#166 - The Championship Turf

[00:00:00] Good morning, good day, good afternoon, good evening, good Friday, good Monday, Tuesday,

[00:00:17] Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, whenever, the time or day it is that you are

[00:00:23] listening to this whatever year, whatever universe.

[00:00:26] Welcome to The Sprinkler Nerd Show.

[00:00:28] I'm your host Andy Humphrey and before we get into today's musing titled The Championship.

[00:00:36] To turf a tale of precision and care, let's first two things.

[00:00:42] Let's first define amusing, not amusing like being entertained or funny however maybe this

[00:00:50] is amusing.

[00:00:53] What I mean is the word amusing.

[00:00:57] People have mentioned this to me before that sometimes The Sprinkler Nerd Show is kind

[00:01:01] of like the what's an Andy's mind and they've referred to the show as Andy's musings.

[00:01:11] So I'd like to share amusing with you today but before I do that I needed to look up the

[00:01:16] definition of amusing because I think I know, I thought I knew what it meant and I was

[00:01:21] close but I have it right here so let's talk about amusing.

[00:01:26] The term musing conveys a thoughtful, reflective form of discussion or storytelling often exploring

[00:01:34] deeper insights or philosophical ideas in an engaging way.

[00:01:40] So there you have it.

[00:01:41] Today I'm going to share a, it's funny when you put the word, put the letter A or the

[00:01:46] word A in front of musing it sounds like amusing.

[00:01:49] Today I'm going to share with you another musing which should be interesting and as

[00:01:56] the definition says thoughtful perhaps philosophical and perhaps in an engaging way.

[00:02:02] So before I share that with you, I would also like to share a little story about a simple

[00:02:09] device I have in a house plant in my kitchen.

[00:02:15] You can probably guess what the device is.

[00:02:18] Drum roll please.

[00:02:20] The device is a soil moisture sensor.

[00:02:23] I actually have two soil moisture sensors in this particular pot.

[00:02:27] I'll explain the reason here in just a moment but the sensor that I would recommend everybody

[00:02:32] go by because it's a great little teaching tool if you will.

[00:02:37] It's called quench.

[00:02:38] Just Google quench.

[00:02:39] I'll put a link down in the description on this episode.

[00:02:45] Quench is a remarkably simple, practical and helpful soil moisture sensor that you

[00:02:52] can stick in any house plant.

[00:02:54] It's designed for house plants.

[00:02:55] It's not an outdoor rated device and it's also not a connected device.

[00:03:00] And so I think there's something interesting about technology because we assume everything

[00:03:06] needs to be connected in order to be quote smart, quote useful, etc.

[00:03:12] And the way this little soil moisture sensor is designed to work is it just makes a small

[00:03:18] noise that you can almost not hear until you go, what's that noise?

[00:03:23] My wife will say your plant is chirping again.

[00:03:27] It makes a little chirp sound and if I have, I may have one saved on my phone.

[00:03:34] If I do, I will cut it in right here and just let you hear the noise.

[00:03:40] But it's quite enough where you don't notice it until you notice it.

[00:03:45] And then you simply water your plant.

[00:03:47] So you stick the little quench sensor in the pot, you water it and then you just wait.

[00:03:52] You don't water the pot again until you hear the quench chirp.

[00:03:58] And what's nice about this as a teaching tool is that if you think about would there

[00:04:03] be another device that would be better suited to tell me when it's time to water my plant?

[00:04:11] Would there be a better device?

[00:04:12] And we'll talk about this here in my amusing in a moment.

[00:04:16] However, the best tool to determine when it is time to water your house plants would be

[00:04:24] something you would stick in the soil to tell you when the plant is dry.

[00:04:28] How simple is that?

[00:04:30] You put a tool, a sensor in the pot.

[00:04:34] When the pot is dry, the sensor makes a chirp.

[00:04:38] Now you know it is time to water the plant.

[00:04:40] It cannot get any simpler than that easier and clear.

[00:04:44] It makes sense.

[00:04:47] So how could we take that concept and apply it outdoors?

[00:04:51] I'll let you answer that.

[00:04:53] I just want to make that analogy.

[00:04:55] Something so simple like that that works great indoors that can tell us when it's time

[00:04:58] to water the plant.

[00:05:01] Could something like that could work outdoors.

[00:05:03] So the reason I have two soil moisture sensors in the pot is because I wanted

[00:05:09] to see and learn if the quench sensor was chirping at exactly the same soil moisture level each

[00:05:20] time.

[00:05:21] Because the device isn't connected, I can't look at the data.

[00:05:24] I can't see the data.

[00:05:25] I can't track the data over time.

[00:05:28] So I put one of our development sensors in the pot next to the quench and I've been

[00:05:34] tracking it over time for about a month.

[00:05:38] And every time the quench chirps, it is about within 1% one volumetric moisture percent each

[00:05:48] time.

[00:05:49] So everything I can see right now is that yes, it comes on at the same time as compared

[00:05:56] to a digital connected sensor that I have right next to it.

[00:06:00] So that's a little experiment I've been running and my suggestion just as a fun tool for your

[00:06:05] house to learn and mess around with is the little quench sensor.

[00:06:10] They're not inexpensive.

[00:06:12] It's not a $2 device.

[00:06:13] It might be 20 bucks and maybe you can get a pack of five at a discount, something like

[00:06:19] that.

[00:06:20] But I would just highly recommend it because it really is a good way to connect indoor

[00:06:23] watering to how we might be able to apply a similar technique outdoors.

[00:06:29] And with that, let's roll the intro and then I'll get into today's amusing titled The

[00:06:34] Championship Turf, A Tale of Precision and Care.

[00:06:45] If you are an irrigation professional, old or new, who designs, installs or maintains

[00:06:51] high end residential commercial or municipal properties and you want to use technology

[00:06:56] to improve your business to get a leg up on your competition, even if you're an old school

[00:07:01] irrigator from the days of hydraulic systems.

[00:07:04] This show is for you.

[00:07:08] The Championship Turf, A Tale of Precision and Care.

[00:07:13] In the bustling town of Riverview where sports were the heartbeat of the community,

[00:07:19] there lay a sprawling athletic sports complex known as Champions Field.

[00:07:24] This complex wasn't just any sports venue, it boasted some of the most meticulously maintained

[00:07:31] turf grass that athletes had ever competed on.

[00:07:36] The secret to the pristine fields lay in the hands of two sophisticated tools, Wesley,

[00:07:42] the weather station and Sam, the soil moisture sensor.

[00:07:46] Wesley was perched on top of a tall post overlooking the fields with a village in eye.

[00:07:52] His primary task was to monitor the environmental conditions, specifically evapotranspiration

[00:07:57] rates that influence how much water the turf lost to the atmosphere.

[00:08:03] With a plethora of sensors and a sophisticated algorithm, Wesley could predict water needs

[00:08:08] for days ahead, ensuring that the groundskeepers were always one step ahead of the weather.

[00:08:15] Nestled beneath the surface, the lush green turf was Sam, who kept a low profile but played

[00:08:22] an equally crucial role.

[00:08:24] Sam's world was the root zone of the turf grass where he continuously monitored the

[00:08:30] moisture levels.

[00:08:32] His precise readings were vital, especially right before the big games, to ensure that

[00:08:38] the turf was neither too dry, risking injuries to players and damage to the grass, nor

[00:08:44] too wet, which could lead to slips and poor playing conditions.

[00:08:48] The harmony between Wesley and Sam was critical, especially during the sports season.

[00:08:55] Wesley's data helped plan the watering schedules, but it was Sam's real-time readings that

[00:09:01] often dictated immediate actions.

[00:09:04] For instance, on a day leading up to an important football match, Wesley might

[00:09:10] suggest a lighter irrigation based on a cool, cloudy forecast.

[00:09:14] However, if Sam detected that the moisture was lower than ideal, the irrigation system

[00:09:21] could be adjusted to deliver just the right amount of water, ensuring the turf was an

[00:09:27] optimal condition when game day arrived.

[00:09:31] The groundskeepers at Champions Field relied heavily on the data from both tools.

[00:09:38] They had a central command center where Wesley's forecasts and Sam's readings were displayed

[00:09:43] on big screens, allowing for quick decisions.

[00:09:47] This setup not only conserved water, but also ensured that the turf grass was always game-ready,

[00:09:56] providing a safe and competitive environment for all the athletes.

[00:10:01] Throughout the seasons, Champions Field hosted numerous events from soccer tournaments

[00:10:06] to track meets.

[00:10:08] Athletes often remarked on the exceptional quality of the turf, noting how it enhanced

[00:10:14] their performance and reduced injury risks.

[00:10:17] This reputation made Riverview a preferred venue for major sporting events drawing teams

[00:10:22] and fans from across the region.

[00:10:25] One memorable event was the National College Soccer Championship held on a particularly

[00:10:31] hot and dry weekend.

[00:10:34] Thanks to Wesley's accurate weather predictions and Sam's diligent moisture tracking, the groundskeepers

[00:10:41] were able to implement a tailored watering program that maintained the turf's resilience

[00:10:46] and vibrancy throughout the event.

[00:10:49] The championship went off without a hitch with players and coaches praising the excellent

[00:10:54] condition of the field.

[00:10:57] Through the story of Champions Field, we see how tools, when used in their ideal applications,

[00:11:03] can achieve results that not only meet but exceed expectations.

[00:11:09] Just as in any field, but in agriculture or athletics, the right technical tools like Wesley

[00:11:17] the Weather Station and Sam the Soil Moisture Sensor can make all the difference, turning

[00:11:22] a regular turf into a championship-grade playing field.

[00:11:28] Chapter 2 The Power of And

[00:11:32] The power of and at Champions Field.

[00:11:36] This is key guys, pay attention to this.

[00:11:38] I think it's really, really probably the number one thing you can do is to remind yourself

[00:11:45] and think about the power of and.

[00:11:49] As the seasons changed and Champions Field continued to flourish, the complex became

[00:11:55] a beacon of innovation and teamwork.

[00:11:58] Not just in sports but also in the way it was maintained.

[00:12:02] The success of the field was often attributed to the harmonious use of both Wesley the Weather

[00:12:09] Station and Sam the Soil Moisture Sensor.

[00:12:13] This collaboration illustrated the powerful concept of and, where the integration of

[00:12:20] multiple tools led to outcomes far superior than any single tool could achieve alone.

[00:12:28] The and philosophy at Champions Field became particularly evident during an exceptionally

[00:12:36] challenging season.

[00:12:37] The weather was erratic, unpredictable bursts of rain followed by prolonged dry spells.

[00:12:44] The old approach of relying solely on predictable patterns was insufficient under these new

[00:12:50] conditions.

[00:12:52] It was during this time that the grounds keeping team led by veteran manager Tom Harrison decided

[00:12:59] to fully embrace the and philosophy, not choosing between Wesley the Weather Station

[00:13:06] or Sam the Soil Moisture Sensor but aligning their strengths to tackle the challenges

[00:13:12] ahead.

[00:13:14] Tom organized a series of strategic meetings where data from both Wesley and Sam were

[00:13:20] analyzed in tandem.

[00:13:22] Wesley provided the broader climatic trends which included not just predictions of rain

[00:13:28] or sunshine but also detailed reports on humidity, wind and solar radiation all of which

[00:13:36] affected the turf's evapotranspiration rates.

[00:13:40] Meanwhile Sam offered a granular view of the soil's current state providing data

[00:13:46] that was critical for making immediate real-time adjustments.

[00:13:51] This dual approach allowed the team to create a dynamic irrigation schedule that adopted

[00:13:57] to both the predicted conditions and the real-time needs of the turf.

[00:14:03] When Wesley indicated a week of high sun exposure and low rainfall, the team planned

[00:14:10] increased irrigation to compensate.

[00:14:13] However, if Sam reported adequate moisture levels in the soil before these adjustments

[00:14:18] were made, the watering could be scaled back conserving water while still maintaining perfect

[00:14:25] playing conditions.

[00:14:27] The power of and was not just about using both tools but understanding how their inputs

[00:14:35] complemented each other to create a holistic management strategy.

[00:14:40] This strategy was put to the test during the High Stakes Regional Athletic Championship.

[00:14:46] Just two days before the event, an unexpected heat wave hit Riverview, putting potential

[00:14:51] stress on the turf and the athletes.

[00:14:55] Thanks to the combined insights of Wesley and Sam, the groundskeeping team implemented

[00:14:59] a preemptive cooling protocol for the turf.

[00:15:02] They adjusted the irrigation times to early morning and late evenings, reducing evaporation

[00:15:07] and maximizing water absorption.

[00:15:10] Wesley's forecasts ensured that the water was applied just before the coolest parts of

[00:15:14] the day, while Sam's moisture tracking confirmed that the soil retention optimal

[00:15:19] moisture levels throughout the event.

[00:15:22] The championship was a resounding success with record-breaking performances and minimal

[00:15:26] disruptions.

[00:15:28] Coaches and athletes crazed the condition of the turf, noting how it remained resilient

[00:15:32] and supportive despite the heat wave.

[00:15:35] The success underlined a crucial lesson for the team at championships field.

[00:15:41] The best results come from not having to choose between one valuable resource or another, but

[00:15:47] leveraging every available tool in concert.

[00:15:52] The story of Champions Field is a testament to the idea that embracing the and philosophy

[00:15:59] can lead to exceptional outcomes in any field by moving beyond binary choices and fostering

[00:16:07] an environment where multiple solutions coexist and complement each other.

[00:16:13] Any team can achieve more than what seems possible, creating a winning strategy on and

[00:16:19] off the field.

[00:16:22] As the Tale of Champions illustrates, the synergy between Wesley the Weather Station

[00:16:27] and Sam the Soil Moisture Sensor was not just a story about maintaining turf.

[00:16:33] It is a powerful metaphor for decision making in business and in your daily life.

[00:16:39] Often we find ourselves facing choices that seem to demand one solution or another, or

[00:16:48] one solution over another.

[00:16:51] However, the concept of and encourages us to hold two seemingly conflicting thoughts or

[00:16:58] strategies simultaneously exploring the strengths and potential of each.

[00:17:05] In the professional sphere, this might mean balancing cost efficiency with quality or

[00:17:11] innovation with reliability.

[00:17:14] In personal decisions, it might look like weighing immediate pleasures against long-term

[00:17:19] benefits.

[00:17:21] The challenge lies in not defaulting to an easier either or mindset but embracing the complexity

[00:17:28] and richness of the and.

[00:17:31] The dual approach at Champions Field taught the team to adapt and thrive in changing

[00:17:38] conditions by integrating diverse data strategies.

[00:17:42] Similarly, in business and life, combining different viewpoints and solutions can lead

[00:17:48] to more robust and flexible strategies.

[00:17:51] This doesn't mean compromising between two points but rather synthesizing them in a way

[00:17:57] that leverages the best of both worlds.

[00:18:00] For instance, consider the entrepreneur who must choose between investing in growth

[00:18:07] or solidifying the current operations.

[00:18:11] By applying the and philosophy, they might find a strategy that allows for gradual expansion

[00:18:17] while strengthening existing processes, thus securing stability as they grow.

[00:18:23] In our daily lives, embracing and might mean learning to balance work and personal

[00:18:31] life, not sacrificing one for the other but finding ways to enrich both.

[00:18:37] They could mean engaging in healthy debate with friends or colleagues, valuing their

[00:18:42] different perspectives as much as your own, leading to deeper understanding and more

[00:18:47] innovative solutions.

[00:18:49] This approach is not without challenges, holding two opposing ideas in your mind

[00:18:55] at the same time and giving them equal consideration is an exercise in mental flexibility and

[00:19:01] openness.

[00:19:03] It requires patience, empathy and a willingness to venture into the complex space where innovative

[00:19:10] solutions live.

[00:19:11] Yet, the rewards can be significant leading to outcomes that might never be reached through

[00:19:16] conventional thinking.

[00:19:19] As you navigate the complexities of your own professional and personal life, consider

[00:19:24] the lessons from champions field.

[00:19:28] Notice the power of and, allowing yourself to see beyond binary choices.

[00:19:35] Explore the potential that lies in the harmony of combining different tools, different thoughts

[00:19:41] and different viewpoints.

[00:19:43] This might be challenging but it is precisely in these challenges that the greatest opportunities

[00:19:49] for success and fulfillment are found.

[00:19:53] Sometimes the answer isn't a weather station or an evapotranspiration or soil moisture sensors.

[00:20:00] It's not one or the other, it's not which one is better, it's not binary.

[00:20:06] Encourage you to think of both of them at the same time and what each tool is better

[00:20:14] designed to do.

[00:20:16] What can a weather station provide you with?

[00:20:19] What can a soil moisture sensor provide you with?

[00:20:22] Can you use them both at the same time to solve different problems?

[00:20:28] So I hope you enjoyed that musing today my friends.

[00:20:33] The musing at the championship turf.

[00:20:37] A tale of precision and care and the philosophy of the and.

[00:20:43] So that's all we have today for Storytime.

[00:20:46] I hope you all have an amazing weekend.

[00:20:49] Find something fun to do and now I'm out of words.

[00:20:55] Okay, out of words.

[00:20:57] That's it time to wrap it up.

[00:20:59] Okay, see you guys.

[00:21:00] Bye bye.

[00:21:01] Ciao ciao.

[00:21:02] Later on.