Thursday, October 13, 2011

Now, here's a scary tale.



It's not even Halloween yet, but...

With a little over two months remaining in the calendar I've already posted more than any other year. I also realize much of what I posted has been of a negative nature...Sorry.

Really, I'm an easy going guy who tries to enjoy life, but if you're in the lawn care industry you must admit, this year, more than any other in recent memory has had its trials and tribulations.

The truth is, the products that were unceremoniously dumped to the curb back on Earth Day 2009 were all approved by Health Canada and the PMRA. Why you ask? Because those products went through rigorous testing and approval before being deemed safe for public use. That's why they were assigned PCP numbers in the first place.

So why the 180?

Really doesn't matter the horse is gone, you can close the barn doors if you want. It won't make a difference, especially with McGuinty tending the farm.

I, like you, was brainwashed into thinking this was all for the greater good until I learned it affected an industry responsible for approximately 4% of all pesticides used. That the golf courses and the food we eat were still susceptible to the old school treatments. Read some of my earlier posts and you'll see this to be true, but now...I'm just angry and burnt out.

This year we were really shown the results of not having the proper tools to deal with infestations. With very little left to fight Chinch Bug they thrived in the heat and destroyed many a lawn this summer...ask any company out there.

It seemed that alergies were much worse this year than they've ever been and if you could monitor it, you'd probably find more children are suffering the ill effects of playing on, playgrounds, parks and lawns that are bare,insect-infested, hard as concrete, or pollen farms over-run with thistles, burdock, and various broadleaf than prior to the bylaw when the surface was padded with green grass.

The natural predators like birds and bats were down which left raccoons and skunks digging the hell out of the turf for...insert your grub name here.

You can argue nematodes all you want as an effective control but the fact remains, there are a lot of variables involved in this application: Expiration date, must be kept refrigerated until use, 2 hours to use the concentrate once mixed, must be watered into the lawn for 3 days, must be applied in cloud, rain or late in the day. Plus Sod webworm, white grub and letherjackets all require a different strain of nematode for full effect.

I tell you, I feel more like a circus sideshow juggler than a lawn guy with the amount of multitasking and split decisions I have to make.

Now I'm hearing that the the Ministry of the Environment and the powers that be are starting to get tougher with the 250 golf courses in Ontario. Apparently they've been abusing their right to still use pesticides by applying more than is necessary. But golf is big money and for now, they just pay the fines and do what ever they please.

Perhaps the politicians and big business need to find their fairways infested with one problem, or another so they can rethink this whole issue?...then again no. It's hard for for elected officials to admit they made a mistake...gas-fired power plant in Mississauga anyone?

Yet one day, the golf industry might find itself in the same position many lawn care companies deal with daily- trying to hit the hole from a sand trap. Fore!

To all my golfing friends, if this happens: Say goodbye to absolutes and hello to what ifs and maybes because they're coming for you next buddy. Good luck. You're going to need it.

Hearing no, seeing no, speaking no evil still makes it evil none-the-less.