First of all, attendance seemed to be up from years past. We asked attendees if they previously attended the show and, if not, why now? The general response was that over the past few years there was so much work that getting away to attend a trade show was next to impossible.

In general, the response was that last year they were trying to finish up several projects, getting ready to start several more and just could not get away.

Now, however, they are only working on one or two projects and only getting ready to start one or two . . .

Additionally, they, the landscape contractors, were bidding and taking jobs way below their old minimum. The $200,000 projects are now $50,000 projects. And where some would only bid if the projects were greater than $25,000, they are now looking at $5K projects.

Another major topic was that every time President Obama speaks with his uncertainty and doom and gloom rhetoric, the markets take another nose-dive. I did not hear a single positive comment on the recovery plan, nor did I hear anyone say we just need to give him/them more time . . . Instead, I heard lots of comments like, ?EUR??,,????'??Get him some decaf?EUR??,,????'?? or ?EUR??,,????'??It?EUR??,,????'???s time for another overseas trip?EUR??,,????'?? . . .

In essence the vast majority of the attendees we spoke to, and we spoke to a lot of working professionals, would prefer the Washington policymakers take a break and let things settle . . .

So why am I telling you what you already know?

Well, being the consummate optimist, I did notice a silver lining. It appears that even though business has slowed, it has not dried up. The entrepreneurial instincts have kicked in and many are turning to their maintenance divisions for profit and using the smaller install jobs to pay the staff and the bills.

While it may be easy for the public to view the landscape trade as a disjointed group of rough and tumble dirt movers, the industry is primarily made up of small business owners who know how to hunker down, absorb a few blows, set a conservative course for the near turn and keep an eye toward a positive and profitable future.

Some are even taking a more progressive and competitive stance and looking to bring aboard experienced teammates, while expanding their services to gain market share.

This is what we are doing at LCN magazine. In fact LCN has taken this time to completely revamp its circulation and Internet departments.

With this issue we have added several thousand new landscape contractors to the circulation, growing the monthly distribution by more than 20 percent. Additionally, we have linked our in-house database with the LandscapeOnline Find-A-Pro listing service to make both more responsive to your needs and to eliminate redundant workloads.

You may have just received an issue with a Cover Page that asks you to complete the demographic response card if you want to see the real cover when the magazine comes in the mail . . . get ?EUR??,,????'???er done . . .

As a service to the advertisers and to better serve the readership (that means you), LCN is retooling its demographic profiling. In fact, we have embarked on a yearlong campaign to update every single reader?EUR??,,????'???s demographic profile.

Why is this important? Well, every six months or so we sit down to review the upcoming editorial direction of LCN. Armed with ?EUR??,,????'??more complete?EUR??,,????'??? information about you all, LCN will be better able to provide you with information you need to compete and succeed in this market.

So . . . If you would please take a moment to complete the card on the cover and send it in, we can begin to send you a magazine with a real cover and can spend more time focusing on finding articles that give you immediate assistance in these trying times . . .

In any event, do keep your chin up and keep your eyes on the prize. This might be a slower summer than you?EUR??,,????'???ve had over the past few years, but you will get through this. Even better . . . This industry will emerge stronger, better organized and ready to grow into the future.

?EUR??,,????'??+God Bless