Lawn-O-Gram LOG-Quarterly Newsletter for Members of THE LAWN INSTITUTE JULY 1991 VOLUME 8 NUMBER 3 Commentary in the July issue of Golf Course News entitled "Preaching to the Converted Doesn’t Spread Truth" by Mark Leslie really "hit the nail on the head". Mark referred to comments by Dr Rich Cooper of The University of Massachusetts at the time of Lofts' June 12 Field Day in Martinsville, New Jersey. In the whole spectrum of humanity, Cooper said, there are people to the far left and people to the far right on any one issue. They won't listen, won’t budge from their viewpoint, no matter if the sky falls all around them and their beliefs. The other 90 percent will listen to reason, wisdom and knowledge. They will listen to a body of scientific study. Environmental activists, Cooper said, are philosophically opposed to use of pesticides. No amount of evidence will change their mind. It would seem appropriate that The Lawn Institute continue its longstanding effort with communicators so that some 90 percent of the population will have a reasonable chance of understanding something about what seems to be complex biological systems. Your continuing membership support is essential. The items presented in this issue of LOG will inform you of our educational input in this process during the past three months. We always welcome your questions and comments. Let us know how we may get to some of that 90 percent of the population who are your customers. Sincerely, Eliot C Roberts Director Beverly C Roberts Manager CONTENTS PAGE ITEM - No Institute Meeting with ASTA in San Diego 2 2 - New Members 3 - Variety Review Board Report 3 - April Harvests 4 - Lawn-O-Gram 4 - LISTS Notebook 4 - Harvests Collection 1982.-1992 5 - Presentation at Jacklin Discovery Tour 5 - ASTA Convention - San Diego 6 - Newsweek Article 6 - Abolish the White House Lawn 6 - Adventures of Ranger Rick 6 - Answers to Questions Asked - A Research Foundation for the Turfgrass 6 7 - The Significance of Turf Benefits-An Overview 7 - Organic Lawn Care Update 7 - Mowing is Pruning Too 7 - Lawnscape Yes, Xeriscape No 7 - Turfgrass Science Division C-5 Report Industry NO INSTITUTE MEETING WITH ASTA IN SAN DIEGO A preliminary program for ASTA Annual Convention in San Diego - 1991 included listings for Lawn Institute Executive Committee and Annual Meetings. Following a call to President Mike on April 23, Bob Falasca was notified not to include these events in the finalized program as they will not be held at the San Diego meetings. They will be held at the time of the Western in Kansas City this November. NEW MEMBERS The following two requests for Affiliate Membership were received in April: - Mark Schwartz, Stern's Miracle Gro Products, 800 Port Washington Blvd, Port Washington NY 11050; - Robert Lange, American Peat Co, Inc, RT 1 Box 38B, Oxford FL 32684. VARIETY REVIEW BOARD REPORT A letter dated April 4,1991 from Dr A Douglas Brede, Chairman of the Variety Review Board reported approval of SR4100 and SR4200 perennial ryegrasses. These grasses will be added to our VRB lists as of July 1,1991. A letter dated June 7,1991 from Dr A Douglas Brede, Chairman of the Variety Review Board indicates approval of Limousine Kentucky bluegrasss and MX-86 sheep fescue. These grasses will be added to our VRB lists as of July 1,1991. With these 4 additions, the VRB list is once again above 50 [52 entries]. APRIL HARVESTS Harvests was mailed April 25, 29 and 30. The following data is presented for the record: Zip 0-107 - ME, NH, VT, CT, RI, MA, NJ, PR 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 199 - NY, PA, DE 107 - MD, DC, VA, WV, NC, SC 177 - TN, MS, AL, GA, FL 114 - MI, IN, OH, KY 99 - MT, ND, SD, MN, IA, WI 117 - NE, KS, MO, IL 60 - TX, OK, AR, LA 211 - ID, WY, CO, NM, AZ, UT, NV 486 - CA, OR, WA, AK, HI, GUAM 1677 CANADA- 72 OVERSEAS- 20 TOTAL 1769 COST: Envelopes: Printing: Labels, elastics: Postage: TOTAL 7.36 341.02 20.00 502.87 $ 871.25 Unit cost: $0.49 Last issue: $0.45 LOG was mailed April 19. The following items were featured: LAWN-O-GRAM - Seed Trade News - Lawnscape item - Yard Beautiful - Article - Journal Env Turf - Article - Golf Course News - Roberts Questions - Nursery Business - Xeriscaping Green Seed Newsletter - Lawns - Family Circle - Article - LISTS - VRB Revised Listing - Letter to Keith Karnok - Letter from Donna Sandoval - ASPA Lawnscape Item - Golf Course Management - Awards The following cost data is provided for the record: - paper envelopes postage $45.36 11.34 227.81 Total $ 284.51 Unit cost: $ 2.26 Last issue: $ 2.41 LISTS NOTEBOOK All 12 chapters for the LISTS Notebook have been typeset and proofed. Only the Introduction remains to be typeset. In addition, the first 130 pages have been printed in page format and returned for insert of graphics. All notebooks have been printed and delivered with printed chapter dividers. Notebooks should be available for an early fall release to all members. HARVESTS COLLECTION 1982-1992 We have reproduced Harvests on some 800 sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 paper. This was accomplished by making a 74% reduction from the tabloid released quarterly for the past 9 years. This is an interesting set of releases and may have value in some form of new publication. Bev has a complete index of subject matter by year so that any topic from the past 9 years can be found easily. We'll see if this one copy can be duplicated for review by a few key turf specialists with the request that proposals for rerelease of this material be submitted to The Lawn Institute for consideration. Such a volume could be a significant asset in any membership drive The Lawn Institute might undertake. PRESENTATION AT JACKLIN DISCOVERY TOUR Attached is a copy of a paper entitled "Turf Stands Tall Amongst the Trees - An Environmental Perspective" presented at the recent Jacklin Discovery Tour in Post Falls, Idaho. This was the first release of this information. During the next few months, there should be 3 or 4 articles released that contain information from these references. These will be fully documented. This is considered a preliminary report. Both Bev and I traveled to Post Falls, Idaho on June 15 and back to Tennessee on June 19,1991. In addition to the Jacklin Discovery Tour, we met with Al Haselbacher, Executive Director of the Intermountain Grass Growers Association to discuss plans and concerns of the Association. This group of common Kentucky bluegrass growers is important to the lawn seed trade. On June 19, I attended a breakfast meeting of the Intermountain Grass Growers Association. Sixty seven men and women were present, including several members of the Idaho and Washington legislatures and members of the press. I distributed 20 copies of the "Turf Stands Tall" report and gave one radio interview on this topic and one interview for print. Dr Murray of Idaho spoke on Burning Alternatives and another report on feed value of grass straw was presented. This meeting was of value to The Lawn Institute and I believe we had a positive input with some of those in attendance. ASTA CONVENTION - SAN DIEGO On June 25, at the request of Frank Welch, Chairman of the ASTA Lawn Seed Division Legislative Committee, I presented a report entitled "Xeriscape and Other Legislative Initiatives". Chairman Welch was presented with a folder containing copies of Lawn Institute reference material on this topic. An offer was made to send full sets to any committee members who might be interested. This material was reviewed briefly. Dr Gerald Born, Chairman of the Planning Committee for the Lawn Seed Division, was present and participated in discussion of items on the agenda. I had a chance to visit briefly with Dr Born and because his name has been linked with interest in The Lawn Institute, I invited him to come to Tennessee to visit with us at such time as this might be of value to him. In the meantime, we'd be glad to assist him in any way possible. At the Lawn Seed Division meeting later on June 25, Dr Rich Hurley introduced Dr Born as a consultant to The Lawn Institute starting July 1,1991 through the remainder of 1991. During this time he will study the Institute and make recommendations for the future. Dr Born gave a talk at the Lawn Seed Division entitled "Sharing My Thoughts... The Problems and Opportunities of the 1990’s". Dr Born recognized that the topics he had planned to discuss had already been presented by other speakers at these meetings. This made his task particularly challenging. The Lawn Seed Division voted to approve up to $10,000 for each of the next 2 years to help The Lawn Institute release positive information on Lawn Benefits. No set amount was designated for 1991-1992. NEWSWEEK ARTICLE Attached is a copy of an article from Newsweek April 29 issue by Robert J Samuelson entitled "The Joys of Mowing". The basic format for this piece was set up by our office and Robert followed up with interviews and leads that were provided. ABOLISH THE WHILE HOUSE LAWN Attached is a copy of an article that was in the May 5,1991 New York Times. The title "Abolish the White House Lawn" sets the tone for an highly anti-lawn piece. ADVENTURES OF RANGER RICK Attached is a copy of an article from Ranger Rick entitled "The Friends Find Deadly Dangers in the Deep Green Grass". This is particularly damaging because of its effect on children who will be future home owners - perhaps without lawns. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ASKED Attached is a copy of an article from the Turf Line News, April- May issue. The article "Answers to Questions Asked The Lawn Institute About the Landscape Environment" was taken from Harvests. A RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE TURFGRASS INDUSTRY Attached is a copy of an article from the June 1,1991 issue of Seed Trade News entitled "A Research Foundation for the Turfgrass Industry". This was essentially the keynote address presented at the 1990 Turfgrass and The Environment Symposium at the American Society of Agronomy Annual Meetings held in San Antonio, Texas. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TURF BENEFITS - AN OVERVIEW Attached is a copy of an article from the June 1,1991 issue of Seed Trade News entitled "The Significance of Turf Benefits - An Overview". This was essentially the talk presented at the December 1990 Missouri Turf Conference. ORGANIC LAWN CARE UPDATE Attached is a copy of an article from the spring issue of Southern Turfgrass. This article entitled "Organic Lawn Care update" is essentially the same as that presented at the recent Texas Turfgrass Association Conference held in San Antonio. MOWING IS PRUNING TOO Attached is a copy of an article from Pruning Techniques published by The Brooklyn Botanic Garden this spring. LAWNSCAPE YES - XERISCAPE NO Attached is a copy of a short piece from The Lawn Institute that appeared in Turf and Recreation March-April 1991 issue. TURFGRASS SCIENCE DIVISION C-5 REPORT Attached is a copy of The Turfgrass Science Division C-5 of The American Society of Agronomy annual report published in Crop Science March-April issue. This is of interest in providing perspective on policy of this group of scientists.