Ohio Turfgrass Conference, OSU Green Industry Short Course Are Dec. 5-8

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The 50th annual Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Conference and Show, which includes the 89th Ohio State University Green Industry Short Course, is Dec. 5-8 in Columbus.

Co-planner Amy Stone, director and educator in Ohio State University Extension’s Lucas County office, said the two events have provided nearly 140 years of educational training to the green industry. Combined, she said, “It’s like getting two conferences for the price of one.”

The event is for anyone connected to the green industry, Stone said. “If you work with plants from turf to trees, you’ll want to attend,” she said.

For professionals working with turf, trees and more

Included in the target audience are people involved with landscape design; landscape, lawn and tree care; nurseries and greenhouses; country clubs and golf courses; and park, city, college and cemetery horticulture programs.

“It’s also appropriate for students and OSU Extension volunteers,” said Julie Crook, also a co-planner of the event and horticulture program coordinator in OSU Extension’s Hamilton County office.

Scientists and specialists from Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences will teach a major portion of the short course. OSU Extension is the college’s statewide outreach arm.

Also giving education sessions — both as part of the short course and of the wider conference program — will be experts from industry; agencies; organizations such as the Toledo Mudhens baseball team, U.S. Golf Association, and Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden; and other universities including Cornell, Purdue, Penn State and North Carolina State.

Keynote by former Browns RB Earnest Byner

Of special note will be a keynote presentation by former Cleveland Browns running back Earnest Byner during the conference’s awards and scholarships session Dec. 6.

The short course will have tracks of sessions called Plant Health Care, Trees, Landscape Design, Landscape and Plant Selection and Maintenance, New and Emerging Ideas, and Marketing for the Green Industry.

The wider conference program also will have three daylong workshops on Dec. 5 — Trees on Tap, Advanced Turfgrass Insect and Insecticide Management, and Advanced Turfgrass Stress Management —and tracks of sessions running one to three days called Professional Lawn Service, Golf Turf Management, Sports Field Management, Turf Pest Management, Golf Equipment Managers and Assistant Superintendent Training.

Recertification credits available

A full list of all the conference’s education sessions is at otfshow.org/education/. Details on the recertification credits available for attending — from five organizations and for six states — are also at that link. “It’s a great opportunity to earn your credits before the end of the year,” Stone said.

Registration for the conference includes one-day and full conference options, individual and group options, and lower prices for members of the turfgrass foundation. All the prices will go up after Nov. 25. Details on all the prices and options are at otfshow.org/registration/.

A complete schedule is at otfshow.org/schedule/.

The conference is at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St., Columbus.

For more information, visit the event’s website at otfshow.org/home/.