THE BIOLOGY ENGINE - PRODUCT 02 OF 03
YOUR FERTILITY PROGRAM IS WORKING AGAINST ITSELF.
$78K to $25K
650+
0
7.14
REV Doesn't Replace Your Program. It Completes It.
The DAKOTA Turf System works in three layers. Each product has a distinct role. Remove any one of them and the system underperforms. REV is the biological layer — the engine that activates the foundation below and amplifies the nutrition above.
The System Works Because Every Layer Earns Its Place.
Peat builds the rootzone. REV activates the biology. Smart Fertilizer delivers consistent nutrition through a release layer that already contains REV. The products don't just work alongside each other — they're engineered to amplify each other. That's what makes the DAKOTA program different from a collection of products.
Most Turf Programs Focus on
Feeding Grass. Not Building Soil.The result is turf that needs more intervention every season to maintain the same performance. More fertilizer. More fungicide. More product. More cost. It's not a bad program — it's a program missing one layer. That layer is biology.
Apply more fertility to compensate for inefficiency
Nutrients that don't stay in the rootzone have to be replaced. The more you apply without fixing the underlying biology, the more you need next season.
Treat disease symptoms rather than preventing them
Fungicide programs treat what appears. A biologically active rootzone suppresses what appears in the first place. The difference is $40,000 a year in chemical spend for some programs.
Add products to fix problems other products created
Wetting agents to correct hydrophobicity. Regulators to manage surge. Products to fix what the last product disrupted. The stack grows. The budget follows.
Ignore the soil system the grass actually depends on
Grass is half the equation. The billions of microbial interactions happening below ground determine how well that grass responds to everything applied above it.
Poor soil biology reduces fertilizer efficiency
More fertilizer applied to compensate
Nutrient surge and leaching disrupt soil balance further
Disease pressure increases — fungicide programs escalate
Wetting agents, regulators, foliar inputs added to manage symptoms
REV Breaks the Cycle.
By activating the biological layer first, REV restores the soil system that makes every other input more efficient. Less fertilizer. Less disease pressure. Fewer products. The rootzone does more of the work itself.
Bill Lewis reduced his fertilizer spend from $78,000 to $25,000 in his first full season on REV. He didn't cut corners. He fixed the system. When the biology is right, the fertility works. When the biology is broken, no amount of fertilizer fixes it. That's the problem REV was built to solve.
We Weren't Trying to Build Another Product. We Were Trying to Complete the System.
Dakota Peat & Equipment started in the early 1980s in East Grand Forks, North Dakota — a family business built around the best organic material on the North American continent. After decades of selling peat, one question became obvious: what do you put in the tank?
Twenty-five years of development. Tested on golf courses, athletic fields, farms, and greenhouses. The biology was always there — in the peat. REV was the process of unlocking it and putting it to work in liquid form alongside everything a turf manager was already doing.
"After years of selling peat, we built Dakota REV. The REV was to complement our peat. We started it on golf courses and one day somebody put it in a farm field and said 'Wow, this stuff works on everything.'"
— Randy Dufault, Co-Owner, Dakota Peat & EquipmentREV works as a supplement to whatever fertility system is already in the ground — not a replacement, not a reinvention of your program. The goal was always to improve what you're already doing, so that when results appear, you know exactly what made the difference.
"It's a lot different from other products, which are extracted from something else. REV is an all-natural product — all the nutrients and biologics are readily available. We want to improve what you're already doing, so later on when you see results, you'll know it was the REV."
— Robin Dufault, National Account ManagerRandy and Robin still answer the phone.
REV is produced in East Grand Forks, North Dakota — derived from the same ancient peat beds that started the company 40 years ago. What began as a question about what to put in the tank became 25 years of development and a product used across golf, sports turf, agriculture, and greenhouses.
Four Things. All of Them Specific. None of Them Fluff.
Every biostimulant company claims "more biology" and "better microbes." Here's what REV actually does — with the numbers that prove it. These aren't category claims. They're mechanisms with documented outcomes in the field.
Makes Every Input Work Harder
REV retains fertilizers in the rootzone, increases cation exchange capacity, and improves nitrogen efficiency. The result isn't just better soil — it's fertilizer that lasts significantly longer between applications and performs at dramatically lower rates. You don't apply less and hope for the same result. You apply less and get a better one.
Builds a Stronger Plant Below Ground
REV increases root growth and density, improves seed germination, stimulates plant enzyme activity, and increases permeability of plant membranes. Deeper, denser roots mean better drought tolerance, better nutrient uptake, and better surface performance under traffic and stress. The NDSU study confirmed increased root density with less shoot weight — the agronomic ideal.
Builds Immunity. Doesn't Just Treat Symptoms.
REV isn't a fungicide — it builds the biological immune response in the plant and soil system that makes fungal disease less likely to take hold in the first place. Bill Lewis ran half the recommended fungicide rate alongside REV through an exceptionally long, cold Minnesota winter. Zero snow mold. Most L93 greens in the state were wiped out. His were perfect and ready to mow the day he uncovered them.
Heat. Drought. Traffic. REV Handles Stress.
REV increases plant respiration, improves the water relationship of the soil, and activates ACC deaminase biology that directly reduces ethylene stress in plants under heat and drought pressure. The NDSU study confirmed better heat stress tolerance in REV-treated plots. Lewis observed turf turning visibly green within minutes of the sun coming out on cloudy days — a photosynthesis response he'd never seen before REV.
$78,000 to $25,000.
One Season. One Product.Bill Lewis is a veteran golf course superintendent, contractor, and builder. Three years ago he started experimenting with REV. What followed wasn't a gradual improvement — it was a complete transformation of how he managed his course, his budget, and his expectations of what turf biology could do.
Lewis started at 3.5 oz per 1,000 sq ft. Within a month he saw healthier turf and greater root mass. He moved to 6 oz and saw further improvement. By the end of year one he had settled on formulas that produced a beautifully healthy 18-hole course — and he was just getting started.
In year two, Lewis bought a 1,000-gallon mix tank and began combining REV with his water-soluble granulars — urea, ammonium sulfate, manganese and ferrous sulfates. The results were startling: incredibly healthy turf at only half the recommended fertilizer rates. Non-slow-release granular applied, followed three days later by REV — and growth flush was controlled. Applications that previously lasted 8–10 days now lasted 21–30 days.
The savings accumulated fast. Without REV, his normal fertility and fungicide program would have cost ten times more and lasted a third as long. By the end of the season: fertilizer costs down 40–50%. Fungicide costs down 60%.
That winter, Lewis ran half the recommended fungicide rate alongside REV as his winter prep. It was a long, brutal Minnesota cold season. When spring came — zero snow mold. Most L93 greens in Eastern Minnesota were wiped out from winter desiccation and ice damage. Lewis's came through perfect. He had to mow them the same day he uncovered them.
"There's something in REV that suppresses disease," Lewis observed. "Most turf goes off color on a cloudy day. With REV, the minute the sun comes out, you can literally watch your turf turn green."
Bill Lewis's spray tech missed a section of green. This photo was taken approximately 4 hours after application. The difference between REV-treated and untreated turf is visible to the naked eye within hours — not days.
"There is no sprayer that leaves without REV in the tank and no chemical that is applied without REV."
— Bill Lewis, Superintendent, Black Bear Golf Course, Cloquet MNWritten by Marlena Cannon, June 17, 2013. Lewis's results were so consistent that he arranged a meeting with Dr. Deying Li at North Dakota State University to compare notes. Li's peer-reviewed study confirmed exactly what Lewis had found in the field. That research is on the next section.
Source: REV White Sheet — Black Bear GC Field ReportBill Noticed It First. North Dakota State University Proved It.
Lewis arranged a meeting with Dr. Deying Li of the Department of Plant Science at NDSU to compare notes. Li and co-worker Dr. Yang Gao studied the efficacy of foliar applied liquid fertilizer mixed with REV on creeping bentgrass. Their peer-reviewed, published findings matched Lewis's field observations exactly.
Study: Efficacy of Foliar Applied Liquid Fertilizer Affected by Tank Additives on Creeping Bentgrass · Researchers: Dr. Deying Li & Dr. Yang Gao, Department of Plant Science, North Dakota State University · Subject: REV mixed with foliar fertilizer applications on creeping bentgrass greens
Color Retained Longer
REV-treated plots maintained turf color significantly longer after fertilizer application — consistent with Lewis's observation that turf turned visibly green within minutes of sun exposure.
Less Initial Surge in Clipping Yield
Controlled nutrient release with REV reduced the flush of growth that creates inconsistent mowing demands and stresses the turf management schedule.
Increased Root Density, Less Shoot Weight
The agronomic ideal — more root, less top growth. Deeper, denser root systems drive better drought tolerance, nutrient uptake, and surface performance under stress.
Better Heat Stress Tolerance
REV-treated plots outperformed controls under high temperature stress conditions — consistent with ACC deaminase biology that reduces ethylene stress response in the plant.
Over-Fertilized Plots Had Less Burning
Even at excessive application rates, REV-treated turf showed significantly less fertilizer burn than untreated controls — demonstrating REV's buffering effect on the rootzone.
Overall Turf Quality Superior
Across all metrics and all test conditions, REV-treated creeping bentgrass outperformed untreated controls. The study matched Lewis's field results precisely — from a different researcher, on a different site, independently.
The Superintendent Found It. The University Confirmed It.
Two independent sources — a veteran superintendent running a real course with a real budget, and a peer-reviewed university study — arrived at the same conclusions. That's not coincidence. That's a product that works consistently, verifiably, and measurably under real-world conditions.
Color retained longer — Lewis: "You can literally watch your turf turn green." NDSU: confirmed.
Controlled growth surge — Lewis: 21–30 days between applications. NDSU: less initial surge confirmed.
Heat stress tolerance — Lewis: zero stress damage during drought periods. NDSU: confirmed.
Disease suppression — Lewis: zero snow mold at half fungicide rate. NDSU: superior overall turf quality confirmed.
"Their work exactly matched what Lewis had found in the field: color is retained longer, less initial surge in clipping yield, increased root density and less shoot weight, better heat stress tolerance, over-fertilized plots had less burning, and overall turf quality was better."
REV White Sheet — NDSU Study Summary — Dr. Deying Li & Dr. Yang Gao, Dept. of Plant Science, NDSU650 Species. 7.14 Biodiversity. In Your Tank Mix.
DAKOTA Peat carries 811 microbial species with a biodiversity score of 5.76. REV — derived from that same peat in concentrated liquid form — carries 650+ native strains with a biodiversity score of 7.14. Used together, they build the most biologically active rootzone available in professional turf management.
they build
the system
Real Turf. Real Conditions. Real Results.
From bentgrass greens in Kentucky to Bermuda fairways in Colorado, the DAKOTA program delivers documented, measurable outcomes — across climate zones, grass types, and playing surfaces.
"We had greens that dramatically improved over the summertime — and that's not our growing season. Normally we get a decline. We used 20% less water this year, applied no wetting agents, and reduced the chemicals we had to use. Amazing."
reduction
applied
reduced
"I gave my horticulture team a gallon of REV to see what they thought — 16 hours later they were in the shop asking for more. REV has helped eliminate hot spots, decreased fertility by 40%, and helped keep fairy ring under control. Four out of five greens still have mass roots below the cups."
reduction
remaining
for more
"After a tornado destroyed the school, new athletic fields were established on native soil with Tif Sport Bermuda. Establishment failed until REV was introduced. In four weeks, fields went from unusable to ready for play. REV was instrumental in encouraging Bermuda to spread and root into native soil."
to ready for play
failing
The Protocol is Simple. The Results Aren't.
REV goes in the tank alongside what you're already running. No separate equipment. No compatibility issues. No program disruption. Start with the maintenance rate and let the results speak for themselves.
Maintenance Program
- 3.5 oz per 1,000 sq ft — monthly maintenance rate
- 1.25 gallons per acre via sprayer
- 50 gallons REV per 1,100 gallons via irrigation injection
- Mix with any fertilizer, fungicide, or foliar — no compatibility issues
- No sprayer leaves without REV in the tank
Bill Lewis: 2.5 gallons REV per 160 gallons water in Toro mounted sprayers. Covers approx. 2 acres per fill.
Establishment & Recovery
- 6–8 oz per 1,000 sq ft for new seeding or recovery programs
- Apply at seeding — follow up at 14 days, then monthly at 4 oz
- For failing establishment: 6 oz reapplied every 14 days
- Works on all grass species — bent, Bermuda, rye, bluegrass, fescue
- Athletic fields, golf renovation, park establishment
Enterprise HS: failed Tif Sport Bermuda establishment reversed to ready-for-play in 4 weeks on native soil.
Disease & Stress Programs
- Mix at half recommended fungicide rate + REV as winter prep
- Apply REV with every chemical application — improves efficacy
- For heat stress recovery: increase to 6 oz per 1,000 sq ft
- Continue monthly through stress period
- Results visible within 4 hours of first application
Lewis: zero snow mold after brutal MN winter at half fungicide rate + REV. Most L93 greens in the state were wiped out.
Not sure where to start? Robin Dufault will walk through your current program, tank mix, and goals and recommend the exact starting rate for your situation — at no cost. REV works alongside what you're already doing. The only question is where in your program it fits best.
Talk to Robin →No Sprayer Leaves
Without It."There is no sprayer that leaves without REV in the tank and no chemical that is applied without REV."
— Bill Lewis, Superintendent, Black Bear Golf Course, Cloquet MNRequest a sample and Robin will reach out to walk through your current program, tank mix, and goals. No pitch. No pressure. Just 40 years of proof that when you put biology first, everything else in your program works better.