5/25/2021 - By Scott Parker

The Spring of 2021 has certainly been one to remember. It’s nice to see many things opening back up, kids going back to school, people traveling around for work and personal trips, and our world striving to get back to some form of normalcy. But it will take time. When an economy all but shuts down for a year, the transition back to where it once was is very difficult, if not impossible. We all know the struggles every industry is having, but I wanted to focus on a few things that our industry, and Harrell’s®, are facing and finding a way to overcome.

Labor has been the biggest hurdle, I believe, for most of the turf industry. I know many golf courses, lawn care/landscape companies, and ornamental growers who have all had a hard time finding labor. Superintendents have to find creative ways to attract workers and even then, have to pay considerably more than budgeted. Freight and trucking have been in extremely high demand throughout the pandemic and still is, now more than ever. With so many people working from home and still not getting out like they used to, the demand for commerce is through the roof. With these issues going on, demand for golf, manicured lawns, and landscape ornamentals is higher than ever!

Though these changes and current issues seem daunting, we at Harrell’s are proactively working to meet them head on. We are making our services even more accessible than they already are, to continue providing you with the exceptional service you need, even as changes occur. With our customers need for labor:

• We plan on adding even more resources to help you apply and custom apply our POLYON® controlled-release fertilizer.
• We are investing in Adams Spreaders in multiple locations, as well as custom application trucks.
• We our adding new warehouse facilities across the country to cut down on travel time for delivery and be more readily available to service you.
• We are working with our vendors to keep adequate inventory of all products to service you.
• We are also finding ways to work with you, our valued customers, to get products in your hands before the growing season. To avoid any delays.

Change is always scary and there may be hurdles along the way. But when we embrace change, it provides healthy and sustainable growth. I am super excited for our industry, our customers, and the employee-owners of Harrell’s as we are all headed in a very positive direction. Our customers are some of the most innovative professionals I’ve ever known, and I look forward to watching you grow and prosper through these times of change!