WHO CUTS GRASS FOR FREE AND WHY YOU DO IT?

[Blaine B.]

I prefer grass.

There was at one time a pool in the backyard that was surrounded by many rocks. So many rocks. The old plastic "weed barrier" was torn and/or weeds were growing on top of it.

Slowly but surely I have been getting rid of the rocks and planting grass. I have already added ~25% more grass this year alone in the back area.

 

[astroeng2011]

I have an older couple for neighbors-- both retired and getting on in years. They have bout 10 acres with 3+ to mow. Husband now has Alzheimer's and is pretty much confined to the house. They have a grandson staying with them to help with the full time care but because of the erratic schedule with doctors visits and occasional trips to hospital, there is not much time left for yard care. I stopped by about two years ago when I noticed the surrounding property begin to look a little more than shaggy. I offered to mow the property and of course the first response was " No thanks, we can manage." I said that I was their neighbor from up the street and I was raised to look out for anyone and help those who needed it because it was right and not to worry about monetary rewards. I said that I would be happy to mow their yard and surrounding property just for the privilege of helping a neighbor.. The lady began to cry and suddenly I thought I had overstepped my bounds. " You are the first person who has ever stopped by and just asked to help without offering services for hire". I am still mowing the property--actually brush hogging most of it about four times a year. Occasionally I will turn up a garden plot for them too. I do not charge them even though they have offered to pay me multiple times. I just enjoy being outside and riding my tractor with my little sidekick on the running boards beside me--smaller Chihuahua Weenie mix-- riding shotgun and attacking any menacing branches that get too close during our mowing expeditions. I think she enjoys it as much as I do.

 

[Shughes717]

I have an older couple for neighbors-- both retired and getting on in years. They have bout 10 acres with 3+ to mow. Husband now has Alzheimer's and is pretty much confined to the house. They have a grandson staying with them to help with the full time care but because of the erratic schedule with doctors visits and occasional trips to hospital, there is not much time left for yard care. I stopped by about two years ago when I noticed the surrounding property begin to look a little more than shaggy. I offered to mow the property and of course the first response was " No thanks, we can manage." I said that I was their neighbor from up the street and I was raised to look out for anyone and help those who needed it because it was right and not to worry about monetary rewards. I said that I would be happy to mow their yard and surrounding property just for the privilege of helping a neighbor.. The lady began to cry and suddenly I thought I had overstepped my bounds. " You are the first person who has ever stopped by and just asked to help without offering services for hire". I am still mowing the property--actually brush hogging most of it about four times a year. Occasionally I will turn up a garden plot for them too. I do not charge them even though they have offered to pay me multiple times. I just enjoy being outside and riding my tractor with my little sidekick on the running boards beside me--smaller Chihuahua Weenie mix-- riding shotgun and attacking any menacing branches that get too close during our mowing expeditions. I think she enjoys it as much as I do.

Thank you for sharing such an inspirational story. It brought up a memory of an incident I experienced from a few years back. It's not a story about mowing someone else's lawn, but it does involve a lawn mower. My wife and I were taking our kids to Jackson Tn to do some shopping. We get off the country club rd. Exit rather than go to I40. We were driving on country club rd. When I looked ahead and saw an elderly man standing below a cub cadet tractor on a steep slope pushIng on the side of the mower in an attempt to prevent it from rolling over on him. It appeared that the tractor nearly rolled over while he was attempting to mow the slope. He looked as though he was about to give out any minute. Several cars passed him from both directions in front of me and no one stopped to help. I pulled over and my wife and I ran up to him. I grabbed the mower, while she helped him up the hill. It appeared he had been there a while because he had urinated. I was able to get the mower off the slope and back up to the house. Once back in the car my wife and I discussed how shocked we were that no one in front of us stopped to help the man.

 

[bt3]

I have an older couple for neighbors-- both retired and getting on in years. They have bout 10 acres with 3+ to mow. Husband now has Alzheimer's and is pretty much confined to the house. They have a grandson staying with them to help with the full time care but because of the erratic schedule with doctors visits and occasional trips to hospital, there is not much time left for yard care. I stopped by about two years ago when I noticed the surrounding property begin to look a little more than shaggy. I offered to mow the property and of course the first response was " No thanks, we can manage." I said that I was their neighbor from up the street and I was raised to look out for anyone and help those who needed it because it was right and not to worry about monetary rewards. I said that I would be happy to mow their yard and surrounding property just for the privilege of helping a neighbor.. The lady began to cry and suddenly I thought I had overstepped my bounds. " You are the first person who has ever stopped by and just asked to help without offering services for hire". I am still mowing the property--actually brush hogging most of it about four times a year. Occasionally I will turn up a garden plot for them too. I do not charge them even though they have offered to pay me multiple times. I just enjoy being outside and riding my tractor with my little sidekick on the running boards beside me--smaller Chihuahua Weenie mix-- riding shotgun and attacking any menacing branches that get too close during our mowing expeditions. I think she enjoys it as much as I do.

Very nice. I'm surprised the Chi-Ween tolerates the noise and vibration on the running boards. I'd worry about her ears being damaged over time, but I guess she just loves being outside with her buddy and helping you by surveying your fine work regardless of the noise. :thumbsup:

 

[Fuzzy1]

My Sister-in-Law lives a couple of hundred yards up the hill from me. My Brother passed back in 2005, and I have been cutting her grass & doing some odd jobs for her ever since. No particular reason other than we are supposed to take care of widows & children.

 

[bt3]

My Sister-in-Law lives a couple of hundred yards up the hill from me. My Brother passed back in 2005, and I have been cutting her grass & doing some odd jobs for her ever since. No particular reason other than we are supposed to take care of widows & children.

:thumbsup:

Nice.

 

[reynoldston]

Hate cutting grass so I just do my own lawn much less someone else's. I am more into the repair part of lawn mowers. What I have done in the pass is someone can't afford to fix their mower I will give free pick up, labor, and delivery. The parts I will try to cheapen up on the best I can to help them.

 

[Shughes717]

Hate cutting grass so I just do my own lawn much less someone else's. I am more into the repair part of lawn mowers. What I have done in the pass is someone can't afford to fix their mower I will give free pick up, labor, and delivery. The parts I will try to cheapen up on the best I can to help them.

What I like about reading posts on this thread is what people do to help other people. Helping someone less fortunate by repairing their mowers that otherwise they would be unable to repair or replace themselves is just as good as mowing someone's lawn. From your profile picture, it looks like you either have or have come across some very interesting mowers in your business. I would have to try out any exotic mower that I repaired on my own lawn if I were in your shoes. I too used to hate mowing, but now I thoroughly enjoy mowing. I guess it gives me some time to just ride and relieve stress by not thinking.

 

[Bison]

I already hate cutting my own lawn, i never found anyone willing to do mine for free either.
Your lawn..your baby.

I used to fix some poor neighbors equipment for free till i asked the guy when he drove in the yard to get something fixed,..If You finish cutting my lawn i was in the process of mowing then I would start on his broke down machine
Well, he wasn't interested so I told him to get lost.
That fixed me to fix nothing for free anymore more either.

 

[Mike88se]

Does anybody cut grass for free? Not the job you do and can't make a profit. I mean, who cuts grass for the old folks, handicapped, the poor, the folks with the broken lawnmower?

I have done that. There was a lady in the neighborhood whose grass had got really high. My sister told me that the woman's dad was sick and she was spending most of her time with him. I cut her grass a few times anonymously. One day she came home while I was there. She didn't seem impressed/grateful. Still...
My neighbors occasionally get a free mow when I'm testing out new or repaired equipment
I'd do more of that if I knew of anyone who needed it. I'm retired and just cut grass and repair machines to make some extra money so I have the time.
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great thread by the way :thumbsup: