SOUTHSHORE LIFE MAGAZINE
DELIVERED TO YOU DIRECT FROM THE FARM
C O U N C I L G R OW E R S S OD Elija, Travis, Amber and Rebecca Council. The Council Family has been farming in the Tampa Bay area for four generations, and working on five. They have been in the sod business since 1980. Council Growers continues that tradition under owner Travis Council, who says, "When you call our company, you speak with turf grass growers who are not simply brokering a sale. We pride ourselves on being knowledgeable about these grasses since we have grown them on the farm from start to finish. You are buying direct from the farm." Sod Should be Replanted Quickly After Harvesting Travis and Amber Council gave us a royal tour of their 500-acre Wimauma farm recently, where we picked up some helpful information about sod and the 12 varieties of grass and ground cover grown here. We learned that Council Growers has a distinct advantage over other farms due to their Wimauma and Parrish locations. This enables them to sell and service the entire Tampa Bay area and surrounding counties with generally lower freight charges and faster service for their wholesale, commercial and
After harvesting, "ribbons" remain in the field. It takes 11 months for the ribbons to grow into fields that are ready to harvest again.
Deep Roots in the Community. Council Growers' roots run deep in Hillsborough and Manatee counties. "Council Growers was incorporated in 1988 but the family started farming in the late 1800s. Travis' great grandfather, Columbus Lee Council, started farming on Terra Ceia in Manatee County in the late 1800s.
Below, left: A mechanical sprinkler pulls water directly from the ponds and then collects back into the pond, in a self-sustaining irrigation system.
Left: Dragging a spiked roller across the field to aerate the soil. Above: Firefly Harvester requires only one operator.
Council's irrigation system collects water in round or "linear" ponds like the one shown in left of photo.
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retail customers. Travis said that ideally, sod should be planted within 24 hours of cutting, and not sitting at a sod depot. "We are not new to the sod business, we are not a fly-bynight operation, and we don’t operate with a lot of fanfare. What we do is grow our own grasses in sand-based soils that match yours. We understand the time and effort, care and pride that goes into maintaining a beautiful lawn because we put the same time, care, effort, and pride into the products we bring to you. We can supply anything from a few pallets for your yard; sprigs for your golf course—you name it. We offer pick-up at the fields, delivery to your location, and can arrange installation if needed. Our grass is cut day of or the afternoon before we deliver it or install the sod in your yard or at the project site.
"Over four generations of the Council family have farmed in the Ruskin area. And at one time or another they have grown "everything in the fruit or vegetable bowl." The major crops they have farmed over the years have been cattle, tomatoes, citrus, and sod. The current farm was founded by Pat and Jean Council and to this day Pat and Jean serve as sounding boards and sources of wisdom and experience and the occasional tractor driver or bookkeeper when needed. Council Growers Sod Farm grows Empire Zoysia,
