And because of our reputation, we get a lot of word-of- mouth referral business, too.” Te partners continue to grow the market of those who want to “Beautify with Family Tradition.”
Willard, Norb and Paul are looking forward to hosting the many TPI members that will be coming to their farm in July. Tey and their team will make sure all is ready to showcase the many static displays of equipment, products, and services, and the in-field demonstrations of harvesters, mowers, tractors, forklifts, tillers, installers and cultivators. Tere will be plenty to see, and it’s sure to be a great Field Day for everyone.
TPI Seed Test Plots Te TPI Seed Test Plot Program will be held in conjunction with the 2019 TPI Summer Convention & Field Day. Viewing will take place during the Field Day, on Tursday, July 25, at Wagner Sod, Landscaping & Irrigation Company’s sod farm in Northfield, Minnesota. As promised, this year’s seed test plots will be within easy walking distance of the exhibit areas to ensure maximum ease of access for Field Day attendees.
Te Wagner brothers and their entire staff look forward to hosting TPI’s Field Day attendees and hope to deliver a beautiful summer day like this one.
harvesters. Norb says, “In this industry, you need up-to- date equipment to improve efficiency.”
Tat’s especially important in the tight labor market of the last three or four years. Paul says, “We do advertise in some magazines through the school districts and the churches, and while we do get some applicants from it, there are very few that we hire that way. We’re most successful using that same kind of ‘friend hiring’ mentality that our Dad used when we were kids. Our employees know if they are aware of someone who needs a job, they can bring them in. Tey all know our expectations, so they’re not likely to suggest someone they know is not going to work out.”
Marketing is ongoing for the Wagner brothers. Teir vans and trucks are traveling billboards, bright and eye-catching, with the company name, website and phone number prominently-displayed. Tey have a social media presence with both their website and Facebook. Te website has become a very useful tool for customer outreach and interaction, especially with the residential segment of their business.
Norb says, “Paul and I try to do direct outreach with the builders, catching up with those we typically work with when they’re out in the field. Te project managers in that industry often jump from builder to builder. We’ll have them contact us from the purchasing department of the new place, so we grow the business with another company.
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Te program was established in 1992 as a means of offering Convention attendees greater levels of information, as well as providing turfgrass seed companies with greater exposure and marketing opportunities. Straight cool-season turfgrass seed varieties and seed blends could be submitted. For 2019, there are a total of 11 participating companies that submitted a total of 54 variety/blend entries.
Seed samples were sent to TPI Headquarters where they were assigned a unique number to ensure the source could not be identified. Tose anonymous seed samples were provided to Dr. Brian Horgan, Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist at the University of Minnesota, for planting during the first week of September. Te seed was applied, in accordance with National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) recommended rates, into at least two non-adjacent plots, approximately five-feet by five-feet. Working with the host farm, Dr. Horgan utilized a grid chart to note the specific locations of each sample, using the unique number provided by TPI.
After planting, the Wagner Sod staff maintained the area in routine fashion, identical to their standard maintenance practices. Tere were no special applications of materials (fertilizer, pesticides or water) or any mowing beyond that received by the adjacent sod fields. Willard Wagner, co- owner and farm manager, reported that, as spring green- up was occurring, all the seed plots were coming in well and looking good.
Suz Trusty is co-editor of Turf News.
All photos courtesy of Wagner Sod, Landscaping & Irrigation Company Inc.
TPI Turf News May/June 2019
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