Zen & The Art Of Lawn Maintenance

A basic guide on how to mow your lawn like a zen rock garden & why you would even want to. Quickly look out your window at your lawn. Is it boring? Why not transform what grass you have into an extension of the life within and without of your lawn? And while you are add it, why not add in some food or medicinal herbs? After taking time to make your lawn more than just some grass growing out there, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and peace.

The art of mowing your lawn like a zen garden is something I noticed while a young kid, mowing lawns around the neighborhood for small change. It was quite simple to just mow back & forth, in straight lines, but I noticed that the older gentlemen where rolling around in circles on their riding lawn-mowers. And then I saw the grass. It looked, well, like it was supposed to! A wonderful thought came to me... what if I added this around and around technique, even though I had a put mower, and could I not, because I had a push mower, add even more maneuverability, and thus more definition to this technique. And so I committed myself, and to this day, I cannot mow a single lawn without mowing in tune with not only the outer objects, but the objects within the lawn's boundaries themselves.

Just what to do?
So, as you start at , lets say where the corner of the lawn meets the walkway to your front door, start mowing the outer edge, moving around, tracing the outline of your yard. If you are using a gas or electric mower with an out chute, make sure you are pointing the scraps and cuttings chute away from the yard, not into it. If you encounter any trees, shrubs, or planting boxes, or lets say, your mailbox, add that to the tracing you are creating. Now, slowly spiral your way inward, one outline at a time. As you encounter new objects, treat them with the same respect as your mailbox, and add them into the entire groove of it all. Eventually, you will get to the point where there is no lawn left. At this point, either turn off the mower and wheel it out, or pick up the reel mower and carry it out of the yard. Now get a sweet tea, lemonade, beer, or whatever, sit back, and notice how great your yard looks!

So, next time you want to add some fun to the chore of mowing, try focusing on all the things within and without of your yard. Add more texture and life into your life!

My Friday lists keep growing!

Hooray for mid-week Fridays!  Now that my weekend has begun, I have so much planned.  Our weather here is finally giving the soil a chance to dry out, so I can till to my hearts content!  We have a garden party planned for my Queen's birthday. We are expecting our first baby goat in two weeks. Our greenhouse still has to be finished. Whew! And that's just the beginning few lines of my list! Expect pictures and videos!

    We received two new young laying hens yesterday from a neighbor down the road (THANK YOU ANNIE!) and they are already laying strong! They complement our flock nicely as far as coloring goes. The same friendly neighbor will also have some chicks to give us in a week or two, so things are getting pretty busy around here!

    Our weed-eater's carburetor is almost shot - learned only last year that small two-stroke engines need ethanol free gas.  But, I do plan on finding a way to convert it to veggie oil, so maybe now is a great time, since I will have it apart to repair the carb anyways.

    After the winter's destruction of our greenhouse, we have decided to start straight into the garden whilst it gets repairs. Here's to hoping for the best!

    I plan on making a movable goat pen with movable electric fence like they use on Polyface Farms.  Very sustainable. i recommend the book, "The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer" by Joel Salatin, to everyone. This was a wonderful read.  It fits right into what we are trying to accomplish here at Amber Fox Farms.  I am always looking out for inspiration and knowledge to create and maintain our farm as a sustainable homestead.  This book sent me farther in the right direction!
here's the permalink:
the sheer ecstasy of being a lunatic farmer
    and here's a link to the Polyface blog 'Hen House':
The PolyFace Hen House

    My Queen's Birthday Garden Party Extravaganza should be wonderful! I think it is a wonderful idea for a birthday party! what do you think? Let me know!