One quiet morning on my way to work, I noticed what looked like a beautiful white dove near my shop. As I got closer, I realized it wasn’t just any bird — it had a small band around its leg. That’s when it hit me: this was a racing pigeon. What struck me most was […]
Beyond the Pond: A New Passion Takes Flight Read More »
We all know that over time, life takes many turns — in school, relationships, family and careers, for example. Who we were when we were 10 and 18 years old are typically not the same people we grow into during our 30s, 50s and beyond. Ever since I was young and growing up in suburban
Beyond the Pond: Search and Rescue Read More »
Why grow giant pumpkins? I ask myself this every year. I started gardening more than 30 years ago, about the same time I built my first pond.
Beyond the Pond: Growing Giant Pumpkins Read More »
This is a new series that showcases what pond builders like to do in their free time when they’re not building ponds. Since my childhood in the suburbs of Ohio, I have possessed an unwavering passion for water. As far back as 1984, I remember when I pleasantly surprised my parents by creating a 3-foot-wide
Beyond the Pond: Antique Car Collecting Read More »
I just want to build ponds. That’s all I want to do. Cool. This is a statement many newcomers to the pond world make — a pure, honest goal that captures the heart of this trade. But anyone who’s been around long enough knows that building ponds is never just about digging holes and filling
An Honest Guide to the Pond Building Profession Read More »
In November, pond professionals from across the country gathered just outside of Memphis, Tennessee, for the 2025 Midsouth Ponds Retreat—an immersive, business-focused event designed to strengthen leadership, sharpen strategy, and foster meaningful industry connections. The retreat welcomed 72 attendees representing 15 states, with participants traveling from California to South Carolina, Maine to Texas, underscoring the
Recap: Midsouth Ponds Retreat Read More »
From our very first meeting, it was clear this project would be something special. The homeowners were a young, enthusiastic couple who had purchased their property, several acres of woodland along the shores of Lake Michigan, a few years prior. Since then, they had been thoughtfully developing the landscape season by season, moving intentionally from
A Promise Set in Stone: Koi Pond with Multiple Streams Read More »
What if I told you the satisfaction of designing a functional pond, placing rockwork, pruning plants and feeding your fish need not diminish with the inevitable change of seasons? What if I also told you there is a hobby so comparable in core principles to ponds and water gardens that the similarities are uncanny, with
Aquascaping: The Indoor Hobby That Mirrors Pond Design Read More »
When Gary Vaynerchuk showed up at his father Sasha’s 400,000-gallon pond build in New Jersey, he didn’t just watch the machines and marvel at the boulders. He spent time with a circle of pond professionals and manufacturers, answering questions and dropping actionable advice. The impromptu Q&A ended up being less about koi and more about
Gary Vee’s Social Media Playbook for Pond Builders Read More »
How Friendship Sparked a Once-in-a Lifetime Build People see the machinery, the 20-foot waterfall, the 400,000 gallons—and they assume the story begins with blueprints. It didn’t. It began with a sales lead that didn’t close, a bottle of wine, and a friendship. This is the story of the Vaynerchuk pond. The Origin of a 400,000-Gallon
Building the 400,000-Gallon Vaynerchuk Pond Read More »