On Saturday, Lavy put his turf and grass company on the auction block, officially shutting the doors on the business he and his father started in 1990.
Lavy’s customers were spread pretty evenly between residential builders, commercial builders and sports fields — none of which are drumming up much business with new construction.
“Companies can’t justify a golf course project when they’re laying people off,” he said.
Lavy’s situation is echoed across the country, said Kirk Hunter, head of the Turfgrass Producers International. Sod farmers are seeing an estimated 30 percent to 60 percent reduction in production and orders on average, Hunter said.
Most have had to diversify to survive.
Randy Tischer, of Green Velvet Sod Farm in Enon, said he didn’t know he was saving his business when he and his wife diversified into landscape and accessory products and services 20 years ago. “Back then all of our business was sod,” he said. “Now our turf and ornamental lawn products generate about 80 to 90 percent of our business.”
Demand for sod reached record demand during the mid-2000 building boom, Hunter said. It’s now at record lows.
“I don’t see it ever getting back to those numbers, but I think it will come back eventually,” he said. Lavy held out as long as he could. A year ago, he decided he would give up the turf business and turn his side businesses of fabricating and maintaining equipment into a full-time job.
Stimulus projects, such as new highways, have helped keep some sod farms in business, Lavy said.
“But when those projects end, I think a lot are wondering if 2011 will be their worst year ever,” Lavy said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0347 or kmori@coxohio.com.
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