Tuckahoe produces approximately 12 million square feet of sod per year with a peak season staff of 45. Tey have eight tractor trailers for delivery, all equipped with forklifts. Tey run two dedicated install crews and also use outside installers. Te majority of Tuckahoe’s production is 100 percent bluegrass blends. Some sod grown for lawn care operators (LCOs) and homeowners is 90:10 turf type tall fescue and bluegrass. Fields not seeded previously are seeded in early to mid-August anticipating strong establishment before winter shutdown. Prior to seeding, they disc fields 18 inches down to bring up the subsoil (orange dirt) to add organic matter to their sandy soils and to relieve compaction. Te rate for reseeding a harvested field varies—from 60 to 70 pounds up to 150 to 200 pounds per acre—depending on what the sod will be used for and when it will be harvested. With typical growing periods 9 to 18 months, no netting is needed. Tuckahoe uses only granular fertilizer on their fields, often bulk blended to their specifications.
Tuckahoe takes part in the New Jersey Department of Agriculture Farmland Preservation Program which allows landowners to restrict the deeds to their land for future farm use only. Te program perpetuates the long-term existence of green space and its environmental benefits while reducing the costs involved with residential development. As Carter explained it, “Cows don’t go to school.” Financial compensation for participants is built into the program, but so are restrictions on land use. Tat led to a complex legal battle to allow Tuckahoe to form an agreement with a grade-school-level soccer organization to use Tuckahoe’s sod fields for their tournament play. Te issue was resolved through state legislative action.
Efficiency is key. Tuckahoe developed a pull-behind reel mower with a 60-foot cutting swath that can mow up to 100 acres a day. Te mowing units are configured in sets of seven and they have seven sets. Four sets of seven, pulled together, cut the 60-foot swath. Te reel units are from the 80s, but by grinding them each winter, they’ve maintained a sharp cutting edge. Tey’re set up for a two-inch height of cut. Sod grown for professional fields must be mowed almost every day.
So it is Tuckahoe’s ground with the soccer organization’s program and with the soccer organization assuming all the liabilities. Te arrangement allows the club a maximum of 35 fields, about 150 acres. Tuckahoe determines what field space can be used and on what weekends. Te soccer organization handles all the set up, coordination of parking and game details, and post-tournament cleanup.
A large tournament has 6,000 to 7,000 people walking on Tuckahoe’s fields during the weekend. Tey share their farm with thousands of kids that are disconnected from agriculture, bringing them to an open, outdoor place. It’s a great marketing tool, showcasing their turfgrass, with the opportunity to give literature to soccer moms, school board members, city and facility administrators, and business owners.
Tey show up in a positive light on social media. It’s good PR for a small amount of money up front. And, with all the traveling teams soccer brings in, the economic impact on the community is huge.
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TPI Turf News September/October 2017
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