and maintenance In a given instance, one 

 operator purchased two business directional signs for 

 $56700 



1 6 ft X lb in . 5-inch letters on blue background: 



2 7 ft X 20 in , 6-inch letters 



The state will determine the location of signlsl, 

 number of signs, and supervise their installation One 

 panel per business per sign is allowed 



Due to the exact requirements involving letter size, 

 materials, etc . it is best to leave construction to a 

 professional private sign maker or the sign shop at 

 the State Prison Correctional Industries 



Application 



A new permit is issued each year on April 1st, It is 

 important to apply early because it will take approxi- 

 mately three months for approval The yearly permit 

 fee is $10 



Where to Go 



It is necessary that consistency be maintained in the 

 manufacture of these signs For application forms and 

 sign specifications, contact Robert Barry. Administra- 

 tor, Bureau of IVlunicipal Highways, or Walter Keyen- 

 hoff. Department of Transportation, Room III, Hazen 

 Drive, Concord, NH OS^Ol Telephone (603) 271-2107 

 Thank them for their support 



Dave Seavey is Extension Educator, hgricullural Resources, 

 UNH Cooperative Extension. Merrimack County 



OCTOBER NOVEMBER 



21 



