The EarthWorks Podcast

The EarthWorks Podcast

The EarthWorks Podcast is a series of interviews and conversations hosted by many of the EarthWorks agronomists, featuring friends from the turf industry. Interviews include noted golf course superintendents, industry experts, agronomists and business people. These conversations are designed to inform and entertain. EarthWorks has been a leader in the discussion of Biological Soil Management and has been producing professional grade carbon based fertilizers for over 30 years. Each year over 15,000 soil tests are performed by the companies agronomists and all of this builds the focus of The EarthWorks Podcast. Please enjoy.

Episodes

The EW Podcast - Joel Simmons with Tim Kortanek - Managing Turf Under Extreme Pressure

July 10, 2025 • 63 mins
Herons Glen Golf & Country Club, located in the Fort Myers area of Florida, is a high-traffic public facility with over 55,000 rounds of golf played annually. That alone is a big responsibility for any golf course superintendent—but add in 1,300 homes around the property, all of which rely on the course's irrigation system, and the job becomes even more complex. That’s the daily reality for Tim Kortanek.

We met Tim last year at ...
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The EW Podcast - Jack Higgins with Dave Wood - Talking Turf & World Cup Soccer

July 3, 2025 • 33 mins
If you're looking to learn a methodical, consistent—and surprisingly peaceful—approach to greenkeeping, this episode is for you. Dave Wood gets the job done with a smile, and Stockton University's greenkeeping success has earned international recognition. After hosting Brazil’s CR Flamengo—one of the world’s most popular sports franchises—Stockton is now a sought-after training base for the 2026 World Cup in North America. You'll e...
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The EW Podcast - Kevin Hicks with Charlie Aubry - From Renovation to Tour Championship

June 26, 2025 • 59 mins
In this episode, Charlie Aubry, Director of Agronomy at East Lake, discusses his early career, East Lake’s renovation, and year-round preparation for the Tour Championship. He shares insights on turfgrass choices, design considerations, community involvement, and what makes the course’s conditioning world-class—plus some personal favorites in a lightning round.

Visit EarthWorks at:  https://www.earthworksturf.com
Podcasts: https://w...
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The EW Podcast - Jack Higgins Visits the Liberty Hall Museum to talk to Jeff Eckert, Megan Couch and Kayla Doyle

June 19, 2025 • 58 mins
On this episode of the EarthWorks Podcast, step back into the early days of the United States. We visit Liberty Hall Museum in Union, New Jersey, adjacent to Kean University and once home to a founding family, including a signer of the Constitution and the first elected governor of New Jersey. Kayla Doyle, Curator of Archives, sets the stage with historical context before Megan Couch, Assistant Director of Grounds, and Jeff Eckert,...
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The EW Podcast - Joel Simmons with Armen Suny - Leadership in Golf Today

June 12, 2025 • 66 mins
Armen Suny returns to the podcast, and once again, he delivers valuable insights that are essential listening for anyone in the golf industry. In this episode, Armen dives into current hiring trends and what clubs are truly looking for in today’s superintendents. He emphasizes the growing importance of leadership and why it's critical for professionals, especially those early in their careers, to invest in leadership training now.W...
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The EW Podcast - Kevin Hicks with Kirk Castner - Talking Turf Business!

June 5, 2025 • 55 mins
In this episode, Kirk Castner takes us through his journey from a sports-focused upbringing to a career in turf and agronomy. He shares how he transitioned from fieldwork to sales at EarthWorks, all while juggling work, family life, and earning two master’s degrees. The conversation explores the inner workings of product manufacturing, supply chain challenges—including the surprising ripple effects of bird flu—and the evolving land...
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The EW Podcast - Joel Simmons with Zac Ramey

May 29, 2025 • 62 mins
Biological soil management isn’t just theory—it’s real, and every now and then, we meet someone who proves it in remarkable ways. At a recent EarthWorks Academy in Greenville, South Carolina, we had the pleasure of meeting Zac Ramey, a young golf course superintendent with a powerful success story.

Zac introduced himself to Joel Simmons and shared how he transformed the soil profile at the Country Club of Spartanburg, where he serve...
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The EW Podcast - Kevin Hicks with Ryan Kuster

May 22, 2025 • 69 mins
Ryan Kuster of Ag Enterprise joins Kevin for an in-depth conversation on the future of sprayer technology. Together, they unpack the mechanics, precision, and innovation driving the evolution of modern turf sprayers. Ryan shares real-world insights and highlights some of Ag Enterprise’s most unique custom projects, offering a firsthand look at how cutting-edge technology is enhancing application accuracy and operational efficiency....
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The EW Podcast - Joel Simmons with John Reilly - Talking Organic Matter in Golf Greens

May 15, 2025 • 57 mins
John Reilly joins us to delve into the evolving topic of organic matter in golf greens. There’s been considerable discussion across the industry about how to best test organic matter, with new methods like the OM 2, 4, 6 tests gaining traction. Our key question for John was: Do these tests differentiate between beneficial and harmful organic matter?

Anyone familiar with John knows he’s one of the most data-driven superintendents in ...
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The EW Podcast - Jack Higgins with Jeremy Tredway

May 8, 2025 • 50 mins
We're coming to you from the hallowed athletic fields of LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Our guest, Jeremy Tredway—Director of Athletic Fields and Grounds at LSU—shares what it takes to manage 18 intensely active acres. A standout example: Alex Box Stadium, home to LSU Baseball, hosts an incredible 350 events each year. Jeremy dives into the challenges of maintaining overseeded ryegrass on Celebration Bermudagrass amid the region’s ...
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The EW Podcast - Joel Simmons with Keith Wood - Quail Hollow Goes All In for the PGA Championship

May 1, 2025 • 42 mins
The first rounds of the PGA Championship begin on May 15th, but the preparation to make it all happen started well over a year ago. That’s something Keith Wood, Director of Green and Grounds at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, knows all too well. He’s been at Quail Hollow for 10 years and has hosted a tournament every year, including the 2017 PGA Championship.

We talked about what it takes to set up an event of this s...
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The EW Podcast - Kevin Hicks with Zach Bauer & Dan Frederiksen

April 24, 2025 • 55 mins
Kevin interviews Zach Bauer, CGCS, and Dan Frederiksen, offering a compelling glimpse into the minds of two next-generation superintendents with distinct approaches. Dan champions data-driven precision, employing advanced sensors and analytics to inform his decisions. In contrast, Zach relies on intuition, experience, and real-time observation to guide his turf management.

Though their philosophies differ, both are united by a share...
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The EW Podcast - Jack Higgins and Joel Simmons - Shoot the Breeze About Their Favorite Topics

April 17, 2025 • 41 mins
Jack Higgins and Joel Simmons, two passionate agronomists, sat down and shot the breeze on some of their favorite topics. First up was the cold, wet spring that many areas of the country are battling—and one superintendent’s struggle to get his Zoysia grass to green up in the chilly conditions.

The conversation turned to rhizophagy, a fascinating and increasingly popular subject in the regenerative agriculture world. Rhizophagy refe...
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The EW Podcast - Jack Higgins with Olee Poole - Extreme DIY Lawn Enthusiast

April 10, 2025 • 34 mins
What a treat it was to walk and talk with Olee on what might be the most beautiful lawn in America. There are U.S. Open golf courses that would envy his uninterrupted, three-acre pure stand of turf-type tall fescue, mowed at a pristine 3.25 inches. As we strolled, Olee shared stories about soil building and broke down his annual fertilizer plan. He keeps it simple, stays consistent—and the results are out of this world!

Visit EarthW...
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The EW Podcast - Joel Simmons with Lawrence Mayhew - Insights on Soil Microbiology and Sodium Management

April 3, 2025 • 57 mins
Lawrence Mayhew, chemist extraordinaire, is back by popular demand! This time, we explored how microbiology helps buffer toxin buildup in soil, with a strong focus on managing sodium through the soil’s microbial biome. As expected, humic substances took center stage in our discussion with a world-renowned expert in the field. Lawrence broke down the physical and biological damage sodium can inflict on soil, reinforcing EarthWorks' ...
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The EW Podcast - Joel Simmons with Tom Barry - Managing Grounds and Growing Minds

March 27, 2025 • 61 mins
Golf course superintendents and sports field managers often dream of landing a great job as a grounds manager at a top school close to home. Tom Barry has been living that dream for over 12 years as the grounds manager at Greens Farms Academy in Westport, Connecticut.

Greens Farms Academy is a private PreK-12 school situated just off the Long Island Sound. Its 45-acre campus includes gardens, turf, athletic fields, and naturalized a...
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The EW Podcast - Joel Simmons with Kevin Cooper, Syngenta

March 20, 2025 • 62 mins
Kevin Cooper spent over 25 years as a golf course superintendent in Kentucky, Ohio, and Houston, Texas, where the weather was tough and growing grass was a challenge. A technical and data-driven professional, he holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, which positioned him well for his current role as a digital sales specialist at Syngenta.

His position is a new one at the company, and he is one of only four specialists—all former ...
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The EW Podcast - Joel Simmons & Kevin Hicks - New Trends in the Turf Industry

March 13, 2025 • 64 mins
This week’s EarthWorks Podcast features a lively conversation between EarthWorks agronomists Kevin Hicks and Joel Simmons. As always, they covered a lot of ground, focusing on key takeaways from this year’s trade shows and the latest industry buzz.

With the season ramping up, staying informed on emerging trends is essential. The discussion begins with how carbon-based fertility is reshaping the industry—from major synthetic fertiliz...
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The EW Podcast - Kevin Hicks with Jon Kiger

March 6, 2025 • 69 mins
In this engaging podcast interview, Jon Kiger shares his diverse background and his journey to becoming a key figure at TurfNet. From an early age, Jon was immersed in publicity and promotion—starting as a magician at age 12 and later developing a passion for media at Phillips Exeter Academy, where he managed the campus radio station. His experience in journalism and advertising shaped his approach to media sales and content creati...
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The EW Podcast - Jack Higgins with Matt Jones

February 27, 2025 • 41 mins
Matt was incredibly open in this interview, sharing great stories from Sylacauga to Skidaway Island. He grew up working on the farm at Farmstead, and since graduating college, he has spent the last 13 years with The Landings Golf & Athletic Club, working on every course.

He provides fascinating insights into the construction and regrassing of many of the club’s six courses. Matt also highlights how adding KVantage to his soil sp...
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