Diamond Pro Red Infield Conditioner - Stockpile in Indianapolis

For those of you that are located in the greater Indianapolis area, there is a new material that may be useful as a topdressing on your baseball or softball field.  Diamond Pro Red Infield Conditioner is stockpiled in bulk in Indianapolis.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

A New Field for Southeastern University - Prepping the Site

Back to Southeastern University, home of the Southeastern Fire.

Once the field design and layout was determined for the field, the site was prepped.  The existing bermudagrass surface was removed with a Koro:

The outfield was graded with a conical laser at .5% and a swale was installed to facilitate moving the surface water from the field:

After the grading of the outfield and the swale were completed, the attention turned to the infield.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

A New Field for Southeastern University - Overall Site Plan

The first step of the new field at Southeastern University was to look at the site and determine how to "fit" a softball field into 55,000 sq. ft. footprint.  The proposed field was staked and measured:

The goal was to place the homeplate at the northwest corner of the lot.  To do this, a swale in the what will be LF will have to be moved to get to the ideal fence dimension of 200 ft.  Next, the plate has to be installed far enough off the property line to build future dugouts.  Lastly, the existing irrigation system will have to be adjusted and retrofitted to the new field dimensions.

More on the construction of the swale and the project later this week.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

A New Field for Southeastern University

For the past 6 weeks an exciting project has been taking place in Lakeland, FL.  The Southeastern University Fire softball program is in its first year of competition.  As a first year program, they did not have a field to practice or play games.  The plan, create a playing surface to conduct practices this spring and play games off campus.  The plan is to open the field for game competition in spring 2014.

Here is a look of the site before construction:

The site is an old grass areas that was used for overflow parking.

Look for additional posts as the SmartTurf Blog will detail the process of building a new field for a new program.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

Bermuda Grass in Early February - DePauw University

I stopped by DePauw early this morning, February 11, 2013.  Here are a couple photos of the playing surfaces:

1.  A blue/rye soccer/lacrosse practice field:

2. A Riviera Bermuda grass soccer competition field overseeded with 10 lbs of ryegrass/1,000 sq ft:

3. A Patriot Bermuda grass competition field hockey field overseeded with 20 lbs of ryegrass/1,000 sq ft: (Notice the orange lines, the field is currently in use.)

4.  Finally, a photo showing the "check" strip of non overseeded Bermuda:

Is Bermuda grass a viable option for your athletic field?

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer

High Silt Infields - Dusty When Dragging - Vol II

Do you have a high silt infield?  Can you barely see the person dragging the field?  You may have a high silt infield.

The following is a photo from Jim Bogart, Sales Rep at Tri Turf in Michigan.  Note: the operator is already off the ATV and the dust is still in the air:

Click HERE to learn more about Engineered Soil Technology.  

Click HERE to learn more about silt-to-clay ratio (SCR)

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!

--Jamie

The Oldest Tractor to Drag an Infield?

Here is my vote.  Do you have an older tractor?

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Happy Friday.

Play on!

--Jamie

@JamieMehringer

Plant City Stadium - From Reds Spring Training to Softball Complex

Spring Training is just around the corner.  What a good time to look a former home of the Cincinnati Reds.

While in Florida on business, I took the time to stop by Plant City Stadium.  The spring training home of the Cincinnati Reds from 1988 - 1997.  I must say, from the facility standpoint, not much has changed.  To see photos of the facility when the Reds were using the site for spring training, click HERE.  From a field standpoint, the fences have been moved for softball and the infields are now all infield mix.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Fay - hollowtreeimages.com

The old warning tracks still exist:

The four field complex is in good shape as well:

The old clubhouse, now it is home to the Parks Department:

As with anything in life, times change, and the facilities that teams used to train in the early ’90’s are nothing compared to the facilities today.  To see more information on the Reds current Spring Training home on Goodyear, AZ click HERE.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!

--Jamie

@JamieMehringer

An Afternoon in Salt Lake City - Utah Jazz and Salt Lake Bees

I had the opportunity to spend last Wednesday afternoon in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Brian Soukup, Head Groundskeeper, of the Salt Lake Bees was my tour guide.

First stop, Energy Solutions Arena, home of the Utah Jazz.  Here are a few photos of the facility:

Fans of Butler and Brownsburg basketball may recognize the young man on the marquee.

Next visit, Brian's home, Spring Mobile Ballpark, home of the Salt Lake Bees:

Spring Mobile Ballpark open in 1994, 2 years before Victory Field.  Do you think they look familiar?


Spring Mobile Ballpark:

Victory Field:

One interesting note.  Both the Jazz and the Bees are owned by the Larry Miller Group.  Due to this, and the fact that winters in Salt Lake City can be rather chilly, the ballpark is shut down for the winter and the front office moves to the arena.  In fact, all the water is shut off as part of the winterization process.  Here are a few photos of Brian's grounds shop, and his restroom facility for the winter.

Thanks again to Brian Soukup for the tour and the transportation to the airport.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie
@JamieMehringer