The EarthWorks Podcast

Thrilled to bring back our friend and chemist, Lawrence Mayhew. As always, we run through a gamut of topics including humic substances, biological activity in the soil, the humification process and the life of soil microbes.  Lawrence is always informative and entertaining and has become one of our most anticipated guests. In this conversation we talked about a new procedure for testing soil nitrogen known as the ACE (Autoclaved Citrate Extractable) Nitrogen process. Lawrence shared some information about a recently published paper from researchers at Michigan State University. Although this paper was only published in the fall of 2023 and has no known commercial testing facilities using the method, Lawrence is very excited about its potential. We ended the conversation talking about how the state of California tests products for humic acids, a flawed method, that does not take into account that when humates are added to a formula that contains cations, like calcium, the humic acids combine with the cations and is no longer extractable as a free molecule. But the good news is, this is exactly what we want to see because it tells us they are doing their job. As always, the conversation with Lawrence is intense, interesting and fun.Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

On this week’s podcast, we catch up with Benton Hodges, owner of Mountain West Turf Technologies. Benton was formerly the assistant superintendent at 3 Creek Ranch GC, but recently broke out on his own after seeing the opportunity to represent the many technology advancements in the turf industry. We talked about everything from the current state of robotic mowing, GPS sprayers, and even Artificial Intelligence and how we can use it to make our jobs easier. We took a glimpse into the future of turf management and where Benton sees us in the year 2050. We appreciate Benton taking time to talk with us about the many things he’s involved with and it was a great conversation about the future.  Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

Jack Higgins has been the Northeast Agronomist with EarthWorks since 2009. In 2020, when Covid first hit, we were concerned about staying in touch with clients and it was Jack who suggested the idea of starting the EarthWorks Podcast. Today, the podcast team of Jack, Kevin Hicks and Joel Simmons has recorded over 200 podcasts and reached thousands of turf managers and friends. In this podcast we hear Jack’s story and learn about his time at St. Andrews Golf Club, Penn State and Lehigh Country Club. Those who know Jack understand his passion for biological soil management, greens keeping and watching turf managers succeed. Be sure to check out some of his reels found at https://www.instagram.com/earthworks4home/reels/, the company’s eCommerce residential division, to enjoy more of Jack’s trademark style and sense of humor.  It’s not often that we have one of our own as a podcast guest, but this interview was long overdue.Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

We are very excited to announce that the EarthWorks Podcast has reached its 200th Episode! This project was started in 2020, at the beginning of COVID, when we weren’t sure how we were going to be able to stay in touch with clients and friends. Jack Higgins, one of our hosts on the EW Podcast, came up with the idea and we never looked back. As we celebrate our 200th episode, we have close to 1000 listens every week, and our archives are constantly being searched and older episodes are being found and enjoyed multiple times. Our goal was simply to help our clients tell their stories, many of which have been very successful using Biological Soil Management, others are just good friends of the industry. Everyone has a story and if that story helps just one turf manager discover a better way to manage their property than all the work we put into it is well worth it.  This week our three podcast hosts are being featured and have invited one of their favorite guests to join them for a short thank you. Joel invited Glenn Smickley, the General Manager of the California Golf Club, who he credits for much of the success of EarthWorks. Kevin met with one of our most popular guests, Dave Wilber, Turfgrass Consultant Extraordinaire and they talked about construction projects in the turf industry. And, last but never least, Jack brought back one of our favorite Lawn Care Operators, Jay Lo Monaco from Paul’s Best Lawn Service where Jay shared his story of how carbon based fertility changed his business model. We can’t thank everyone enough for listening to the EW Podcast and Turf Talk over these past few years. We look forward to continuing the string of weekly events!Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

We welcome back Josh Saunders from Lancaster Country Club to talk about everything US Women’s Open 2024. The LCC crew is 70 days from the tournament and we discuss his agronomic plan for between now and the Open. We have a lot of fun in this podcast. There’s a lot of anticipation here. We also discussed plans for setting up a studio to record EW podcasts with a variety of guests from LCC and volunteers from around the country during the tournament week. It’s gonna be great!Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

Edward Olsen, is the Parks and Forestry Supervisor for the Town of Needham, Massachusetts. We have known Ed for over 20 years and followed him through his golf course career as a superintendent, to his current position in the Town of Needham. The contrast in the two careers is very interesting and he loves his role in public service. It is not uncommon for golf course superintendents to take jobs in the public sector. There are many reasons they make the switch and Ed cites security being one of them. The challenges in public service are unique, and Ed shares some of those stories with us. He also talked about his days on the golf course including a very precarious start with a superintendent who was less than excited to have him on board!  One of the more fascinating stories he shared was about learning the 150 rule from one of his mentors. He was learning to scout for insect and disease pressures and how to spot problems before they started. The 150 rule is when temperature and humidity reach a collective number of 150 for three days. This is the point at which we know that disease incubation has hit critical mass and disease becomes inevitable. A very funny conversation that will keep you entertained, and you just may pick up a few tricks!Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

Dr. Claire Phillips is a Research Soil Scientist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service. As part of the Northwest Sustainable Agroecosystems Research Unit she discusses her work on carbon sequestration on golf courses and turf management. I first heard Dr. Phillips at a superintendent association meeting and knew it would be of interest to a wider audience to hear about her very positive findings within the turf industry. Carbon sequestration and carbon crediting is a very popular subject today, and to have useful data related to the turf industry is very important.Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

Since 2015 Clint Steele has managed the sports fields at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, UMBC, mostly by himself! When he arrived at this Division 1 school there was an assistant on his staff but that didn’t last long and ever since he has been on his own to manage nine fields, eight of which are natural grass. Years before he worked at George Mason University where he was introduced to the concepts of Biological Soil Management and carbon based fertility. He now follows the same practices and says “it helps him reduce inputs, which saves him precious time”. He is able to outsource a lot of the work with contactors, and often some of the baseball and softball players will pitch in to keep the fields playing and looking good. Clint got his start in the sports turf industry when he was a high school baseball player, realized that he was not going to make the pros, so he started working to help with the field. His advice for anyone who may want to get into the sports turf industry is “ you have to love it!” A great conversation full of tidbits that can help any grass grower. Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

Please join us in welcoming Marshall Evans to our team of Agronomists. He lives in Florida and will be working throughout the state helping superintendents discover the value of Biological Soil Management. Marshall comes to us from Precision Laboratories where he spent his time talking to clients about water management - something that fits in nicely with the soils work he will be doing with his EarthWorks clients. Marshall started his career working on golf courses in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida where he got a lot of grow in experience. From there he moved into distributor sales and then manufacturer sales which led him to EarthWorks. Over the years we have worked with Marshall at joint training programs, so he is very familiar with the EarthWorks vision. We look forward to supporting him as he works with the turf managers in Florida and the Southeast. Please join us in welcoming him aboard. You can contact Marshall at marshall@soilfirst.com.Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

“If we’re not talking about drainage, then we’re not having the right conversation.” This has been the mantra for our guest, Pat Quinlan, as he’s developed the long range plan with the members at Fairmount Country Club. Fairmount borders the Great Swamp National Refuge in northern New Jersey, and as you can imagine, managing soil moisture is the key to success at this golf course. Pat is a great conversationalist. Beyond telling many great stories about his career and path to Fairmount, Pat discusses the many projects underway on the golf course. From internal drainage in greens and fairways to a new capillary concrete bunker rebuild, Pat’s focus is on the member experience. This includes not just the golf course, but bringing horticulture and indoor plants into the clubhouse.Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

The 2024 GIS Trade Show and Conference was one of the most successful and enjoyable shows in many years. The buzz was steady for two days, we had the pleasure of seeing old friends and meeting new friends, and the EarthWorks floor party was the event of the season! Once again, the EarthWorks Podcast team of Kevin Hicks, Jack Higgins and Joel Simmons had the opportunity to do a live podcast from the floor of the show and this year’s guests were Lance Lauer from the Country Club at Castle Pines in Colorado and Todd Bohn from Desert Mountain in Phoenix. Each were interviewed separately and shared some of the work going on at their respective clubs.The three EarthWorks podcasters closed with a round table discussion hoping to solve all the problems in the golf world. It’s live, with a crowd and some background noise but a lot of fun and well worth the listen!Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

We met Cory Blair in the late 1990’s when he was a superintendent, today he is the Business Development Manager for Capillary Flow. His company is best known for their bunker program known as Capillary Concrete. The Capillary Concrete process for bunkers is a hardscape system where the concrete is applied over a drainage system and then sand is laid over the top of this porous material. This allows the bunkers to drain and hold the sand where the golf course manager wants it – in the bunker. Cory introduces us to an innovative new process that they are developing called Capillary Flow. Cory describes how they are using this system in the construction of a tee box on a golf course.In the process they build a two channel water holding basin with the capillary concrete above it that allows water and air to move both up and down using a built in pumping system. This allows the superintendent to both provide air when needed and move water in or out of the root zone. Cory makes the claim that this could save upwards of 50% of the water usage on any tee constructed using this technology. Innovations like this are exciting since water is one of the biggest threats to our industry. If technologies like this continue to develop maybe they can be a game changer for a lot of golf course and sports field superintendents.Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

Ever wonder what it would be like to manage an NFL and MLB facility at the same time? Ryan Bjorn does both in New England for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution soccer team. He manages 6 grass practice fields, 3 for each team, and the Gillette Stadium artificial field. Days after the Patriots finished their last game in early January the Revolution started practicing and the fields had to be ready to play. When he was asked if it was a relief when the football season ended, he reminded us that the next Monday the stadium field was replaced and that they only had days to get ready for the Revolution’s training season to start. Ryan has one of the most complete resumes in sports turf, starting with a stint in golf course maintenance, he has also spent time in rec and parks, baseball with the Boston Red Sox, and working with the warm grasses in the transition zone of the Maryland SoccerPlex. Finally, he was offered the head job at Gillette Stadium and all that it involves. When asked what advice he would give to any young sports turf manager it was to get as much varied experience as possible. Not surprising when you consider how diversified his experience has been. A wonderful conversation that spans agronomy, big time sports, and local community rec and parks.Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

On this week’s podcast, we talked with Greg Baer, principal of The Baer Design Group, irrigation design firm that primarily serves the Pacific Northwest. We discussed the latest in irrigation design and irrigation technology and how it’s changed over the years. Greg weighed in on the pitfalls and steps to success when considering an irrigation renovation. We also discussed the steps a turf manager can take to fine tune an existing system to maximize efficiency. With so much renovation work going on right now in golf and sports turf, we thought it was a good time to get someone on that can lend his expertise for these important (and expensive) decisions.Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

When Vincent started a small microgreens farm in Hawaii he was not sure of how to be a farmer! Fortunately he discovered the ACRES USA publication and traveled halfway across the country to participate in the ACRES conference where he had the chance to meet the founding partner of EarthWorks, Jerry Brunetti. Vincent tells many great Jerry stories and talks about how he discovered how a soil really works. He was growing organic produce but wasn’t happy with the quality of his product, so he discovered how best to manage the soil from a mineral and carbon standpoint. One of the things that he discovered in that process, besides growing a better product, is he saved a lot of money. One of the goals of EarthWorks is to help turf managers reduce inputs. Even though Vincent is talking about farming he is still a soils manager as are all golf course and sports turf managers. This is a fun and entertaining podcast with a little agronomy sprinkled in!Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

A constant curiosity and deep love for plants seem to be at the root of Blooming Beds’ success. However, in talking with the owner and entrepreneur Wayne Jackson, it is evident that his intelligence and business acumen that are the engine driving the success. Wayne uses the phrase, “extract the full ornamental value from the plant.” That is something that is easy to say, and in merely thinking about the subject, one might assume that any living plant is providing full ornamental value. In reality, extracting full value takes knowledge and effort, and that is what you can expect from this conversation!Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

At EarthWorks we have created a year end tradition of bringing the entire agronomy team together to share our thoughts about the events of the year as it comes to a close. This year we talked about everything from the weather to the agronomic issues we saw across all corners of the country. We had some laughs, solved a lot of problems, and took the opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us and has made Biological Soil Management part of their agronomic practice in 2023. We look forward to the beginning of another year in our great industry.Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

This week's podcast dips back into the past to highlight two great guests, Jay Lo Monaco of Paul’s Best Lawn Care and Pete Bachman of Pebble Beach. The clips are each a little different in their subject matter. Jay and I talk a lot about business and cultivating passion into your marketing approach. Pete and I have a great time reminiscing about college days and we each talk a little bit about our path into the positions we are in now. Enjoy!Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

Meet Mike Kerns, Director of Turf and Grounds at San Diego State’s Snapdragon Field. Mike manages one of the busiest sports facilities in the country in beautiful San Diego. Finding things to keep busy hasn’t been an issue this year! They hosted a total of 62 events at the 2 year old stadium, up from 12 in the first year. We talked about the challenges of going from football, to soccer to rugby, then sprinkling in a concert or a dinner on the field, sometimes all within a few days. Mike’s ability to turn on a dime and constantly reinvent the way they prepare the busy venue is impressive. He joked that there was no instruction manual for how to keep a venue playable with that much going on at any given time. Mike is a leader in the sports turf industry, but says that his network of industry peers is still the most important tool in his ‘cart.’ Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

We brought back Lawrence Mayhew, the EarthWorks Chemist, to talk about the chemistry of tank mixing. In today's turf world, with limited labor forces, we are seeing tank mixes getting bigger and bigger in terms of how many products are going into a tank. This can become quite a problem chemically and many turf managers are getting into tank mix issues. We see clogged nozzles or tanks that gel up and become unusable. This costs a lot of money, a lot of time, can ruin your day and is frustrating. Lawrence talks about the chemical reactions that can occur and how to build a bench test to avoid any reaction in your tank mix. As always, he is very thorough in his descriptions of how these reactions can happen and how to avoid the problem. The conversation went down the road of the importance of trace elements and how many are important to the plant. As always, the conversation with Lawrence is fascinating!Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/ 2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/