Feature
Table 1. Location and conference information for The Eastern for each year.
HISTORY of the Eastern Pennsylvania Turf Conference and Trade Show Mike Fidanza, Ph.D.1 and John Pope2 1 Professor of Plant and Soil Science, Penn State Berks Campus; Reading, PA (maf100@psu.edu)
Pope Soils Consulting and Counseling Services; Maple Glen, PA (overthefencegarden@gmail.com) 2
T
he Eastern Pennsylvania Turfgrass Conference and Tradeshow (i.e., “The Eastern”), first began as the Southeastern Pennsylvania Turf School, and was organized and conducted by William “Bill” White (19242011), Philadelphia County Agent with Penn State Cooperative Extension and Dr. Jack Harper (1923–2005), Penn State Turfgrass Extension Specialist (Table 1). Of note, these early years of The Eastern were part of a larger effort by many county agents in Southeastern Pennsylvania to bring the latest turfgrass science and research information from the land-grant university to turf managers as well as practicing horticulturalist and arborists, thus expanding the outreach into many segments of the green industry.
No.
Year
Location
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
West Norriton, PA West Norriton, PA West Norriton, PA West Norriton, PA West Norriton, PA West Norriton, PA West Norriton, PA West Norriton, PA West Norriton, PA West Norriton, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Hershey, PA* Hershey, PA* Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA
20
1990
Valley Forge, PA
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA
30
2000
Valley Forge, PA
31 32 33
2001 2002 2003
Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA
34
2004
Valley Forge, PA
35 36 37 38 39
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA
40
2010
Valley Forge, PA
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
King of Prussia, PA King of Prussia, PA King of Prussia, PA King of Prussia, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA Valley Forge, PA East Earl, PA** East Earl, PA East Earl, PA Virtual*** East Earl, PA East Earl, PA East Earl, PA
Conference Chairperson(s) Bill White and Jack Harper Bill White and Jack Harper Bill White and Jack Harper Bill White and Jack Harper Bill White and Jack Harper Bill White and Jack Harper Bill White and Jack Harper Bill White and Jack Harper Bill White and Jack Harper Bill White and Jack Harper Jack Harper Jack Harper Jack Harper Jack Harper Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke, Chuck Cadiz, Kenneth Dietrich Tom Watschke, Kenneth Dietrich Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke, Mike Smith Tom Watschke, Mike Smith Tom Watschke, Mike Smith, John Chassard Tom Watschke, John Chassard Tom Watschke, John Chassard Tom Watschke, John Chassard Tom Watschke, John Chassard, Greg Fantuzzi Tom Watschke, Greg Fantuzzi Greg Fantuzzi Greg Fantuzzi Greg Fantuzzi Greg Fantuzzi Greg Fantuzzi and Andrew Dooley Andrew Dooley Andrew Dooley Andrew Dooley Andrew Dooley Andrew Dooley Tom Bettle Tom Bettle Dan Douglas Dan Douglas Dan Douglas Dan Douglas Dan Douglas Dan Douglas Dan Douglas
Penn State Cooperative Extension – County Agents from the Southeastern Pennsylvania region Jack Harper Jack Harper Jack Harper Jack Harper Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Tom Watschke Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Pete Landschoot Max Schlossberg Mike Fidanza Mike Fidanza Mike Fidanza Mike Fidanza Mike Fidanza Mike Fidanza Mike Fidanza Jeff Borger Jeff Borger Brad Jukabowski Brad Jukabowski Brad Jukabowski Dan Douglas Dan Douglas Dan Douglas
* O ne state-wide turf conference (The Eastern and the Western PA Turf Conference and Penn State Golf Turf Conference). ** Shady Maple Smorgasbord in Lancaster County PA *** Virtual or online format due to COVID-19 pandemic.
18 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Fall 2023
Education Program
