Another Year

[Redoverfarm]

I stretched the mowing season another week this year.  Last year I started on April 15th.  I broke down and mowed today for the first time.  Such a waste of money every week.  It's purley asthetics and besides keeping it short to be able to see the critters coming to the house it proves no real purpose. So now I can look forward to a waste of at least 4 hours weekly.     If I can stretch it a week each year in 15 years I won't have to mow at all. 

[Sassy]

turn it into a garden    at least you'll get some payback 

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

That's me, Sassy.   I would rather eat than mow.

[rwanders]

  Get a few goats or sheep----they will keep it closely clipped and also fertilize it for you

[diyfrank]

You need a neighbor kid thats looking to make a few bucks.

[Redoverfarm]

Frank the only neighbor kid close by is my own.  He generally helps but he was busy tending to his hogs.  For him to help I have to wait until the weekend when he's not in school.  I let the girl drive the mower around the house several times yesterday.  Maybe by next year she will have grasped the mowing concept.  Most of my lawn is in front of the house so I hate to make it a garden area.  In fact It would be difficult in cultivating it on a hill side.  I did have a garden one year on a hillside and it was very difficult to keep the tiller from turning over. 

I should do like the old time farmers and put a railing around the porch and turn the livestock in the yard.  But them I would have to dodge the piles and spray constantly for flies.

So I guess I will be like most people and just put up with the aggravation  and expense. My whole point is that when you figure up the time involved, the expense of lawn mower up-keep and gasoline just to make it look right that it is a terrible waste of time and money.  I guess I should be thankful that the growing season is only about 6 months a year.   

[rwanders]

Have you considered plowing up the grass and sowing the area thickly with a broad variety of wild flowers that bloom throughout the summer and fall?  I have seen that done with really nice results and you only mow the area once or twice a year----maybe only keep a small grassy area close to the house.

[MountainDon]

My whole point is that when you figure up the time involved, the expense of lawn mower up-keep and gasoline just to make it look right that it is a terrible waste of time and money. 

That's why we did away with the grass in the backyard altogether a few years back. The synthetic green stuff saves unimaginable gallons of water every year, not to mention the gasoline. Still looks good.

And yes, I know the manufacture of it used petrochemicals...  I'm still saving water though and there's no dust/dirt for the winds to whip around. And it doesn't rain enough to maintain grass or virtually most other plants.

[Squirl]

I have seen many do Don's method.  They put down decorative stone lawns.  Red stone seems popular around here.