Water Restrictions? No Problem.

Harvest Landscape Enterprises, Inc.

Newsletter

April 2015

Season Brings New Hope, New Problems and New Solutions

Spring is one of my favorite times of year.

It marks a period of new growth after dormancy.

A promise of better times ahead.

Hope for the future.

To me, it's a reassurance of life's recurring abundance -- something that inevitably comes when we respect and appreciate the gifts we are given.

Do we always get what we want? No.

But in the words of one famous rock band, we get what we need.

It's an important outlook to have on life, and one that is aptly applied to current events here in California.

For the first time in history, California is experiencing mandatory statewide water restrictions.

That has a lot of people afraid of what that means for the future.

And that, in turn, has led to a lot of finger-pointing as we decide who gets water and who does not.

In truth, we all have to do our part to conserve.

Most of the fear comes from facing the unknown, and not knowing how the changes are going to impact our lifestyle and/or our livelihood.

Sure, we may no longer be able to douse our lawns with water on a daily basis.

But that doesn't mean we have to be content with dead grass and a barren, desert landscape, either.

Those of us in the industry who have spent years working on water conservation projects know that there is abundance in cutting back.

Abundance in savings through reduced water and maintenance costs.

Abundance in beauty with rich blends of colors, textures and species that can be found in beautiful, drought-tolerant landscapes.

Abundance in knowing that we are doing our part to collectively address a

shared problem.

That's what collaboration is all about.

It's what makes up a community.

Many of our clients made the decision long ago to cut back on their water use, and they're very glad they did.

We've been doing this work for years. It's not just a feel-good marketing ploy...

To us, it's a science.

Talk to us today about how you can meet the state's new water restrictions.

Like so much other change in our lives, you will likely come out all the better because of it.

_____________

Steven Schinhofen is President and CEO of Harvest Landscape Enterprises, Inc.

Water Cutbacks Can be Managed... We Know How

Use less water.

It's no longer a suggestion... It's the law.

Gov. Jerry Brown this month ordered mandatory water use reductions for the first time in California's history. The 31-point executive order forces reductions that will be clarified and implemented as we inch toward what will likely be a very hot and dry summer.

Water agencies must cut water use by up to 36 percent for some cities, and the Metropolitan Water District -- the wholesale distributor of water to Southern California -- is slashing deliveries by 15 percent to help meet that requirement.

"We're in a new era," the governor said. "The idea of your nice little green grass getting water every day, that's going to be a thing of the past."

A photo of Diamond Valley Lake shows the dramatic results of the drought

Brown's order includes replacing 50 million square feet of lawns throughout the state with

Beautiful plant varieties that are resistent to drought.

drought-tolerant landscaping, banning the irrigation of grass on public street medians, and requiring large landscapes to make significant cuts in water use.

It sounds scary, and it is, because for many people this is unchartered territory.

But a 25 percent drop in water use is fairly easy to achieve in most cases -- and it doesn't mean that the beauty of our landscape has to suffer.

Harvest has a history of saving clients 50 to 75 percent on their water use through smart irrigation and turf reduction. We recently celebrated more than 1 million square feet of turf reduction completed.

The average turf lawn requires 4 to 5 gallons of water per square foot, compared to 1 to 1.5 gallons for the same area planted with California friendly plants, according to the Metropolitan Water District, which is now offering rebates of $2 per square feet for turf removal. Many local water agencies are sweetening the incentive with rebates of their own.

Harvest is one of the region's leading experts on beautiful, drought-tolerant landscape renovation. Click here for information on our SmartScape program, or call us at 714-693-8100 to see whether a turf reduction project is right for you.

Fleet Upgrade Replaces the Outdated with the Innovative

Starting this month, you will start to see these beauties driving around in your communities.

Harvest has replaced all of its irrigation trucks with brand new 2015 Ford Transit Connects.

The switch enables us to better serve our clients with easy maneuverability, secure but ample storage capacity and unsurpassed load and towing capabilities.

The Transit Connect is one of the most flexible vehicles on the road with best-in-class torque, horsepower and cargo space.

They will give our irrigation teams the ability to move quickly and efficiently within and among the properties we serve, and they look great, too!

Longtime Employee Promoted to Regional Manager

Sergio Nunez started working for Harvest 22 years ago, first as a laborer, then as a foreman, an irrigation technician, a member of the tree crew, a supervisor, and then as director of operations.

This month he was promoted to Regional Manager, overseeing accounts in North Orange County and Hungtingon Beach.

Sergio looks forward to the change, working with clients to provide efficient service, and ensuring that all workers get access to the type of training that helped him advance in his career.

Apart from his years of on-the-job training, he is certified in irrigation, tree care and general landscaping, and he holds a QAL license for chemical and pesticide use.

He and his wife spend their spare time on baseball and softball fields. He enjoys practicing t-ball with his 4-year-old son, coaching his 7-year-old daughter's softball team, and assisting on his 11-year-old daughter's travel softball team.

A very proud father, he recognizes that beautiful gardens bloom best with lots of love, care and dedication.

Harvest Offers Solutions at Upcoming CAI Conference

We are happy to be a regular participant in the Community Association Institute's annual conference and exhibition, which is happening April 28 through May 2 in Las Vegas.

The CAI conference is the most important event of the year for community managers, management company executives, community association homeowner leaders and service providers. It offers practical strategies to save time and money including some of the latest innovations from product and service providers.

Harvest will be there to share information on our innovative and cutting-edge solutions to landscape management. Clearly, the industry is facing challenges and this year's conference will offer solutions. Be sure to stop by to say hello and to share your approaches to managing the challenges that impact us all.

Celebrating Community at Local CAI Luncheon

Pool safety "No Glass, No Diving, No Running, Have Fun" was the topic of this month's Orange County Chapter of the Community Association Institute luncheon. The event was hosted at the Irvine Marriott, where we enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

Upcoming Events
Event Title
PO Box 3877
Orange, California 92857