IT'S IN THE BLOOD By Rick Pump, Sr.
Editor’s Note: Tis is the sixth in a series of articles showcasing TPI member businesses whose operations are growing through a combination of innovation, utilization of technology, and outreach to upcoming generations, internally and externally. If you have a story to tell or know of someone that you’d like to hear more about, please contact your editors.
Te Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) is an association of family businesses; each based on the dream of the founders and built on their vision for the future. Teir commitment to achieving their goals took continual improvement accomplished through a combination of dedication and innovation. Tat laid the groundwork for the next generation and created the opportunity to grow the company by working together.
Here, Rick Pump, Sr., tells his family’s story.
Te passion for sod farming has been in the blood for one hundred years now. Carl Mueller emigrated from Germany in 1867 in search of fertile land for vegetable farming. He found a seven-acre tract near Lincolnwood, IL, and began raising tomatoes, peppers and cabbage. As the story is told, he could see the Great Chicago Fire from his farm in Lincolnwood. He was 43 years young when he married Amelia Grimme, a doctor, in 1888. To this union were born four children including the eldest boy, William Louis, in 1891.
William enjoyed vegetable farming and in 1910 married Louise Boechenhauer. He raised vegetables on the home farm. He had a day-old bread route where he picked up bakery from Chicago’s bakeries and sold them to local hog farmers for hog food. He had a cinder route where he picked up cinders from Premier Rose Gardens, which burned coal for heat in the greenhouses, and Bill spread those cinders on farmer’s driveways. And he nailed cabbage boxes together for local vegetable growers.
The Beginning of Selling Sod In 1919, Bill began raising sod for grass around the graves in cemeteries. He bought pasture sod from dairy farmers for $100.00 an acre and then started seeding the home farm with bluegrass seed. Te dairy farmers thought they fell into a barrel of manure and came out smelling like a rose.
In the 1930s, Bill turned over the vegetable business to his wife and two daughters. Tey would raise the vegetables and Bill would sell them to the local stands. At the end of the day he would take some of the money he received from sod, put it with the money he got from the vegetable stands, and present it to his wife. He would say in German, “Louise, they liked your vegetables so much that you got a premium price.” Louise never knew the difference. Te family would use the money for trips to Catalina Island, off the coast of California, to watch the Cubs play baseball in spring training.
Rick Pump Sr. and his wife Marlene stand in front of the Coon Creek Sod Farms office, which is decorated to celebrate the 4th of July. 54 TPI Turf News September/October 2019
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