Laurel Brook Turf, Inc. production manager Michael Tucker Cotoia takes a break from work with the Trebro AutoStack harvester.

Another installation of big rolls with the family dog, Jetta, on-site.

When a family business revolves around agriculture, the biggest challenges faced are usually weather, disease and employee retention. But the Cotoia family, which runs Rhode Island-based Laurel Brook Turf, Inc. (LBT), has learned to adapt. In fact, several generations have helped to overcome such obstacles to serve customers ranging from homeowners to major corporations.

In 1984, Deborah “Deb” Cotoia, President/co-owner, and her husband, Michael “Mike” Joseph Cotoia, Jr., Vice President/co-owner, created Laurel Brook Turf to directly harvest, sell and deliver sod produced by Laurel Brook Farms (LBF), a corporation owned by Deb’s parents, who had grown and wholesaled potatoes since 1957 and sod since 1971.

In 1993, LBF began the transfer of all turf responsibilities to LBT after Deb’s father passed away and her mother retired (in 1995) from both sod and potato production. These companies represent the third and fourth generations of a family of farmers in South County, Rhode Island. Since 1993, the fifth generation has taken over several managerial responsibilities and members of the sixth generation have joined in the business.

“We serve all types of customers, including homeowners, landscapers, nurseries and contractors in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut and southern New Hampshire,” Deb says. “We blend grass seed of the highest purity to offer premium Kentucky bluegrass blends that thrive in New England temps. Our blends are constantly being evaluated and upgraded to new and innovative seed varieties, to provide our customers with sod that is drought tolerant, disease resistant and shade tolerant—and that retains a dark green color and maintains a lush thickness that helps prevent weeds. We are known for our high-quality sod, excellent service and for being a family-run business.”

Mother Nature’s Whims

The challenges when working in the agricultural industry are many, Deb says. “We are at the mercy of Mother Nature. There are times that it is too wet to harvest, too hot and humid to deliver and install, too wet or too dry to seed, etc. We have to learn to just roll with it and work around the weather.”

Mike and Deb’s daughter, Jennifer Cotoia, who works as an office assistant, says the team adjusts the cutting schedule to beat out rain storms, or they wait until the ground thaws to harvest during frost weather.

“We harvest earlier in the cooler months and when the sun goes down earlier, but we have to cut late in the day during the summer months,” Jennifer says. “We also have to watch the weather very closely when it’s time to plant, fertilize and spray. Sometimes we may have to put off a specific task for a few hours, days or even a week to make sure the weather is going to cooperate.”

Disease is another issue for the farming industry, Deb says. In summer 2018, her farm had to deal with a fungus issue because of the heat and humidity. “Our consultant at the University of Rhode Island informed us that this was the worst year for fungus in 20 years. Many farms, landscapers and golf courses were struggling with the problem this summer,” she explains. “When it comes to diseases, we need to find the right treatment strategies for the specific issue. We use pre-emergents to stay ahead of disease and then, at times, we have to find a treatment after the fact.”

Another challenge for LBT is keeping good employees because it is a seasonal business. For example, the company may lose a very good driver because there isn’t any work through the winter months. “Not everyone likes to, or can afford to, live through the winter on unemployment alone,” Deb says. So the driver may go get a winter job and decide to stay on with a new employer. This challenge also extends to retaining installation crews. “We are really busy with installs in the spring and fall, but things slow down in the hot summer months and cease come winter,” she adds.

A Family Affair

Deb grew up in a farming family in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Her parents and both sets of grandparents grew, harvested and sold potatoes. This hands-on experience gave her the knowledge and understanding to meet the needs of her customers today, and also shaped her approach to running LBT.

Like her mom, Jennifer grew up on a farm, driving trucks, tractors and forklifts. Deb recalls, “She was 11 when Mike sent her out into an empty section of a field to learn to drive a stick shift while he and the crew were harvesting nearby. She and her dog, Jetta, measured jobsites, met with customers and provided quotes. She also managed our installation crew.”

For Jennifer, working her way up the business is more enjoyable due to her parents’ support. Her brother, Michael Tucker Cotoia, also works at LBT as the production manager.

“Michael has taken on more responsibility while learning the whole dynamic of running the business,” Deb says. “He has a business degree from Quinnipiac University, but his love was always in agriculture. He, like Jennifer, was also learning how to drive in the fields at an early age in pickup trucks and on tractors and forklifts.” Throughout his high school and college years, Michael installed sod, mowed grass and packed pallets on the back of an old-style harvester on weekends, during school vacations and occasionally after school. Now, he does all of the harvesting with an AutoStack harvester that doesn’t require anyone on the back to pack pallets.

“He does the planting, fertilizing, treatment sprays, irrigation and [certain] mechanical repairs,” Deb says. “Recently, he has gotten involved in the hiring process. He manages a mechanic team that he hired, as well as a field hand. He’s been involved with the interviews with drivers as well. He is also part of the seed-blending process and all financial aspects of the business so that when he is ready to let his parents retire, he has full knowledge of all aspects of LBT and will continue with its success.”

When Jennifer was living in Rhode Island and working full time at the farm, she enjoyed traveling to meet customers and helping them with their sodding needs, running the installation crew, relaxing during afternoons on the mowers and working with her brother during the harvest season. Now that she is living 400 miles away, she is happy to still be part of the business by taking care of its social media, doing some marketing and handling bidding through The Blue Book Network website (www.TheBlueBook.com).

Management Style

The family’s business philosophy is pretty simple, Deb says. “Every customer matters [and is important to us], from the smallest client to the big multimillion-dollar companies. Every square foot we sell must be the best product we have—whether it’s being donated to a local charity, being installed by a homeowner, or going to a garden center or a high-profile job. We strive to have good customer service and treat people fairly, and to be honest and as forthcoming as possible,” she adds.

Jennifer says the company has a very outdoorsy and laid-back atmosphere.

“Our employees have independent responsibilities and as long as things are getting done in a timely manner, we don’t have to do any micromanaging,” Deb says. “We encourage employees to take the initiative to submit any new ideas they have. I think they enjoy coming to work because who wouldn’t want to work at a place where you get to be outside all day, don’t have to follow a dress code, and get to work independently?”

And, the team follows the mantra that every customer deserves LBT’s best service and best product possible.

“Whether you are ordering 50 square feet or 100,000 square feet, you will always get our very best,” Deb says. “You will always be able to speak with one of the owners if you have any questions or concerns.”

“We all work hard for our money,” Jennifer adds. “Just because someone may not be spending as much as a larger company doesn’t mean that their money isn’t just as important to them—nor is their project any less important to us. I may spend 20 to 30 minutes on the phone answering questions for someone who will only be purchasing $100 worth of product from us, but that doesn’t make their questions or concerns any less [valid] than someone who might be purchasing thousands of dollars’ worth of sod.”

That attention to detail has kept customers coming back since the company started.

“We think it’s a huge accomplishment that we have a customer that has been with us since the first weekend we opened nearly 35 years ago!” Jennifer says. “Their name has changed over the years due to sales and mergers, but they still remain a loyal customer. We also have several customers that have been with us for more than 30 years.”

LBT has done a few high-profile jobs, including one that required an FBI background check. “We’ve also worked at celebrities’ homes,” she confides, “but we pride ourselves on being discreet and won’t say anything more than that it was an honor and a privilege.” One of the company’s proudest moments was when its sod was featured on the “Home Again” show with legendary television host, Bob Villa, who is known as America’s handyman.

Charitable Causes

The turf farm is well known for giving to local charities—from the Special Olympics to the local Little League, Habitat for Humanity and the Pan- Mass Challenge, which holds a special place for the Cotoia family because both Deb’s and Mike’s fathers passed away from cancer. The Pan-Mass Challenge is an annual bike-a-thon across Massachusetts that started in 1980 with the goal of raising money for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Tough Turf Family

As the Cotoia family looks ahead, the main goal is to keep its farmland producing an agricultural product. “For the time being that [product] is sod, but if [customers’] needs were to change then we would adapt accordingly,” Deb says. “We just want the land to be used for agricultural purposes.”

The ups and downs of the economy are always challenging.

“We have been through three recessions over the years,” Deb says. During the first one, she and Mike downsized their home and adjusted their lifestyle to keep the business going. LBT weathered the second downturn pretty well just by keeping a tight rein on expenses.

According to Jennifer, this last recession was the toughest and led LBT to partner with another local sod company for a couple of years. “However things go,” she says, “we are a tough farming family that knows how to survive.”