The Gardener’s Medicine Cabinet, Parts Unknown: Mower Blades and the Necessary Shot
Written by biscuit on May 10, 2008 – 8:28 am -In a few minutes, I’ll be going out to mow until this week’s second round of tornadoes comes through. The grass right now is 3-4′ high, so it will be slow going. But it needs to be done, not only because it looks unsightly, but because critters (including the evil tick 
) love high grass.
I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to give cover to kitty cats scheming on my songbirds or mice getting a little too comfy or — horrors! — snakes.
And I suppose I could make my life easier by lowering my blade so I don’t have to mow so often. But I don’t want to hit the critters. Besides, it’s a matter of my own safety.
My first summer here, I hit a turtle and innumerable leopard frogs with my mower. It was horrible. I love my turtles only a fraction less than I love my frogs. But I wasn’t sure what to do except mow a little bit more slowly so they might be alerted by my presence and scoot off ASAP.
Then, one bright and sunny day, I hit rusty wire which shot right into my leg. Fortunately by then, I’d already put together a hefty medicine cabinet. I immediately washed it in hydrogen peroxide, pulled out the wire and slathered it with antibiotic cream.
I also marched myself to the health department and got a tetanus shot. Yes, a tetanus shot. I hadn’t had one in years, and I’ve since realized no one in their right mind does any kind of intensive outdoor work without one.
You see, the American landscape is anything but pristine at this point in time. This is especially true if you go into areas which have been farmed — or ranched — at any time in the last 50-100 years. The suspect in my injury was old baling wire, of which I’ve found mountains over the years. But I’ve also run into bullets, old axes, saw blades, bed springs - ? - tennis shoes, men’s size 40 briefs, mutilated Barbie dolls, and more marbles than you can shake a stick at.
These days, I keep my mower blade high. I no longer hit critters, although I’ve left a few stunned frogs [wholly intact] in my wake. I’ve also suffered no more injuries from mowing, even though I’ve run right over all manner of things.
And I keep current on my tetanus shots.
You should, too. For as romantic as the country life is, there are all manner of hazards awaiting you. If you protect yourself, however, you can enjoy your work and help contribute to the revitalization of our rural areas.
Posted in Diaries |
Good thing you got another tetanus shot! Most people don’t realize the importance of getting a booster.
I have a manual mower though I don’t seem to be using it lately, too lazy (and far too much work on my plate) so I have this friend who comes in every couple of weeks in the summer, doesn’t cost too much and it helps everyone…
My neigbor is supposed to brushhog.
Of course, he’s been saying for a couple of years now he’d replace the fences which his horses have completely wrecked.
::sigh::
We have no grass here to speak of. Once in a while I see a little patch of grass.
Now sand is everywhere. My back yard is a giant litter box.
When Cora sees a patch of grass, she rolls in it and crawls on her tummy. It must feel so cool to her.
~~Sand everywhere, a kid’s paradise. I have had to buy a few bags of sand for my girls the other day, they still use the sandpit we built ages ago, and play in it with the dog & pooties for hours.
I just discovered some of my grass is now as tall as I am.
&^%% neighbor! I have to knock it down, and fast.
Meanwhile, he’s up there all cozy in his little - okay, not so little - home sweet home watching sports.
Revenge is a dish best eaten cold.
Well, he’s been pasturing his horses for free on my land for 4-5 years now. He was supposed to do it in exchange for brush hogging a few times a years (especially at the beginning and the end of the season - please note, the beginning of the season was a couple of weeks ago) and doing the necessary repairs (like FIXING FENCES HIS HORSES HAVE KNOCKED DOWN!).
But it’s par for the course here, which is one of the reasons I’m not feeling too sad about taking a house in town. I love it here, but as the saying here goes, you gotta catch them before they’ve had their first beer. Needless to say, that’s impossible in these parts.
Have it done and send him the bill! That’s one way.
One year, I hired someone to do it, and it so totally humiliated him, he was religious about it afterward.
So that’s a definite consideration. It humiliates him enough to see me out there doing it with my push mower when he’s got a tractor and all the riggings.
I’m just sick of dealing with it. I may shut off the gate w/o telling him once I move.
Or rent the place to someone who will ensure it gets done. Either way, you win.
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