Knowledge is Power

There comes a time in everyone’s life when he or she simply needs a little help. In the turfgrass industry, that circumstance can come in the form of needing a piece of equipment, needing to diagnose a disease, needing to know what chemical will eradicate a pest or how to best deal with an employee or client issue. We are fortunate in our industry that, for the most part, we are a close-knit group of hard-working professionals eager and willing to help another, even if we are in direct competition for business.

While having people who are willing to help us is great, it is still our responsibility to try our best to help ourselves first. I am sure that most of you have heard the expression “Knowledge Is Power” and that is absolutely true. As professionals, we need to take every opportunity to gain and expand our knowledge base to better help ourselves, our neighbors and our employers/clients.

One of the best opportunities we have available to us, in my humble opinion, to get up-close, hands-on knowledge on new products and best management practices that will make us better turf managers is the bi-annual University of Arkansas Turfgrass Field Day at the Agricultural Research Center in Fayetteville. If you didn’t make it to the University of Arkansas Turfgrass Field Day, you missed a good one. The U of A staff and turf team put together a great educational program which provided so much information for us to take home and put to good use. It was an excellent opportunity to see our colleagues and friends and meet new ones. Not only is the education an important part of events like the U of A Field Day and the Arkansas Turfgrass Association Annual Conference and Trade Show, networking and making new friends is also something that we need to do. If you don’t attend events like these, you may not meet that friend or colleague who just might help you later in life.

ATA is a huge supporter of the University of Arkansas turf program, and we are fortunate to have formed such a strong, long-lasting partnership with the professors and researchers who provide us with a vast array of knowledge on new products and techniques. Your ATA Board of Directors and the University of Arkansas Turfgrass Professors work hard to put on great educational and networking events, conferences, and trade shows together. I realize that with the summer winding down, most everyone has their minds on maintaining turf, preparing for tournaments, supplying customers with the proper products or finishing up projects or research, but our next two events will be here before you know it. Please mark these dates on your calendar:

• Turf Talk Event October 2nd at the Bass Pro Shop in Little Rock, AR

• The 32nd Annual ATA Conference & Tradeshow January 9th & 10th 2020, at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

We have been hard at work planning for these events and WE WANT TO SEE YOU THERE!!! Make plans to attend because you won’t want to miss them. Come visit with a vendor, meet a new friend and learn something that you can put to use immediately when you go back to work.

Have a great fall.

Kyle Sanders

President, Arkansas Turfgrass Association

Kyle Sanders, President, Arkansas Turfgrass Association