We’re Back!

Ah, winter. A time for hunkering down and letting nature reset itself as she does every year. This season is so needed in our industry, as it gives us a moment to breathe and take a rest from the growing season. Also, how ‘bout those Hogs?!? Bowl eligible for the first time since 2016! Woo Pig Sooie!

I was so excited to write this letter, because I’m so happy to announce that we are back IN PERSON for our 2022 Arkansas Turfgrass Association Conference! We are beyond ready to see everyone again, and have our trade show and talks. We have made some changes to the meeting this year, and I want to discuss those in a little bit more detail here. One of the main changes is that our trade show is only going to be one day this year. It will be from 7:30–4:30 on the 27th, with some new vendors there as well as our usuals.

Another change is we will not be having a lunch banquet this year. We are going to do the awards at the kickoff to the conference, and there will be time for lunch on your own before the afternoon sessions. Remember to nominate your organization! There are 3 categories: Field of the Year, Golf Course of the Year, and Turf Site of the Year. You could win prizes and fame!

The last item we are excited about is the theme for this year. We will of course be covering the topics related to pesticide recertification, but after that we have some workshops scheduled. The theme for both of these is “The Future of Turfgrass Education” and one session is a round-table with turf experts and schools that have started turfgrass training or certification courses, and the second is a “Train the Trainer” event with GCSAA. Both will be outstanding, and it is an issue that affects everyone in our industry. We will also be offering professional development points for GCSAA.

We can’t wait to see you all in Hot Springs in January 2022! Stay safe and healthy. Happy Holidays!

Richard Covert

ATA President