ASPA AMERICAN SOD PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION October, 1977 Hastings, Nebraska 68901 Nassau, Bahamas, is new site of ASPA Midwinter Conference - February 12-15, 1978 The Nassau Beach Hotel fronting on the beautiful and expansive white sand beaches of the Bahama Islands is the new site just announced by the ASPA Officers and Board of Trustees for the Midwinter Conference. The new date of Sunday, February 12, with a February 15 departure has been scheduled. The change was necessitated because of varying and new conditons being proposed by the management of the previous hotel in San Juan and which were unacceptable to the Board. Also, some concern by some members as to the political situation in Puerto Rico. A great program of real practical information for the sod producer as a businessman has been set up by Conference Chairman Norm LeGrande of Lincoln, Nebras­ ka, and his committee members, Charles Lain of Sussex, New Jersey, and Tom Thornton of Elgin, Illinois. The meeting is open to sod producers and their staffs from around the world. Convention ’77 Breaks all Records Records are made to be broken...and so they were...at the 11th Annual Convention & Field Days, July 20-22, in St. Paul Minnesota. Over 300 ASPA members were registered for the events of the 2 1/2 day Convention, plus representatives of firms who exhibited and demonstrated, and Minnesota Turf Association members. A total of 31 exhibit booths filled the Wabasha Room at the Radisson St. Paul for the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning exhibit time. Industry attendance was impressive with representation from all over the United States, plus Canada. Interest ran high with many new items being featured. A full day and a half of field demonstrations included 46 ten minute individual demonstrations of industry related equipment. The Thursday site was the Loren Hentges Green-Glo Farm, Blaine, Minnesota, where irrigation and spraying equipment was demonstrated. Then on to visit the Rehbein Farms at Lino Lakes, Minnesota, to tour the modern maintenance shop and hear about the mini-computer operation for control of sod production. Friday the caravan of buses moved to Harley Johnson’s sod farm for a day of viewing actual field operations of mowers, sod harvesters, net laying, soil preparation, and loading and unloading material handlers. The full schedule went like clockwork according to those attending and much credit goes to Convention Chairman Harley Johnson and his committee. FIELD DEMONSTRATIONS. International Conversation between Erik Leijonhufvud of Sweden (1) and Chris Watmore of England (r). Convention Chairman 1977 Harley Johnson Greetings from St. Paul Mayor George Latimer ASPA Officers and Board New officers who will lead ASPA in the coming year include President Glenn Rehbein, Glenn Rehbein Farms, Inc., Lino Lakes, Minnesota; Vice President E. John Hope, Manderley Turf Farms, Ltd., North Gower, Ontario; Secretary Paul Unruh, Unruh’s Turf Farm, Minden, Nevada; Treasurer Chris Beasley, Tuckahoe Turf Farms, Canton, Massachusetts; and Past President Norman LeGrande, Hendricks Sodding & Landscaping, Lincoln, Nebraska. Newly elected to the Board of Trustees are Ray Weekley, Prince William Turf Growers, Falls Church, Virginia; Woodrow Wilson, Eastside Nursery, Inc., Groveport, Ohio; and Chris Beasley, Tuckahoe Turf Farms, Canton, Massa- chusetts. Carry-over Board of Trustees members include Charles Davis, Wharton Turf Grass, Inc., Wharton, Texas, and Emory R. Patton, Turf Center, Inc., Spencerville, Mary- land. Retiring Board of Trustees members are Norman LeGrande, Hendricks Sodding & Landscaping, Lincoln, Nebraska; Tom Thornton Turf Nursery, Elgin, Illinois and Charles Lain, Pine Island Turf Nursery, Inc., Sussex, New Jersey. Mr. Lain has been appointed to fill the 2 year unexpired Board term created by the resignation of Robert Hummer. Our Job is to serve you...... E. JOHN HOPE ASPA Vice-President Manderley Turf Farms, Ltd., North Gower, Ontario, Canada Family: Wife, Julia, and three children Business: In sod business for 18 years. Owns business. Cultivates 3,200 acres sod. ASPA Member: 6 years Offices held in other organizations: Pres- ident, Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario Goals and ideas for ASPA: 1. Further improvements for conven- tions (bigger and better). They are the main link with the member- ship. 2. National recognition for ASPA as a moving force in the “Green Indus- try.” 3. Cultural problems (a) soil depletion (b) water usage. W. RAY WEEKLEY ASPA Board of Trustees Prince William Turf Growers Fairfax, Virginia EMORY R. PATTON ASPA Board of Trustees Turf Center Inc., Spencerville, Maryland Family: Wife, Patricia, and two children Business: In sod business for 25 years. Owns business. Cultivates 20 acres of sod. ASPA Member: 6 years Offices held in other organizations: Presi­ dent, Maryland Turfgrass Association; President, Maryland Turfgrass Council Goals and ideas for ASPA: Most of us know how to raise premium sod in our area, but there should be more emphasis on correct installation and maintenance. This reflects on the whole industry. Family: Wife, Beverly, and four children Business: In sod business for 12 years. Owns business. Cultivates 250 acres of sod. ASPA Member: 6 years Offices held in other organizations: Presi- dent, Virginia Cultivated Turfgrass As- sociation; Board of Directors, Virginia Turf Council Goals and ideas for ASPA: 1. Continue to encourage dialogue and communication among all members. 2. Support meaningful research in the full spectrum of institutions (univer- sities, government, industry and pri- vate clinics). 3. Serve as a clearinghouse of legisla- tion affecting our industry and serve lobbyists when necessary. 4. Continue winter and summer conven- tions that promote products and knowledge. Board of Trustees meets September 22, in Chicago A 100% attendance marked the regular meeting of the ASPA Board of Trustees in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. A full and crammed day of discussions, debates and actions included the following: * Publicity and promotional programs which could be developed for the individual use of members. Reviewed and evaluated the possibility of a traveling booth to be used at various trade association shows promoting sod; decided to withhold action because of high cost of the project and particularly because of the problem of staffing and manning the booth at the events. * Approved further investigation as to the possibility of a promotional motion picture on sod production. * Encouraged the collection of information regarding sludge utilization in sod production. * Thoroughly discussed a proposal to publish an 8 page, color, bi-monthly magazine with the assistance of professional publishers and authorized five issues including advertising. Quality publications should enhance membership and the industry. * Reviewed the Key-Man activities and their use in serving the states as to the sod markets, level of activity and so forth. * Heard a report on possible IRS ruling effecting the depletion status of sod production. * Report given on the new convention site for summer of 1978 at the Sheraton-Spokane Hotel in Spokane, Washington. * Discussed programs and subjects for the winter conference 1978. * Approved development of a membership loose-leaf notebook and dividers and basic materials to be provided without charge to current members. * Approved a mailing of sod specifications, rosters and a promotional brochure to Landscape Architects, some 3,100. * Reviewed the association financial statement and reporting format. * Discussed the future implementation of the metric system in sod production. Did you Know? One acre of grass gives off 2,400 gallons of water every hot summer day. This has a cooling effect of a 140,000 lb. air conditioner...a 70 ton machine. A mature tree in front of your home can produce a cooling effect equal to 10 room-size air conditioners running 20 hours a day. Sod Production Encouraged by Citizen Action An ordinance, proposed for Litchfield, New Hampshire, and inacted on March 2, 1976, has been reversed. The initial prohibition read as follows: Removal of Sod & Loam -- Loam and loam by-products (sod farming) will not be allowed to leave the Town of Litchfield except under the following exceptions: 1. Loam removed from any area being excavated for Buildings, Farm Ponds, Man-Made Lakes, Land Contour- ing, Swimming Pools, Streets and Driveways. 2. Green House Products. 3. Sod Farming, provided that it was not grown in previously stripped areas, flood plains, wet lands and the loam does not exceed 1/2 inch in thickness. 4. Any person importing loam into Litchfield may export same. Subsequently on March 19, Tuckahoe Turf Farms, et al petitioned the Board of Selectmen for a Special Town Meeting to reconsider the ordinance. Accordingly, on May 11, 1976, a Special Town Meeting was held and the voters repealed the ordinance by a vote of 151 to 79. The Litchfield Board of Selectmen has notified ASPA of this action and that there has not been any new ordinance proposed on this subject. The Value of Good Lawns A recent random survey of real estate brokers across the nation indicates that the lawn around a house has a measurable cost value...and it may be a lot higher than most people think. As reported in a recent issue of “Lawn Care” (O.M. Scott & Sons’ Co.). The survey, made by an independent research organization, shows that only six percent of the brokers questioned thought that the condition of the lawn in influencing a home buyer’s decision was not important; 58 percent thought it was important; 36 percent thought it very important. Comments were interesting. “When a lawn is taken care of, the house is taken care of, too.” “A womn looks at a house from outside. If it looks good, she’ll go in, if not, chances are she won’t look at it.” “If we have two houses of equal price, the one with the good lawn will go faster.” One broker summed it up in four words, “First impressions are lasting.” When it came to putting a cash value on a thick, weed-free lawn, the figures varied all the way from nothing to $10,000, with an arithmetic average of $1,322. On a $35,000 house that is 3.77 percent. Applied to a $20,000 house, the same percentage would represent $754. On a $60,000 home it would be $2,262. Whether these estimates are too high or too low, they do suggest that, quite apart from its beauty, a good lawn has a cash value far in excess of the relatively small cost involved in its upkeep. Natural Turf sure beats Artificial Turf!!! You have undoubtedly read about the University of Minnesota replacing artificial turf with natural turf on the U. of M. football field. We had a brief article on this in our recent ASPA quarterly publication. To further support the increasing excitement and enthusiasm for natural turf, a column of Max Nichols appeared recently in the Minneapolis Star sports section. In discussing the proposed new football stadium for the Minnesota Vikings in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, he made the following comment in a portion of his column: “....One trip I recommend for members of the new stadium commission wouldn’t cost the taxpayers a cent for airplane rides, hotels and fancy restaurants. It’s a trip to Memorial Stadium to see the Gophers play on their new grass field, which takes six inches of rain an hour. It was playable at 10 a.m. the day after the recent seven-inch rain, and it was dry after the UCLA game played in rain. If a new stadium is built for football and soccer in Bloomington, I recommend a Texas-type stadium with a roof over the fans and a grass field like that of the Gophers.” Is it Time for Metric? We are hearing more and more talk these days about the metric system and its international usage with the North American continent being the last bastion of the linear measurements. It may be time to take a look at an ultimate conversion to the metric system. Canada has already made some studies and recommendations in this area. With the future in mind, ASPA has appointed John Hope of North Gower, Ontario, Canada, as chairman of a committee to study the application of the metric system to sod production and sales and to make suggestions and recommenda- tions for the consideration of the ASPA membership. Change has always occurred and change will always be with us. Perhaps the change to metric could prove advantageous! Who knows? American Sod Producers Association Association Building 9th and Minnesota Hastings, Nebraska 68901 DR. JAMES BEARD DEPT. OF SOILS & CROP SCIENCE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS 77343 BULK RATE U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 389 Hastings, Nebraska Promotional Brochure Available Now!!! Spokane, Washington.... Summer Meeting 1978 The third printing of the popular ASPA brochure “The Dream Lawn is Yours in Hours with Sod” has been made, and they are now available to members. Members who have ordered them have been extremely enthusiastic about the brochure. They are providing it to landscape contractors, landscape architects, for hand-outs at the retail level, in selling sod to the ultimate user, in making talks and presentations before civic and garden clubs, and in a general promotion way with every individual and organization which may have an interest in lawn development. Many members are imprinting the brochure in the space available on the back utilizing their own firm name and receiving double benefits therefrom. Members may order the brochure either in unbroken boxes, 2,000 pieces to the box at $.08 per piece ($160.00 per box) or by the piece at $.10 each, with a 500 piece minimum. Orders will be sent transportation collect. Send orders accompanied by check to cover payment directly to ASPA, Assn. Bldg., 9th & Minnesota, Hastings, NE 68901. Phone (402) 463-5691. Pacific Northwest here we come!!! The 12th annual Summer Convention & Field Days of the American Sod Producers Association will be July 19-21, 1978, at the Sheraton-Spokane, Spokane, Washington. In the heart of the grass seed producing region of the Pacific Northwest the Spokane area was selected after interest was shown by many ASPA members for this bluegrass seed producing area as the Convention site. You will note this change from Portland-Salem, Oregon, area announced earlier. An added plus for this meeting will be a tour of the seed industry in addition to area sod farms. Conference Chairman is Doyle Jacklin, Jacklin Seed Company, Spokane. Serving as Board liaison is Paul Unruh, Unruh’s Turf Farm, Minden, Nevada, with ASPA member Paul Jensen, J B Sod & Seed, Silverton, Oregon, assisting. More information later...mark your calendar now...July 19-21, 1978...Spokane. OFFICERS President: Glenn Rehbein Glenn Rehbein Farms, Inc. 7309 Lake Drive Lino Lakes, Minnesota 55014 Phone (612) 784-0657 V-President: E. John Hope Manderley Turf Farms, LTD RR #3 North Gower, Ontario, Canada Phone (613) 489-2040 Secretary: Paul Unruh Unruh’s Turf Farm Box 70 Minden, Nevada 89423 Phone (702) 782-5144 Treasurer: Chris Beasley Tuckahoe Turf Farms 21 University Rd. Canton, Massachusetts 02021 Phone (617) 828-0800 Past President: Norm LeGrande Hendricks Sodding & Landscaping Box 2639 Lincoln, Nebraska 68502 Phone (402) 423-4076 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Charles Davis Wharton Turf Grass, Inc. Box 1029 Wharton, Texas 77488 Phone (713) 342-5433, 532-4340 Charles Lain Pine Island Turf Nursery, Inc. R.R. No. 1 Sussex, New Jersey 07461 Phone (201) 875-5125 Emory R. Patton Turf Center Inc. 1409 Spencerville Rd. Spencerville, Maryland 20868 Phone (301) 384-6300 Ray Weekley Prince William Turf Growers 13110 Thompson Rd. Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Phone (703) 327-4725 Woodrow Wilson Eastside Nursery, Inc. 2530 Lithopolis Rd., Box 127 Groveport, Ohio 43125 Phone (614) 836-9800 AMERICAN SOD PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION 1977-1978 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Bob Garey Association Building 9th & Minnesota Hastings, Nebraska 68901 Phone (402) 463-5691 LEGAL COUNSEL William A. Harding Nelson, Harding, Marchetti, Leonard & Tate P.O. Box 82028 Lincoln, Nebraska 68501 Phone (402) 475-6761