Mowing Barefoot and Conscience Free

I am living on the edge - yes I am! And I am not the least bit guilty about it. No - not one bit! I am having my cake and I’m eating it too, with a big fat grin on my face and I‘ll tell you why.

For a few years now I have made a conscious effort to be friendlier to this planet which nurtures and nourishes me. I cart reusable cloth grocery bags in my back pack (purse) for all shopping occasions including those impromptu ones. I compost and I recycle as you would expect and I find myself dragging my garbage can to the curb only once in a month now. I don’t mind saying that I’m feeling good about these moves too.

But when my “carbed” out antiquity of a lawn mower coughed out it’s last puff of smoke a year ago, it was time to make a conscious choice to continue in a healthier lifestyle for myself and this planet. With a half acre of lawn needing cutting I had no choice but to go on the hunt for a replacement!

Simplify was on my list of requirements as well as affordable. So with these in mind I was off shopping. That is when I saw the revival of an old childhood friend of mine.
The “reel” lawn mower. I remember pushing my family’s old thing around when I was eight or so. And trust me that was a long time ago! It was heavy and huge, but I had fun with it and no fear of it either. I remember feeling quite important and grown up mowing the family lawn!.

The reel mowers I was looking at had come a long way since then. They were compact., light weight, came in varying swath sizes and even had attachable bags to catch clippings. Wow! Also they were comparable in price as well. ranging from $70.00 to $170.00, all depending on accessories and swath size. A bit of assembly was required (attaching the handle to the body, that’s all) but it was no big deal.

The cost advantages and maintenance requirements of this type of mower is worthy of noting. I don’t have to buy gas, spark plugs, or filters. I don’t have to ship it to a small engine shop. My repair/ sharpening kit cost another $40.00 and it is a very simple procedure . Best of all, I don’t have to throw a shoulder pulling a cord to get it going. Nor dance with an extension cord as with electric mowers. I am free to move and at my own leisurely pace. Now that’s lady friendly. .. right down to Mother Earth! And hey... it is hip friendly too. A good form of exercise. I find that I can go at the same pace as any push mower on the market.

It is a very safe little tool too. I can hop it over my wood borders,without blinking an eye. I don’t fear flying projectiles from the blade or stalling it . When you stop, the blade stops too. And yes I do to the complete horror of my neighbours, mow in my bare feet. Seriously, the only danger I have is stepping on a thistle.

I stroll out on a Sunday morning and conscience free get my yard in shape before the day gets too hot, yet my neighbours still love me. I know many of them look forward to a little sleeping in on the weekend I can fully respect that. No literally ...I can respect that because my mower is very quiet and un intrusive.

Now there’s a down side. Well it is not for me, but I have read comments from users on web sites for home and hardware outlets and I have to agree that I have experienced the same thing. This down side is a consequence of a slower rotating blade than a motor driven one. If you do not stay on top of your cutting and allow certain species of plants to grow to a bendable height; dandelion stalks for example, you will find that they have the amazing ability to do the “Matrix” move to avoid being cut. They bend backwards! It is quite an amazing survival technique. Got to give them credit. But here is how I look at this issue. You know how borders, walls and any other edges don’t seem to get cut becuse the mower, no matter what kind, can’t get at it. So you find yourself having to go and get your (ahem!....rechargeable) weed whacker to finish the job. While it is in hand why not stroll out and deal with those “Matrix” bending radicals. Mind you this is only an issue when you do not keep on top of your job/ exercise program in the first place.

I find that the benefits in using the new and much improved reel mower far outweigh any downside and I can feel good that I am yet adding to my goal of being more responsible in my world. Cleanairlawncare.com cites a survey which concluded that the air pollution from cutting grass for one hour from a gasoline power mower is the same as that from a 100 mile auto ride. Now that’s something to think about!