President’s Update
UNITED FRONT A
braham Lincoln once said, “When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” His perspective is interesting, assuming the rope is your lifeline and being at the end means that your demise is imminent. Lincoln, being an optimist and strong man of faith, was reluctant to give in to circumstances. Now we can all relate to this. Events like this rarely hit so close to home. Usually we watch someone else’s misfortune unfold on the news. Not this time. So, what does this mean for the turf industry? We will try to salvage what we can out of 2020. The pandemic didn’t stop the grass from growing. Fortunately, the lawn care industry could keep moving forward. However, golf and athletic fields are a different story. As I write this, high school, college and professional sports are up in the air. I pray that golf has reopened by the time you read this. I used to fantasize about what it would be like if my course were closed for a month so I could prepare for a reopening. It was cool for about a week, then it started to become a nightmare. Some interesting observations came out of this experience, though. It’s amazing how much turf can recover on its own. The golf course healed itself without much input. We discovered the speed at which we can accomplish routine tasks, sometimes twice as fast. Mowing with no golfers and Apple Music playing makes for a pleasant day. It’s short lived, though. I would rather see the players than see the dog park that our course has become. This is a painful reminder of how much we need each other. People talk about things getting back to normal, whatever that is. We might have a new normal. We all received a crash course in video conferencing, telecommuting and prioritizing what is most important. It is safe to say that the new normal will require us to be leaner and meaner than before. There are heartwarming stories all around us from this crisis, and the turf industry has some of its own. Early on, when the mandate of closures put the maintenance of facilities in jeopardy, leaders from across the state rallied to lobby the Governor to allow ongoing maintenance. This was a collaborative effort like I have never witnessed before. All seven superintendent chapters, Pennsylvania Superintendents Association, PTC, PGO, KAFMO, LCAP, GCSAA, NGO and the Philadelphia PGA united together for the preservation of our facilities until we could reopen. The Governor had a petition so fast it would have impressed Stormin’ Norman Schwarzkopf! Hopefully, some positive things came out of this experience that you can take forward with you. Zoom and Skype are actually useful. The swell in patriotism is always nice to see. It has given us an unprecedented time with family. It’s kind of like the snow day that never seems to end. Some couples may need a divorce attorney or an obstetrician after all of this. Remember, if it weren’t for setbacks, there would be no comebacks! Pete Ramsey PTC President
6 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Summer 2020
Penn State Turf Team
Jeffrey A. Borger Senior Instructor in Turfgrass Weed Management 814-865-3005 • jborger@psu.edu
Michael A. Fidanza, Ph.D. Professor of Plant & Soil Science 610-396-6330 • maf100@psu.edu
David R. Huff, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Genetics 814-863-9805 • drh15@psu.edu
Brad Jakubowski Instructor of Plant Science 814-865-7118 • brj8@psu.edu
John E. Kaminski, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Science 814-865-3007 • jek156@psu.edu
Peter J. Landschoot, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Science 814-863-1017 • pjl1@psu.edu
Ben McGraw, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Turfgrass Entomology 814-865-1138 • bam53@psu.edu
Andrew S. McNitt, Ph.D. Professor of Soil Science 814-863-1368 • asm4@psu.edu
Max Schlossberg, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Turfgrass Nutrition / Soil Fertility 814-863-1015 • mjs38@psu.edu
Al J. Turgeon, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Turfgrass Management aturgeon@psu.edu
Wakar Uddin, Ph.D. Professor of Plant Pathology 814-863-4498 • wxu2@psu.edu
