Publishers’ Perspective
Do you hear that, readers? No, it’s not the splashing of playful koi or the soothing whoosh of a waterfall. That’s the sound of my teeth chattering! Brrrrr … it is COLD outside! There’s nothing quite like snowy Chicagoland in the dead of winter. As a relatively new pond owner, I am really beginning to miss my tranquil (and unfrozen) water garden. While it’s enjoyable to look out there each day and see the landscape changing, I also feel a bit like a kid looking through the window of the toy store. “You can look, but don’t touch!” Is it almost spring? I’m putting my order in for a good forecast from the groundhog this year.
While the deep freeze outside means it’s offseason for ponds in cold climates, don’t worry — it’s definitely not offseason for POND Trade. This issue is full of hot articles to keep your interest warm — and some that might even get your blood boiling!
Last month I promised you a mind-bending story on the swim pond debate, and boy did we deliver. Should you be swimming with your koi? Our very own editor, Peter Celauro, tracked down experts on both sides of the debate to find out, and the results may shock you. Our goal with this story was to accurately present the opinions of knowledgeable pond people and allow our readers to decide for themselves, so turn to Page 30 and dive right in! There’s already a lively discussion on this subject happening on LinkedIn’s Water Features Forum, and you can always visit POND Trade’s Facebook page to sound off and share your thoughts.
If those discussions aren’t lively enough for you, flip to Page 23 for Benjamin Timmermans’ piece on some of the liveliest pond creatures: frogs and toads! If you can’t tell the difference between these two vocal amphibians, this piece will get you sorted out in no time.
Winter is also the season for getting your business in order, so business owners should be sure to check out “The Round Table” on Page 45. Rick Smith offers up some helpful insights about the impact of raising or lowering your prices.
For those of you who just want to be whisked away to warmer climes, “How to Build an Elephant” (Page 9) will take you to a summer pond project of enormous proportions.
Snow or no snow, it’s never the wrong time to build your pond knowledge or pond business! Here’s to making this winter your most productive yet.
Happy PONDering!
