Celebrating 34 years in business, Tri-Turf Sod Farms Owner and President Jason Pooler shared that while economic and environmental conditions have changed, the company’s mission remains the same: deliver high-quality sod and support customers every step of the way. Pooler began working in landscaping for his brother while still in high school and started his own operation in 1991 by planting five acres behind his parents’ house.
“Quality got us here. Our employees got us here. I consider all my employees family. Treating people the way you want to be treated is rewarding and people respect us for what we’ve done and the quality of product that we’re putting out,” he said.
Preston Pooler, Jason Pooler and Jacob Pooler pictured on Thanksgiving Day 2025. Jacob and Preston are increasingly involved in operations at Tri-Turf Sod Farms, helping lead the next generation of the family business.
Jason Pooler
With 38 employees and 1,400 acres, Pooler credits the farm’s growth to consistent quality and a loyal team, some of which have been with him for over 20 years. Tri-Turf grows certified turfgrass to ensure customers receive clean, reliable products suited for their projects. “There’s a reason I’m part of these associations and travel to look at research.” He said it’s important for people to know what kind of products they’re getting and he places value in learning how to continually make them better.
Operating in a unique part of the transition zone, Tri-Turf grows 11 warm- and cool-season turfgrass varieties, including NorthBridge® Bermudagrass, Latitude 36® Bermudagrass, Geo® Zoysia and Innovation® Zoysiagrass. “Latitude 36 and NorthBridge are very winter hardy and really hold up well for us,” Pooler said. Both grasses are used for sports fields, golf and residential projects.
The farm currently grows significant acreage of top varieties like NorthBridge, Innovation and Latitude 36. Pooler noted that Innovation and Geo offer exceptional tensile strength and regrow faster than older varieties like Meyer. “Innovation is a big seller for us. We sell the most Innovation.”
This year, Tri-Turf supplied Innovation for Clarksville Country Club and large residential projects, including one that required 12 semi-loads. He’s hopeful more architects and builders will spec these high-performing grasses for new construction.
Quality control is a top priority at Tri-Turf and to maintain high standards, his team uses flags to mark imperfections during mowing and harvesting. His crews also ride and spot-spray their fields on a weekly basis. Mowers and harvesters are washed between fields, sometimes multiple times a day.
Tommy Lineberger, who is the Southeast Territory Manager for Sod Solutions, recently visited and said Tri-Turf’s fields were some of the cleanest he’s ever seen. Earlier this year, they supplied certified plant stock to a new sod farm in East Tennessee. The June planting was already harvested for a minor league stadium, an outcome Pooler credits to their standards.
The company serves Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, with athletic fields making up the bulk of its customer base. Tri-Turf provides grading, drainage and sod installation services. “We have seven fields under construction right now and that’s definitely one of our niches,” Pooler said. He and project manager Justin Pierpoint handle most laser grading.
Over the years, notable clients include Mississippi State University, the Tennessee Titans, UT Martin, Clarksville Country Club and other golf courses and parks. Pooler enjoys collaborating with sports field managers and superintendents, helping them select the right product and offering guidance throughout the process. He especially valued working with the Titans before their switch to synthetic turf, a move he hopes they'll reconsider.
Tri-Turf Sod Farm laying Latitude 36® Bermudagrass at Nashville’s Parthenon Museum. Crews laser-graded the site while a women’s rights ceremony with parachuters took place.
One project he remembers vividly was a city park in front of Nashville’s Parthenon Museum. Crews laser-graded the site while a women’s rights ceremony with parachuters took place. “That was pretty cool,” he said. That job, which is Latitude 36 Bermudagrass, connected Pooler with the park’s manager, who oversees sports fields and golf courses across the area. Since that project, Pooler estimates they’ve worked to lay several hundred truckloads of NorthBridge and Latitude 36 on athletic fields for him.
Tri-Turf also handled the full reconstruction of UT Martin’s baseball field in late 2024 using NorthBridge® Bermudagrass and handling every step from irrigation, multiple drainage systems and complete field construction. “It’s a phenomenal field and it came out really nice. We’re proud of that one.”
Pictured above: Tri-Turf Sod Farm renovated and built the UT Martin Baseball Field. Photos by Preston Pooler Photography.
Other large-scale projects include work on major parks and golf courses, including the Tennessean in Paris, TN, one of the farm’s biggest undertakings. Tri-Turf supplied and laid more than 50 acres of sod and sprigged an additional 150 acres during the 15 years the course was open. That job taught him a lot early on and even led to his first use of H-2A labor. “I went through 172 local employees in six months. I’d hire them at 6 a.m. and they’d hitchhike home at 9 a.m. I realized I needed to try something different so shortly after I got my first four H-2A employees and we’ve grown to 17 since.” While navigating H-2A regulations can be challenging, Pooler explained the program is essential to his operation and he appreciates the hard work they provide.
He credits associations like Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) and the Tennessee Turfgrass Association (TTA) with helping him stay current and connected. Pooler recalled attending his first TPI conference in Nashville in 1996. At the time, he couldn’t afford a harvester, so he took photos of one at the show, went home and built it in his shop. “That was a rule when we started the business. If I didn’t have the money, I didn’t buy it.”
Starting out on his parents’ property gave him the chance to grow that first crop. Once he turned a profit, he bought his first 30 acres and kept expanding from there—only when he could afford to. Early on, Pooler built his own equipment with help from his parents and harvesting was a true family effort. “My mom and I would ride on the back and stack sod while my dad pulled it with an old quick hitch on the back of the tractor.”
Pooler served on the TTA board for 12 years and as president in 2013. He’s been active on TPI committees for more than 15 years and recently joined a European tour visiting farms and sports facilities. Sports Field Managers Association events have also brought valuable connections.
Jacob Pooler and Jason Pooler at the 2023 Summer TPI Field Day in Michigan.
“You always take something back from these shows. Some of my best friends are sod producers. I have two in Tennessee and another in Wisconsin and Canada. I met all of them at a TPI show and now we talk weekly and sometimes daily. The wealth of knowledge and the friendships I’ve gained are invaluable,” Pooler said, explaining they are constantly trading insights on equipment, products and best practices.
He also praised TPI’s legislative efforts, from protecting access to chemicals for sod farms to advocating against the spread of synthetic turf.
In addition to traveling, Tri-Turf hosts tours for students and Farm Bureau groups. Pooler said farmers visit for the same reason he attends industry events and shows, to gain ideas that help grow their business.
Pooler’s sons, Jacob, 25, and Preston, 21, are both becoming more involved in the business and with industry associations. “I want them to build relationships with the next generation of superintendents and field managers.” He explained that sending a brochure won’t deliver results, but instead, you must show your face and build trust.
1: Preston Pooler presented Turfgrass Producer International’s Dr. Henry W. Indyk Scholarship by Greg Mischel (Debuck’s Sod Farm) in 2024. 2: Jacob Pooler was named the 2019 National Proficiency Winner in Turf Grass Management at the 92nd Future Farmers of America.
Jacob has been with the company full-time for five years and manages sod planting, dispatching, installations and helps lead major projects alongside his father. Preston is finishing up his agricultural business degrees at UT Martin and brings strengths in marketing, tech and branding. He recently completed an internship for Farm Bureau and upgraded the farm’s computer systems.
Tri-Turf has used Turf Logistics for about five years, but Jacob’s push brought it into daily operations. Pooler said it’s helped streamline harvesting and installation from dispatch to drivers, and he looks forward to seeing how it continues to improve their operation.
Marketing has always played a role in Tri-Turf’s success. Pooler said their team constantly adapts to new platforms and opportunities, a big shift from the early days before social media and Google.
In 2026, Pooler plans to begin transitioning ownership to his sons while retaining the land for lease income. “As they earn it and if they really push hard to build the business, the more they do it, the higher the percentage they’ll get of the company. Hopefully, in the next five years, my goal is to be almost completely out of it. I’ll still be working but I want to gradually be done with getting here at four in the morning and working until nine at night.”
He looks forward to seeing both sons step into leadership and represent Tri-Turf in associations and educational events, just as he has.
1: Jacob and Preston Pooler at the 2010 TPI Field Day in Pine Island, NY. Photo by Jim Novak. 2: Jacob Pooler and Preston Pooler at the 2019 TPI Field Day in Minneapolis, MN.
With over three decades in the business, Pooler’s advice for those entering the turfgrass industry is straightforward: show up, stay positive and keep your word. “I come into work with positive energy every day. If I do that, hopefully that rubs off and everyone has a good day too.”
Pooler said Tri-Turf is still growing with room for continued improvement daily and encourages other producers to do the same. “The big thing is to keep prices up where they need to be. Don’t lowball or be cutthroat, just provide a good quality product and back it up so you can price it where it needs to be.”
Outside of work, Pooler enjoys off-roading in Jeep Rubicons with his sons, camping and helping Jacob build his house, a project they’ve spent much of this year working on. “I love spending time with my boys. They’re my whole world.”
This article was written by Cecilia Johnson.
