News Notes Fall/Winter by Michigan Turfgrass Foundation

NEWS NOTES A Publication for the Turfgrass Industry Professional

FALL/WINTER 2012 | VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 3

Tableof Contents Features

SPORTS TURF INDUSTRY FACT SHEET TPI E-Newsletter

2013 MICHIGAN TURFGRASS CONFERENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

2013 MTF BOARD OF DIRECTOR CANDIDATES

THE LAWN: NORTH AMERICA’S MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION

By Robert Fulford

2012 FIELD DAY WRAP-UP

LAFONTAINE GOLF OUTING 2012

Departments Also in this issue: 22

Membership Application

MTF NEWS NOTES | FALL/WINTER 2012

PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

FOUNDATION REPORT

NEWS CLIPPINGS

FUNDRAISING HIGHLIGHTS

MICHIGAN TURFGRASS FOUNDATION Executive Committee President John Fulling, Kalamazoo CC 2014/Representing: At Large Vice President Brian Schweihofer, Franklin Hills CC 2013/Representing: At Large Treasurer Carey Mitchelson, College Fields 2015/Representing: Mid Michigan District Secretary Randy Hahn, Twin Lawn 2013/Representing: Lawn Applicator

Board of Directors 2013 Amy Fouty, Michigan State University Representing: Parks, Sod, Cemetery John Stewart, Tri-Turf Representing: Greater Detroit District

2014 Daniel J. Bissonette, Dan's Green Side Up Representing: Northern Michigan District Mark Frever, Albion College Representing: Sports or Inst.Turf Todd Griebe, Turfgrass, Inc./Residex Representing: Lawn Maintenance

2015 Lee Collins, John Deere Golf Representing: Western Michigan District Adam Slatinsky, Michigan Turf and Ornamental Representing: Commercial Turfgrass Supplier Scott Trbovich, Syngenta Representing: At Large

Staff Executive Director Gordon LaFontaine Executive Secretary Rebecca Schoch NEWS NOTES PO Box 27156 Lansing, MI 48909-7156 517-392-5003 Fax: 989-936-5911 miturfgrass@gmail.com michiganturfgrass.org

MSU TURF TEAM

AND THEIR SUPPORT STAFF CROP & SOIL SCIENCES

MTESP Mr. Jack Knorek Michigan Department of Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Division 517-335-2874 Fax: 517-335-3131 knorekj@michigan.gov

Dr. James Crum Soils 517-355-0271 ext. 134 crum@msu.edu Dr. Kevin Frank Turfgrass Extension 517-355-0271 ext. 147 frankk@msu.edu • Jeff Bryan - MSU Research Assistant • Miyuan Xiao - Graduate Student • Erica Bogle - Graduate Student

ENTOMOLOGY Dr. David Smitley 517-355-3385 smitley@msu.edu • Terry Davis - Research Assistant II • Kevin Newhouse - Technician

Dr. David Gilstrap Coordinator Two-Year Sports and Commercial Turf 517-355-0271 ext. 140 gilstrap@msu.edu Dr. Thom Nikolai Turfgrass Academic Specialist 517-355-0271 ext. 133 nikolait@msu.edu • Rodney Tocco - Graduate Student

HANCOCK CENTER Mr. Mark Collins Farm Manager 517-353-3117 • Frank Roggenbuck Irrigation Specialist

Dr. Suzanne Lang Turfgrass Stress Physiology 517-355-5191 ext. 377 langsu@msu.edu • Tara Valentino Technician

Dr. John N. Rogers III Coordinator Two-Year Golf Turf 517-355-0271 ext. 136 rogersj@msu.edu • Jeff Dunne MSU Research Assistant • Aaron Hathaway - MSU Research Assistant

BOTANY AND PLANT PATHOLOGY

HORTICULTURE

Dr. Joe Vargas 517-353-9082 vargas@msu.edu • Ron Detweiler - Research Assistant III • Nancy Dykema - Research Assistant III • Paul Giordano - Graduate Student • Liewei Yan - Graduate Student

www.michiganturfgrass.org

PRESIDENT'SPerspective Dear MTF Members and Friends, I certainly hope this finds you well and recovering from one of the toughest turf years we’ve ever had here in Michigan. I know the staff at Kalamazoo Country Club will be happy to finally see a little snow! As I began writing this article for the News Notes, it sank in that this will be my last as President and my time on the Board is coming to a close. I can’t express enough how much of a privilege and an honor it has been to serve you. The previous nine years have been filled with almost continuous change. For me, the single most important task for the MTF Board was to return to a pinpoint focus of raising money for turfgrass research at Michigan State University and I’m proud to say we’ve done that. Thanks to the hard work of many great leaders, your MTF is streamlined, focused and financially secure. During my time on the Board, we’ve moved the Michigan Turfgrass Conference from East Lansing to Grand Rapids and now back again. This year’s conference is at the Kellogg Center on the MSU campus. It is a great venue for our event. Being on campus allows for more of our members from around the state to commute to the conference. It allows us to have a series of on-campus labs and workshops as part of our education offering. It makes it easier for State of Michigan officials and MSU administration to attend. It brings an air of excitement back to the conference. Brian Schweihofer and his committee along with Dr. Kevin Frank and our administrator Becky Schoch have worked feverishly to make this the best educational and overall MTC ever. They have more than doubled the educational programming from the Grand Rapids show. Look for the registration packet in this edition of News Notes and plan to attend this year’s Michigan Turfgrass Conference! Thank you can’t possibly properly convey my feeling of gratitude for all those with whom I’ve had the privilege to work. You have an excellent Board. They are engaged and they work hard. The results speak for themselves. Everybody had their assignments for the year and they all hit home runs! Specifically, Vice President Brian Schweihofer took on the monumental task of the conference and, as you will soon see, did a fantastic job. Carey Mitchelson as Treasurer literally streamlined our financial system, got our budgets in line and made the entire system understandable and highly functional. Randy Hahn as Secretary focused his energies on bylaws, students and scholarships and re-created a great relationship

MTF NEWS NOTES | FALL/WINTER 2012

with our students at MSU. Dan Bissonnette helped restructure and reorganize our communications and website. John Stewart took on Tee Times 4 Turf and knocked that one clean out of the park! Lee Collins handled Field Days, splitting one day into two very focused days. Mark Frever has done a great job with membership, and our newest members Amy Fouty, Adam Slatinsky and Scott Trbovich all immediately pitched in and picked up anything and everything needed to get the job done. Last, but certainly not least, the MTF could not be successful without the extraordinary hard work and dedication of Gordie LaFontaine and Becky Schoch. They’re a great team. Gordie is a master at routinely accomplishing the impossible and does more behind the scenes than anyone will ever know. Becky is our diamond. She takes care of the whole thing and all of us and does it at the highest level of professionalism. The MTF is in great hands going forward! I hope you’re as proud as I am of this great team! Thank you all for your confidence over the past nine years. It has really been fun and productive. Thanks to a great Turf Team, all our Allied Partners, the University Administration, our Past Presidents, and all the great MTF Board members over the years. We’re looking forward to a great conference and a great year in 2013!

John Fulling, CGCS President

SPORTS TURF INDUSTRY FACT SHEET The Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Missouri released some interesting statistics regarding the U.S. Sports Turf Industry based on a survey that was conducted within the Sports Turf Managers Association. Overview -The annual purchases of sports turf products and services is over $1.29 billion on over 2.8 million acres. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approximately $457 per acre. These figures do not include salaries. -Parks and recreation makes up $480 million in annual purchases while schools are at $685 million, college/ universities $71 million, and professional facilities spend approximately $52 million. -Professional sports facilities average approximately 15 acres spending $4,333 per acre, colleges/universities spend $1,075 per acre on an average of 30 acres, schools spend $658 per acre on an average of 65 acres, and parks spend an average of $284 per acre over 130 acres. -Average annual spending on equipment and supplies at colleges/universities is $32,300, while parks spend $38,850. Schools spend $42,750 and professional facilities spend $65,000. -It is estimated that there are approximately 16,000 schools, 2,200 colleges/universities,13,000 parks, and 800 professional facilities. U.S. Sports Turf Managers -The average sports turf manager has worked in the industry for 13 years. -Typical manager has been in his/her current position 7.5 years, while 38% had more than 10 years tenure in their position. -Twenty percent of managers have a single field to maintain. -Forty-two percent of managers maintain 5 to 10 fields. -Two in three sports turf managers have a four-year college degree or an advanced degree. -The average crew has 16 full-time and five part-time. -Seasonal staff average is approximately nine. Root Zones -Cool-season bluegrass fields: 81% native soil, 19% sand based. -Warm-season bermudagrass fields: 82% native soil, 18% sand based.

-Sports managers expressed a 3 to 1 preference for sand-based fields. Major reasons: (1) Greater resistance to compaction and (2) Better playability under wet conditions. -Greater soil strength was cited as the most important advantage of native soil fields. -Loss of nutrients to leaching was the major problem encountered with sand-based fields. Mowing -Frequent mowing is essential for healthy, dense turf because it reduces scalping, disease incidence, the need for sweeping and it improves field appearance. -Of those surveyed, all mow more than once a week 2 times (21%), 3 times (30%), 4 times (9%), and daily (40%). Soil Testing -Annually (42%), 2 times annually (22%), 6 times annually (10%), 12 times annually(2%), bi-annually (22%), tri-annually (2%). -More frequent soil testing was reported by managers who have sand-based fields. -The use of tissue testing is a standard practice by 44% of survey respondents. Fertilizers -All managers use more than one type of nitrogen fertilizers (soluble, slow-release, specialty, and natural organics). -Sulfur-coated urea (SCU) was the most widely used slow release source due to acceptable performance and lower cost per unit. Irrigation -Eighty percent of sports fields have pop-up sprinklers, 11% have water cannons, 7% have quick coupler, and 2% have travel or tow impact sprinklers. Interested in seeing the entire survey? Go to the following link: http://turf.missouri.edu/stat/reports/pdf/industry.pdf

Thank you to TPI E-Newsletter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; October 2012 for permission to reprint. www.michiganturfgrass.org

FOUNDATIONReport Dear Friends, I am pleased to report that there are many significant, positive happenings going on with the Foundation and in the Turf Industry at this time. I would like to once again welcome Dr. Emily Merewitz, who is now officially on board as a Turfgrass Molecular Physiologist at MSU and is well on her way to getting established. Along with Emily’s establishment, I am pleased to announce that my dear friend and colleague, Mr. Carl Schwartzkoph, has pledged to build a research laboratory at the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center in the near future. This pledge follows Carl’s recent agreement to leave a gift of Will Provision to the HTRC and Michigan State. Carl’s long-time friendship and dedication to the Turfgrass Industry is very apparent with this significant gift that will improve and extend the research efforts that we have used and enjoyed, and will continue to use and enjoy for many years to come. There is a ribbon cutting ceremony in the process of being planned and as soon as the details are finalized they will be provided to you. I would like to personally thank Carl for his commitment and friendship and I look forward to unveiling the construction of this milestone with him. On another progressive note, Dr. Fred Poston has been appointed dean of Michigan State’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. In his prior stint as dean, Poston guided the Revitalization of Michigan Animal Agriculture project, created Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs), and developed the Partnership for Ecosystem Research and Management with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. The MTF has a tremendous working relationship with Fred and we look forward to many years of progress with him on board. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Poston when his appointment becomes effective January 1, 2013. Dr. Poston succeeds Dr. Doug Buhler, who I would like to thank for his tenure as Interim Dean. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Doug over the past couple of years and sincerely appreciate his dedication. I would also like to mention the MTF Board of Directors and our Executive Secretary Becky Schoch. The Board has been hard at work and each Director has been placed on a selected committee. These committees have been cooperating with one another and working as a team to make my job easier and to further and increase turfgrass research efforts and funds. At this

MTF NEWS NOTES | FALL/WINTER 2012

time, a main focus is on reviewing the Michigan Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Program and establishing an effective system for it. We will keep you updated on its progress. All in all, it is truly amazing to watch what can be done behind the scenes, so-to-speak, in an effort to improve and expand a world renown turfgrass research program. The MTF would not have its current status if not for these individuals’ loyalty and hard work. Please keep them in mind throughout your workday when you utilize the knowledge acquired from the MSU Turfgrass Program. To conclude, I would like to thank one particular individual for his many years of devotion to our industry. Mr. Clem Wolfrom, Past President and Charter Member of the Founders Society, who 40 years ago motivated me, and probably a few of you as well along the way, to become involved in the MTF and the Turfgrass Industry as a whole. Without his integral role, the Foundation would not be what it is today. Thank you, Clem. Wishing you a safe, wonderful fall and winter season,

Gordon LaFontaine MTF Executive Director

2013 Michigan Turfgrass Conference

Education Program January 21 - 24, 2013

mtfconference.org

Welcome

To the 2013 Michigan Turfgrass Conference! Enclosed you will find all of the information needed to schedule your conference agenda. The conference will be held on the beautiful campus of Michigan State University (MSU), home of the Spartans, at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center January 21-24, 2013. The MTF and MSU are planning on delivering a very informative and rewarding education package with four days of education. Our goal is to increase awareness, education, and interest in the Turfgrass Industry while at the same time supporting our world renown MSU Turfgrass Program and its Professors who play such an integral role in informing, improving, and sustaining the Turfgrass Professional’s knowledge, skills, and career. The MTF and its Allied Partners are looking forward to networking with you and your professional peers at the 2013 Conference. Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) Applied for: -Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) -Golf Course Superintendents Association (GCSAA) -Indiana Continuing Certification Hours (CCH) -Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) Hotel Accomodations Located on the campus of Michigan State University, Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center is the jewel of hotels in Lansing and East Lansing, Michigan. Unlike any other hotels near Michigan State University, Kellogg Center possesses a unique cultural atmosphere and convenient access to sporting activities and Lansing area attractions including the Michigan State Capitol and Lansing Lugnuts Baseball

at Cooley Law School Stadium. Kellogg Center is located just eight miles from Lansing’s Capital City Airport, and shuttle service is available. For those renting cars or driving to our facility, a 1,000-space attached parking garage is available on a complimentary basis to hotel guests. Please use Group Code TGF012013 when making reservations! Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center 219 S. Harrison Rd. East Lansing, MI 48824 Phone: 517.432.4000 Reservation Line: 800.875.5090 THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING 2013 KICK-OFF SHOW EXHIBITORS: Spartan Distributors, Inc. DuPont Professional Products Great Lakes Turf Residex Turfgrass PACE, Inc. Davey Golf Mavis Consulting, Inc. MiGCSA Arysta LifeScience Tri-Turf Precision Labs Michigan Nursery & Landscape Association Rhino Seed & Turf Supply, Inc. Syngenta Cleary Chemical FIP Irrigation Services Lakeshore Golf & Turf Knox Fertilizer Terramax Outdoors For Life DryJect of Michigan Quali-Pro (as of 10/25/2012)

Monday | January 21, 2013 | Michigan Turfgrass Conference

Monday Schedule of Events 7:00 - 1:30 On-Site Registration 9:00 - 12:00 Education Workshops 1:30 - 4:30 Education Workshops

MONDAY JANUARY 21, 2013 Registration South Lobby Workshop #1 Room 103 AB Workshop #2 Room 106 Workshop #3 On Campus - Shuttle Workshop #4 Room 104 AB Workshop #5 Room 105 AB

7:00 am

8:00 am

9:00 am

10:00 am

11:00 am

12:00 pm

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

3:00 pm

4:00 pm

6:00 pm

7:00 pm

On-Site Registration Turf Math - Dr. David Gilstrap The Plant Doctor: Diagnosis and Management of Tree and Landscape Problems Dr. David L. Roberts Turfgrass Insect, Disease, and Weed Identification Laboratory Circuit - Terry Davis, Nancy Dykema, Ron Detweiler, and Aaron Hathaway Turf Soils: The Basics and Beyond Dr. Jim Crum Turfgrass Nutrition and Fertilizer Programming Dr. Kevin W. Frank

Lunch

Workshop #6 Big Ten Room BC

Golf Turf PTI (Professional Turfgrass Intelligence) Dr. Roch Gaussion, Dr. Frank Rossi

Workshop #7 Room 106

The Plant Doctor: Diagnosis and Management of Tree and Landscape Problems Dr. David L. Roberts

Workshop #8 Room 104 AB

Ornamental Plants: Selection and Management Dr. Robert Schutzki

Workshop #9 On Campus - Shuttle

5:00 pm

Turfgrass Insect, Disease, and Weed Identification Laboratory Circuit - Terry Davis, Nancy Dykema, Ron Detweiler, and Aaron Hathaway

2013 Michigan Turfgrass Conference Sponsored by The

mtfconference.org 9

Monday | January 21, 2013 | Workshops 1. Turf Math (Enrollment is limited to 50 - sign up early) 9:00 – 12:00 Dr. David Gilstrap Michigan State University To be a successful turf manager, you have to be able to do the math (or work for someone who does). This workshop focuses on mastering the Unit-Cancel Method, which this instructor came up with over about 17 years ago. Since then, it’s helped hundreds of turf and landscape students overcome math phobia. Even if you can get the right answer using proportions, learn another way so you can quickly check yourself before you pull the trigger. Sample problems will be worked through, and current turf students will be on hand to make sure you know how to get the right answer every time. Bring a calculator.

2. The Plant Doctor: Diagnosis and Management of Tree and Landscape Problems (Enrollment is limited to 50 - sign up early: Seminar also offered in the afternoon) 9:00 – 12:00 Dr. David L. Roberts Michigan State University Turf managers are expected to be masters of the plant world, having sufficient knowledge and skills to diagnose and address all turf and non-turf issues in the landscapes they manage. This “Hands-On” Workshop will feature actual samples of problems with special attention being devoted to tree care as well as minor emphases on shrub, ground covers, annuals and perennials. Attendees will have the opportunity to examine samples of plant problems very closely. The plant problems will include the gamut of potential problems: diseases, insect pests, environmental problems, and cultural issues such as soil pH, plant nutrition and chemical/herbicide problems. Whether you have extensive experience as a turf manager or are new to the industry, this will be a great opportunity to learn and/or brush up on being a plant doctor in the landscape.

3. Turfgrass Insect, Disease, and Weed Identification Laboratory Circuit (Enrollment is limited to 60 - sign up early) 8:30 – 12:00 Terry Davis, Nancy Dykema, Ron Detweiler, and Aaron Hathaway Michigan State University Hop on the bus and head back to class to learn turf pest identification. Successful management of turfgrass pests depends on correct identification, knowledge of the pest life cycle, and choosing the most efficacious treatment options, including when pesticides are necessary. Included in this workshop are tips to identify the key turf insects, diseases, and weeds. For insects, identification tips such as how to ‘read’ raster patterns of grubs and identification of adult beetles will be presented. For diseases, participants will learn to use tools of the trade to identify several turfgrass pathogens in a hands on laboratory setting. After a brief lesson on key distinguishing structures and characteristics, participants will delve into the world of a disease diagnostician in order to identify the causal agent of select

turfgrass diseases. For weeds, participants will be exposed to the key identification characteristics of broadleaf and grassy weeds that commonly invade cool-season turf stands. Labeled plant specimens will be on-hand for examination and enlightenment. The laboratory circuit will move between three different campus laboratories for hands-on identification of insects, diseases, and weeds.

4. Turf Soils: The Basics and Beyond 9:00 - 12:00 Dr. Jim Crum Michigan State University Understanding the soils that support the turfgrass system is often the key to maintaining high quality turf. This workshop will cover soil basics such as structure, compaction, and layering and then move onto more advanced concepts such as selecting top-dressing materials and managing organic matter accumulation.

5. Turfgrass Nutrition and Fertilizer Programming 9:00 - 12:00 Dr. Kevin W. Frank Michigan State University Turfgrass fertilization programs have always been considered to be a critical component in producing a high quality turfgrass surface. But recently some have suggested that nutrient management is not that important and that using soil tests to develop programs is overrated. Are some nutrients being applied excessively while others are not even meeting sufficiency levels? Do you believe in feeding the plant or feeding the soil? How strongly should environmental considerations influence your program? There are numerous factors that are critical to understanding turfgrass nutritional needs. A broad range of topics related to turfgrass fertility will be covered and include: plant, soil, and fertilizer factors that influence turfgrass nutrition, turf response to nutrients, environmental fate of nutrients, fertilizer characteristics, and planning a fertilization program. This seminar will discuss these issues and where fertilization programs have been and where they are going in the future.

6. Golf Turf PTI (Professional Turfgrass Intelligence) 1:30 - 4:30 Dr. Roch Gaussion, University of Nebraska Dr. Frank Rossi, Cornell University Do you have trouble deciding what new research to believe? How do you decide which new practices and products are right for your facility? In this advanced seminar the latest research will be presented and openly debated, criticized, challenged and sometimes refuted in a fast-paced style similar to ESPN’s PTI television program. Discussion will include:

• Selecting grasses and using plant growth regulators • Managing organic matter • Turfgrass nutrition and pest management programs

Monday | January 21, 2013 | Workshops 7. The Plant Doctor: Diagnosis and Management of Tree and Landscape Problems (Enrollment is limited to 50 - sign up early) 1:30 – 4:30 Dr. David L. Roberts Michigan State University Turf managers are expected to be masters of the plant world, having sufficient knowledge and skills to diagnose and address all turf and non-turf issues in the landscapes they manage. This “Hands-On” Workshop will feature actual samples of problems with special attention being devoted to tree care as well as minor emphases on shrub, ground covers, annuals and perennials. Attendees will have the opportunity to examine samples of plant problems very closely. The plant problems will include the gamut of potential problems: diseases, insect pests, environmental problems, and cultural issues such as soil pH, plant nutrition and chemical/herbicide problems. Whether you have extensive experience as a turf manager or are new to the industry, this will be a great opportunity to learn and/or brush up on being a plant doctor in the landscape. 8. Ornamental Plants: Selection and Management 1:30 – 4:30 Dr. Robert Schutzki Michigan State University Plant Selection follows an organized process. Criteria used in the process integrate the design intent or function that the plant will serve in its location, the adaptability of the species to the site, and the management required to insure subsequent performance. The process may be simple or complex depending on priorities with function, site

limitations, and/or management capabilities. Plant selection is the first step in landscape development and subsequently dictates ornamental plant management strategies. 9. Turfgrass Insect, Disease, and Weed Identification Laboratory Circuit (Enrollment is limited to 60 - sign up early) 1:30 – 5:00 Terry Davis, Nancy Dykema, Ron Detweiler, and Aaron Hathaway Michigan State University Hop on the bus and head back to class to learn turf pest identification. Successful management of turfgrass pests depends on correct identification, knowledge of the pest life cycle, and choosing the most efficacious treatment options, including when pesticides are necessary. Included in this workshop are tips to identify the key turf insects, diseases, and weeds. For insects, identification tips such as how to ‘read’ raster patterns of grubs and identification of adult beetles will be presented. For diseases, participants will learn to use tools of the trade to identify several turfgrass pathogens in a hands on laboratory setting. After a brief lesson on key distinguishing structures and characteristics, participants will delve into the world of a disease diagnostician in order to identify the causal agent of select turfgrass diseases. For weeds, participants will be exposed to the key identification characteristics of broadleaf and grassy weeds that commonly invade cool-season turf stands. Labeled plant specimens will be on-hand for examination and enlightenment. The laboratory circuit will move between three different campus laboratories for hands-on identification of insects, diseases, and weeds.

Thank you

To the Following 2013 Michigan Turfgrass Conference Allied Partners for Their Support

mtfconference.org

Tuesday | January 22, 2013 | Michigan Turfgrass Conference

Tuesday Schedule of Events 6:00 - 7:00 Prayer Breakfast 7:00 - 1:30 On-Site Registration 8:30 - 11:30 Education Workshops 1:00 - 4:00 General Sessions 7:30 - 3:30 Equipment Technician Two-Day Seminar, Day 1 4:30 - 7:30 Kick-Off Show | Huntington Club | Spartan Stadium

TUESDAY JANUARY 22, 2013 Registration South Lobby

7:00 am

8:00 am

9:00 am

10:00 am

11:00 am

Social Media 101: Effectively Using Social Media Dr. John Kaminski

Workshop #11 Room 103 AB

Management Strategies for the Turfgrass System Dr. Joe Vargas, Jr.

Workshop #12 Room 104 AB

Physiological Concepts and Basis for Common Turf Management Practices Dr. Emily Merewitz

Workshop #14 Room 106 Workshop #15 Willy Room

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

3:00 pm

Gadgets and Gizmos for the Turfgrass Manager Dr. Doug Karcher

6:00 pm

Lunch

Management Strategies for Providing Safer Playing Surfaces for Athletic Fields - Dr. John Sorochan

Golf Turf Management Dr. John Kaminski, Amy Baetsen, Rodney Tocco, Dr. Roch Gaussion

Lawn & Landscape Auditorium

Lawn and Landscape Dr. Doug Karcher, Dr. Frank Rossi, Dr. David Gardner

Athletic Fields Lincoln Room

Athletic Fields Dr. David Gardner, Dr. John Sorochan, Dr. Doug Karcher Equipment Technician Seminar

Equipment Technician Seminar Cont.

Kick-Off Show Huntington Club

Kick-Off Show

2013 Kick-Off Show!

Please join us for the Tuesday, January 22, 2013 Huntington Club, fourth floor of the MSU Spartan Stadium 300 Spartan Way East Lansing, MI 48824 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm For more information, please visit

mtfconference.org 12

5:00 pm

Integrating New Herbicide Technologies into your Weed Management Program Dr. David Gardner

Golf Turf Management Big Ten Room A

Equipment Technician Seminar - HTRC

4:00 pm

On-Site Registration

Workshop #10 Lincoln Room

Workshop #13 Room 105 AB

12:00 pm

7:00 pm

Tuesday | January 22, 2013 | Workshops 10. Social Media 101: Effectively Using Social Media 8:30 – 11:30 Dr. John Kaminski Penn State University Good communication skills have always been an important aspect of becoming a successful golf course superintendent. As the job market tightens, however, keeping up to date on the latest forms of communication becomes even more important to help set yourself apart from the competition. This session will focus on the emerging use of social media to improve communications with members, employees and potential employers. The thought of developing a personal website, a golf course maintenance blog, a Facebook page and a Twitter account may seem like enough information overload to make your head spin. In this presentation, I will focus on the benefits (and potential negatives) of several different social networks. Find out which ones are best for you and get a better understanding of how to use each medium to better communicate your message with little effort. Attendees will also learn a few shortcuts and tips to help reduce what can initially seem like a very time intensive practice. Everyone is encouraged to bring your ideas, questions and comments as this will be both informative and interactive.

11. Management Strategies for the Turfgrass System 8:30 – 11:30 Dr. Joe Vargas, Jr. Michigan State University An IPM approach on how to manage the various diseases and insect problems that occur throughout the season on each turfgrass species will be presented, as well as the latest information on the status of turfgrass stress management. Learn strategies for:

• Effectively managing greens growing in high sand-content soils • How to delay fungicide resistance • Reducing summer stress

12. Physiological Concepts and Basis for Common Turf Management Practices 8:30 – 11:30 Dr. Emily Merewitz Michigan State University An essential prerequisite for adequate nurturing of any living system requires the basic understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the organism(s) that comprise the system. Turfgrass systems are highly complex and dynamic, which is largely due to constant exposure to numerous external inputs and stimuli. This dynamic nature generates a need for turfgrass managers to be abreast of various elements that may positively or negatively influence turf physiology. Knowledge of what the turf requires and how it will respond to a given stimuli will ultimately impact the success or failure of a turfgrass manager in maintaining vigorous turf systems. Therefore,

this seminar will focus on major environmental factors and management practices that will influence turfgrass health and viability.

13. Integrating New Herbicide Technologies into your Weed Management Program 8:30 – 11:30 Dr. David Gardner The Ohio State University This session will focus on a comprehensive understanding of weed management programming options in turfgrass. We will discuss the effect of cultural management practices on weed populations. Following this, the herbicide chemistries for grassy and broadleaf weed control, both old standbys and the many new chemistries will be presented and options for integrating newer herbicides into a management program will be considered. The session will end with a brief discussion of some of the newer options for organic management of weeds.

14. Gadgets and Gizmos for the Turfgrass Manager 8:30 – 11:30 Dr. Doug Karcher University of Arkansas There is a great diversity of gadgets and gizmos that turf managers can use today to document turfgrass conditions and document changes as the result of management programs. Whether you’re an expert or novice at using devises such as TDR’s, NDVI meters, or light sensors this is the seminar for you. In this seminar, you will examine several soil, plant and environmental measurement devices and learn how to map your data to better understand and communicate various conditions at your facility. Discussion of each device will include: * * * *

Specific turf management problem diagnosis capabilities Underlying technology Shortcomings Cost

15. Management Strategies for Providing Safer Playing Surfaces for Athletic Fields 8:30 – 11:30 Dr. John Sorochan University of Tennessee This workshop will review the history and importance of preventing injuries on athletic fields and discuss management practices that will ensure your field is not only healthy but safe for the athletes. Dr. Sorochan will review how to optimize management practices using proper fertilizer, irrigation,cultivation, mowing and pesticides for safer playing surfaces.

Tuesday | January 22, 2013 | General Sessions Golf Turf Management General Session 1:00 2:00

Emerging Options for Annual Bluegrass Control Dr. John Kaminski Penn State University

2:30

Sustainable Water Conservation through Evapotranspiration Replenishment Regimes, with Wetting Agents and Cultural Practices Rodney Tocco Michigan State University

3:00

If Organic is so Good, Why am I Tearing Up My Greens to Get Rid of it? Dr. Roch Gaussion University of Nebraska

4:00

Adjourn

Thatch Collapse: A New Disease of Golf Course Turf Amy Baetsen Penn State University

Lawn and Landscape General Session 1:00

Managing Turf with Limited Water Dr. Doug Karcher University of Arkansas

2:00

Environmentally Responsible Fertilization Dr. Frank Rossi Cornell University

3:00

Organic Lawn Care: Techniques for Managing a Lawn Without Chemicals Including Natural Products and Cultural Practices to Optimize Turfgrass Performance Dr. David Gardner The Ohio State University

4:00

Adjourn

Athletic Fields General Session 1:00

Environmental Fate of Pesticides and How to Answer the Public’s and Consumer’s Questions. Dr. David Gardner The Ohio State University

2:00

Synthetic Turf 101: Selecting, Purchasing, and Managing Synthetic Turf Dr. John Sorochan University of Tennessee

3:00

Managing Highly Trafficked Areas Dr. Doug Karcher University of Arkansas

4:00

Adjourn

Equipment Technician Two-Day Seminar January 22 & 23, 2013 Michigan Turfgrass Conference Hancock Turfgrass Research Center 4444 Farm Lane East Lansing, MI 48824 January 22 – Day 1

January 23 - Day 2

7:30 Arrival - Coffee, Juice, Doughnuts

8:00 Welcome and Announcements

8:15 Mr. Bob Merkler, Gardner & General Power The Value of OPEESA & the EETC Certifications then Kohler Small Engine Maintenance • EETC Testing and Certification Available but you must contact Bob Merkler @ 616-550-0742 or bobm@gardnerinc.com in advance for scheduling & more information

8:15 Mike Thorsen, Parts and Service Manager, Lakeshore Golf & Turf Hands-On Hydraulic Troubleshooting

9:00 Mr. Chris Burnette, Technical Support - Club Car Augusta, Georgia Maintaining Club Car Vehicles from Brakes to Batteries, Front to Rear Tires 10:30 Eric Johnson, Technical Support, Jacobsen Textron Electric Vehicle Technology 12:00 Lunch 1:00 John Garlets, Service Manager Spartan Distributors Electrical System Principles, Circuits, Schematics, Components and Testing, Q&A 3:30 Adjourn for Vendor Show at Spartan Stadium (4:30-7:00)

10:00 John Garlets, Service Manager Spartan Distributors Sprayer Technology & Mechanical Problem Solving, Q&A 11:30 Lunch 12:30 Eric Johnson, Jacobsen Textron Frequency of Clip Rate 1:30 Heath Bronkema, JW Turf Hybrid Technology 3:00 Adjourn

Wednesday | January 22, 2013 | Michigan Turfgrass Conference

Wednesday Schedule of Events 7:00 - 1:30 On-Site Registration 8:30 - 11:30 General Sessions 7:30 - 3:00 Equipment Technician Two-Day Seminar, Day 2 11:30 - 1:30 MTF Celebration Luncheon | Big Ten BC 1:30 - 4:00 General Sessions 4:15 - 4:45 MiGCSA/MISTMA Annual Meetings 4:45 - 5:15 MTF Annual Meeting

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 23, 2013 Registration South Lobby

7:00 am

8:00 am

9:00 am

10:00 am

11:00 am

12:00 pm

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

4:00 pm

5:00 pm

6:00 pm

7:00 pm

On-Site Registration

Golf Turf Management Big Ten Room A

Golf Turf Management General Session

Lawn and Landscape Management Auditorium

Lawn and Landscape Management General Session

Athletic Fields Room 106

Athletic Fields General Session

MiGCSA Annual Meeting Room 106

Golf Turf Management General Session

MTF Celebration Luncheon

Lawn and Landscape Management General Session Athletic Fields General Session MiGCSA Annual Meeting MiSTMA Annual Meeting

MiSTMA Annual Meeting Room 104 AB MTF Annual Meeting Room 106 Equipment Technician Seminar - HTRC

3:00 pm

Equipment Technician Seminar

Lunch

MTF Annual Meeting

Equipment Technician Seminar Cont.

Please join Master of Ceremony Gordon LaFontaine and special guest MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon for the MTF Celebration Luncheon Wednesday, January 23, 2013 Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center 219 South Harrison Avenue East Lansing, MI 48824 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Big Ten BC

Wednesday | January 23, 2013 | General Sessions Golf Turf Management 8:30 9:30

EPar for Environmental Protection Dr. Kevin Fletcher or Debbie Swartz EPar John Patch Part 2 and Embarking on the Golf Course John Mastenbrook Pestoskey-Bay View Country Club

10:30 Turfgrass Physiology Research Dr. Emily Merewitz Michigan State University

9:30

Changing the Landscape: Moving to Lower Maintenance Landscapes Will Gasper Ferris State University

10:30

Lawn Care Marketing Strategies: How to Compete with Large National Companies Dana Davis Smith Tree and Landscape Service

11:30 1:30

Adjourn How to Grow your Million Dollar Business Glenn Liguori Business Consultant, Real Green Systems

Golf Course Fairway Rolling Programs to Decrease 2:30 Turfgrass Insects: New Pests and New Pesticide Inputs and Enhance Playing Quality Insecticides Thomas Green Dr. David Smitley Michigan State University Michigan State University 11:15 The Effect of Clipping Frequency on Turfgrass 3:30 Managing Turfgrass Diseases in the Landscape Quality and Green Speed Nancy Dykema Nick Binder Michigan State University Michigan State University 4:00 Adjourn 11:30 Adjourn 1:30 Pathology Research Update Athletic Fields Dr. Joe Vargas, Jr. 8:30 Using Soil Moisture Sensors as Part of an Michigan State University Integrated Approach to Managing Athletic Fields Amy Fouty 2:00 Dollar Spot and Irrigation Programming Michigan State University Nancy Dykema Michigan State University 9:30 MLB to NHL: Comerica Park Field Replacement and Preparing for the NHL Winter Festival 2:15 The Latest on Bacterial Etiolation Heather Nabozny Paul Giordano Head Groundskeeper Michigan State University Detroit Tigers 2:30 Annual Bluegrass Weevil: If It’s Not Here, It’s 10:30 Tech Tools for Managing Athletic Fields Coming! Geoff VanBoerkel Dr. Harry Niemczyk Calvin College The Ohio State University 11:00

3:30

Using Soil Moisture Sensors to Monitor and Schedule Irrigation on Creeping Bentgrass and Poa Annua Putting Greens Dr. Kevin Frank Michigan State University

4:00

Adjourn

Lawn and Landscape Management 8:30

Design Maintenance Connection: Landscape Design and its Impact on Maintenance – Good and Bad Dr. Robert Schutzki Michigan State University

11:30 Adjourn 1:30 Field of the Year Speaker and Field TBD 2:30 Renovating Practice Facilities Jim Speelman Hope College 3:00 Understanding the Components of Skin Conditioners for Baseball and Softball Fields Dr. Jim Crum Michigan State University 3:30

Prevent Defense for Athletic Field Diseases Dr. David Gilstrap Michigan State University

4:00

Adjourn

Thursday | January 22, 2013 | Michigan Turfgrass Conference

Thursday Schedule of Events 7:00 - 9:00 On-Site Registration 7:30 - 11:30 Intelligent Use of Water Summit XIII 9:00 - 12:00 Education Workshops 9:00 - 12:00 Pesticide Recertification Exam (MDARD) 12:00 Conference Concludes

THURSDAY JANUARY 24, 2013 Registration South Lobby

7:00 am

8:00 am

9:00 am

10:00 am

11:00 am

12:00 pm

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

3:00 pm

4:00 pm

5:00 pm

6:00 pm

7:00 pm

AM On-Site Registration

Workshop #16 Room 104 AB

Weeds Indeed! Dr. Ronald Calhoun

Workshop #17 Room 106

Aquatics Seminar Pete Filpansick

Pesticide Recertification Exam Room 103 AB

Pesticide Recertification Exam MDARD

Rain Bird Summit Big Ten Room A

Rain Bird Intelligent Use of Water Summit XIII

16. Weeds Indeed! 9:00 – 12:00 Dr. Ron Calhoun Residex In this workshop participants will be exposed to the key identification characteristics of broadleaf weeds that commonly invade cool-season turf stands. Examples of key plants and ID features will be displayed and discussed. One of the keys to successful long-term weed management is to identify and correct the factor that is reducing the competitiveness of the turfgrass. Attendees will participate in an interactive discussion of traditional and novel chemical control options as well as new products, proper timing, and application methods. Recommended Resources available through MSU Bulletin Office: Weeds of the Northeast ($34) 17. Aquatics Seminar 8:30 – 11:30 Pete Filpansick Environmental Biologist LakePro, Inc. As soon as a pond is created, it begins to die. In this seminar, we will discuss this aging process of an aquatic

ecosystem and how we can change it. The first half of the seminar will focus on the characteristics of aquatic ecosystems and the problems commonly found in them. The second half will cover best management practices for solving those problems, creating a management plan, and how to implement your plan. The seminar will specifically cover herbicides and algicides for pond management including matching products to plants, applications rates, method of application, and water use restrictions. We will finish by discussing practices that can slow or stop the aging process of the pond. Pesticide Recertification Exam will be held Thursday, January 24, 2013, at 9:00 AM. 1) You must bring a picture ID. 2) Please bring a pen and a #2 pencil. Make checks/money orders payable to “State of Michigan”. Cash and/or credit cards are not accepted. The application fee, which covers the costs of the exam(s), depends upon the type of certification: 1) Private (agricultural use): $50 2) Commercial: $75 3) Registered (core only): $45 Please pre-register for your exam session at michigan.gov/pestexam Customer Service Center: 1-800-292-3939, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

Intelligent Use of Water Summit XIII “Play on! Playability in Water Sensitive Environments” Thursday, January 24, 2013 Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center - Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 7:30 Networking Breakfast 8:00 Opening Remarks 8:05 Panel One 9:00 Break 9:10 Panel Two 10:00 Break 10:10 Panel Three 11:00 Keynote 11:30 Conclusion

PANEL 1: WATER QUALITY & TURFGRASS SCIENCE Moderator: Dr. Kevin Frank, MSU Part 1: Water Quality • Science side: What are the main water quality concerns for turf managers? What are potential future issues? How are problems being addressed? How should they be addressed? o Dr. Ali Harivandi - University of California Cooperative Extension Area Specialist • Application side: How do turf managers handle water-quality issues? How is playability affected? o Shawn Emerson - Director of Agronomy at Desert Mountain Club Part 2: Turfgrass Science • Science side: What new advances are being made in turfgrass varieties to better tolerate drought and declining water quality? How is playability considered while developing new grass varieties? What are some of the biggest challenges yet to overcome? o TBD • Application side: How have courses/stadiums dealt with changing turf varieties? Has grass been changed or replanted to accommodate less watering or lower quality water? How is playability affected? What about alternatives, such as deficit watering, reducing turf areas, etc? o Kenny Mangum - Director of Golf Courses and Grounds, Atlanta Athletic Club

PANEL 2: IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY & SPORTS TURF COURSE DESIGN Moderator: Paul Roche, Rain Bird Part 1: Irrigation Technology • Science side: What technologies are available in irrigation that save water, help deal with declining water quality and provide better playability? o Mitchell Langley - Owner MDL Consulting • Application side: How are golf courses and/or sports turf managers applying the latest irrigation technologies? What have been some positive, measurable results? What challenges have there been? What needs to be done in the future? How has irrigation changes/improvements affected/improved playability? o Mike Boekholder - Head Groundskeeper, Philadelphia Phillies

Part 2: Sports Turf Course Design (Including Golf) • Science side: What are current trends in course design that address current water situations (water conservation, control, and quality)? How is playability considered in designing for water efficiency? o Carol Colein - Executive Director, ASIC • Application side: How has course/field design for water efficiency effected the game/playability/golfer satisfaction? Or, how do existing courses deal with outdated designs that are not water efficient? o Murray Cook - President, Brickman Sports Turf

PANEL 3: GOLF AND THE ENVIRONMENT Leaders in environmental stewardship in the golf industry, including golf course superintendents, will describe programs and environmental efforts on their properties.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS Charles Fishman, Author - The Big Thirst

The water coming out of your kitchen tap is four billion years old and might well have been sipped by a Tyrannosaurus rex. Rather than only three states of water—liquid, ice, and vapor—there is a fourth, “molecular water,” fused into rock 400 miles deep in the Earth, and that’s where most of the planet’s water is found. Unlike most precious resources, water cannot be used up; it can always be made clean enough again to drink—indeed, water can be made so clean that it’s toxic. Water is the most vital substance in our lives but also more amazing and mysterious than we appreciate. As Charles Fishman brings vibrantly to life in this surprising and mind-changing narrative, water runs our world in a host of awe-inspiring ways, yet we take it completely for granted. But the era of easy water is over. In 2008, Atlanta came within ninety days of running entirely out of clean water. California is in a desperate battle to hold off a water catastrophe. And in the last five years Australia nearly ran out of water—and had to scramble to reinvent the country’s entire water system. But as dramatic as the challenges are, the deeper truth Fishman reveals is that there is no good reason for us to be overtaken by a global water crisis. We have more than enough water. We just don’t think about it, or use it, smartly. As Charles Fishman writes, “Many civilizations have been crippled or destroyed by an inability to understand water or manage it. We have a huge advantage over the generations of people who have come before us, because we can understand water and we can use it smartly.” The Big Thirst will forever change the way we think about water, about our essential relationship to it, and about the creativity we can bring to ensuring that we’ll always have plenty of it. About Charles Fishman As a reporter, Charles Fishman has tried to get inside organizations, both familiar and secret, and explain how they work. In the course of reporting about water to write The Big Thirst, Fishman has stood at the bottom of a half-million-gallon sewage tank, sampled water directly from the springs in San Pellegrino, Italy, and Poland Spring, Maine, and carried water on his head for 3 km with a group of Indian villagers. Fishman is a former metro and national reporter for the Washington Post, and was a reporter and editor at the Orlando Sentinel and the News & Observer in Raleigh, NC. Since 1996, he has worked for the innovative business magazine Fast Company. Fishman has won numerous awards, including three times receiving UCLA’s Gerald Loeb Award, the most prestigious award in business journalism. Fishman grew up in Miami, Florida, and went to Harvard. He lives outside Philadelphia with his wife, also a journalist, their two children, their two Labradors, and their two parakeets. He likes his water from the refrigerator spigot, with ice, or splashing across the bow of a Sunfish.

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mtfconference.org

MTF NEWS NOTES | FALL/WINTER 2012

Yes - Please complete a membship application No - I will register as a non-member (go to next section)

E-mail Address

Phone

City

Address

Company

Name

State

Zip Code

EQUIPMENT TECHNICIAN SEMINAR

Cancellations can be made by mail or by calling 517.392.5003 before 5:00 p.m. January 4, 2013. Full refunds will be made to those who meet this deadline. Cancellations after January 4, 2013, will not be refunded.

PAYMENT METHOD

120

#2 The Plant Doctor - Limit 50 #4 Turf Soils - Limit 70  Visa

#5 Turfgrass Nutrition and Fertilizer Prog. - Limit 75 #6 Golf Turf PTI - Limit 200 80

#7 The Plant Doctor - Limit 50 80

#8 Ornamental Plants - Limit 70  MasterCard

#9 Turfgrass Identification Lab - Limit 60

 Discover

(made payable to MTF)

Signature

#10 Social Media 101 - Limit 100

#11 Mgmt. Strategies - Limit 50 80

#12 Pysiological Concepts - Limit 70

Exp. Date

 American Express

 Cash

Prayer Breakfast 6:00 AM Card #

#3 Turfgrass Identification Lab - Limit 60  Credit Card

 Check #

Conference Registration Fee 150

Equipment Technician Seminar - BOTH DAYS

NON-MEMBER

Equip. Tech. Seminar - Tuesday DAY 1 ONLY

Equip. Tech. Seminar - Wednesday DAY 2 ONLY

100

#1 Turf Math - Limit 50

MEMBER

Lunch at Brody Complex is provided with each workshop registration.

PLEASE NOTE: Included with your registration fee are all General Sessions on Tuesday & Wednesday, the Prayer Breakfast on Tuesday morning, and the Kick-Off Show Tuesday evening.

#13 Integrating New Herbicide - Limit 75

#14 Gadgets and Gizmos - Limit 50 80

#15 Athletic Field Seminar - Limit 30 80

$ $

PAY THIS AMOUNT

Thursday

(Conference Registration and/or Membership)

Wed.

MTF Awards Luncheon 11:30 - 1:30

Tuesday

#16 Weeds Indeed! - Limit 70

Monday

#17 Aquatics Seminar - Limit 50

Equipment Technician 2-Day Seminar

Rainbird Symposium - Limit 200

Reg. Fees

Kick-Off Show

Make checks/money orders payable to “State of Michigan”. Cash and/or credit cards are not accepted. The application fee, which covers the costs of the exam(s), depends upon the type of certification: 1) Private (agricultural use): $50 2) Commercial: $75 3) Registered (core only): $45 Please register for your exam session at michigan.gov/pestexam Customer Service Center: 1-800-292-3939, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

*Pesticide Recertification Exam will be held Thursday, January 24, 2013, at 9:00 AM. 1) You must bring a picture ID. 2) Please bring a pen and a #2 pencil.

Send completed form to: MTF | PO Box 27156 | Lansing, MI 48909 Fax to : 989-936-5911 Email to: miturfgrass@gmail.com Register Online: mtfconference.org

 

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MTF Membership Section

ALL PRE-REGISTRATION forms must be postmarked by January 4, 2013. You can also pre-register online at mtfconference.org

2013 Michigan Turfgrass Conference Pre-Registration Form

TOTAL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

MICHIGAN TURFGRASS FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

APPLICANT INFORMATION

______________________________________________

_________________________________________________

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WEB SITE ADDRESS

BUSINESS CATEGORIES (Please choose one.) __Golf __Lawn Care __Sod __Sports Turf

__Municipality w/Golf __Municipality/Parks __Supplier __Irrigation __Retail Center __Other:_____________________

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES AND DUES (Memberships are annual.)

Ͻ REGULAR MEMBER

AMOUNT: $115.00

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Benefits: Eligible to vote, hold office, quarterly issues of News Notes, reduced conference registration fees, and educational opportunities.

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AMOUNT: $30.00 x #______ =

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Eligibility: Working and living outside of the State of Michigan. Benefits: Quarterly issues of News Notes, reduced conference registration fees, and educational opportunities.

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Please fax or mail application to: Michigan Turfgrass Foundation • PO Box 27156 • Lansing, MI 48909-7156 P: 517.392.5003 • F: 989.936.5911 • www.michiganturfgrass.org

Introducing

the 2013 Michigan Turfgrass Foundation Board of Director Candidates

to be elected at the MTF Annual Meeting January 23, 2013, 4:45 pm Brian Schweihofer I have been a lifetime resident of Southeastern Michigan growing up in St. Clair working at my family’s landscape business. My first job in golf was at St Clair Golf Club in 1987. From there it was on to MSU and a career in turf. Currently I live in Oxford with my wife Julie and our three children and am the Superintendent at Franklin Hills Country Club. I can hardly believe I have been working in this industry for more than 23 years. Three years ago I was elected to the MTF board. During that time there has been a lot of transition within our organization. Recently, I feel there is a new sense of optimism on the board as well as our turf team despite the economic challenges we face. I feel the future is bright for the MTF and MSU Turf and I hope to be part of it by serving another three years as a director.

Amy Fouty began working in the turfgrass industry 22 years ago pursuing a career in the golf turf industry. Following graduation from Michigan State University, and a couple of years as a golf course superintendent, she decided to switch career paths and pursue athletic field management. Amy is currently in her ninth season and is responsible for the Spartan Stadium field, the football practice complex, baseball, soccer, softball facilities, and new athletic field construction for the athletic department at Michigan State University. Prior to MSU, Amy was a groundskeeper at the University of Michigan managing the daily field operations for football and soccer for five seasons. Amy holds a two-year degree in turfgrass management from Michigan State University and is in the process of completing a B.A. in Psychology at MSU. She served as President of the Michigan Sports Turf Managers Association, currently serves on Board of Directors for the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation, co- chairs the Chapter relations committee for the STMA, and has authored several articles. She was awarded the prestigious STMA Field of the Year for College Football Fields in 2006. She is an accomplished presenter, speaking at more than 10 national, regional and state conferences and educational events. She earned the CSFM designation in 2003. My name is John Stewart and for the past 16 months or so I have had the privilege of serving on the board for the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation. I took over for Brad Anderson when he left to pursue other opportunities outside of Michigan and have enjoyed every minute. Working with such dedicated individuals has been a real pleasure. I started working in the golf industry in 1989 at Oakland Hills Country Club. I worked on a few different courses over the first 8 years of my career in addition to graduating from MSU in 1993 with a degree in Turfgrass Management. In 1997 I started working for Benham Chemical and have worked on the supplier side of the industry ever since. For the past 7 years I have worked at Tri Turf in their Farmington Hills location. Thirteen years ago I married a wonderful woman, Shelley, and we have three beautiful children. Max is seven and Jeremy is five. Our daughter, Lily, just turned two last month. While being married and working in the turf industry are rewarding, nothing compares to seeing the smiling faces of my three kids every morning. It has been a real honor to serve as a board member for the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation and I am looking forward to the opportunity to serve for another three years. Thank you for your consideration and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone throughout the many events during the year.

Kim McKenzie I started in the lawn and landscape industry in 1987 at McDonald’s Nursery in Saginaw. I was working part time as a cashier there while going to college, and I had just completed my student teaching for my secondary education degree from Central Michigan University when it hit me that I enjoyed working with plants much more than 13 year olds! I was promoted to office manager of the lawn care division, and eventually worked my way to sales. I became an MCN (CGIP) in 1991. I worked for McDonald’s until the end of 1997, and started at Twin City Landscape in February 1998, where I remain as sales and service manager. My experience in the industry includes sales, sales manager, turf tech, and manager. I am active in both local and statewide industry associations including: MCN /CGIP since 1991, Certified Pesticide Applicator thru State of Michigan since 1998, CALNA and MNLA since 2000, BNI since 2004 and the MTF Scholarship Committee for the past 3 years.

NEWS CLIPPINGS NOTICE! The 2013 MTF Annual Meeting will be held Wednesday, January 23rd at the Kellogg Hotel & Confernce Center at 4:45 pm in Room 106.

ichigan State Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Turf Club is comprised of students studying both Golf Course and Athletic Field Turfgrass Management. The purpose of the club is to network, educate, and further explore the Turf industry. Our objective is to raise funds for an educational experience for our club members. We will be attending the GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America) National Education Conference in San Diego, CA. Our professors encourage us to attend this event, as it is a great experience for students in the industry. Unfortunately, the cost associated with this trip is the prohibiting factor for most students. We would greatly appreciate any donation that you could offer to help our cause. GO GREEN! Contact: Rodney Crouse, MSU Turf Club President crouse@msu.edu

Congratulations to the Detroit Tigers for their successful 2012 baseball season!

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation would like to wish you a safe and happy Holiday Season.

ee Times 4 Turf Online Auction has been scheduled for April 28 May 12, 2013. Congratulations! to Dr. Fred Poston

r. Poston has been appointed dean of Michigan Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CANR Department effective Janaury 1, 2013.

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hank you to all members of the U.S. Military for their service, dedication, and sacrifices. Welcome home!

MTF NEWS NOTES | FALL/WINTER 2012

The Lawn: North America’s Magnificent Obsession

by Robert Fulford (Azure, July-August, 1998)

The North American cult of the lawn looks to some people like the product of a vast collective dream, the taming of nature and its reduction to the cultural level of a billiard table. Seen in another light, the lawn appears to be no more than a neutral backdrop, a stage set for the drama of the suburbs. But I prefer to consider it, first of all, as a moral issue. Not, however, in the environmental sense. Ecologists have rightly accused lawns of consuming vast quantities of water and other earthly goods for trivial aesthetic effect, but that argument sways no one. North Americans now devote about 40,000 square miles to lawns (more than we use for wheat, corn, or even tobacco) and the fury of environmentalists has not reduced that figure by .01 per cent. What I mean by the lawn as moral issue is its place in human relations and its role in public shaming. In North America today, a lawn is the quickest, surest indicator that the deadliest of the seven deadly sins has attacked from within. As the death of a canary announces the presence of gas in a mine, so a dandelion’s appearance on a lawn indicates that Sloth has taken up residence in paradise and is about to spread evil in every direction. And when a whole lawn comes alive with dandelions--it can happen overnight, as many know to our sorrow--then that property instantly becomes an affront to the street and to the middleclass world of which the street is a part. Pretty as they might look to some, dandelions demonstrate a weakness of the soul. They announce that the owner of the house refuses to respect the neighbourhood’s right to peace, order, good government, and the absence of

airborne dandelion seeds. This can only breed guilt in those who allow their lawns to degenerate. And among neighbours, dandelions spread another kind of moral blight: they encourage the prig, the tattler, and the common scold. They provide the stuff of malicious gossip, causing people who should be minding their own business to peer through slits in drawn curtains and make vicious phone calls. Eventually they bring a harsh judgement crashing down on everyone: they lower the value of property. A Sunset magazine guidebook, How to Install and Care for Your Lawn, once neatly defined the role of the lawn as moral arbiter: “a lawn has a spiteful way of exposing the lax gardener to his neighbours by turning brown, sprouting weeds, or looking generally shaggy and woebegone.” You can fool yourself, your children, perhaps even your spouse; you cannot fool your lawn. Quite aside from environmental issues, lawns are not universally loved. There are those who find large stretches of grass intimidating, and often they are Europeans, immigrants from countries that have not made lawns central to their culture. Eva Hoffman, a Polish-Jewish immigrant, wrote in her muchadmired memoir, Lost in Translation, about her father feeling beaten down by Vancouver in the 1960s. He had endured the Nazis, he had endured the communists, but the lawns of Vancouver were too much for him, he was “confounded by this amiable Vancouver, by its civility and its shaved lawns.” The lawns were merely a symbol, of course, but a potent and omnipresent one---in their uniform richness they could make someone feel guilty for the

crime of failing to succeed. In a sense, and it is the worst possible sense, the suburban lawn expresses the persistence among us of English culture. It is, I regret to say, a triumph of the AngloSaxons, my people, whose dream of order finds its ultimate expression in the well-rolled lawn. Even those who imagine our families reach back to ancient English kingdoms must acknowledge that the British influence is mixed. Put it this way: at one end of the cultural spectrum, write “Shakespeare,” and at the other end write, “lawn.” Lawns go back to antiquity, but it was the British who, in the years after the Renaissance, turned the lawn into a cult and a way of life. Across England, they made immaculate lawns the focus of great gardens and quadrangles. They made lawns the setting for most of their games, notably cricket, croquet, and bowls. As the empire grew, sod followed the Union Jack, and proud patches of greenery spread to the distant shores of Australia and India. (Contrary to popular belief, the English wanted to paint the map green, not red--and in this project they succeeded.) In 1757, even Denis Diderot, that prince of the French Enlightenment, acknowledged in his Encyclopédie that the English were the kings of the lawn and, though the French tried to imitate them, “lawns in France are not fine, nor treated, nor a beautiful green.... not rolled or mowed with the care and intelligence necessary...” What’s more, it was an Englishman, Edwin Budling, who invented the helical-bladed lawnmower, in 1830. Continued on page 26 www.michiganturfgrass.org

Continued from page 25 The lawn was one aspect of British culture that the Thirteen Colonies did not reject when they proclaimed themselves a nation in 1776. In fact, they embraced the lawn with an enthusiasm that made England’s lawn-love seem tame. You can still see the evidence of their early enchantment if you stand, for instance, in front of the statehouse in Dover, the capital of the tiny state of Delaware. Laid out in 1717, an ancient and beautifully proportioned lawn embellishes the elegant brick building. In bright sunlight, from the right angle, it tells all you need know of the colonists’ passionate hopes. By this century, lawns had lodged themselves in the mass mind of North Americans. Consider the ad that Vigoro fertilizer published in House Beautiful in April, 1944: “Probably you, too, have a loved one in the service....Wherever he is, he dreams of velvety lawns....he wants to come home to them. Keep them growing their best awaiting that day! They will contribute immeasurably toward a winning home front.” There’s a kind of madness behind that passage, the suggestion that parents stop thinking of gunfire and death and turn their minds to seeding and sodding. The same lawn madness reaches grander heights in the deserts of Arizona, New Mexico, and California, where private lawns and golf clubs have come to be considered basic human rights and gated communities for the retired and the affluent are built around vast golf clubs that are kept alive by water brought from far away at great expense. Making the desert bloom has been a human aspiration since Biblical times, but south-western Americans carry it to excess. The relentless spread of artificially maintained grass amounts to a perverse form of aggression and at the same time a fabulous display of wealth. Only the richest society could spend money so casually, almost unconsciously. In this context, a lawn becomes a boast of power, a proof of how much space a landowner can waste without discomfort. Today we can keep up with such matters by reading Lawn & Landscape Digest, a journal that considers basic philosophical issues (“Which Northern Grass Fits your Lifestyle?”). What I enjoy most about it is the poetry in the names of grasses: Bermudagrass, St. Augustine, centipedegrass, zoysia, buffalograss, and--my favorite--Turf Type Tall Fescue. One must ignore a certain perversity in the naming

MTF NEWS NOTES | FALL/WINTER 2012

(Kentucky Bluegrass comes originally from Europe and Asia, whereas Bermudagrass originated in Africa) but there are many compensations. Lawn & Landscape Digest will inform you, for instance, about a disease with a beautiful name, St. Augustine Decline, otherwise called SAD: “older lawns that have SAD can be improved by planting plugs of the new SAD-resistant strains.” Lawns are never far from the minds of people who own houses, but they only occasionally attract the attention of academics and museums. One such occasion is the appearance of a major exhibition, The American Lawn: Surface of Everyday Life, at the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal, from June 16 to November 8. This last of five CCA exhibitions, together called “The American Century,” comes with a catalogue, published by Princeton Architectural Press, in which Georges Teyssot assembles a platoon of scholars who have apparently read everything ever written on the subject of lawns (and from whose labours this essay gratefully benefits). A lawn expresses the imperialist personality; more than any other form of growth, it satisfies that part of the human soul that longs for control. A few years ago, Robert J. Samuelson, columnist for Newsweek, responded to the ecological critique of lawns with a piece called “The Joys of Mowing,” in which he declared “In an era when almost everything is beyond our control, our lawns are not. We are a better country for our lawns, and we need more--not less--grass.” Lawn-making is the art that conceals art: it is, in fact, the only aspect of gardening that hides both the work done and the nature of the plant life itself. A lawn that achieves perfection ceases to look like plant matter and resembles a fake version of itself. It has no bumps, no weeds, and no variations in colour: from a distance, the perfect closemown lawn is indistinguishable from Astroturf. Seen in that way, Astroturf was an inevitable development--since lawns are in essence artificial, why shouldn’t there be totally ersatz versions? Various grass imitations went on the market in the 1960s, and in 1966 Astroturf was installed in the Houston Astrodome. While fake lawns cost more at first, they never require watering, rolling, or cutting, and gophers do not dig holes in them. Of course, not everyone enjoys them. Athletes may find them hard on the feet, and in the early days there were embarrassing incidents.

In 1971 the Poly-Turf in the Miami football stadium turned blue in the sunlight; that might not have been so bad (what the hell, it was the Orange Bowl), but when the sun melted the fibres, the field turned slick as ice. In Tennessee, a faux-grass football field turned black, which everyone agreed was a bit much. Bogus or authentic, the green of the lawn is more than ever a part of our lives today: it fills much of the picture plane as the background for thousands of hours of television sports. In that distant form it becomes merely an echo of the original lawns that inspired the green carpeting of the continent. In the original lawn, even in its standardized suburban form, there was a sweetness, a yearning, that John Cheever catches in his short stories when he speaks of the quiet hissing of sprinklers in the evening air. I’ve always found one quality of lawns attractive: they are most evocative when being cut, their smell rising for a moment to flavour the air--it’s a brevity not unlike the short-lived loveliness of cherry blossoms, a major cult among the Japanese. In The Art of Beautifying Suburban Home Grounds of Small Extent, published in 1870, Frank J. Scott offered a poetic explanation of his affection for greenery on suburban lots: “Whoever spends the early hours of one summer, while the dew spangles the grass, in pushing these grass-cutters over a velvety lawn, breathing the fresh sweetness of the morning air and the perfume of new mown hay, will never rest content again in the city.” A recent issue of Newsweek brought the news, indirectly conveyed, that this cult remains vividly alive. In April, Pete Barthelme wrote one of those self-celebrating stories about moving away from the pressures of urban civilization to an isolated place in the country, in his case a coastal fishing area in Texas. He told us he’s now isolated from movie houses, he gets one TV channel intermittently, the grocery store is four miles away, there are no neighbours for half a mile, and he’s happy. But then, inadvertently, he slips in the fact that he has a lawn. In his old life he employed a lawn crew, but he’s now replaced them with “a very fine riding lawn mower with a full 11.5 horsepower, which happens to be fun to use.” He doesn’t tell us why, in the middle of nowhere, he maintains a lawn. He doesn’t imagine that the question would occur to us. He knows that even among those who abandon urbanism and “go back” to nature, the lawn remains a necessity. Without it, they would feel incomplete.

2012 Field Day Wrap-Up The Lawn Care, Athletic Field, and Commercial Turf Field Day kicked off the 2012 MSU Turfgrass Field Day on Tuesday, August 14th. The attendees were greeted with a beautiful summer morning with the choice of attending one of six Tour Stops, which gave them the opportunity to obtain 2 MDA credits. After an enjoyable and relaxing lunch, attendees could choose one of three workshops and obtain another 3 MDA credits. Wednesday started off with yet another beautiful day for the attendees present for the Golf Course Turfgrass Field Day. The morning Turf Tour was comprised of five Tour Stops offering 2 MDA credits and .25 GCSAA CEUs. Wednesday afternoon offered a single workshop worth 3 MDA credits and .30 GCSAA CEUs or the choice of an enjoyable afternoon of golf at the immaculate College Fields Golf Club. The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation would like

to especially thank the 153 attendees on Tuesday and the 169 attendees on Wednesday, all Speakers for their welcome and opening comments, Michigan State University, the R.W. Hancock Turfgrass Research Center, and College Fields Golf Course for their hospitality; Dr. Kevin Frank, Dr. David Smitley, Dr. Trey Rogers, Dr. Joe Vargas, Dr. Thom Nikolai, Dr. David Gilstrap, Ms. Nancy Dykema, Mr. Nick Binder, Mr. Jeff Bryan, Mr. Ron Edwards, Mr. Thomas Green, Mr. Aaron Hathaway, Mr. Paul Giordano, and the MSU Research Team for their expertise and dedication; Mr. Mark Collins, Mr. Frank Roggenbuck, and everyone affiliated with the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center for their great work ethic, courtesy, and effort put forth to make this year's Field Day a very successful event and a rewarding educational experience for all involved.

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2012 Field Day Wrap-Up

MTF NEWS NOTES | FALL/WINTER 2012

FUNDRAISINGHighlights DONATIONS The following is a summary of donations made to date this 2012/2013 fiscal year: Lawn Tech James Bitzer Maple Hill Golf Course John Fulling Orchards Golf Ltd. Partnership Walnut Creek Country Club Warwick Hills Country Club Port Huron Golf Club Eric Kleinsorge Jay Eccleton Quincy Golf Course John Murphy

Calendar of Events MTF Annual Meeting Wednesday, January 13, 2013, 4:45 pm Room 106 Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center 2013 Michigan Turfgrass Conference: January 21-24, 2013 Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center | Lansing, MI November 27-28 MGCOA Michigan Golf Business Conference, Bavarian Inn Lodge, Frankenmuth Tee Times 4 Turf April 28 - May 12, 2013

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation would like to thank all contributors to the Foundation. Your allegiance to the turf industry will sustain turfgrass research for years to come. If you or your company would like to donate to the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation to help support turfgrass research, you may do so online at michiganturfgrass.org or by filling out the Opportunities For Giving Form in this edition of News Notes, and mail with your check or credit card payment to: Michigan Turfgrass Foundation PO Box 27156 Lansing, MI 48909-7156

References on the Web

michiganturfgrass.org teetimes4turf.com msuturfdiseases.net msuweeds.com turf.msu.edu cdms.net/LabelsMsds/LMDefault.aspx gddtracker.net msuturfweeds.net css.msu.edu agbioresearch.msu.edu mtesp.org turf.lib.msu.edu news.msue.msu.edu/news/home

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LaFontaine Golf Outing 2012

With absolutely beautiful weather, the 2012 LaFontaine Golf Outing was quite a success. Hosted by the newly renovated Links of Novi Singh, this annual event took place as planned and the turnout was fantastic. All of the teams enjoyed a great game and spending the day networking with their peers. A good time was had by all while at the same time over $8,000 was raised for the LaFontaine Endowment, which is used for long-term turfgrass research. A special thank you to Links General Manager/PGA Pro Ken Johnston for his extraordinary organizational skills in setting up this event. Thank you also to the LaFontaine Auto Group for its donation of hole-in-one cars, to the corporate and tee sponsors as well as the team players (on the following page), which without them this event would not be possible. Corporate Sponsors Tee Sponsors D&B Landscaping, Inc. Daconil Action-Syngenta Commercial Lawnmower Winfield PPG Tri-Turf Michigan Turf & Ornamental MiGCSA MNLA Osburn Industries MTESP LaFontaine Auto Group MSU Turf Team Bayer Weingartz Turf Fuel-Residex Traverse City Golf & CC Rain Bird Services Corporation Polo Fields Golf & CC We look forward to seeing you in 2013 for next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 6th annual LaFontaine Golf Outing.

NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID LANSING MI PERMIT 515 PO Box 27156 Lansing, MI 48909

The Mission of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is: "To work in partnership with Michigan State University, supporting ongoing programs in research, education, and extension in the area of professional turfgrass management that will benefit all individuals who manage turfgrasses or derive pleasure from the results of such management."