The Reel Deal

Here I go again, risking my reputation as a reasonable person. You may think I've sprung a leak in my good sense, but I've been waiting all week to tell you about my new toy. Well, it's an old toy, actually, and it isn't really the kind of thing that most sane people would consider fun. But perspective is everything, isn't it?

My in-laws let me rummage around their garage last weekend and excavate their long-dormant reel lawnmower. Yes, the kind that you push along, spinning the happy hamster wheel blades without a lick of noise or exhaust. Imagine my excitement!

The mower is a Great States model, made in the USA, and although it has a few years on it, it's not a dinosaur. The beauty of the thing, right off the bat, is that even after sitting for several seasons, it doesn't require any kind of tune-up beyond a serious sharpening of the blades. And even though the blades are currently as dull as the edge of my thumb, they STILL cut enough grass to give me hope that this newly blossomed relationship is going to last.

I know you're probably puzzling over why I'm so giddy about a powerless lawnmower. It's simple: like so many un-technological things, this mower is a blast-from-the-past that holds promise for the future. I don't know about you, but I hate using gasoline. Think of it: we pay so much money for petro-poison that was plundered from the earth only to burn it and breathe its foul fumes. Old habits and vicious cycles are hard to break, but what's more satisfying than giving them a whack?

Interestingly, I am not alone in my peculiarities. A growing number of people nationwide are reverting to old fashioned mowers. You might say they're “quietly” making a comeback. Everybody has their own reasons. Some like the lack of noise; others enjoy saving money. And parents like me appreciate the fact that we can mow with kids in the yard—no flying debris, deadly blades, or polluted air. Sure, a person could get hurt with a reel mower, but they'd have to work pretty hard at it.

That's another thing: hard work. It isn't dreadfully difficult to push one of these mowers around, I don't care what the old folks say. The new mowers are made of lighter alloys and whatnot (mine weighs about 15 pounds), so it's not like you're shoving a tank. But the flip side is that pushing the mower at a steady clip is enough work that you breathe and sweat, and your blood pumps. These are great side effects! Suddenly, mowing the lawn becomes efficient exercise.

And reel mowers are pretty cheap, considering the cost of most everything these days. I bet mine ran about $90 new, and the fancier ones are somewhere around $250. Plus, you can forget maintenance—no oil changes, spark plugs, engine overhauls—nothing. Popular brands include Scotts, Brill, and Sunlawn. I'm not sure if the local stores carry any, but I'm sure they'll order one for you. You can justify your purchase as an investment in cleaner living, but as soon as you get it home, you'll be calling it a toy too.

Here are some reel mowing tips from a company called Clean Air Gardening (www.cleanairgardening.com):

1. Walk at a good, steady pace. With a manual reel mower, you are the engine; the mower will tend to bind up and skid if you walk at a snail's pace. So get moving at a comfortably quick walking pace and you'll get the best results.

2. Overlap your rows. This will make the mower a bit easier to push because you're mowing less grass, and it will also help catch any spots you might have missed on the previous row.

3. Experiment with different mowing patterns. Different types of grass and different lawns have different growing patterns. The direction in which you mow can make a difference in the quality of the cut.

4. Don't let the grass get too tall. Manual mowers are harder to push when the grass gets too tall, so keep your lawn mowed weekly.

5. Experiment with your cutting height. Adjust until you get the best cutting results.

6. Embrace imperfection. Grass is a living organism. It's not carpet. If you miss a few blades of grass and they're sticking up in the yard, move on. You'll get them next week.

7. Mow early. This is one of the neatest advantages of having a reel mower. You can mow at the cool break of dawn, and you won't wake your neighbors.

Generally, reel mowers are recommended for small lawns without lots of bumps and bristles. But that hasn't stopped me. My yard is far from small or manicured, and I run roughshod over it just fine. Granted, there are still a few blades of grass and stubborn dandelions poking up here and there, but I can overlook them till next time.

Will I use my reel mower every single time I mow this summer? I doubt it. We have acres of play space, garden, and orchard to mow, and the grass always seems to have the upper hand. But the way I see it, when I do use my reel mower, I will be making a difference—breaking the cycle. I've probably already saved a couple bucks and a gallon or two of gas. And that, my friends, is progress.