Te sod was an integral part of the overall setting, providing the perspective of the bridge over President Biden’s shoulder that was needed to display the scope of this disaster.


Always Willing to Help However, as soon as Jonathan arrived it was clear what was going on. Te stage was set, the podium was there, and at that point, he knew he was delivering sod for a Presidential address to the nation. Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks met him on site and gave Jonathan and his son Leo a personal tour of what was going on for the next day. “It was a surreal moment looking out across the water seeing the stranded ship and the remains of the bridge. We may have lost a night’s sleep, but several workers on that bridge tragically lost their lives. It was the least we could do,” says Jonathan.


Jonathan’s father, Jim Middleton, started growing sod in 1964. He passed away in the fall of 2021 and was active in the business right until the end. “When he started, he had no land to speak of, very little money, and only a few pieces of worn-out equipment, some of which we still have. Looking for diversification away from growing tobacco, sod was an intriguing alternative. As many of you may imagine, we spent many hours pushing a walk-behind Ryan sod cutter (jitterbug), while hand-rolling and loading sod. Every now and then, I threaten my son to break it out just so he can see where we came from. Yes, we still have it— and no, I won’t sell it! Tankfully these days, the automated harvesters have made our life a whole lot better.


“It was all the years of labor-intensive work and struggle that made this day an event we’ll remember. It was an opportunity to help friends in need and honor those who lost their lives just trying to earn a living for their families.


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My father was always willing to help anyone who needed it at any time, worked long hours, and never knew the word quit. Hopefully, some of that has rubbed off on me and my son Leo. I am glad he was able to be a part of this.”


Jonathan’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed either because the sod was an integral part of the overall setting for President Biden’s address. Other parts of the press conference site were paved and/or dry, but none of them provided the perspective of the bridge over the President’s shoulder that was needed to display the scope of this disaster. Te press conference from beginning to end was approximately 30 minutes. President Biden, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, two Maryland Senators, the head of MD state police, and the mayor of Baltimore were all present for this event.


“It was a pleasure working with Jonathan and Leo,” says Kevin. “It’s kind of a hallmark in the agriculture industry that when you ask someone to do something special, they rise to the occasion. Agriculture is not an 8 to 5 job, and this story is an example of that.”


And of course, in true farmer fashion after a long night of unexpected work, Jonathan and his son returned to the farm at around 6:00 am, just in time to get the rest of the day moving.


Casey Reynolds, PhD, is executive director of Turfgrass Producers International. Thanks to Kevin Atticks, Gordon Kretser, and Jonathan Middleton for their assistance in providing content and photos for this article.


TPI Turf News July/August 2024


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