Winter 2010
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Upcoming Events — 8 ATA RoadShow Seminars 9
ATA Member Spotlight —
Larry Jones, Alabama Lawns
Recent Event — 10 2009 Annual Turfgrass
Conference & Tradeshow
Turf Tips — 12 Protect Your Turf
from Winter Cold Damage
Turf Talk — 13 Alabama’s Green Industry Keeps on Growing
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ATA Annual Sponsors
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From the President’s Pen
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News from ATA
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Calendar of Events
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Advertiser Index
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www.AlaTurfgrass.org
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The Alabama Turfgrass Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Alabama Turf Times, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Alabama Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright © 2010 by the Alabama Turfgrass Association. Alabama Turf Times is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Alabama Turfgrass Association. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notification to Alabama Turfgrass Association, Post Office Box 70, Auburn, Al. Postage guaranteed. Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertion please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com
2010 ATA Annual Sponsors Alabama Turf Times is the official publication of the: Alabama Turfgrass Association P.O. Box 70 Auburn, Alabama 36831 Tel: (334) 821-3000 Fax: (334) 821-3800 Email: mailbox@alaturfgrass.org www.alaturfgrass.org Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 Tel: (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com Executive Director Tricia Roberts Alabama Turf Times Editor James Horton Birmingham Botanical Gardens
2010 Executive Committee President Jeff Oelmann, CGCS
Grand National Golf Course
Vice President Tom Wolf
Coosa Valley Turf Farms
Treasurer James Bartley Southern Lawns
Past President Pat White
SouthernTurfCare, Inc.
2010 Board of Directors Kim Byram
Blackjack Horticulture
John Carter
Carter Sod Farm
Jason Cooper
Birmingham Southern College
Bobby Farley
Philip’s Turf & Ornamental
Glenn Hedden Town of Loxley
Scott Herron
Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation
Jeff Lee, CGCS
Valley Hill Country Club
Richard Murphy
Murphy Turf & Ornamental
Paul Patterson
University of Alabama at Huntsville
2010 Education Advisors Dave Han, Ph.D. Auburn University
David Hubbard
Alabama Cooperative Extension System
The companies listed here support the ATA and its members. Please keep them in mind when making your purchasing decisions.
GOLD
Kilpatrick Turf Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation
SILVER
Agrium Advanced Technologies Ewing Irrigation, Golf & Industrial John Deere Landscapes NaturChem, Inc. Syngenta T&O Products
BRONZE
Aquatrols Bayer Environmental Science DuPont Prof. Products Harrell’s, Inc. Hugghins Sod Farm Humphries Turf Supply Regal Chemical Company Southern States
From the President’s Pen >>> Jeff Oelmann, CGCS
An Exciting Year Ahead!
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appy New Year! I hope this holiday season has brought you peace and happiness. I also hope your off season is a time for reflection and relaxation with friends and family and an opportunity to recharge for another season of challenges in 2010. I would like to thank you for allowing me to serve the Alabama Turfgrass Association at the helm, leading our great association through another year as your president. I value the faith and job you have bestowed on me. I am fortunate to have a great board of directors to work with, and I am very appreciative of their support and dedication. The new year ahead of us will, without a doubt, be another one with change. Our industry has seen many opportunities and change in our great state. Although things may be slow, we will continue to see indirect benefits in the future when business and tourism continue to move our way from other parts of the country. This was recently illustrated in the release of a Green Industry Economic Impact Study showing that our industry grew 52% between 2003 and 2007 (see page 13 for more data). Although these numbers do not include the recent construction decline, our industry is still strong, and we have brighter days ahead. As we begin a new year, I would like to encourage every member to get involved with ATA for meeting next year’s challenges. The traveling RoadShow Seminars will start in late January and will offer five full-day seminars across Alabama. We also have two fundraising golf tournaments scheduled this spring, both with great
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educational sessions. Additionally, ATA will host a Sports Turf Workshop on April 21, which will provide hands-on training for the sports-turf industry. We will continue to finish the baseball field at the Gulf Coast YouthReach facility as our New Beginnings community service project. And, of course, we will wrap up the year with another great Conference & Tradeshow in Auburn. I am very proud of our organization and all that it has grown to be. We offer nine events every year that offer turfgrass-management education programs; we financially support turfgrass research (we have donated over $45,000 to the Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation and over $13,000 to the Auburn University Turfgrass Research Unit); we have awarded $20,000 in academic scholarships for turfgrass students; and we sponsor the Future Farmers Association with their Turfgrass Proficiency Award each year. Wow! ATA is also a great networking organization; I have personally benefited from the relationships I developed with colleagues, researchers and friends in the industry. I know you have, too, and it’s my hope that you will share your experience with someone new during our Membership Drive this year (see page 7 for more information). Introduce your peers to our association, and you might win some cold hard cash! Again, Happy New Year, and I look forward to seeing you at our events! Jeff Oelmann, CGCS 2010 ATA President
<<< News from ATA
Meet Your New ATA Leaders for 2010
On
October 21 at the 2009 Annual ATA Conference, a new executive committee and several new board members (listed here) were elected to lead the Alabama Turfgrass Association for 2010. President: Jeff Oelmann, CGCS Grand National Golf Course Vice-President: Tom Wolf Coosa Valley Turf Farms
2010 Board of Directors Golf: Jeff Lee, CGCS (1 year) Valley Hill Country Club
At–Large: Richard Murphy (1 year) Murphy Turf & Ornamental
Industry: Bobby Farley (2 years) Philip’s Turf & Ornamental
Jason Cooper (2 years) Birmingham Southern College
Institution: Paul Patterson (1 year) University of Alabama-Huntsville
Scott Herron (2 years) Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation
Lawncare: Kim Byram (2 years) Blackjack Horticulture
Ex Officio/ Education Advisors
Treasurer: James Bartley Southern Lawns
Park & Recreation: Glenn Hedden (1 year) Town of Loxley
Past President: Pat White Southern TurfCare
Sod: John Carter (2 years) Carter Sod Farm
Dave Han, Ph.D. Auburn University David Hubbard Alabama Cooperative Extension System v
You Could Win Cash in ATA’s
Member-Get-A-Member Recruitment Campaign
M
embers of the Alabama Turfgrass Association realize how much ATA enhances the professionalism of the green industry, especially in the turfgrass industry. Please help us expand our benefits and offerings to others in our industry by encouraging them to join our association.
How to participate
•G ive an ATA membership application to someone who is not a current member. • Be sure to sign your name on the “Member Sponsor” line at the bottom of the application. • You may print the membership application on our website (www.alaturfgrass.org), or contact the ATA office for additional copies or to have an application mailed to a potential member (334-821-3000).
• E ducational opportunities: Road Show Seminars and Annual Conference (20+ sessions). • Quarterly four-color magazine, Turf Times, and monthly e-newsletters. • Tradeshow that includes all segments of turfgrass suppliers and vendors. • Field Days: Sports Turf and Sod Producers, held alternating years.
Member-Get-A-Member Campaign Rules
•A TA will keep track of every member you recruit. We will post updates on contest standings via the ATA monthly e-newsletters. • Your name must be on the application so the ATA office will know you recruited the new member. • Length of campaign — now to 2010 Conference (October 19, 2010).
Prizes
The top three ATA members who recruit the most new members will win cash prizes: • 1st Place — $300 CASH • 2nd Place — $200 CASH • 3rd Place — $100 CASH • Awards will be given during ATA’s Business Meeting at the 2010 Annual Turfgrass Conference & Tradeshow. v
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Al abam a Tur f Ti me s >>> Winter 2 010
Describe ATA’s Membership Benefits
•A cademic Scholarship: ATA has awarded over $20,000 in scholarships. • Turfgrass Research: ATA has donated over $45,000 to the Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation and over $13,000 to the Auburn University Turfgrass Research Unit. • Website: information, on-line registrations, job postings, marketplace, etc. • Networking opportunities!!!
Upcoming Events >>>
We’re Hitting the Road Again with our Turfgrass RoadShow Seminars
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hat’s right — ATA is coming your way again this year and offering five full-day seminars of turfgrassmanagement educational programs. Bring your entire crew for this great program. It’s local, it’s economical, and you can earn pesticide re-certification points! Sessions will include the hottest topics for turfgrass managers, including weed control, pest control, fertilization scheduling, plus lots more. Our presenters are turfgrass experts from Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service. The pre-registration cost to attend is $40 for ATA members and $60 for non-members. An additional $10 will be charged for on-site registrations, so save by pre-registering! Seminar sponsorships are also available for $150, which includes registration and an exhibit table. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience a great educational turfgrass workshop during the off-season. Register today on-line (www.alaturfgrass.org), or call the ATA office today (334-821-3000). It’s that easy! We look forward to seeing you on the Road! v
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January 20
Loxley, AL Loxley Civic Center
January 27
Birmingham, AL Birmingham Botanical Gardens
February 3
Montgomery, AL Richard Beard Building, AL Dept. of Ag.
February 17
Dothan, AL Troy University at Dothan
February 24
Huntsville, AL Jaycees Building
<<< ATA Member Spotlight
Below: Larry Jones (lef t) and Dr. John Everest.
By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director
Many
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Al abam a Tur f Ti me s >>> Winter 2 010
ATA members know Larry Jones — he has been an active member of the Alabama Turfgrass Association for almost 20 years! Larry recently retired from Alabama Lawns, a lawncare company based in Montgomery that he co-owns with his son, Craig Jones. This happens to be Larry’s second retirement. The first retirement came after 34 years with DuPont, where he worked in weed, disease and insect control for the ag market. He joined DuPont after earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee in weed science. Since his retirement, Larry has enjoyed another milestone that many strive to reach. He celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with his beautiful bride, Charlotte. Larry and Charlotte have one son (Craig), two daughters (Lori Harris and Sharon Robison) and five grandsons (Tatum, Marshall, Chapman, Andrew and Ryan). Larry is enjoying retirement, especially during hunting season. An avid hunter, he’s always stalking a deer or turkey or two. He shares this love of the hunt with his son and grandsons, too. That must be why God blessed Larry with five grandsons. Although we think Larry is probably ready for retirement this time, Craig is leaving the door open and has given Larry the title of Turf Consultant. We are proud to announce that ATA has also given him a title, an official “ATA Lifetime Achievement Winner,” an award that he received at the Annual Turfgrass Conference & Tradeshow in October 2009. Larry is extremely deserving of this award, and we were honored to present it to him. Happy retirement and congratulations, Larry! v
Recent Event >>>
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By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director
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urfgrass managers from all over Alabama convened in Auburn for the 48th Annual Turfgrass Conference and Tradeshow, held October 20–22. The conference offered educational sessions on every turf-management issue, from weeds, diseases, fertilizing, bugs and grubs, best management practices, calibration and troubleshooting to where to use the new varieties. Attendees were treated to a motivating keynote presentation from John Croyle, founder of the Big Oak Ranch. Coming from football fame, Croyle explained that the best play he ever made was to be a father to the 1,800 children that have called Big Oak Ranch home. This presentation made for some great conversation during the tradeshow that after-noon, where 34 exhibitors were on hand to show off their products and services. Awards were presented to some well-deserving members. Larry Jones of Alabama Lawns was recognized with our Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest award ATA presents (for more details on Larry, see our member spotlight). We had three recipients of the President’s Award
of Excellence: Randy Spruiell of Mighty Green Lawn Care, with the Landscape of the Year Award for Highland Park Subdivision; Paul Floyd from the City of Decatur, with the Sports Complex of the Year Award for the Jack Allen Soccer Complex; and Jeff Oelmann, CGCS, of Sunbelt Golf Corporation, with the Golf Course of the Year Award for the RTJ Trail at Grand National. Congratulations to these great members for their outstanding talents. Our live auction was again successful in raising funds with the help from our gracious donations and bids. ATA raised $7,690 for turfgrass research and scholarships. This event has become a Conference favorite, and we appreciate everyone’s participation. Please be sure to thank our sponsors and exhibitors of the 2009 Annual Turfgrass Conference and Tradeshow for their support. They are committed to our association and industry, and the success of this event is in great part owed to them. ATA board members are currently planning the 2010 Conference, so mark October 19–21 on your calendar and plan to be there! v
Pat White (2009 ATA President) presents the 2009 Landscape of the Year Award to Randy Spruiell.
Pat White (2009 ATA President) presents the 2009 Golf Course of the Year Award to Jeff Oelmann, CGCS.
Pat White (2009 ATA President) presents the 2009 Sports Complex of the Year Award to Paul Floyd.
ATA board member James Bartley (left) presents the Lifetime Achievement Award to Larry Jones (right).
Golf Tournament winners (left to right): Jeff Oelmann, CGCS; Rodney Guy; and Michael Howell.
John Croyle addresses attendees at the 2009 ATA Conference with the event’s keynote presentation.
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Thank you to our Tradeshow Exhibitors •A labama Dept. of Agriculture & Industries • Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation • Bayer Environmental Science
• John Deere Landscapes
• Bel-Air Turf
• Pennington Seed
• BWI Companies
•P hoenix Environmental Care
• Dow AgroSciences
• KeyPlex • Kilpatrick Turf • Net Connection, LLC • Pasteuria BioScience
•D uPont Professional Products
• Profile Products
• E wing Irrigation, Golf & Industrial
• Southern Athletic Fields
• FMC
• Sports Transportation, LLC
• g2 turftools • Greenville Turf & Tractor • Harrell’s, Inc. • Hendrix & Dail • Humphries Turf Supply • J erry Pate Turf & Irrigation
• Sod Solutions • Southern States Turf • Sur-Line Turf • Syngenta • Teleecon Farmers Co-Op • The Turfgrass Group, Inc. • Trimax Mowing Systems • Valent USA
Thank You to Our Conference Sponsors Membership Appreciation Dinner Kilpatrick Turf
Continental Breakfast Bayer Environmental Science
Welcoming Reception Beard Equipment Company Greenville Turf & Tractor
Golf Tournament Agrium Advanced Technologies Becker-Underwood DuPont Professional Products Ewing Irrigation, Golf & Industrial The Gowan Company Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation Jesco Products-Pinhigh Compound John Deere Landscapes Kilpatrick Turf NaturChem Phoenix Environmental Care Syngenta Valent USA
Research Breakfast Agrium Advanced Technologies Tradeshow Luncheon Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation Breaks BASF The Gowan Company Harrell’s, Inc. Educational Speakers Aquatrols
Al abam a Tur f Ti me s >>> Winter 2 010
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Turf Tips >>>
By Dave Han, Ph.D., Auburn University
W
inter damage on warm-season grasses can be a serious problem for turf managers. Even though warm-season grasses are dormant during the winter, they are still alive, and it is important to remember that they are still susceptible to injury from the environment or bad management practices. While there is nothing you can do about the weather, there are some things that affect turfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response to cold temperatures:
Genetics
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Some varieties are simply more cold tolerant than others. For example, TifBlair centipedegrass is significantly more cold hardy than most common centipedegrasses. Also, St. Augustinegrass varieties like Palmetto and Raleigh have superior cold tolerance. Bermudagrass varieties noted for superior cold tolerance include Midiron, Riviera, Contessa, Yukon and Patriot, although winters in Alabama are rarely severe enough for large-scale cold damage to occur on most bermudagrass. The big exception is putting greens. Covering dormant bermudagrass greens when temperatures drop into the low 20s or lower can significantly improve their survival. However, be sure to remove the covers as soon as possible. Moisture accumulating under covers as the sun hits the greens and warms them up can make conditions ideal for a variety of fungal diseases.
Potassium
Researchers have studied the relationship between potassium fertilization and winter survival in turfgrass for many years. The bulk of this research has been done with cool-season grasses, especially bentgrass, bluegrass and ryegrass. As strange as it may seem to Southerners, the cool-season grasses do suffer from winterkill in cold climates.
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As research definitely shows, grasses that are deficient in potassium have worse cold tolerance than grasses with sufficient levels of K. Of the warmseason turfgrasses, bermudagrass and zoysiagrass have been studied the most. Centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass are thought to behave similarly. However, there is little evidence that applying massive amounts of potassium beyond sufficiency does any additional good. Routine potash fertilization in the fall may not be needed if a balanced approach to fertilizer is taken all season long. The best way I know to tell whether K is sufficient is a soil test. Do this in the summer, when you still have time to apply potash before winter if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needed.
Nitrogen
For a long time, experts (including me) have recommended not applying nitrogen to warm-season turf in the fall. For Alabama (except coastal areas), that means no N after September. But in the past few years, research has shown that bermudagrass fertilized in the late fall with small amounts of N (1/2 pound N per 1,000 square feet every three weeks) did not have worse cold tolerance than controls, and the extra N helped with fall color retention (Munshaw et al., 2006). So it may be that small amounts of N in the fall on bermudagrass are OK, but I still would not advise dumping large amounts of N onto warmseason turf in the fall.
Irrigation
Even while they are dormant, warm-season grasses are susceptible to damage if they dry out excessively during the winter. Low humidity and cold, dry winter winds can damage turf even more than low temperatures. Fortunately, our Southeastern winters usually provide enough rain and snow that this is not usually a major problem for us. But especially on newly
<<< Turf Talk
established dormant sod, be very careful not to let the turf dry out in winter. It may look funny to water brown grass, but sometimes it is necessary.
^ By Jamie Creamer, Office of Ag Communications, Auburn University College of Agriculture
Overseeding
Turf that has been overseeded does not survive winter as well as healthy, dormant non-overseeded turf. Overseeding robs the underlying warmseason grass of sunlight and nutrients during the last month or two of the growing season, and it also delays spring greenup and recovery. Yes, overseeding can have its benefits. Over the years, though, I have increasingly come to see overseeding as a very situational management practice. It’s possible to maintain high-quality turf in many situations without overseeding, and now I generally recommend overseeding only in cases where there is a lot of traffic on the dormant turf (for example, on baseball, soccer and softball fields and some football fields). Even most golf courses find that they can maintain a high-quality putting surface with dormant bermudagrass greens in the winter. The cosmetic benefits of overseeding greens should be weighed carefully against the management headaches, to determine whether it is really worth it.
Herbicide use
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Al abam a Tur f Ti me s >>> Winter 2 010
Many turf managers use nonselective herbicides such as Roundup or other products containing glyphosate to control winter weeds in dormant turf. This can be a cheap and effective way to deal with a wide variety of weeds, but be careful when doing this. Remember that dormant-appearing grass isn’t always completely dormant and that any herbicide that falls onto green stems or other green tissue hidden beneath the canopy can and will be absorbed by the grass. Do not over-apply herbicides on dormant turf. One way to get in trouble quickly is to spot spray heavily. To minimize runoff that can work down into the grass canopy, spray only as much as is needed to wet the weeds. v
A
labama’s green industry has stretched its lead as the state’s number one cash crop and now pumps $2.89 billion into the state’s economy each year, an Auburn University economic analysis of the industry shows. That represents a 52% increase from the survey taken in 2003, when the industry’s overall economic impact rang in at $1.9 billion. The latest study, which is based on 2007 data that Auburn agricultural economist Deacue Fields collected in a statewide industry survey, also indicates that the horticultural industry now accounts for 43% of Alabama’s total crop sales, compared to 38% in 2003. Cotton comes in a distant second, at 18% of cash receipts, and that’s down 6% from 2003. Employment-wise, the number of Alabamians working in businesses directly or indirectly related to the nursery/greenhouse, landscape service, turfgrass/ sod and horticultural retail sectors of the green industry soared 40% over the 4-year period, from 31,000 in 2003 to 43,670 in 2007. Comparisons of 2003 and 2007 data in each of the four sectors of Alabama’s green industry show that: • 97 turfgrass and sod operations (28 more than in 2003) give 1,862 people jobs and represent $150 million in total output impact (compared to 1,334 workers and $100 million, respectively, in 2003). • The lawn and landscape sector has grown significantly, from 1,029 statelicensed businesses in 2003 to 1,686, and that growth (which is attributed to the licensing of many previously existing but non-certified operations) means jobs for 13,823 Alabamians (3,557 more than in 2003) and an eco-nomic impact of $909 million (a jump of $264 million from 2003). • The number of nurseries and commercial greenhouses in Alabama dropped from 767 in 2003 to 758, but those operations now contribute $523 million to the state’s economy and employ 9,223 people, compared to $306 million and 5,726, respectively, in 2003. • 912 horticultural retail establishments (up 185 from 2003) provide 18,763 jobs (an increase of 5,236) and a have a total output impact of $1.3 billion (an increase of $131 million). “Basically, the industry grew 10 to 15 percent a year from 2003 through 2007,” Fields points out. “And that includes two drought years.” Fields acknowledges that the 2007 analysis does not reflect the nation’s current economic crisis and its effects on the green industry. “The industry grew with the economy and the housing boom,” he says, “so no doubt we will see some contraction because there isn’t an industry that hasn’t been hurt in this economy.” v
Calendar of Events >>>
Index of Advertisers >>>
Turf Events January 20
ATA Road Show Seminar Loxley Civic Center Loxley, AL
January 27
ATA Road Show Seminar Birmingham Botanical Gardens Birmingham, AL
February 3
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San Diego, CA
February 17
ATA Road Show Seminar Troy University at Dothan Dothan, AL
February 24
ATA Road Show Seminar Jaycees Community Building Huntsville, AL
ATA Road Show Seminar Al Dept. of Ag., Richard Beard Bldg. Montgomery, AL
March 30
February 8-12
April 19
Golf Industry Show and GCSAA Education Conferences
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AGRI-AFC, LLC www.agri-afc.com..... Inside Front Cover
Mole Cricket Classic Magnolia Grove Golf Course Mobile, AL
Poa Annua Classic FarmLinks Golf Course Sylacauga, AL
April 21
Sports Turf Field Day Orange Beach Sportsplex Orange Beach, AL
April 22
New Beginnings Work Day Gulf Coast Youth-Reach Summerdale, AL
October 19–21
2010 ATA Annual Turfgrass Conference & Tradeshow Auburn Univ. Hotel & Conf. Center Auburn, AL
Bel-Air Turf www.belairturf.com.................. Back Cover Ewing Irrigation www.ewing1.com.............................................. 3 Hendrix & Dail www.hendrixanddail.com...............................5 Humphries Turf Supply www.humphriesturf.com............................. 9 Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation www.jerrypate.com......... Inside Back Cover Kilpatrick Turf Equipment www.kilpatrickco.com................................... 8 Riebeling Farms, Inc................................... 5 Southern Specialty Equipment www.ssequip.net.............................................. 6 Sur-Line Turf, Inc........................................ 14 Texas Sod Leasing www.texassod.com...... Inside Back Cover The Turfgrass Group www.theturfgrassgroup.com................. 3, 11