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Jessica Schwartz
Turf Winter 2021 Issue
Editor’s Letter: Raise Your Glass “At the end of each landscaping season most owners are either raising their glasses or scratching their heads,” writes Josh Currivan, owner of Currivan Green Landscaping in “Optimizing Your Profits.” And it’s true. It’s only after the craze of busy, daily work do most owners have a chance to sit, tally up the numbers, and realize how their year truly fared. The New Year is a time of reflection and resolutions for everyone—but it’s especially true for landscapers whose “off-season” occurs at the same time. What went right? What went wrong? How can 2022 be better? Currivan’s article speaks to the heart of this analysis and reminds us that client numbers—or even how busy you were—don’t always equal a great bottom line. He urges peers to do business homework now, in January, and provides a timeline and solid strategies for realizing true profit in 2022 and beyond. In many ways, it’s the most important work you’ll do all year. Even with numbers-based decisions, growth is not without risk and Currivan details his tumultuous 2021. Joel Schaubel, Senior VP of Lending at LMN, addresses this risk/reward dynamic in “Investing In Equipment.” While providing a formula for “lease vs. own vs. keep,” he points out that choosing not to buy new equipment carries its own risk of downtime and lost opportunities. In terms of opportunities, Winter is also the perfect time for exploring new revenue sources. Want billable hours on rainy days or in the off-season? This ...
Snow Work And Staff Safety
This information from the Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA) appeared in a past year on turfmagazine.com. The advice remains timely, especially as many contractors are facing lower than usual staffing this year, or have new employees on board who may not be experienced with the rigors of the work. Read on… Winter can be vicious to snow and ice removal teams. Long hours, tough climate conditions and the perceived snow warrior mentality to power through can literally be a danger to your health. It is tough to consider attention to health and wellness when snow is flying, customers are complaining, and there is no end in sight. But if you don’t, your crews can get locked into a cycle of poor nutrition, sleep deprivation and fatigue—all of which have been scientifically proven to have negative physical and cognitive consequences. Not only are there physical ramifications, but damages and injuries related to fatigued driving and poor self-care can be costly. Identify the major risks and seek better ways to mitigate them—break the cycle before it breaks you. Nutrition And Hydration Stopping for meals may not be an option during a snowstorm, so many rely on fast food and energy drinks to keep going. Poor nutrition can lead to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other long-term health issues. Plan in advance some time for your team to stop for short breaks to refresh, grab a healthy snack, and stretch. Require your teams to drink plenty of fluids ...
Turf Fall 2021 Issue
Editor’s Letter: Winter Is Coming Right now there’s a squirrel causing a ruckus outside. Last night I could hear the crickets. It’s that lovely, fleeting time—sandwiched between the heat and humidity of summer (requiring A/C) and the cold of winter—when you can open the windows, enjoy the fresh air, and hear the sounds of nature. So it seems hard to believe that the quiet chaos of snow and ice will be upon some of us soon. But it will. And unless you’re preparing now, you could be left out in the cold. So Turf Editor-in-Chief Anne Cosgrove interviewed Phill Sexton of WIT Advisers and Neal Glatt of Snowfighters Institute to talk about changes impacting the snow industry this year. The result is a discussion of specialized equipment, handling the labor shortage, and chemical runoff concerns. The Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA) also contributes to this Turf edition with tips for employee safety, both seasonally and year-round. It’s an especially important topic for companies who may have an abundance of new-hires. Naturally, to get that snow and ice work, or any landscape work, you’ve first got to win that bid. And this is where software can help you know your real costs, assess past wins and losses, provide timely estimates, and more. Clearly, bidding is one of the most important aspects of business management, and it’s why things like work-life balance often take a back seat. In an interview with Turf, Chant Singvongsa, owner of Singvongsa Landscaping in Jackson, MN, ...
Chainsaw Maintenance Tips For Cold Weather Cutting
Fall and winter are approaching, and given current climate conditions, frigid temperatures are as unpredictable as ever. With harsh weather projected for 2021 and early 2022, it’s crucial for chainsaw users to prepare themselves and their tools for seasonal shifts. Oregon Products, a global manufacturer of lawn and garden, forestry, and replacement part equipment, is sharing essential tips for chainsaw users to implement when operating equipment in cold weather – to keep their tools performing well and ensure operator safety. “When you’re cutting in the cold, it’s important to be prepared,” advises Glenn Lovell, a senior technical services technician at Oregon Products. “Proper preparation and maintenance keep you safe and your equipment sharp, and can save you time and money in the long run.” Here are seven tips from Lovell and the Oregon Products team that make it safe, simple, and easy to keep on cutting during the coldweather months. Use thinner oil. Bar-chain oil should either be lighter weight or diluted 25% with clean kerosene or diesel oil to prevent thickening caused by low temperatures. Users must also ensure their chain is receiving oil from the saw for adequate lubrication. Oregon’s bar-chain oil lessens the chance of throw-off and performs well under adverse conditions. Check depth gauges. The height of the leading portion of each cutter, also known as the depth gauge, should be inspected at every sharpening. When necessary, file down depth gauge, as cold and hardened winter wood makes cutters more prone to wear. Maintain sharpened cutters. ...
Maximize Winter Productivity With Turf Teq Machines
Sponsored by When it comes to winter snow removal contracts, grounds care professionals know that speed and productivity can make or break their season. And with economic uncertainty in the forecast, a profitable winter is critical to the health of landscaping and snow removal businesses nationwide. In fact, businesses that figure out how to get the most out of their crews and equipment this year stand to gain the most in 2021 and beyond. According to Tyler Templeton, General Manager of Turf Teq, demand is high for a certain type of snow removal machine. “Folks are looking for ways to do more with less. For their business to stay strong, they need to complete more work in less time, and with less manpower.” That means they’re looking for machinery that will help them work faster and smarter. Turf Teq manufactures walking-forward, commercial-grade brooms and plows that are designed to save time, and that’s a key benefit going into this winter season. These machines are especially fast at clearing sidewalks, allowing one laborer to replace a full crew of shovelers. Says Templeton, “Our customers tell us that they’re choosing our machines because they’ll get more work done in less time. Or in some cases due to labor shortages, they want to get the same amount of work done but with less manpower. It’s win-win for them either way.” Machines Designed For Productivity Turf Teq designs their snow removal machines to maximize productivity in a number of ways. According to ...
Get Yards Ready For Fall With Six Tips From TurfMutt
For more than a decade, the TurfMutt environmental education and stewardship program has advocated the importance of managed landscapes and other green space as critical to human health and happiness. Since 2009, The TurfMutt Foundation has reached more than 70 million children, educators, and families. The program is directed by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), which provides tips and reminders to help families and backyard enthusiasts stay safe when using outdoor power equipment. This year is different, reports OPEI, as the world experiences a paradigm shift in how we live our everyday lives. “Due to the pandemic, we are all re-discovering the importance of connecting to the outdoors. We’re seeing record sales in yard and garden equipment and supplies, and more interest in working and living surrounded by green space,” said Kris Kiser, President of OPEI and the TurfMutt Foundation. “People want their own section of the outdoors, and they see how a yard can both keep us safe and help us connect with one another. “Your patch of grass outside your back door is not only a safe space for you, your family and pets, but it’s also part of the larger ecosystem,” he continued. “By taking care of our personal green spaces, we are taking care of the planet.” Here are six tips from Mutt Mulligan, a rescue dog and the spokesdog of the TurfMutt Foundation, to get yards ready for fall and winter: Be purposeful in how you maintain your landscape. Many people are sprucing up ...
Tips For Deicing
Keeping parking lots, sidewalks, and other surfaces where people walk and drive clear of obstacles is an important safety factor for private and public facilities, not to mention private homes. For contractors offering snow and ice management services, there are a multitude of issues to address, and these include effectiveness of service, safety for all parties, and, often, concerns of environmental impact. One area of these services is deicing and anti-icing services. And the tools and methods available to the industry continue to evolve. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has published the “Winter Parking Lot and Sidewalk Maintenance Manual,” Third Edition, and it can be a resource for industry professionals. The full document can be found at www.pca.state.mn.us/programs/roadsalt.html. Following is an excerpt from the document, focused on the anti-icing and deicing methods. Anti-Icing Method Anti-icing is a proactive approach. It should be first in a series of strategies for each winter storm. Applying a small and strategic amount of liquid on the pavement before a storm will prevent snow and ice from bonding to the pavement. This buys time for the clean-up efforts. Hot Tip: Anti-icing is like frying eggs: grease the pan and the eggs come out easily with no mess to clean up. Like greasing the frying pan, the purpose of anti-icing is to keep snow from sticking to the pavement. Anti-icing provides safer pavement during the event and faster clean up after the event. Anti-icing requires about 1/4 the material and 1/10 the overall cost of deicing. ...
Winter Weather Protection
It’s a job that’s usually done in the worst of conditions — total darkness, or blinding snow, or a coating of ice, or all at the same time. And the stakes are high. Unlike some lawn and landscape services where aesthetics is a top priority, snow and ice management is all about safety. For contractors, all of this creates a lot of consternation — not only over the work itself, but also the liability that’s involved. Fortunately, there are things you can do — from carrying the right insurance to wording contracts correctly to keeping detailed records — that help minimize your exposure. Covering Up Mike Eisenhart, owner of Mike’s Professional Lawn Care in York, PA, says that a standard general liability policy is enough to cover his firm’s summer landscaping work. But when winter arrives, he adds an additional umbrella policy that covers the additional potential liabilities that come with providing snow and ice management services. “Our premium from November to April goes up a significant amount,” he says. But the potential risks that come from a possible lawsuit resulting from a slip-and-fall (or other incident) make it absolutely essential for contractors to carry substantial insurance coverage. And, Eisenhart points out, most commercial snow removal clients require that sort of coverage anyhow. In most cases, contractors in northern climates who work year-round should be able to endorse their existing landscaping policy to pick up coverage for snow and ice removal, explains Scott Young, director of small business underwriting at ...
Snow And Ice Services On The Horizon
By Phill Sexton Who in their right mind thinks of planning for winter in July? In my own career, I’ve learned by experience and from other professionals to consider July 5th the start of the winter planning season. For some “snow only” firms throughout North America, July might be considered a late start preparing for the next winter season. But, whether you are a “snow only” operator or a landscape or turf management company providing snow and ice services to a subset of your clientele, the standards for resource procurement, training, and preparation are the same. The Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA) has developed a timeline for winter operations, and their clients—typically facility managers and property managers. Utilizing this timeline (see opposite page) as an industry standard will help you to organize your sales and operational responsibilities into categories of focus. Setting Up Sales Renewals of existing contracts are best to initiate at the tail end of the existing snow season. Yes, a common reason for not doing this is: “My clients don’t want to talk about snow until later in the summer or in the fall.” This then gets pushed till the beginning of the next season. My experience has been when you initiate the renewal process at the end of the current season and give clients an incentive for renewing during that time period, more often than not it’s what the client wants. You simply need to have the confidence to do this. RFPs (requests for proposals) ...
