Mike Harrell, Ph.D., had some pretty lofty career goals during his college years.
In those days, while attending the University of Florida, Harrell wanted to be a superintendent, then it was a golf course architect. It wasn't long before he realized he was not cut out for either.
"It was during an internship at a high-level golf course when I realized I wanted to go in another direction," he said. "I considered getting my master's degree in landscape architecture to design golf courses.
"I was going to go out and compete with the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer trying to design golf courses, so . . . what was the job market really going to be?"
When he puts it like that, the prospects don't sound so appealing.
It was by pure luck that another door opened for Harrell, one that has led to the start up of a private, independent research and testing farm in central Kentucky that has drawn the interest of turfgrass managers throughout the state who attend his annual field day as well as seed and chemical companies around the country who give him product to test in his research trials.
Started in 2005, the Southeastern Turfgrass Research Center is a 20-acre farm in Lexington where Harrell performs contract work for more than a dozen clients from various sections of the golf turf industry. Since then, he has evaluated more than 10,000 plots testing turf cultivars, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, plant growth regulators, fertilizers and biological products.
"The reason I use Mike is because that is an important part of the country for us," said Kyle Miller, senior technical specialist with BASF.
"We've been using Mike for almost 10 years now. We were one of the early ones. He started out doing a lot of seed work. That's how he started. We came in right after that."
A native of the Lexington area, Harrell attended the University of Florida, where he also earned a master's in turfgrass management when a fellow student who had been tapped for a post-graduate slot decided to enter the workforce instead.
"He was an older student and he had a family to support," Harrell said.
"That left a research assistant's position open, so I talked to Grady Miller about it. The deal was I'd go to school for two years and get my master's, and they would pay my tuition and give a stipend to live on. I thought it was an interesting opportunity that would give me additional experience if I wanted to pursue architecture later."
After serving as a graduate research assistant under Miller, now at North Carolina State, and earning his post-graduate degree, Harrell returned to Lexington to earn his doctorate under David Williams, Ph.D., at the University of Kentucky.
"That was home for me," he said. "And Dr. Williams was open to working on various golf-related projects."
After completing his Ph.D. work in 2005, Harrell learned that establishing a name and reputation as a researcher and consultant and earning the trust of industry vendors is a long, slow process, but he remained undaunted.
He bought a 10-acre tract on Lexington's east side in 2006 when money was falling off trees.
"How did I buy a farm then? Then, anyone could buy anything," he said. "A dog could get a 30-year mortgage."
He set about establishing his farm, which formerly was a tobacco farm, and reached out to Barenbrug for seed, convincing someone there that having their products associated with his soon-to-come herbicide trials would be of value. John Deere worked with him to supply irrigation heads and controllers back in the day when the company was still in that market.
A closed environment like a privately owned farm offers clients much more control over the trials in which their products are tested, Harrell said.
"Barenbrug agreed, and donated a bunch of seed to get the place started," he said.
"I've done enough work on sod farms and golf courses, and no matter how well you know someone there, as soon as you go out the gate, someone sprays something over your trial, or something happens to it," Harrell said. "I've had trials turned into construction sites. Things just happen when you're not in control of the site. I also wanted to demonstrate my commitment to this research to my clients. I wanted them to know this wasn't something I was doing between jobs. I wanted this to be a career.
"So much that goes into what we do, you need to be around it every day. If you are doing a disease trial, you need to know what is going on with water. You need to know what is going on with fertility. All of this is important if you're going to do a good job."
I was going to go out and compete with the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer trying to design golf courses, so . . . what was the job market really going to be?"
Acceptance from other companies, including basic manufacturers, seed companies, and distributors was slow but steady over the next several years.
He gained a reputation by conducting quality work that his customers could trust.
"I thought there has to be value in someone working more quickly and just doing research, while being responsive to customers."
Through the years, the only things he has had to buy are pieces of equipment, including walking greensmowers, a zero-turn mower, an old Ford tractor and pickup truck he found at an auto auction for $900.
"In the early days, a push mower, leaf rake and a shovel were the only things I had," he said.
By 2009, he doubled the size of his operation when he bought the 10-acre farm next door. By then, distributors were coming to him seeking information on combining products to enhance efficacy. That's another reason why BASF and so many other companies turn to him for information on their products.
"One of the things about a private cooperator, when we test new compounds before they go to market, a lot of times we need a secrecy agreement," BASF's Miller said. "If I go to a private company, it's a lot easier for him to scroll his name on the agreement, then he's the one who is responsible. When I go to a university and do something like that, golly you know how many people have to look at that and the lawyers? It takes forever."
This spring marked the third field day for golf course superintendents at Harrell's place. The event is consistently growing, and this year drew about 60 attendees. The event included product demonstrations from basic manufacturers of golf course chemicals, seed companies, equipment dealers, and distributors.
Harrell has a true affection for golf, and that comes out in his work and at his field day demonstrations.
"When I have my field day, I want my greens to be something superintendents see and are envious of, and it takes a lot of effort to do that," Harrell said. "It's an all day, everyday kind of thing.
"My yard at home doesn't look very good, but that's not my passion. I'd rather be out here. That's my passion."