Everyone is an “Organic Guy”!

It's All OrganicI was recently invited to speak at a distributors’ meeting taking place at a golf course.  As I waited for my turn to speak, I asked the distributor if our host superintendent was using EarthWorks products.  He responded “No, he’s not an organic guy”!!!  Not an organic guy, I thought – and it really hit me that everyone in our business is an “Organic Guy.” 

Golf courses, athletic fields, landscapes and lawns are all “organic” by definition; and as managers of these properties everyone is managing the carbon ratios that drive those soils.  Our industry is changing in many ways, and more and more turf managers are beginning to understand how a carbon based fertility approach is the only way to manage their properties.  Why? Because that is how a soil works and because the results have been proven over and over again. 

I realized that every fertilizer company big and small was now (and finally!) talking the carbon story.

During that week of seminars I heard many manufacturers speak about the virtues of their products.  As I was listening to everyone’s new and improved product story my eyes grew wider, and smile bigger, as I realized that every fertilizer company big and small was now (and finally!) talking the carbon story.  How interesting!  There were examples of how wonderful kelp meal is; stories about microbial stimulation discoveries, but best of all the big boys are selling their wonderful new discovery “Humic Acid”.    Snake Oil Salesman

Imagine my surprise and excitement.  I giggled like a 12 year old boy (having one in my house I know what that is like!), as I thought back over the past 25 years of talking about all of these “snake oils” and then suddenly realized that we are becoming an overnight success! 

Like I said everyone is an “Organic Guy” because that is how the system works.  And the sooner that we all realize it (and it certainly seems as though we are) the better off our programs will be; our properties will be; and our budgets will be. 

Happy New Year all you “Organic Guys”!