Growth and Learning

Life is finally getting back to some normalcy, although we may never get back to the life we all took for granted in 2019. One of the most notable and most hopeful situations is we can now get back together in person. This has put Dr. Tom Tracy in high gear making plans for in person VTC events.

One event on June 24 was the 11th Annual HRAREC Field Day in conjunction with Virginia Tech. A critical part of the event was the education which included topics like preemergence and postemergence control of grasses, sedges and broadleaf weeds, drought tolerance in turfgrass and pollinator gardens, among many others. Also included was a much-needed pesticide recertification.

As we move forward, the VTC will be working to ensure we meet our members’ needs for education and certifications. Please take time to visit our website vaturf.org and look under events to see upcoming events. One event on the immediate horizon is the “Blacksburg Turfgrass Field Day” being held August 30th and 31st. This is a great opportunity to get firsthand education from the Virginia Tech Turf Team and their grad students. The research is great, but we in the field must also be able to translate what they have discovered into what we can implement in our own environment. Therefore, meeting and talking to others in the industry is a critical part of the event. Your individual success and our strength as an industry depends on this attitude of growth and learning, so please take advantage of every opportunity the VTC offers.

I would like to Congratulate Jon Dickerson being selected to fill Sam Doak’s position at Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as the Instructor for the Agricultural Technology Program. This is exciting news; he is a special person who will add great value to the program and will be a draw for new students. We all are aware of his repair and maintenance skills on display at the Turfgrass Research Center and have enjoyed his soils course during the Virginia Tech Turf Short Course. Again, congratulations, and we know the Virginia turf industry will see a positive effect as your future students join the industry.

Mike Skelton

VTC President