We have a group of very responsible and trained kids that mow our fields regularly.

PLEASE DO NOT USE THE MOWERS

Some of the mowers are trickier to use than you might think, especially the one at Pine Ridge now.

It doesn’t take much rain to make the field too wet to mow – especially at Howery.  These heavy mowers get stuck very easily.  

Last year we had a great deal of rain.  The field would be too wet to mow for a few days so people would show up and decide to mow the fields and often get the mowers stuck in the mud.  This can really tear up the fields and more harm than good!  We also had service issues, etc. 

The kids do a really good job of 1) mowing regularly and 2) keeping gas in the shed.  When others jump in and do additional mowing – the kids then show up and find the gas cans empty.

Please let them do their jobs.  Weather permitting, they get the job done consistently and without interfering with any practice slots.  (Which is pretty amazing, if you think of the amount of field use.)  If you find any issues with the grass cutting, please send note to your commissioners.

Finally, please try to put all the field equipment away in the shed (rakes, shoves and particularly the lime and lining equipment).   Don’t just stick them inside the door an block the mowers in.  We try to keep all the field equipment on one side and the mowers on the other side for reasonable access.

Field Care

Turface – the bags of “Turface” in the sheds are to be mixed in with dirt.  It works as a drying agent.  Do NOT put it in puddles of standing water!

Best procedure for helping with wet fields:

1.       Sweep out any standing water.  Generally, do NOT sweep into the grass, but rather sweep the water to other spots on the dirt.  When you sweep into the grass, the dirt goes with it and also produces those “lips” between dirt/grass.

2.       Once puddles are removed, raking helps the dirt dry quicker. 

3.       Add dirt to low spots using the shovels and wheelbarrows.  All fields have a “dirt box”.  We are getting these re-filled soon as we’ve gone through them quickly this year.

• Pine Ridge – behind the batting cages
• Howery – by the shed near entrance to the park
• Mick – behind home plate, on 1b side.

4.       When Turface is used, mix it in with dirt.

This past weekend, Turface was placed in standing water in the infield grass.  That is a waste of the Turface and will just kill the grass.

Any questions, please ask me.

Rick Elliott
Director of Facilities