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GET REEL
April 17, 2008
By Mary Forsell, Contributing Editor
 My husband decided to let our lawn service go. He likes saving money, but not
sitting on a posterior-numbing tractor for half the weekend cutting our grassy
acre. I wanted to help, but I hate loud noises and fumes. Then it came to me:
Order a push mower.
The push mower, aka "reel mower," arrived, and I assembled it using the
provided diagram. I think I might have put a nut where a bolt should have been,
but the thing worked and it actually cut grass.
At first, I'd just go back and forth across the lawn, horizontally and
vertically. Then, I discovered circles and diagonals and squares within squares.
I started playing games: If I get X amount done today, I get tomorrow off. Soon
I could easily knock off three-quarters of the yard in a week. I could mow early
in the morning and not rattle the neighborhood. The mower never broke down or
ran out of gas. My husband actually had free time. A woman I didn't even
know—and therefore had no hidden agenda—commented on my legs. (She called them
"gams.")
 I'll admit, I've toyed with the idea of starting some precious lawn service
with a fancy title. "Mary's Hand-Cut All-Natural Enviro Lawns." But then
I'd have no time for our lawn and we'd be back to where we started. Still, just
imagine the shape I'd be in!
Now, if ever I see my husband getting the lawn tractor out, I spring into
action: "Oh no you don't! Leave some for me!"
Links:
http://www.amazon.com/Scotts-20-Inch-Push-Mower-2000-20/dp/B00004RA3E
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where do i get one of these reel mowers
Posted By: audrey shecton
I thought of buying one of those, but wasn't
sure they actually worked, or feared it would
be too difficult to push. We live near
Phoenix, so we don't have much grass to cut.
Sounds like it would be perfect for me. I
want nice gams :-)
Posted By: Alice
half acre with a push mower, hummmmm...done
that been there, I give them one season max
and they will change over to something more
mechanical unless they have endless time to
kill......hahahaha
Posted By: claudia roulier
Yay for the reel mower! I've been wanting to
buy one myself. We have a lawn man but
some kind of grass in the yard grows faster
than the rest and that really BUGS me.
Posted By: Miz Carla
When I was 25 years old and had a one year
old daughter I decided this was the exercise
for me. We were renting an old house and
someone had left a push mower in the garage.
I pulled that out and started mowing. I had
no idea how hard you had to push that thing.
My dad always used a push mower when I was
growing up! After one time of mowing our
small lot I parked that nasty piece of
machinery way in the back of the garage. I'm
62 now and haven't mowed a lawn since. My
husband LOVES mowing the lawn with a power
mower and wouldn't consider a riding mower.
And we have a huge lawn. Great gams sound
good, but I think I'll pass.
Posted By: Retha
I have been mowing my small yard for a year
with a reel mower, and love it! Little
noise, no fumes, great exercise --- what's
not to like?
Posted By: Sheila
Our Neighbor, has a electric mower but I tell
you I think the lawn look just the same after
they mow then before. We have even a smaller
yard then them and we still use the good old
gas mower.. I've cut out nine trips to my
daughters school and my sons school so if I
mow with a gas mower I still feel OK about it..
Posted By: Amy
I too wonder how long this push mower
phase will last. Here in sunny California,
mowing is a 12 month a year job. My frugal
son decided lawn service cost too much money
and that his 60+ year old mother with a full-
time teaching job should mow the lawn. Yeah,
right.
Well, I did let the man go after he
killed all of my irises by pulling out all
of the leaves before they died back. Son
mowed for seven months. Then he went off to
graduate school with the admonition that I
needed the exercise and mowing the lawn was
great way to get it. However, when the weeds
in the garden got higher than I am tall, I
secretly hired a gardener. What son doesn't
know will not hurt him! Best wishes to the
reel gardeners, but here's to my gardeners!!!
Posted By: Ms. Joyce
Mowing my yard is just a walk in the park. I
bought a reel mower 16 years ago at a yard
sale for 75cents and had it sharpened once
for $25. It never runs out of gas and there
are no gas cans to fill and transport. No
fumes, no headaches.
Posted By: Gloria
I bought a second hand push mower 5 and half
years ago when I bought my little house in
the city. I adore it! People always suggest I
buy a gas or electric power mower and I say
No Way!
I love the exercise and the fact that I can
still hear my neighbors while mowing.
Posted By: anne
good exercise I guess, but only if your yard
in tiny AND flat, otherwise not! they dont
do that great a job of cutting either. Now
if someone could make a light one, self
propelled with sharp blades - Id be there
too. Anyway yard work is mans work - I do
enough inside the house!
Posted By: margarita in texas
When I was a kid there were ONLY push
mowers. Seemed to work just fine for
everyone. Sometimes bigger and better{ is
not as good as the old tried and true. Enjoy!
Posted By: Sharon
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