HAPPENINGS
George Beck of Beck Sod Farm Passes In an email on November 7, 2024, TPI wrote, It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of former TPI member George Beck of Beck Sod Farm.
Te large life of George Roy Beck of Palms ended peacefully on November 2, 2024. He was born on March 18, 1943, in St. Johns, Michigan, the fourth of four boys born to Gaylord and Necia Beck. He met his love, Lois Huggett, at a dance at St. Johns High School and they were married December 30, 1962. Te couple moved to the Palms area to farm in 1963 and raised their family at the intersection of two dead end roads. Growing sod,
trees, and mint became the family business as they were joined by four children: Sandy, Doug, David and Sheila. George was a devoted husband, father and grandfather who was always available to help family and friends. He had great pride in his kids and grandkids and everything he did, he did for them. George would talk to anyone and made friends wherever he went. He loved spending time with these friends and his family. Hunting and snowmobiling with nephews, working at home and for others, and especially fishing kept him active and happy. On the family sod farm, he employed many over the decades who were taught his work ethic as they rolled and tossed sod onto pallets. His final years were spent fishing most every day, both in Michigan and Okeechobee, FL, with his loving companion, Jeanette Schultz. George was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lois Huggett Beck, in 2001, his parents and his daughter, Sandy Beck Grifka (Lee) of Bradenton, Florida, in 2021; son-in- law, Lee Grifka of Deckerville in 2008; brothers Ben and Jim; in- laws Jim and Edna Huggett; and in-laws Mary and Carl Barnes. He is survived by his companion, Jeanette; sons Doug Beck (Sandi) of Aurora, Oregon, and David Beck (Allison) of Palms; daughter Sheila Beck VanNorman (Jeremy) of Deckerville, along with nine grandchildren and one great granddaughter; brother Dan Beck (Jeanette) of St. Johns; sister-in-law Barbara Beck of St. Johns; brother-in-law Wallace Huggett (Sharon) of Marlette, as well as many wonderful nieces and nephews. Te family would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Autumnwood of Deckerville and Compassus Hospice of Cass City. Honoring George’s wishes, no services will be held at this time. Memorials may be given to the charity of your choice. Please share condolences and memories with the family online at
apseyfuneralhome.net. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of George R. Beck, please visit our floral store.
2023 Irrigation and Water Management Data Now Available Tere were 212,714 farms with 53.1 million irrigated acres, which included 81 million acre-feet of water applied in the United States, according to the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey results, published October 31, 2024, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). In 2018, the irrigation survey results showed that there were 231,474 farms with 55.9 million irrigated acres,
68
which included 83.4 million acre-feet of water. Te results show that the number of farms irrigating, the amount of land irrigated, and the total water used for irrigation decreased between 2018 and 2023. Te Irrigation and Water Management Survey is conducted every five years. “Te 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey expands on the data collected in the 2022 Census of Agriculture,” said NASS Administrator Joseph L. Parsons. “Tis report offers detailed, comprehensive, up-to-date information specific to the agriculture industry’s use, management, and investment of water supplies and irrigation systems.” Te 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey followed up with approximately 35,000 producers who indicated in the 2022 Census of Agriculture that they irrigated or had irrigation equipment. Producers provided information on water sources and amount of water used; acres irrigated by type of system; irrigation use by crop, and system investments and energy costs. To access the results of the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey, visit
www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus or view in NASS’s online Quick Stats database. NASS is the federal statistical agency responsible for producing official data about U.S. agriculture and is committed to providing timely, accurate, and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture.
NALP Announces Eight New Business Management Courses Te National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) announced in an October 24, 2024, press release that it has launched a series of Landscape Business Management Certificate Courses, now available through the NALP Learning Hub. Tese comprehensive courses are designed to equip landscape business owners, managers, and their teams with the critical skills and knowledge necessary to grow successful landscape businesses. With a focus on real-world application, the new certificate courses, designed by landscape industry experts, cover essential business areas such as finance, operations, human resources, strategic planning, and more. “Growing landscape companies need strong leadership and effective management to ensure long-term success,” said Britt Wood, CEO of NALP. “Our new Landscape Business Management Certificate Courses offer a valuable opportunity for professionals to gain the skills and confidence they need to elevate their businesses.” Participants can take any of the certificate courses individually, or earn the Business Leadership Certificate (by taking all eight courses); the Human Resources Professional Certificate, or the Operations Professional Certificate. Individual courses include: Contract Law & Risk Management, Corporate Finance, Exterior Production & Operations, Human Resource Management, Leveraging Technology, Management, Leadership & Corporate Culture, Sales & Marketing, and Strategic Planning. Te NALP Learning Hub offers a flexible, on-demand learning experience, allowing participants to study anytime, anywhere. To learn more and explore the full range of courses including training for technicians, and to browse the full suite of training publications visit the NALP Learning Hub at the link that follows.
https://www.landscapeprofessionals.org/learninghub.
TPI Turf News January/February 2025
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
