mpstma news - spring 2011
DESCRIPTION
A publication for park and sports turf managers.TRANSCRIPT
MPSTMA Spring Workshop Set March 23at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul
VOL. 1, NO. 1 SPRING 2011
Kick off the new new season with a chance to catch up withfriends, see your vendors and get some always worthwhile edu-cation. Make plans to attend the March 23 MPSTMA SpringWorkshop at the University of St. Thomas. MPSTMA membersBob Reed and Roger Weinbrenner CSFM, will host the event.
Last year, 102 members gathered at the University of St.Thomas for the popular education and networking event.Fourteen vendors sponsored the event with table top displays.
Ken Rost, Frost Services, who will lead things off with a ses-sion about Spray Nozzle technology. Arnie Plowman andAndrew Plowman, Varicore Technologies Inc., will then talkabout drainage; Tim Van Loo CSFM, Iowa State, will talk aboutPoa Annua control using Tenacity. Keynote speaker GlennCaruso, University of St. Thomas football coach, and 2010Division III Coach of the Year, will speak after lunch. In theafternoon, Mike McDonald CSFM, TCF Bank Stadium, and RogerWeinbrenner CSFM, University of St. Thomas, will wrap thingsup by talking about their field-clearing exploits in the fall of 2010that captured local and national media attention.
Vendors will have table-top displays. Attendees will havetime to look at these displays before the event, between speakers,at a dedicated break time and during lunch.
New to the program will be a 3-minute introduction for allof our event sponsors to use as they wish. There will also bemore time scheduled for attendees to visit the sponsor tables;during registration (7-8), morning break (9:30-10) and lunch(11:30-12).
Proceeds above the cost of the event go directly to theUniversity of Minnesota Endowment Fund.
For more information about the March 23 Spring Workshop,visit www.mpstma.org, call the MPSTMA office at 952-473-3722or e-mail [email protected].
MPSTMA PARK AND SPORTS TURF
Keynote Speaker Glenn Caruso, University of St. Thomas, was
voted Division III Football Coach of the Year for the 2010 season.
Keynote Speaker Glenn Caruso Voted Coach of the YearSpring Workshop keynote speaker
Glenn Caruso, University of St. Thomasfootball coach, has been voted the 2010Liberty Mutual National Coach of theYear award for NCAA Division III foot-ball.
Caruso was named coach of the yearon Jan. 10, 2011. Fan voting accountedfor 20 percent of the final vote selection.In addition to fan voting, respectedmembers of the College Football Hall of
Fame and national media voted for thecoaches they feel most embody theCoach of the Year criteria.
Caruso’s Tommies went undefeatedthrough the regular season with a 10-0record, including 8-0 in the MIAC for theleague championship.
Since arriving at St. Thomas in 2008,Coach Caruso has initiated the biggestturnaround in Division III, with a 28-5overall record. For 11 consecutive sea-
sons, at least one player has been namedto the AFCA Good Works Team, aDivision III record. In 2010, Caruso wasnamed Conference Coach of the Year.
Caruso is also the founder of aReading Recess program; participates inthe Relay for Life for the AmericanCancer Society, and volunteers at theannual Vision Walk for the Foundationfor Fighting Blindness.
www.mpstma.org
NEWSNEWS
OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
STEVE GILBERTSONCity of Lino Lakes
VICE PRESIDENT
DAVE NOZALTree Trust
VICE PRESIDENT
KEVIN FERNANDEZWhite Bear Lake Area Schools #624
TREASURER
LOWELL LUEBECKCity of Plymouth763-509-5946
TREASURER
ROGER WEINBRENNER CSFM
University of St. Thomas651-962-6546
PAST PRESIDENT
STEVE BERG CSFMSt. Paul Academy & Summit School
PAST PRESIDENT
PHIL GALLIGERCity of Woodbury
DIRECTORS
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP
JEFF HINTZNorthwestern College
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP
AMY HOWARDCity of Woodbury
COMMERCIAL MEMBERSHIP
SCOTT MELLINGPar Aide Products Company
COMMERCIAL MEMBERSHIP
JOE CHURCHILLReinders Inc.612-790-7333
MTGF REPRESENTATIVE
PAUL GRIFFINCity of Woodbury
MTGF REPRESENTATIVE
KEVIN MANLEYJRK Seed & Turf Supply
MTGF REPRESENTATIVE
DAN HEITKECity of Plymouth
MPSTMA EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
JEFF TURTINEN952-473-3722
President’s Perspective:
“Welcome to the MPSTMA”STEVE GILBERTSON
President
First of all, I personally want to thank everyone who took the time to attend MPSTMA’s 1stAnnual Business Meeting on January 6 at the Minneapolis Convention Center during theNorthern Green Expo. I was impressed by the number of people who attended and encouragedby the number of members who will volunteer their time on MPSTMA committees throughoutthe 2011 season. With that being said, if you want to be involved in planning, we can always useyour support on any committee (See Committees on Page 7).
Now is your opportunity to bring your thoughts an ideas to this newly-formed partnership andoutline the direction of MPSTMA’s future. Contact any Board member or go towww.mpstma.org and give us your feedback.
In January, I attended the Chapter Officers Training Session (COTS) during the Sports TurfManagers Association national convention in Austin, TX. During the session, the biggest issueand question that came up surrounded communication with members. The popular response tothe communication issue was that the majority of members never respond. It always seems to bethe same few that do. The reasoning to this response was either the majority are o.k. with theway things were going and had nothing to say or they did not know how or who to contactwith their ideas. MPSTMA will make every effort to communicate as much information withyou as possible. For starters, before the Board of Directors approve the Bylaws for MPSTMA,every member will have a chance to look them over. I encourage you all to take a little time toread the Bylaws and give the Board your feedback. Your suggestions will go a long way inshaping the future of your organization.
MPSTMA Park and Sports Turf News, is the first of four editions of our newsletter planned for2011. We hope you find the newsletter to be both educational and informative. We will reviewpast events, publicize and promote upcoming events, keep you informed on what is happeningwith research dollars at the University of Minnesota, and publish articles from our professionalresources.
Have a great Spring and I’ll see you at the MPSTMA Workshop on March 23!
Steve GilbertsonSteve GilbertsonPresidentMinnesota Park and Sports Turf Managers Association
2 MPSTMA PARK AND SPORTS TURF NEWS www.mpstma.org
Troy D. Carlson
+ Tennis Courts + Running Tracks
+ Basketball Courts + In-Line Skate Surfaces
+ Consulting + Snow Plowing
(763) 783-8086
Cell: (612) 386-9171
Fax: (763) 785-792916215 Yalta St. NE
Ham Lake, MN 55304
Court Surfaces & Repair
(Editor’s Note: The following article is acondensed version of one previously published.The complete article is available at www.mpst-ma.org. While this article focuses on improv-ing sprayer equipment, be sure to attend theMarch 23 MPSTMA Spring Workshop wherewe will focus on improving the actual spraythat we deliver to get the most from our dol-lars spent on chemical.)
Well-designed and well-maintainedequipment can get decades of use, andjust like the cars we drive, the older onesare sometimes our favorites. But whenwe hang on to an old favorite car, weknow that we miss out on recent advance-ments in technology. The same applies toturf sprayer technologies. Every year,advancements and improvements aremade in sprayer components. Whetherits pumps, agitation, valves, or controlsincremental improvements are constantlybeing made to solve nagging problemsthat we experience when we spray.
The question then becomes, 'How dowe keep our sprayers up-to-date?'
One answer would be to buy newspray equipment on a regular basis. Thisis a good choice if you want to minimizethe hours of operation on the drive trainand chassis. This is the same philosophyas trading in your car every couple ofyears. If you can trade in or resell yoursprayer before the booms loose all thepaint, you might be able to get good valuefrom a short replacement cycle. However,it's a little harder to do in an economywhen budgets are slim.
A second answer would be to addressthe headaches that bother you as youmake your applications. Sometimesaddressing just one issue improves yourequipment and can make you feel like youare using a new sprayer.
The answer we chose for a recentsprayer upgrade project was a more com-prehensive overhaul of a beloved sprayerthat had accumulated a list of problems.The sprayer was a Toro Multi-pro 1100and it was built in 1995. It had an excel-lent drive train and handled very well.However, after fifteen years of use, itneeded a comprehensive overhaul.
Problems listed by the sprayer ownerwere:
Pump: if prime is lost at the end of thetank, we can't get it back.
Agitation: too little agitation at thebeginning of the tank and too much at theend of the tank.
Filter: not catching enough junk andthe nozzles are getting plugged.
Valves: if one boom is shut off, thepressure for other booms goes up.
Boom Control and Pressure Gauge:lost function of the boom section switchesand pressure gauge.
Wishes listed by the sprayer ownerwere rate monitoring and multi-turret
nozzle bodies.The following
was done toaddress theseissues:
Pump
The pump onthe prayer was acentrifugalpump.Centrifugalpumps are nicebecause they
rarely need any servicing or repair, simplybecause they have few moving parts.However, Centrifugal pumps need tohave water in the impeller inlet in order toprime. If trapped air gets into the pump, itwill not prime and the mechanical seal canbe damaged. New technology in sealmaterial has solved the seal damage issue(Hypro LifeGuard seals) but we still needto get the trapped air out of the pump toget back to spraying. This was accom-plished with a simple vent line installed inthe uppermost vent port on the pumphousing.
Agitation
A lot of improvement has been madein agitation technologies since this sprayer
was originally built. It was originallyequipped with a 'sparge tube' which wassimply a stainless steel tube with holesdrilled in it to direct flow over the bottomof the tank. It moved very little liquidwhen the tank was full and it created nomovement when the holes got pluggedup. The sparge tube was replaced with aninducting agitator. This device createsextra flow by shooting a stream of liquidthrough a venturi which draws in addi-tional fluid. The ratio of fluid pumpedinto the device to the fluid that comes outis 5:1 for the version we used.
Filter
Filters are necessary evils that cause alot of headaches. It is important to remem-ber the intended purpose that they accom-plish. They need to collect and removeonly the maximum size of particle thatcould cause problems with componentsdown stream. The choices are usually 20,32, 50 or 80 mesh sizes. Pumps, valves andflowmeters can handle fairly large parti-cles that would go through a 20 or 32mesh filter screen. An 80 mesh filterscreen will catch more particles than a 50mesh screen, but it will need to be cleanedmore frequently. The headaches beginwhen the screen plugs up before the tankcan be sprayed out. Advancements in fil-ters include a 'self-cleaning' feature that can address this problem. A valve andhose on the bottom of a self-cleaning filterallow for the trapped particles to beremoved without having to completelydisassemble the filter assembly. The filteron our project sprayer had a screen thatwas too short and material was gettingpast the screen. We replaced the screenwith an 80 mesh screen that was support-ed with a 20 mesh backing.
Valves
Simple on-off solenoid valves on ourproject sprayer were replaced with motor-ized plunger valves that had a by-passfeature. The by-pass feature allows foradjustment to keep the boom pressureequal regardless of whether a boom sec-tion valve is turned on or off. An adjust-ment knob is used to adjust the amount ofreturned flow which is what equalizes thepressure. This feature is especially helpfulfor sprayers that are not equipped with anautomatic rate control system.
(Continued on Page 4)
www.mpstma.org MPSTMA PARK AND SPORTS TURF NEWS 3
New Life for an Old SprayerBy KEN ROST
Frost Services
New Life for an Old Sprayer -(Continued from Page 3)
Valves
Simple on-off solenoid valves on ourproject sprayer were replaced with motor-ized plunger valves that had a by-passfeature. The by-pass feature allows foradjustment to keep the boom pressureequal regardless of whether a boom sec-tion valve is turned on or off. An adjust-ment knob is used to adjust the amount ofreturned flow which is what equalizes thepressure. This feature is especially helpfulfor sprayers that are not equipped with anautomatic rate control system.
Boom Control and Pressure Gauge
When the valve controls and pressuregauge fail, the sprayer is pretty much use-less. This is what happened to our projectsprayer and the owner wanted to upgradethe controls. To upgrade application con-trols, we needed to review the options.We know that in-order to calculate theapplied rate of spray, we need to knowthe application speed and flow output ofthe spray tips. With a pressure gauge anda nozzle rate chart, we can monitor andadjust flow by adjusting the spray pres-sure. For example, if we can maintain 40
psi with a 06 (ISO color gray) tip, we areapplying 0.6 gpm. Add in a speed at 4mph and from the rate chart we get 45gpa or 1.0 gpk. Got it? What if we need toslow down to 2 mph? Hmmm ...gothrough it again.
Sprayer operators can walk and chewgum at the same time, but can they driveand calculate rates at the same time? Tostay on the target rate, operators need tokeep a constant speed or at least knowwhat pressure to adjust to if a speedchange is made. The big problem on ourproject sprayer is that it did not even havespeed indication. We needed a bigupgrade.
The project sprayer had a mechanicaldrive system that could hold a fairly con-sistent speed over undulating terrain.With that, the monitor system was chosenbecause relatively few adjustments wouldneed to be made by the operator based onthe rate shown by the monitor.
Improvements like these can get youthrough low budget years when newequipment purchases are not an option.However, research into the best compo-nents can take time for a technician.Hiring the project out to a trusted serviceis an option. Whether you do it yourself orhire the project out, use quality compo-nents and a trusted service and you willexperience a better spraying season.
4 MPSTMA PARK AND SPORTS TURF NEWS www.mpstma.org
Tank Agitator
Valves Before
Valves
After
Drive and calculate at the same time.
Green Media, publisher of Sports Turf magazine, announcedthat Dale Getz CSFM, The Toro Company, as one of six profes-sionals selected for this honor. The award recognizes individu-
als who exemplify commitment to thegreen industry and have exhibited a wide-spread influence on their peers. Getz, amember of MPSTMA, was asked the fol-lowing questions:
How do you feel that you influence other industry professionals?
I really enjoy all aspects of the greenindustry and have been an arborist, agrounds manager and a sports turf manag-er but my true passion is sports turf man-
agement. I really think it’s the passion I have that allows me tohelp others in the industry. I’m blessed to have a job that allowsme to travel to many different venues and pick up ideas that Ican then pass to others.
What do you feel has been your biggest contribution to the green industry so far? And what do you see as
your role in the future of the industry?
I feel my biggest contribution was to be the chairperson ofthe certification committee of the Sports Turf ManagersAssociation. As a committee, we strongly felt that for the STMAto move forward in terms of recognition from peer organiza-tions, the industry and the public we needed a way to certifycompetence as a sports turf manager. That dream came trueafter three years of planning with our first Certified Sports FieldManger, Ross Kurcab of the Denver Broncos in January 2000. Ihelp my role in the future will be to continue to help whenneeded. I enjoy working on committees and projects as needsarise
Who has influenced you both personally and professionally?
Probably the most influential person both personally andprofessionally was a friend’s father who was the consummateecologist and strong believer in protecting the environment andsustainability long before it was the “in” thing to do. His knowl-edge of our natural world inspired me to embark on a career inthe green industry.
Tell us something about yourself outside of work that influences your approach in your professional career.
One of my favorite hobbies is woodworking and while I’mnot a Norm Abrams by any stretch of the imagination, wood-working, through the years, has taught me patience and atten-tion to detail.
What dreams do you have for the industry?
My dream is that sports turf managers, groundskeepers andother green industry professionals are duly recognized for theprofessionals they are. We have come a long way in establishingprofessionalism but we still have a long way to go. There is abig job ahead of us to educated the public on the complexity ofgreen industry ecosystems and that managing these ecosystemsproperly will have a positive impact on our environment in
www.mpstma.org MPSTMA PARK AND SPORTS TURF NEWS 5
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Handy-Ice’r
Dale Getz, CSFM, Receives One of Green Media’s 2010 Most Influential People in the Green Industry Award
Dale Getz CSFM, The Toro Company, shown above doing some hand-on work during the MPSTMA’s Community Service Project at WelanderBallfield in the City of Grant.
Dale Getz CSFMThe Toro Company
terms of water usage, pollution abatement and carbon sequestra-tion.
What advice do you have for green industry professionals who want to become influential leaders themselves?
Do everything you do with passion. Question the status quo,challenge old ideas with new ones and always be a leader.
(Editor’s Note: This article was reprinted with permission fromSports Turf magazine.)
The annual MTGF / University ofMinnesota Field Day, held last fall inSeptember, provided turf and grounds pro-fessionals opportunities to learn about newresearch being conducted at the TurfgrassResearch, Outreach and Education (TROE)Center and the TRE Nursery.
Leading researchers were on hand todemonstrate their projects and how theydirectly benefit green industries.
Commercial vendors demonstrated thelatest products, services and equipmentavailable.
Attendees chose between a Turf Trackand a Grounds Track. After splitting intoequal-sized groups, participants moved fromone station to another and saw most of whatTROE Center has to offer.
2010 was a very busy year at TROECenter. TROE Center allows University ofMinnesota researchers to study currentissues facing the Minnesota turfgrass practi-tioner.
The rain-out shelter was moved to a newlocation to allow for quicker turn-around oftrials. The plan is to have it fully automated
with rain sensors and electric motors to be able to move the shel-ter in the event of rain. It is still a work in progress but things aremoving forward.
“The abundance of summer rain in 2010 was not much of ahindrance for us but it certainly kept the mowers busy. All of
TROE has never been this green all summer long. We were luckyto escape the majority of the disease pressure that was aroundthis past year but we certainly had our fair share of cutworms.”
“TROE Center continues to develop new plots for new trials.We are in the process of redoing the bentgrass runoff plots. Weare planning on replacing the bentgrass with other species of tur-fgrass for future runoff trials.” said Craig Krueger of TROECenter.
Field Day is set for Thursday, September 15, 2011 at the TROECenter located at the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul Campus.
(Editor’s Note: The University of Minnesota’s Eric Watkins andBrian Horgan, Ph.D. will provide updates about the current researchbeing done at TROE Center in future issues of this newsletter.)
6 MPSTMA PARK AND SPORTS TURF NEWS www.mpstma.org
2010 MTGF/UM Field Day Proves Great Stuff’s Happening at TROE Center at the University
THE AUTOMATED RAIN SHELTER AT TROE CENTER has been great for drought tolerantcool-season turfgrass screening research. At the left, Josh Friell, a graduate student in the UMDepartment of Horticultural Science, was passionate about the research being done at TROECenter and enjoyed educating the crowd. The automated cover slides back and forth to easilycontrol sunlight and rain.
“TROE Center continues to develop new plots for new trials.
We are planning on replacing the bentgrass with other species of turfgrass for future runoff trials.”
The MPSTMA has eight events scheduled for2011. Some event dates need to be finalized.
MPSTMA SPRING WORKSHOPMARCH 23, 2011Park and Sports Turf leaders spend a day ofeducation and camaraderie at the Universityof St. Thomas.
MPSTMA NETWORK PICNICSMPSTMA members enjoy a few hours duringmid-day networking and visiting with fellowpark and sports turf managers. Lunch isincluded. No cost.
IOWA/MINNESOTA CHAPTER CLASHJULY 15-16, 2011Minnesota Park and Sports Turf Managersplay Iowa Turf Managers in softball and golf.The event will take place in Iowa City thisyear. The Clash alternates sites between Iowaand Minnesota annually.
MPSTMA TOUR-ON-WHEELSTour-on-Wheels is an annual MSTMA eventwhere members board a bus and visit differ-ent facilities of interest to Sports TurfManagers.
MPSTMA GOLF TOURNAMENTThe MPSTMA will hold a golf tournament thissummer. The golf tournament committee isreviewing sites and dates.
MPSTMA COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTMPSTMA will select a field from entries sub-mitted and provide the labor for the renova-tion project. Some materials will be donated orprovided at a reduced cost. Volunteers fromyour organization will be needed to completethe renovation project as well as to care for thefield after the renovations are complete.
MTGF / UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTAFIELD DAY AT TROE CENTERSEPTEMBER 15, 2011Park and Turf leaders spend a day at TROECenter. Vendors have table top display oppor-tunities.
MPSTMA 3RD QUARTERLYthe 3rd Quarterly will be a one or two-dayevent and sometimes has been held outsidethe metropolitan area. This year’s event is inthe planning stages.
MPSTMA FALL WORKSHOPSEPTEMBER 28, 2011Park and Sports Turf leaders will spend a dayof education and camaraderie. There will bequality speakers and an opportunity to seeand try out the latest in sports turf mainte-nance equipment for both natural and syn-thetic turf.
Updated info at www.mpstma.org
www.mpstma.org MPSTMA PARK AND SPORTS TURF NEWS 7
2011 MPSTMA EVENTS
2011 MPSTMACOMMITTEES
Spring WorkshopMarch 23, 2011
Roger Weinbrenner CSFM
Steve Berg CSFM
Phil Galliger
Membership PicnicsAmy Howard
Tour-on-WheelsJeff Hintz
Kevin Fernandez
3rd QuarterlyLowell Luebeck
Al FriedgesMark Peterson
Fall WorkshopSeptember 28, 2011
Mark SullivanGregg Engle
Steve Gilbertson
Community Service Project
Mike McDonald CSFM
Paul GriffinDave Nozal
Jon AlmquistMike Brunelle
Greg Hoag
Iowa/MinnesotaChapter Clash
Mike McDonald CSFM
Paul Griffin
Golf TournamentScott MellingJoe ChurchillGary Ringus
Bob Frank
MPSTMA Members Recognized at the Jan. 6 Annual Meeting During Northern Green Expo
Out-going Board membersTom Schuster, ConnieRudolph CSFM and JoshGraham were recognized forserving and representing themembership on the Board ofDirectors. Wes Dunsmore,City of Eden Prairie, was rec-
ognized for his long timeassociation with MPSA.Roger Weinbrenner CSFM,and Mike McDonald CSFM,were given kudos for theirfield-clearing efforts that cap-tured local and nationalmedia attention. Field of the
Year winners Mike Johnsonand Jonny Hummel, St.Anthony /New BrightonSchools, were presented aplaque recognizing PalmField as MPSTMA / TurfcoField of the Year by Turfcorepresentative Greg Brodd.
TOM SCHUSTERServed as Secretary
for the MPSA.
CONNIE RUDOLPH CSFM, and JOSH GRAHAM. served onthe MSTMA Board of Directors.
WES DUNSMORERetired from the
City of Eden Prairie.
FIELD OF THE YEARMike Johnson, left, and Jonny
Hummel, center, were presented aplaque by Turfco Manufacturing rep-resentative Greg Brodd. Turfco co-
sponsored the Field of the YearAward with MPSTMA.
239 Chicago Ave. NWayzata, MN 55391
HAVE YOU PAIDYOUR 2011
MPSTMA DUES?IF NOT, GO TO
www.mpstma.org