The fruits of her labor

The joy of planting and watching fruits grow to their greatest potential has been one of the prime motivators behind Kathy Wiederholt's chosen career path.

"I've loved horticulture my whole life, and that's really my story," she says. "Working with plants, and being outside. Even as a kid, I would read plant identification books for fun."

A self-described farm girl from Wisconsin, Wiederholt made...