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| We hope to help organize a training here in Colorado for landscape-maintenance and property-management professionals. Let us know if you’d like to be on our mailing list for that event and to receive other announcements geared toward professionals. If you’re interested, we welcome your participation in planning or sponsoring the event. |
For Landscape Professionals
Looking for a great business opportunity? As pesticides hit the news and our group becomes more active in Boulder County, we anticipate that local demand for organic lawn-care services will grow. Right now, we know of no full-service organic landscape-maintenance company in the area. It’s a business niche just waiting to be filled. And if you fill it, we'd be delighted to refer to you!
Why provide organic landscape management?
It’s an opportunity to expand your business. Think major grocery chains selling organic food, and big garbage companies providing recycling services.
It’s healthier for you and your staff. After all, who’s out there working with all those chemicals?
It’s better for your customers and the environment. You get to be a good guy, contributing to the health of kids, pets, and the planet.
A few tips: Don’t “just say no.” Maybe you’ve heard—or even uttered—this lament: “We tried organic, just like the customer wanted, but they didn’t like the results.” Don’t just stop using your chemical arsenal. Do a little research, and put an effective organic program in its place.
Go all the way. If you say you use integrated pest management (IPM) but often resort to the same old products in the end, you’re not really providing what the customer wants—and you risk earning a shady reputation. Beware of products that are advertised as less toxic or for use as part of an IPM program. Many of them are still plenty unhealthy—and unhelpful in the long run.
Understand what works. It’s not about substituting organic products for the ones you’re used to. It’s about changing your horticultural techniques to encourage healthy soil and healthy plants.
Educate your customers. Especially if you’re transitioning from chemical care to organic care, make sure your customers know that you’re not providing a quick fix. Let them know you’re taking a long-term approach that truly builds the health of their soil and their plants.
Know about the costs. Keep in mind that expenses decrease the longer you implement an organic program. The healthy soil and its microscopic inhabitants end up doing a lot of the work for you. Also, factor in the water savings that go along with organic turf management.
Do a little homework. It’s getting easier, with training and other resources becoming more available. See the resources below.
Let us know what you’re doing. If you implement an all-organic program, we’re eager to refer to you and mention you on our website!
Resources for Professionals
National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns
www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticidefreelawns/
You can order tapes from an online training recorded in the fall of 2006, $40 for municipal officials and $90 for professional landscapers. Go to their site and click on “Are You a Service Provider?” or go right to Basic Training in Organic Land Care. They also offer a national directory in which you can list your business.
Northeast Organic Farming Association Organic Land Care Project
www.organiclandcare.net/
Offers written materials, training, standards, and accreditation for professionals.
Grassroots Healthy Lawn Program
www.ghlp.org/
Offers training for professionals. Also offers a short introductory DVD for landscape professionals called “Growing Your Business the Natural Way” (also available through CPR—call or e-mail us).
Pesticides and Playing Fieldshttp://www.beyondpesticides.org/lawn/factsheets/PesticideandPlayingFieldsltrhead.pdf
The Living Lawn Project
www.livinglawn.org/organiclawncare4.html
See the links to resources on athletic turf and organic golf. |
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