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In the last issue of Water Garden News they did an article on the 10 people that were “Pond Industry Pioneers Make a Difference”. Now we may or may not agree with their list of the top ten, but that is what they saw as the top ten. What you may not know is that they put together a lot larger list of names. These other names did not get published in the magazine, but they did publish them on the web. Two IPPCA members made that list and I want to congratulate them along with all the others that made the list. The following is what Water Garden News had to say about both. “Rocke Huntington, International Professional Pond Contractors Association president, helped launch the organization.” “Dave A. Jones, International Professional Pond Contractors Association chairman of the board and president of The Pond Professional, continually works to establish uniform pond-building standards for the industry.” The interesting thing about Rocke’ and Dave making the list, is that they are the only ones to make the list for their work with a not for profit Trade Association and giving back to the pond and waterscape industry. As a member and Senior Vice President of the IPPCA, I am proud to be associated with an Association that is recognized by Water Garden News as pioneers that have made a difference in the pond and waterscape industry. Mike White Senior Vice President IPPCA Full Article

These are the words of Charles Dickens, written in 1859, 150 years ago – “A Tale of Two Cities.” It’s a story of the French Revolution, but it is also appropriate today; “It is the best of times and it is the worst of times. It is the age of wisdom and it is the age of foolishness. It is the epic of beliefs and it is the epic disbeliefs. It is the season of light and it is the season of the dark. It is the spring of hope and it is the winter of despair. And we have before us all things, and we have nothing at all”. We have never been here before, at this point in business or socially…. I will reach into another prospective for a quote from an entity known as Tobias; “We have nothing at the table, because we tend to go back in history and back into time to pull what we have learned before and bring it to the table in times of despair and challenge. But they won’t work. They aren’t valid anymore. Nobody really knows. So we have nothing at the table, at least from our past. Everything that is at the table right now-all the gifts and abundance and the tools and the wisdom and the hope – come from the new, come from our selves’. It is difficult to see at times, because it doesn’t look like the past. It doesn’t work like the past. It doesn’t have the logic of the past. It is totally different, but it is there.” That is the point many of us are faced with now, there seems to be little to relate to and we are looking at unknown scenarios…interesting. A friend of mine lost her husband of many years and didn’t know what would happen to her. She wasn’t sure how to move forward. Life supplied the parts and pieces to rebuild a life, but she had to start new and use the new to begin again. Not the old but the new and move forward. She was surprised. She fell in love and remarried and seemingly is living happily ever after. All of this is relevant today because most “small” business owners are not just another number, but are real individuals that live in this paradox that is our world. Some days we are on top of the world, other days we are looking up at the bottom. My favorite comic strip was Calvin and Hobbs. In the comic strip, Calvin would play games, mostly with Hobbs but sometimes with the baby sitter character. In the course of the game the rules would change, just because Calvin could and would change them to confuse the other player(s). That is kind of what we are going through in the world today. Calvin rules are those rules that change on a whim and we have no idea that they have changed or what they have been changed to. On the local level it translates to this; take care of yourself and your business, then believe in nothing and set yourself free. Most of what we fear is transparent and only exists because we allow it to exist. The marketing machine has done its job well. We fear someone will be offended if we don’t wear a particular piece of apparel, if our bodies, or breath, or clothes, or homes don’t smell “fresh”, or in our businesses use a certain product or a certain methodology. The fact is that the products that are on the market today, some work-some do not. Before there were “pond” product manufacturers, there were 10,000 ideas on how to install a fountain, koi pond, fish pond, water garden, oriental gardens, etc. Many of us watched American Idol. Now there is a marketing machine! The hype, the people, the emotions! Are these contestants talented? Apparently so or we wouldn’t know their names, right? Does the 19 Franchise make people talented? No. Does the 19 Franchise sell a product? Yes. Like the manufacturers of pond products, they want you to use their products. Like past winners of Idol, some have done well, others have not. So, who is your “Carrie Underwood” of pond products? It is the best of times and it is the worst of times. Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery and every day we are given is a Present. Open it and make the best of the gift, the wrappings, the bow and the container it came in. Rocke’ Huntington President 2009

In this series of articles I will not endorse any brands or manufacturers. I may talk about different manufacturers but if I don’t mention a particular company it in no way implies that I feel a product is inferior or doesn’t measure up. I will tell you what I would look for in a product. If a product meets the criteria I use, does not imply that it is the best, only that it meets the specifications I am looking for. All opinions expressed are my own. This part will discuss pond design. The first item is the shape of the pond. In the first article I talked about the sized of the pond. The ideal shape is a perfect oval, however most people don’t construct a pond in a perfect oval. Why is the perfect oval ideal? This shape provides the best possible water circulation in the pond. The cross section of the pond should reveal a bowl shape. The bowl shape provides a good way to get the debris to the bottom drain. Once again, I am speaking of the “ideal” shape. Now that we know what the ideal shape is and why it is considered such, you can work on determining the compromises you are willing to make to result in the aesthetic design you want. There is more to pond design than size and shape. There are various pieces of equipment on the pond, circulation of the water and filtration equipment to be used. Circulation of the pond is how the water moves through the pond. Our koi ponds are not stagnant pools but closed systems of circulating water. Water circulation can come from many sources, such as waterfalls, streams, jets, and return pipes. All the moving water is a result of water being moved by pumps. Ideally the pumps should move the entire volume of water once per hour. In addition, “ideal” circulation would mean every drop of water in the pond is in constant motion. Most ponds accomplish water circulation through the use of waterfalls. If we are talking of the ideal way of moving water, this is actually the least preferable. Waterfalls can drastically affect the temperature of the water and bring large amounts of debris in. Waterfalls also attract birds, bringing additional undesirable elements into the pond in terms of parasites, waste, etc. Water circulation can also be achieved through the use of air injected into the water. Air is the most efficient way to move water. I have yet to see a pond with ideal circulation. Most ponds have very poor circulation and this can be a major cause of problems. The movement of water is very difficult to see at best or impossible. The use of a dye or colorant can help illustrate how the surface of the pond circulates. The reason I say “surface” is because when the water has colorant in it, it makes it hard to see through the surface to the water lower down. Next I would like to address devices that allow water to be moved outside the pond. The first of these is a skimmer. The purpose of a skimmer is to remove surface debris. The first skimmers used on ponds were swimming pool skimmers. About 10 years ago a company called Aquascape Designs incorporated the design of swimming pool skimmers into a larger container. With the use of a net instead of a basket, more debris was allowed to collect before the skimmer became full. Approximately 6 years ago Pond Supplies of America radically changed this design. Instead of using a swimming pool weir, they used a device they call a bellows. A weir is supposed to take the water just off the surface of the pond. A swimming pool weir is designed to allow water to enter the skimmer not only from the surface but also to a dept of about 5 inches. This decreases the efficiency of the weir. Pond Supplies of America designed their bellows so that only the surface water is taken into the skimmer, improving the efficiency of the skimmer. Since that time, there has been an explosion of skimmers on the market; some good and some not so good. When looking for a skimmer one should inspect how the skimmer is built. A skimmer is typically buried in the ground. The pressure of the dirt around it tends to deform the skimmer unless it is built strong enough to withstand this pressure. When the skimmer is deformed (misshaped) it can not operate properly. Most modern skimmers have a net or basket to catch large debris and then a polyester pad to catch finer debris. These units provide mechanical, not biological, filtration. This means they mechanically remove debris from the water. Don’t worry about using chlorinated water to clean the net, basket or pad. Expect to have clean these items. The better they are working, the more often they will need to be cleaned. Recently brushes have been added to skimmer design to catch more debris. The vast majority of debris in a pond comes from outside sources such as leaves, seeds and pollution in the air. Of course I am talking about outdoor ponds as most ponds are located outdoors. In the next article I will discuss other devices that move water outside the pond, pumps, and returning water to the pond. Mike White White Water Filters Have you ever had your work showcased in a national magazine? Well here is your chance ... EasyPro is excited to be the exclusive sponsor of the Designer Showcase section of Water Garden News Magazine. WGN is the largest pond related magazine m the country. Inside the back cover of each issue is a featured project submitted by a contractor like you! Winning entries receive a $250 EasyPro gift certificate, a certificate of recognition and the honor of seeing their work showcased in front of thousands of pond enthusiasts both in print and on the web. To enter submit five hi-res images (300 dpi .jpg files) of the project (before/ during/ after is best) and up to 500 words describing the project. Include location, products used, size and any other pertinent information. Send entries to info@easypropondproducts.com. We will forward the entry on to Water Garden News who will select a winner from all entries. They are eager for more entries as not many people take the time to submit projects, so your odds of being selected are really good! Contact Kari in our Advertising Department with any questions at the above email.

I have spent the last five years designing, installing and maintaining water features ranging from small bubbling fountains to any size water features including Koi and goldfish ponds with streams and varieties of water courses. I am proficient in filtration and ultraviolet systems, pumps and skimmer installations, liner and stonework, all repairs and water quality services. I have done large scale installations including earthen bottom ponds as well as many "backyard" garden features. Exstensive knowledge of fish, plant, equipment, aquaculture practices, and biological sciences for both garden and earthen bottom ponds and lakes. SUNY graduate at Environmental Science and Forestry College at Wanakena, N.Y. Graduate with a bachelor of science in Environmental Planning & Management, Magna Cum Laude, St. John Fisher College, Rochester New York. Grower of our own aquatic plants and fish. Been known to frequent trout waters of the Finger Lakes.

Entering our 20th year of expertise in the design and manufacturing of water feature products, the Atlantic name has become synonymous with innovation and value. From Big Bahama Professional Series Skimmers and Filter Falls to a vast retail line of filters, pumps and lights, we invite you to discover the features and quality that set Atlantic products apart. We are proud to offer pond Skimmers, waterfall spillways, submersible water pumps, pond kits, pond liners, water treatments, color falls, echo chambers, waterfall foam, and much more.

An East Coast Pond, Irrigation, Lighting and Landscape supplier.

EasyPro Brings In More Support to Their Growing Business

EasyPro would like to announce the recent addition of Rick Smith as Director of Sales. Nathan Blom, who has been the sales man­ager since the 2007 season, will become the Director of Marketing and will focus on marketing programs and services to support the continuing nationwide growth of the EasyPro Product line. Rick Smith joins the EasyPro team with over 27 years experience in the lawn and garden industry, as well as a passion for water gardening and 15 years in the industry. Rick was formerly the Sales and Marketing Manager of the retail division for J Mollema and Son, Inc., Grand Rapids, Michigan, then served as the Great Lakes/Chicago Regional Sales Manager when Commerce Corp. purchased Mollema in the spring of 2006. EasyPro is excited to provide the additional support to our nearly 200 distribu­tors in the United States and Canada. I found this article as I was looking up information on the four leaf clover. Our son has found 4 separate four-leaf clovers in our yard in a two day period. Nobody else in the family can locate them, but he just looks down and there’s one. That is one-lucky boy. Gloria Jones

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Yes, our four-leaf clovers are hand-picked from the White Clover plant, trifolium repens, considered to be the Original Shamrock. We have been growing genuine shamrocks and four-leaf clovers since 1939. You may find others selling leaves as four-leaf clovers that are not genuine. These are actually Pepperwort or Water Clover (Marsilea Quadrifolia) or Oxalis (Oxalis deppei or Oxalis tetraphylla) plants that produce all four leaves. Another way of identifying a real four-leaf clover is that the fourth leaf is usually smaller than the other three leaves What do the leaves symbolize?    See Four-leaf Clover Poem One leaf is for FAITH...     The second for HOPE... The third for LOVE...         And the fourth for LUCK! In Irish tradition the Shamrock or Three-leaf Clover represents the Holy Trinity: one leaf for the Father, one for the Son and one for the Holy Spirit. When a Shamrock is found with the fourth leaf, it represents God's Grace. History of the four leaf clover: The four leaf clover is a universally accepted symbol of good luck with its origin ages old. According to legend, Eve carried a four leaf clover from the Garden of Eden. "The clovers also occupied a position in the cultural life of early peoples. White clover (T. repens  L.) in particular was held in high esteem by the early Celts of Wales as a charm against evil spirits." Clover Science and Technology". N.L. Taylor, 1985. Druids held the 4 leaf clover in high esteem and considered them a sign of luck. In 1620, Sir John Melton wrote: "If a man walking in the fields find any four-leaved grass, he shall in a small while after find some good thing. The mystique of the four leaf clover continues today, since finding a real four leaf clover is still a rare occurrence and omen of good luck. Our clover identification: The plants that produce our four-leaf clovers are Trifolium repens , White Clover. Although, the plants mainly produce the common three-leaf clover (or Shamrock), we hand pick the lucky four-leaf clovers that the plant produces. Each leaf goes through a special preserving and drying process to preserve the natural green color. We then incorporate the actual leaf into jewelry, gifts and cards for our Clovers Online products. Copyright © 2004 Clover Specialty Company All Rights Reserved. Source: http://www.fourleafclover.com/4fact.html