Cleveland Rocks!

This past week, I had the chance to attend the Snow & Ice Management Association Symposium, in Cleveland, Ohio. The SIMA Show is what the GIS is to the Golf industry. If a product has anything to do with large volume snow removal, the SIMA Show is where to go. We are not talking about a small landscape company that puts a plow on his pickup, in the off-season. These are companies that track everything they do through phone apps and see things in the most simple equation of Time=Money. The hall was filled with all sorts of snow moving equipment, from large snow plows, to the use of autonomous GPS guided snow removal products. It is really incredible how many products are out there.

On a side note, the town of Cleveland was nothing like I expected. It is one of the nicest towns I have been to for business (except for the infestation of May Flies, which is a Lake Erie thing), as well as  the locals were exceptionally nice. Definitely not what I had expected. 

The SIMA Symposium Sponsors

The Ventrac SSV with the Broom, Brine Kit and Salt Spreader

The SSV with the new Snow Thrower

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KAFMO 2018 Summer Field Day at Valentine East

On Tuesday, June 19th, The Keystone Athletic Field Managers Organization hosted their Summer Field, at the Valentine East Research Facility, at Penn State Berks Campus. While attendance at these type events are more unpredictable than the weather, this field day was one of the better I have attended in years, with about 120 total attendees! Dr. Mike Fidanza's facility is a perfect location. It is easy to get to, has plenty of space and a large pavilion area for seating. Then, add in in the Wegman's mobile truck, with tons of good food, and of course, I cannot forget the host, Dr. Mike Fidanza!
The variables that make events like this a success are always hard to quantify, but for us, it was a great day. Thanks to the KAFMO Board and Dr. Mike for all their efforts!

Darren Powers, from Redexim, doing a demonstration of the Redexim Bullet

Sumner Cross, of Lawn & Golf Supply Company, showing the Aera-Vator on the Ventrac

Jeremy Weand , of Lawn & Golf, showing the Turfco TurnAer XT8 stand on aerator

The Lawn & Golf booth

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LINKS AS LABS

This past week, Dan Meersman and Robb Moulds , of The Philadelphia Cricket Club, hosted a "First Green" Event , at the Militia Hill Course, on the PCC property.

As the First Green website states:

• First Green is an innovative environmental education outreach program using golf courses as environmental learning labs – the only program of its kind in the world. First Green has extensive resources for golf course superintendents, including online lesson plans, as well as facilitating the connections between golf courses and local schools and science/horticulture teachers.
• Golf superintendents, course staff and/or local industry representatives (such as regional associations and members) host students on field trips where they test water quality, collect soil samples, identify plants, preserve wildlife habitats, assist in stream-bed restoration and learn about the ecology, conservation and environmental aspects of golf courses. The kids also visit the practice green or hit balls at the driving range, giving them their first taste of playing golf.
• First Green has been providing STEM learning labs since 1997.

You had about seventy 3rd grade students, broken into six groups, for 20 minute stations, for different types of golf education. While I am pretty sure the Philadelphia section of the PGA wins just for having a blowup dinosaur, I will say most of the kids really enjoyed the soils station and what happens when clay and water meet! Luckily, we had some help from Chase Rogan and Ralph Dain from the GCSAA and Nick Dunlap from the USGA at our station to present.

The support from the Philadelphia Golf family and attendance of some national organizations represented, was impressive to see. In attendance was the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP), Philadelphia Section of the PGA, The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia (TFTGP), Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Philadelphia Association of Golf Course Superintendents (PAGCS). Also, there were students from Temple talking about Environmental Hydrology (or here in Philadelphia Wudder), representatives from the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association and Morris Arboretum. Also, in attendance, was Dr. Doug Linde, of Delaware Valley University's Turf Program and a large group from Ewing-Rain Bird Irrigation, including Brad Helcoski and Tim Riismdel. 

Too busy seems to be the mantra of our world today, but the efforts to grow the game, by planting the seeds with young students, is truly imperative, for the future of the golf industry. 

Congratulations to Dan, Robb and the staff, at Philadelphia Cricket Club, for their efforts to put together such a great program for the kids!

  

Dan Meersman addresses the students and the volunteers at the end of the program



The Philadelphia Section of the PGA station

Nick Dunlap, of the USGA, explains how drainage works

Derrick Wozniak, President of the PAGCS & Superintendent at Radley Run CC, showing the students how a soil probe works


Chase Rogan, of the GCSAA, explaining the different types of soils


Temple Hydrology students & the Wissahickon Valley Watershed station

The GAP station
 
One of the kids favorite, the topdressing station

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