A few years ago, I looked into reel mowers for our home. After much, probably too much, research I decided my lawn is too big. Plus it has too many bumps, sticks and pine cones for a reel mower to handle. On top of that, I wouldn't be able to grind up leaves, straw and grass for my lasagna garden beds. So after much ado about mowers, we got a hearty craftsman. (Which I really do love- it is a work horse for chopping up and mowing)
But now I have my reel mower. It needed a tiny bit of TLC- mainly blade adjusting which my husband and neighbor did for me- thank you!!! Mowing is one of the little things in life, and this little act of kindness from my sister, hubby and neighbor is priceless.
7 bonuses gained from leg powered lawn mowing
1. No gas! Gas cans, gas spilled on gloves and sometimes shoes, lifting heavy gas cans, discovering you need to go get gas before mowing, gas fumes, gas used and of course gas purchased.
2. No mower noise! As I mow I can actually hear birds singing. My hubby calls out the door, I just stop walking and we can talk like normal people. Now all I hear is mower scissors happily clipping away. I don't have to wear ear plugs, damage my ears or irritate the birds and bees.
3. Our dog Sally is much happier! She smiles as I mowed. She used to hide up on our back hill as I mowed. Then when I moved to the front lawn, she got all droopy as I shut her in the back yard. Now I let her stay with me for the whole yard- this has made my flop eared smiler very happy!
4. I am getting my farmer muscles back. While this mower is not hard to push at all, I have noticed it is a lot like exercise. As my grandpa Alton would have called it - power by arm strong. I don't know about you, but staying strong and having time to work out is a constant battle. Mowing gets me outside. I can feel myself getting stronger and I'm accomplishing something at the same time- sorry gyms!!
5. It is environmentally kind. Not only am I not using any gas there are no emissions. A few years ago, I heard every time you start your lawn mower, it is the equivalent of driving from Seattle to Spokane! With this mower I don't even use electricity- only foot power!
6. Less prep. When I use my gas mower, there is more prep time to get into my work jeans, my gardening gloves and shoes. I have to pull the mower out of the shed and fill it up with gas. (hopefully the gas can has gas or is not freshly filled and heavy) Now I put on my five fingered shoes and go outside. Last night I mowed my back yard while my veggies were roasting in the oven.
I'm sure I will still use my hearty craftsman when the grass gets too tall, after a wind storm, when it rains and of course in the fall and early spring as I build my lasagna garden beds and need mulch. My gas powered mowing is not extinct but is greatly reduced!
6. Less prep. When I use my gas mower, there is more prep time to get into my work jeans, my gardening gloves and shoes. I have to pull the mower out of the shed and fill it up with gas. (hopefully the gas can has gas or is not freshly filled and heavy) Now I put on my five fingered shoes and go outside. Last night I mowed my back yard while my veggies were roasting in the oven.
I'm sure I will still use my hearty craftsman when the grass gets too tall, after a wind storm, when it rains and of course in the fall and early spring as I build my lasagna garden beds and need mulch. My gas powered mowing is not extinct but is greatly reduced!
Reel mowers may not create world peace, but they make this mower Smile!
Happy smiling and mowing to you,
Denise
"Smile a while and as you smile and another will smile and soon there will be miles and miles of smiles because you smiled" Author unknown
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