My Biz: At Alburnett firm, it's in sod they trust

ALBURNETT — Mike Loan knows a thing or two about tending the perfect lawn.

As president of Blue Grass Enterprises, based in Alburnett, he has spent the last several decades taking care of the grass on some 400 acres of farmland.

Blue Grass Enterprises — which he owns with his wife Marilyn — sells two varieties of sod to customers all around the eastern half of the state.

The business' Kentucky blue grass 'Master Blend' product is what most homeowners and construction managers purchase. Sarah Nolte, Loan's daughter and business manager, called it 'the kind of grass you'd like to have a picnic on.'

Loan said people often 'broadly define grass seed as all the same, but there are 200 different Kentucky blue grasses,' which differ in color, height and growth patterns.

'There is an incredible amount of science that goes into this,' he added.

Blue Grass Enterprise's other product — called RTF — is a unique, durable turf best suited for athletic fields. The company is the only licensed dealer of RTF in this part of the state.

Although most customers are involved with new residential construction, the business serves other needs as well.

'Just this week we did a new home, a golf course, a new gas station and six semi-loads to a ball field in Des Moines,' Nolte said.

The business started on a farm in 1969. It was first located on land owned by Loan's mother, between Cedar Rapids and Palo. Loan took over operations in 1994 after his mom retired.

The flood of 2008 forced the business to move to higher ground.

'We looked for good flat land and this was a viable option,' Loan said. 'And this has been a good move as we have continued to grow.'

Loan said his family hadn't always planned on being in the sod business.

'We originally started with corn, beans, cattle and hogs,' he said. 'But we had a landscaper ask us to grow a few acres of sod as there weren't a lot places to get it back then. It started with a conversation, got a little bigger over time, and pretty soon sod took over the other parts of our farming. It wasn't a master plan.'

As the business grew, so did Blue Grass Enterprises' reputation. 'There is an incredible education component to this,' said Nolte, who added that she really enjoys talking and working with homeowners. 'I think we do a good job of giving information to our customers to help them make a decision to be the best steward of their lawn and property. And this is such a part of our family history that people ask us those lawn care questions.'

'I love hearing from people who say I've been trying to have a nice lawn for years and we are helping them with that now,' Loan said. 'It is satisfying to hear from customers and I share that with the crew too because that is why we work so hard.'

Nolte said the business, which employs nine others, harvests sod 'nine to nine and a half months a year.'

'We are constantly harvesting acres, replacing with cover crop and getting it ready to seed. We are never done picking or planting, it's a continuous process,' Loan added. 'But I am at my best if I am out in the field, mowing, spraying and fertilizing.'

'We keep our employees on year-round as we do a lot of our own maintenance of equipment because it's very specialized,' Loan said. 'But we also feel that if we want good employees we have to offer full time work with benefits to make a career out of it.'

AT A GLANCE

• Name: Mike Loan and Sarah Nolte 

• Title: President and Business Manager

• Company: Blue Grass Enterprises

• Address: 3965 C Ave. Ext., Alburnett

• Phone: (319) 842-2165

• Website:

  www.bgsod.com

Know a company in business for more than a year that would make an ideal My Biz? Contact Francie Williamson at francie.williamson@thegazette.com