TurfNet RADIO

In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Frank Rossi chats with legendary turf pathologist Dr. Joe Vargas of Michigan State University about his 50 year career as a plant pathologist, teacher, and muckraker. Never one to shy away from controversy or "rocking the boat", Joe Vargas is perhaps the original "outside the box" thinker... and having recently received his 50-year service pin from Michigan State, is still at it today

Always ready to drop the gloves with both colleagues and conventional thinking, Joe Vargas is one of a kind. Flamboyant, aggressive and grating to some, he is always entertaining. There is nobody with a better grasp of both the history and current state of turfgrass management.

Presented by Civitas and DryJect.

In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Frank Rossi chats with Mike Huck, principal of Irrigation & Turfgrass Services (Orange County, CA) during the recent California wildfires. What is the cause of the wildfires? Why so many fires? For one, the Santa Ana winds that blow hot and steady for weeks on end. Secondly, increased density of trees sharing reduced levels of precipitation. Snowpack, drought, insect activity all enter into it.

Using historical data, some of these fires could have been mapped in advance. And how does the government factor in?

Listen in as Frank and Mike hash it out. Sponsored by Civitas and DryJect.

In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Dr. Mike Fidanza of the Penn State University Berks Campus joins Dr. Frank Rossi for a wide-ranging chat for a retrospective on 2018 -- lots of rain, humidity, disease -- and a look ahead to 2019 and research in the pipeline.

Presented by Civitas and DryJect.

In this episode of Rockbottum Radio, the usual cast of idiots, oafs and varlets keep interrupting Randy as he tries to pass along his proven techniques to skirt The Matrix and suppress the stress-inducing Noise in our lives.

Spend a few minutes listening to Randy pontificate at his finest... and maybe you'll find the shoe fits a little bit.

Presented by VinylGuard Golf.

In this episode of the TurfNet Renovation Report, host Anthony Pioppi chats with Kelly Shumate, director of agronomy at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur Springs, WV. 

Only two weeks before the 2016 PGA Greenbrier Classic was scheduled to be played, the entire state of West Virginia was ravaged by 11" of rain in five hours, and resultant flash flooding. 

The golf courses at The Greenbrier were covered with mud and silt, and there was standing water everywhere. Greens were destroyed, and the sand in the bunkers washed away by the rushing waters.

Beyond that, several maintenance team members lost their homes, and nearly all were affected.

Listen to Anthony and Kelly chat about the recovery and restoration process.

Recorded in September, 2018

Recorded shortly after the PGA Championship at Bellerive, Frank chats with Lee Miller, PhD, associate professor of plant sciences at the University of Missouri about the wacky seasons of 2018, starting with three snow events and then 90 degree temps in May, in St. Louis.

"We can grow any type of grass we want here in Missouri," quipped Lee Miller. "We just can't grow any of them very well."

Both warm- and cool-season grasses were subjected to weather extremes for which they were not acclimated. Heat, cold, rain, humidity, and drought were all encountered at one point or another.

They talk roots, irrigation with wetting agents and fungicide efficacy, irrigation audits, moist blankets from humidity, black layer, the Polar Vortex and NTEP trials, increased disease susceptibility in warm season grasses grown farther north, and a whole bunch more.

Listen in... a fascinating conversation.

Presented by DryJect and Civitas.

In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Frank visits with Dr. Paul Koch of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Listen in as Frank and Paul review the challenges and pitfalls of the 2018 season, including fungicide efficacy, predictive modeling and interval adjustment.

Presented by DryJect and Intelligro/Civitas.

In this episode of Living Legends, presented by the Nufarm Insider, host John Reitman chats with Steve Ehrbar, superintendent at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, FL, about his career path from deep Ohio roots to several locations around southern Florida, and working for Jim Loke and Jack Nicklaus.

In this episode of The Ladder, host John Reitman chats with Jesus Romero, assistant superintendent at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, FL, about how to best manage an Hispanic workforce.

Among other things...

Gain their trustLet them know you are not going to take advantage of themMake them all feel importantLet them know there are opportunities to succeedListen to them; ask for their opinions and ideasGain their heads and their hearts

Presented by STEC Equipment.

In this episode of Rockbottum Radio -- rated IM for Immature Audiences Only -- the Pro shop gets raided by the Empire's Praetorian Guard, Willy visits with Buddy at the Turf Care shop, and Momma takes the gang to the feed store, leaving Old Booferd in charge of the golf course... and Momma's good Scotch.

Presented by VinylGuard Golf.