PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD
It’s
certainly been a very weird summer. Record heat, little to no rainfall and, for most of us, very little play on our fields. In Weston, Massachusetts, our focus has been on lots of things other than sports fields. For me it has been delivering mail to closed schools, a lot of watering, septic system maintenance, and preparing for a hybrid school opening in mid-September. Some of us will have fall youth and school sports, and some of us might have very little organized sports. One thing this pandemic has shown us is not everything goes as planned. We can help each other by reaching out via social media, phone calls and virtual visits with fellow NESTMA members. I know we miss seeing each other in person, but it’s for the health and safety of all. In fact, it was just announced that our industry’s popular annual gathering – the New England Regional Turfgrass Conference – will be held virtually in March 2021. You can count on the NESTMA board of directors to continue to come up with creative ways for members to meet and learn virtually. Check out our terrific lineup of Fall webinar speakers on page 7 and stay tuned for details about Member Meet Ups coming soon. I’ve been proud to serve as your President for the last two years. I want to thank Vickie Wallace, whose term expires in January, for her unwavering support of our organization. In January, Chris McGinty assumes the role of President. I have the ultimate confidence he will carry on our long tradition of offering the best education, networking and support for sports turf managers throughout New England. Stay safe. Stay well. Stay in touch.
Ben Polimer NESTMA President
ITS NEVER TOO EARLY It’s never too early to renew your NESTMA membership for the coming year! Renewals are quick and easy online at NESTMA.org/Renew21. Your continued financial support during these challenging times is important and appreciated.
VOLUNTEER LEADERS Have you ever thought about what it might be like to serve on the NESTMA board of directors? A call for nominations recently went out to members regarding board service beginning in January 2021. If you’d like to know more about what volunteer leadership entails, please contact any current board member or the NESTMA office for details. 4 • New England BLADE • September 2020
UMass Green Schools Goes Virtual OCTOBER 26 – DECEMBER 10, 2020
E
very two years, UMass Extension offers its popular Green School, a comprehensive 12-day certificate short course for Green Industry professionals taught by UMass Extension Specialists, UMass faculty, and guest presenters. Instruction in 2020 will be 100% virtual, providing attendees with resources via an online learning management system. Three tracks are offered:
• Landscape Management • Turf Management • Arboriculture This comprehensive course is for horticultural professionals who want to gain an understanding of economically feasible and environmentally responsible plant and land care practices. Students learn about sensible and sustainable methods of plant and land care as well as responsible nutrient and pest management. They learn scientifically sound information that enables them to make better purchasing and management decisions, and to be better stewards of the environment. The curriculum, which emphasizes a systems-based approach to plant care, is based on current research and focuses on Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Find the full schedule and registration info at
http://ag.umass.edu/ greenschool
