Who’s ready to tune in as John and Jack dive into a discussion about Poa annua greens and their passion project, Lehigh Country Club? In forty years, John has come full circle. In 1990, he fumigated the greens and seeded a pure stand of bentgrass. Both Lehigh and John have continued to evolve over the years. If you’re passionate about classic golf courses—especially if you manage Poa annua—this episode is for you. Don’t miss our discussion on the newly available Poa annua seed!

Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com
Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/
2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

We had an incredible time at the GIS Trade Show in San Diego, California! It was great reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. Jack Higgins had the opportunity to welcome many guests onto our couch for insightful conversations about the GIS event and their experiences with EarthWorks.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth, joined us at the House of Blues, or attended our cocktail reception. Your support and enthusiasm made this year’s show truly special!

Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com
Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/
2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

We revisit a previously recorded podcast with Dave Wilber from December 2021. In this episode, we discussed some of the key elements of completing a successful renovation project and what to watch out for. It serves as a lead-in to a future podcast where we’ll feature several clients who have recently completed major renovation projects. They’ll each highlight the keys to their success and share what they would do differently if given the chance. Dave is always a fan favorite, and this was one of our most popular downloads. As we approach our 250th episode, we sincerely thank all of you for your continued support. To date, we’ve had almost 100K downloads, and the feedback on our guests has been excellent. Be sure to subscribe to receive the latest weekly updates!

Watch the full original podcast: https://youtu.be/phq4R9lYXc8?si=IZyy4D04VE-2I7Ze

Listen to the full original podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/ew-podcast-kevin-hicks-with-dave-wilber-construction-renovation-talk--47920050

Visit EarthWorks at: https://www.earthworksturf.com
Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/
2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

The three-legged stool analogy reminds us of the essential balance between soil chemistry, physics, and biology. While chemistry is relatively easy to test and analyze, and we have reliable tools for assessing soil physics, soil biology has remained more elusive. Laura Decker’s company, MicroBiometer, has developed a simple, handheld meter that provides valuable insights into fungal and bacterial populations in any given soil.

For years, we have searched for a way to both quantify and qualify life in the soil, but existing methods have proven challenging. Microscopy allows us to identify microbes but is time-consuming and costly. DNA analysis from labs offers insights but has limitations, as do microbial respiration tests. While the MicroBiometer isn’t a perfect tool, it represents a major breakthrough in efficiency and affordability. It’s easy for any turf manager to use—requiring just two minutes to complete a test, with results available in twenty minutes. The data is then downloaded to a computer for storage and tracking.

Our team actively uses these tools to monitor microbial populations, and we can visibly track the impact of carbon inputs in specific areas. This makes it an invaluable resource for diagnosing why certain areas of a golf course or sports field may not be performing as expected. Laura’s passion for soil biology shines through in this conversation, which is packed with practical insights for any turf manager looking to improve soil health.

Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com
Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/
2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

The highlight of our work is meeting individuals who are deeply passionate about what they do. Jay Werbalowsky, Golf Course Superintendent at Wallkill Golf Club, shares captivating greenkeeping stories and vividly describes the golf courses that sparked his love for golf and greenkeeping.

Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com
Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/
2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

Justin Mandon has been a guest on the podcast in the past, and we wanted to bring him back to discuss the reconstruction of the Alister MacKenzie-designed Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, California. This may be one of the best reconstructions we’ve seen in years, but it was not without its challenges. The work was broken into two parts: the front nine was completed first, and a year later, they worked on the back nine.

Justin talks about selecting and testing the greens mix both at the mine and on-site when the mix arrived, along with the challenges he faced there. The front nine did suffer some salt damage that was very difficult to identify. It wasn’t the total amount of salt in the water, but rather that the salt was the predominant element, overpowering all others and causing the young seedlings to wilt.

He also discusses the EarthWorks amendment package he incorporated into the greens mix, which allowed him to grow the entire project using under three pounds of nitrogen. Restoring the architecture of a classically designed course is different from simply building a modern golf course; it’s time-consuming and requires meticulous attention to detail to preserve the original MacKenzie layout. Justin and his architect, Jim Urbina, accomplished that and then some.


Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com
Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/
2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

Dave Wilber may very well be one of the best agronomy minds in the turf industry. A close friend of EarthWorks for over 30 years, he has appeared on numerous EarthWorks Podcasts and is one of our most popular guests. Dave spent many years as a golf course superintendent, much of his career as a turf consultant, and he has also been a site manager for construction projects. One of his greatest strengths is his in-depth knowledge of irrigation water concerns, and he has helped many superintendents navigate these issues with tremendous success. Recently he has taken a position as Director of Agronomy & Customer Success at TurfRad, a company that is revolutionizing the water sensor business in the turf industry. We discussed how TurfRad sensors can be mounted on mowers or utility vehicles and provide thousands of data points showing moisture levels across courses and sports fields. Their slogan is “We map; we inform; you play!”  This is exciting to us at EarthWorks because if we have a tool on the property that keeps moisture levels even, soil biology will have a better chance to proliferate. This tool is showing a strong return on investment in only a few years by helping properties save money on water.

Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com
Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/
2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

Each year between the holidays we run a “Best of” podcast where we choose one guest from each of our three podcast hosts and share a piece of the podcast recording. It is always a challenge to choose what we call “the best” when each week we have an informative and fun guest who is passionate about turf. So to all of our guests we say thank you because you all have made the EarthWorks Podcast one of the most listened to in the industry. For the “Best of” we have chosen the Jack Higgins interview with our friend Pat Quinlan from Fairmont Country Club in New Jersey. Jack’s podcast was recorded early in the season, not long after the GIS Trade Show. The second segment is Kevin Hicks' recording with Turf Technology Consultant, Benton Hodges.  Kevin, a self-proclaimed luddite, had a blast talking about AI and other technologies that are up and coming in the turf industry. Finally, Joel Simmons had a chance to meet Golf Course Architect Jim Nagal at the US Woman’s Open at Lancaster Country Club and sat down with him for a very special podcast.  Again, thanks to all the EW Podcast listeners, we wish you all a very happy and healthy new year.

Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com
Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/
2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

At the end of each year the EarthWorks agronomy team gets together for the last podcast of the year. Kevin Hicks, Kirk Castner, Jack Higgins, Joel Simmons and newcomer Marshall Evans go around the table talking about the events of the year, the weather, and some ideas that we have formulated throughout the turf season. It was hot and dry in most corners of the country, even more so in the east and south than the west but it was a tough year all around. Of course, we talked about the many successes that we saw and bounced around some ideas that can make any turf manager's life easier. As research and experience have shown us, a dry hot summer can lead to fairy ring problems the following year. Carbon and soil biology is always on our minds, and we discussed it often in this five way conversation. This a relatively short podcast but is full of the fun and informative information you’ve come to expect from this crew. Everyone at EarthWorks thanks you for all the wonderful support. You have made the EarthWorks Podcast one of the most successful podcasts in the industry. We wish you, and your families, a wonderful holiday season and hope you can enjoy some time off.  It won't be long until it's time to cut the grass again!

Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com
Podcasts:  https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/
2 Minute Turf Talks:  https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/

Two EarthWorks team members took some time away from the turf industry to attend the ACRES USA Annual Conference and Trade Show, the premier regenerative agriculture conference in our country. Kevin Hicks and Joel Simmons sat down together to discuss their takeaways and share their undeniable enthusiasm about the subject. Speakers relayed their experiences on their farms, talking about how organic matter can be built up in any soil. Since carbon is being sequestered and held tightly in the topsoil, the regenerative farms are not losing topsoil at the national level of about 50%. These farmers are now making money, family farms are being saved, and young people are getting excited about staying in the business. Kevin and Joel brought all the enthusiasm home with them, and they’re excited to discuss the ways in which these principles and practices can work for the turf industry.

Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com
Podcasts: https://www.earthworksturf.com/earthworks-podcasts/
2 Minute Turf Talks: https://www.earthworksturf.com/2-minute-turf-talks/