Tag Archive for: Top

Suståne gets top marks from Farleigh School

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Suståne gets top marks from Farleigh School: More than a decade on from the switch to an organic feeding programme, the grounds team at Farleigh School in Hampshire are receiving more praise than ever before!

Staff, parents and pupils alike have cited how surfaces across the 70-acre site are providing consistent presentation and performance, despite the challenging climatic conditions, which Grounds Manager and Sports Coach Shaun Crowley attributes to the reliable results from 18-1-8+Fe and 5-2-4+Fe from Suståne.

Suståne gets top marks from Farleigh School

Suståne gets top marks from Farleigh School

“While we weren’t initially pressured to explore the organic route, it was something my predecessor and I were keen on – not just for the environmental benefits but considering the safety element for the children and the flexibility it provided on application rates. We have a packed schedule both during and between term-times so getting feed down without pupils around was challenging” explains Shaun, who has been Sports Coach at Farleigh School since 2011 and took over the role of Grounds Manager three years ago. “Russell Riley from Suståne came in 12 years ago and it became clear that as long as we could catch a bit of favourable weather, we would be able to apply the product more flexibly which has been a great benefit ever since.”

Starting on the cricket squares, before finding uses on the outfields and lawned areas, Shaun and his team of five have found the combination of 18-1-8+Fe and 5-2-4+Fe delivers exactly what they need – namely a kickstart in spring, followed by consistent health, colour and growth without flushes. “We’ll apply the 18-1-8+Fe when the temperatures rise, ideally March or April, to get the cricket surfaces ready for the summer season. We’ll then carry out three to four applications of the 5-2-4+Fe annually which we see as a ‘maintainer’, again on our cricket squares and on our Headmaster’s lawn area.”

Suståne 18-1-8+Fe is a two-part blend combining Suståne organic with urea nitrogen for enhanced and long-lasting colour, ideal for fine turf and sports turf applications, lawns and landscaping. Combining four forms of Nitrogen, including three types of slow-release, 18-1-8+Fe provides economical results over a 12-16 week period. 5-2-4+Fe is the original Suståne formula, providing a mix of nutrients for greater root development, increased soil porosity and stability and even colour and growth. Fully compostable, 5-2-4+Fe has also demonstrated outstanding disease suppression on wide variety of turfgrass diseases, including Red Thread, in trials.

“We know what we need from the Suståne products, we know when and where to apply them, and we know that they work. Russell is also a great person to have on the end of the phone. He pops in to make sure we’re on track and has given us some great advice for improving growth on some of our more problematic heavy-clay areas.” Shaun concludes, “I know it’s a phrase that gets used a lot, but these Suståne fertilisers do exactly what they say on the tin!”

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Heathland course on top form with ISEKI

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Heathland course on top form with ISEKI: Working hard to restore this beautiful heathland course back to its former glory, Ipswich Golf Club with its 9-hole and 18-hole courses just keeps getting better every year.

The driving force behind all this is Graham Brumpton, Course Manager who has dedicated his last 33 years to developing the course, gradually introducing heathland elements back and managing the woodland areas to allow the natural habitats to thrive.  With numerous industry awards for best environmental golf course and conservation greenkeeper, wildlife and environmental concerns are a high priority for the club.

Heathland course on top form with ISEKI

Heathland course on top form with ISEKI

With all these projects and constant renovation, Graham has a team of 9 staff to carefully nurture the golf course, and with that workload they require numerous pieces of machinery.  Their previous ISEKI tractor was in need of replacement after over 25 years of hard graft.  Another compact tractor with a higher horse power was required, so following demonstrations with different manufacturers the ISEKI TH5370 ticked all the boxes!

Graham explained; “What sold it for us was the versatility of the tractor, with the 1,200kg lift capacity, loader and 35hp high torque engine. We use the machine for so many jobs on the course include aerating, brushing the fairways and topdressing.  Another reason we particularly chose the TH5370 was for the width of the tractor itself, we needed a tractor to power the Pro-core and ensure there was no overlap, at 1.3m wide it was perfect for the job!

“Alongside powering the implements it is used for all greens work, towing the trailer to carry bunker sand and divot material around the course, then transporting the greens mowers to each hole. So versatilityand operator friendly with very intuitive controlswas important asthe whole team use the tractor.

“We have a long-standing relationship with our local dealer Ernest Doe Groundcare and ISEKI, however we always ensure we buy the right equipment for the course making sure we look across the marketplace, ISEKI were hands down the best option!”

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Turf Tank in top ten of Innovative Robotics

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Turf Tank in top ten of Innovative Robotics: This year’s list highlights the businesses at the forefront of their respective industries, paving the way for the innovations of tomorrow. These companies are setting the standard with some of the greatest accomplishments of the modern world.

In addition to the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, 540 organizations are recognized across 54 sectors and regions.

Turf Tank in top ten of Innovative Robotics

Turf Tank in top ten of Innovative Robotics

“It’s an honor for us to be recognized as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in 2023,” said Mikkel Jacobsen, CEO of Turf Tank. “Since Turf Tank launched in 2015, our robot has revolutionized the sports field-painting industry. We help turf managers around the world create professional fields, efficiently and cost effectively. Every day, we strive to push the boundaries of our technology. This recognition is a testament to our commitment to innovation and the dedication of our team around the world. We will continue to lead the charge in autonomous line marking technology. We are excited for the future.”

https://www.fastcompany.com/90849021/most-innovative-companies-robotics-2023

Turf Tank is the inventor of the world’s first autonomous, GPS-guided line-marking robot designed for painting athletic fields. To date, the company has more than 1,200 robots painting fields across the UK and the rest of the world with more than 1,600 globally, from schools and local authorities, to independent colleges and universities, Premier League, MLS teams, as well as NFL stadiums. The robot is controlled with a tablet, completely transforming the way turf managers paint their fields. One robot can paint a soccer field all by itself in less than 25 minutes, compared to traditional manual methods which require a team of two people up to two hours to paint the same field. With the time saved, the grounds crew is now free to focus on other important tasks around the fields which helps improve the overall quality of the facility.

Turf Tank continues to innovate with its next-generation line-marking software which enhances the robot’s usability and boosts the efficiency of the line marking process. The development of the new system was a result of years of communication with turf managers and aims to improve the overall user experience, enabling them to complete their tasks with greater speed and ease. By simply tapping a few buttons, the user can produce a professionally marked field that adheres to the regulations of different governing bodies. Additionally, the updated software provides turf managers with greater flexibility and complete control over every aspect of the line marking process, allowing them to customize the fields to suit the specific requirements of their organization, a feature never seen in the industry before.

Turf Tank in top ten of Innovative Robotics

Turf Tank in top ten of Innovative Robotics

The company achieved another significant breakthrough with the implementation of the text and logo functionality, which enables sports organizations to enhance their fields by incorporating robot-generated texts, messages, and logos. Previously, only large colleges and professional teams could afford this feature, but now, thanks to Turf Tank’s technology, even small sports clubs and local high schools can provide their fans with an exceptional sports experience. Players can now feel like they’re playing on professional fields, no matter the level of their play. The technology also allows organizations to promote local charities, raise awareness about community issues, and attract sponsorships

Fast Company’s editors and writers sought out the companies making the biggest strides around the globe. They also judged nominations received through their application process.

The World’s Most Innovative Companies is Fast Company’s signature franchise and one of its most highly anticipated editorial efforts of the year. It provides a firsthand look at the inspiring and innovative efforts of companies across all sectors of the economy.

“What a strange and thrilling year it has been to honor this year’s Most Innovative Companies. This year’s list compiles some of the most cutting-edge groundbreakers who are changing our world every single day, from legacy organizations like McDonald’s to upstarts like MrBeast and institutions such as NASA. Everyone on this list does something completely, uniquely different, yet, they all have one thing in common: innovation,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan.

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Foamstream gets top marks

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Foamstream gets top marks: What started as a new non-herbicidal weed-control solution for the school at which he is Principal, has become a venture all of its own for Pat Galvin after discovering the effectiveness of Foamstream!

A demonstration of the Foamstream system sealed the deal for Pat two years ago, and since then, he has established WeedItGreenIreland Ltd – carrying out non-chemical treatments of both weeds and moss for domestic and commercial customers across Leinster, Ireland.

Foamstream gets top marks

Foamstream gets top marks

Local distributors Furlong Equipment introduced Pat to Foamstream in his capacity as Principal of St Patrick BNS Portalington and after one trial, it went to the top of the class! “Here in Ireland, we have the ‘Green Schools’ initiative which promotes long-term, sustainable solutions to issues within the school and wider environment” explains Pat. “We had been looking for an alternative to chemicals, in particular Glyphosate, to treat weeds on our footpaths and flowerbeds. The demonstration of the Foamstream treatment killed the weeds instantly – we were so impressed, we purchased the L12 power unit straight away.”

Foamstream from Weedingtech is the world’s leading chemical-free weed treatment. Using the precise application of hot water insulated by a specially formulated organic foam, weeds – together with seeds and spores – are targeted, resulting in the death of the plant and reduced re-growth which in turn reduces the number of treatment cycles required per year. Research by the Agricultural University of Athens, and recently published in NewScientist magazine, found that

the efficacy of hot foam was comparable to that of glyphosate and outperformed other non-chemical alternatives.

“Soon after we purchased the L12 unit, word started to spread and we began getting enquiries for work from lots of other schools in the area so I set up WeedItGreenIreland with my son Daragh. We now have a mixture of clients on our books from schools to businesses, to residential properties who all want to tackle weeds in a way that is effective and safer for people and the environment. It’s effective on the whole spectrum of weeds, including Marestail which is notoriously difficult to treat.”

Pat continues, “Another great thing about this set-up is the versatility. The L12 system can also be used for other tasks such as high-pressure cleaning and lower pressure rinsing of furniture and play facilities.” The foam treatment itself is also versatile, able to treat both weeds and moss, and effective in all weather conditions. “We’re currently using Foamstream to combat moss on a stud farm and we can do this in all weathers and completely eliminate the moss in one treatment, without the use of any toxic chemicals that could harm the animals.”

“There are so many benefits to Foamstream and it is testament to the fantastic job it does that we’re as busy as we are!”

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‘Top notch’ says super at Echo Valley

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‘Top notch’ says super at Echo Valley: The Echo Valley Country Club has just completed installing the Capillary Bunkers liner on all of its 27 holes, and head superintendent Ryan Lux says he is delighted with the results.

Echo Valley was founded in the 1960s, and its initial eighteen holes were designed by architect Larry Packard. More recently, North Carolina-based architect Rick Robbins added the Ridge nine. But, according to Lux, the time had come to pay some attention to the course’s bunkers.

‘Top notch’ says super at Echo Valley

‘Top notch’ says super at Echo Valley

“Before we started this project, we had 76 bunkers on the property and maybe five per cent of them drained properly,” says. “It wasn’t the actual drainage tile – that was working fine – but layers of sand and silt were preventing the water getting into the drains in the first place. I had done some digging in our older bunkers, and the layering of silt, contamination and other stuff was obvious. Our labour costs were excrutiatingly high and it would take eight or nine guys three days to get the course back into condition after a significant weather event.”

Lux and the club management concluded that a bunker renovation, and the installation of a modern liner system, was needed, and after a review of the market, selected the Capillary Bunkers liner technology. “We figured our best bet was to do something that would last, and we really liked the ten year warranty that Capillary Bunkers offers – it gave us a lot of confidence in the technology,” he says. “Through talking with other people, we found that there were very few problems that people had had with it. We wanted it to be top-notch. We were going with the best sand we could find and we didn’t want contamination.”

The first nine holes, the Vale, was completed in October 2021. The second nine, the newer Ridge, started construction late this April and was done by mid-July. On the final nine, the Creek, Lux and his team decided to rebuild the bunkers completely; the work began in July and finished in October.

“Since doing the work, the improvement is huge, and obvious,” he says. “Before, the washing we were getting was just terrible. The worst weather we have had since has been three inches of rain in about nineteen house, and what I have seen is that we’re not repairing bunkers any more. Now, one guy can go out and it’s a half hour job to fix the bunkers. The liner system will pay itself over the life of the ten year guarantee, easily.”

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