From the Chair - KCB GA Autumn Reflection
Those who attended the Groundsmen sessions at the One Game Game Conference will have enjoyed the lively interchange on the Panel about worm treatment on cricket squares between those who prefer to eliminate the problem and those who endorse the recommended solution of deterring them! It was a thoroughly debate and a good conclusion to an excellent day!
You can find the grounds related resources from One Day, One Game on this link.
Hawkinge, Chislehurst and West Kent, Mereworth, Williamsonians and Kings Hill all undertook significant playing surface renovations using Contractors with other clubs like Betsham (pictured below) and Shooters Hill accomplishing in-house renovations to improve their pitches. (photos?) Gravesend CC have undertaken a significant research project with Jason Carr to assess some different pitch construction techniques and different loams.
The GA want to communicate more effectively and directly with club Groundsmen on issues that they may have particularly interest in rather than rely on the message being relayed through committee structures. To do this we need the e-mail contact for our Groundsmen and I would encourage you to add your to our KCB GA database! Email with the correct details.
The Groundsman's Association is planning its 2014 training programme and proposing to put on IoG Foundation Parts A &B courses Spring and Autumn and also considering the option for an Intermediate and Advanced course for Autumn 2014 if we can identify enough interest. We have also contributed to the pilot Young Leaders in Cricket programmes which have included an awareness of groundsmanship module! If you haven't accessed the ECB website and looked at the series of short videos on a number of groundsmanship techniques I recommend this as some Winter education!
The GA bulk buying group expanded again this year with loam, seed and fertiliser orders at lower prices than can be achieved individually. If clubs want to join this scheme please get in touch. For the first time we also arranged a machinery and equipment purchasing option to enable us to negotiate keener pricing!. From time to time we are informed of used machinery availability when clubs purchase new or replacement items and want to sell their older equipment on!
From recent European Turf Industry research it was also concluded that an area of well maintained fine turf has a greater potential for carbon sequestration than planting trees on the same area!! So do we conclude from this that our clubs and their grounds teams are helping to keep their communities alive and healthy by increasing oxygen generation and increasing the capture of carbon and mitigating climate change?
