The biggest barrier to hiring an agronomic consultant isn't the cost. It's the uncertainty. You don't know what happens after you make the call. Will there be a high-pressure pitch? A long proposal process? A contract you can't get out of? Will this person actually show up in July when your greens are struggling, or will they disappear after the sale?
I'm going to walk you through exactly what happens when you work with MidWest Turf Support, from first conversation to end of season. No mystery. If this sounds like the kind of partnership that would help your operation, call me. If it doesn't, at least you know what you'd be getting.
The first conversation
You call me, email me, or fill out the form on the site. I call you back, usually the same day, always within 24 hours. We talk for 15-20 minutes.
I ask about your facility, what you're managing, how many acres, what kind of grass, what your biggest headaches are right now. I ask about your current program, what products you're using, who your current distributor is, what's been working and what hasn't. I ask about your budget, not for a sales pitch, but because there's no point building a program you can't afford.
You ask me whatever you want. About my background, about how I work, about what I've seen on similar properties. There's no pitch deck. There's no "discovery call" structure. It's just two turf people talking.
At the end of the conversation, one of three things happens: I schedule a field visit, I point you toward a resource that might help you solve it on your own, or we both agree you don't need what I offer right now. All three outcomes are fine.
The field visit
I come to your property. This is the part I enjoy most because it's where the real information lives.
We walk it together. I'm not doing a clipboard audit. I'm looking at your turf, your soil, your drainage patterns, your traffic areas, your weak spots, and your strong spots. I'm also watching how you talk about your property. A superintendent who knows every wet spot, every microclimates, every quirk of their irrigation system tells me a lot about how to be useful to them.
I pull soil cores. Typically from greens (multiple locations), a representative tee or two, and at least one fairway. If you have specific problem areas, I pull from those too. The samples go through Ana-Lync analysis, comprehensive soil chemistry benchmarked against 30,000+ Midwest profiles.
I also look at what products are in your current program, what application rates you're running, and what your seasonal timing looks like. Not to criticize, to understand. Every program has logic behind it, even if the results aren't where you want them.
The field visit takes 2-3 hours, sometimes longer on larger properties. There's no charge for this visit. I'm investing my time to understand your operation because that's the only way I can give you a recommendation that's worth anything.
The soil analysis and recommendation
Within 2-3 weeks of the field visit, you get a complete Ana-Lync soil analysis report. This includes pH, CEC, organic matter percentage, base saturation (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, hydrogen), micronutrient levels, and soil texture data. Every parameter is benchmarked against the Midwest database, so you can see exactly where your soil falls relative to similar properties in Iowa.
Alongside the analysis, I deliver my program recommendation. This isn't a one-page summary. It's a detailed, seasonal agronomic plan that covers fertility, plant protection, soil amendments, and cultural practices, calibrated to your specific soil chemistry, your grass types, your problem areas, and your budget.
Here's what it typically addresses: what to keep from your current program (and why), what to change (and why), what to add (and why), and what to cut (and why). Every recommendation ties back to the soil data. Nothing is "because I said so" or "because that's what we usually do." If I recommend a product or practice, you can trace it to a specific soil parameter.
We go through the recommendation together, either in person or on a video call, depending on your preference. I walk you through every section, answer your questions, and adjust based on your feedback. This is your program, not mine. I provide the data and the expertise. You make the decisions.
The program in action
Once you approve the plan, we source the products. I carry Floratine, Ceres Turf, TurfMend, and RightLine USA, which covers the majority of what most programs need. For products outside my line, I help you source competitively and can recommend alternatives I trust.
Products are delivered on a schedule that matches your application windows. I don't front-load inventory, you get what you need when you need it, so your storage isn't cluttered and your cash flow isn't tied up in product sitting on a shelf.
Throughout the season, I'm available. Here's what that actually means:
Monthly check-ins. I call to see how things are going. Are the greens responding? Is the fertility program tracking where we expected? Any new issues? These aren't sales calls. They're program management calls.
Mid-season adjustments. Iowa weather doesn't follow a plan. When July hits 95 degrees for two weeks straight, or when an unexpected wet period creates disease pressure, the program needs to adjust. I help you decide what to move, what to pull forward, and what to delay. This is the part that separates a consultative partner from a distributor, the ability to respond to real-time conditions, not just stick to a plan written in February.
On-site visits during critical periods. I don't just show up in spring when I'm selling the program and disappear until fall. If your greens are stressed in August, I'm there. If you're seeing something unusual after an application, I come look at it. If you need a second set of eyes before a tournament or a big event, I'm available. This is the "I'm here in July when it matters" part. It's not a tagline, it's how I operate.
Phone and text availability. You have my cell number. When you call, I answer or call you back quickly. When you text me a photo of something you're seeing on your course, I give you my read on it. There's no support ticket, no queue, no "someone will get back to you within 2 business days."
End of season
In late October or November, after the last mow and before the ground freezes, we do a season review. What worked, what didn't, what surprised us, and what we'd do differently next year. I pull fresh soil samples to see how the chemistry shifted over the season, did the calcium program move the needle? Did organic matter change? Is pH tracking in the right direction?
Based on the updated soil data and the season's performance, we build the plan for next year. Programs that are performing well need smaller adjustments. Programs in their first year might need bigger shifts. Either way, next year's plan is grounded in current data, not recycled from the year before.
If you want to take advantage of early-order pricing on products, and most manufacturers offer meaningful discounts for early commitments, we plan that during the fall review so you can lock in pricing before December deadlines.
What this costs
I covered this in detail in my article on turf program costs, but the short version: the agronomic consulting and program design are included in the partnership. You don't pay a separate consulting fee. The products are competitively priced. I'm not a premium distributor charging a 40% markup for the privilege of advice. The advice comes with the relationship.
My revenue comes from product sales, the same as any distributor. The difference is that I'm only recommending products your soil data says you need. If that means a smaller order than a volume-focused distributor would push, that's fine. I'd rather sell you the right $80,000 program and keep you as a client for ten years than sell you a $120,000 program and lose you in two.
What this doesn't include
I want to be clear about what I'm not. I'm not a spray technician, I don't apply product for you. I don't manage your crew. I don't handle your irrigation scheduling, your mowing program, or your bunker maintenance. I'm an agronomic consultant and product partner. I tell you what to apply, when, and why. Your team handles the execution.
I also don't carry every product on the market. My portfolio covers the major categories, foliar nutrition, soil health, plant protection, recovery products, but if you need a specialty item I don't stock, I'll tell you where to get it and who to call. I'm not going to pretend I have something I don't.
How long does this take to show results?
You'll see some changes within the first 30-60 days, especially if we're correcting obvious waste in the current program. A lot of superintendents notice the difference in their budget before they notice it in their turf.
The real agronomic improvements, better soil structure, deeper rooting, reduced disease pressure, more resilient turf under stress, take a full season to develop. If we start in spring, you'll see meaningful differences by the following spring. Programs that include soil chemistry corrections (calcium, sodium displacement, pH adjustment) take 12-18 months for the full effect.
This is not a quick fix. It's a foundation. The payoff is cumulative, year two is better than year one, year three is better than year two, and by year four you're maintaining a healthier property at a lower cost than where you started.
If this sounds like what you need
Call me. That's how every relationship starts, with a conversation. I'll ask about your operation, you'll ask about my approach, and we'll figure out together whether this is a good fit.
If it is, I'll come out, look at it with you, and show you what the soil says. If it's not, I'll tell you that too. Either way, you'll know more about your turf program after one conversation than you did before.
Tim Sims
515-493-9077
tim@midwestturfsupport.com
MidWest Turf Support, Waukee, Iowa