Sometimes we just don’t give kids enough credit for setting amazing examples for the rest of us. While many of us are already overwhelmed with everything we have to get done in a single day, kids take their time exploring and learning about the world around them. While we may encounter certain things so often that we don’t fully process them anymore, kids notice problems and set out to fix them.

Since he was old enough to lift a helping hand, 12-year-old Ethan Reynolds from Columbus, Indiana has gone out of his way to do so. He volunteers at nursing homes, animal shelters, and makes it a priority to give to those in need. In fact, last Christmas, Ethan forewent a typical kid’s wish list. While his friends were asking for toys and video games, Ethan asked for something that ultimately wasn’t even for him. Ethan asked for a lawnmower, hoping to use it to help neighbors in need.

When this big-hearted 12-year-old noticed members of his community asking for money and food on the street when COVID began impacting jobs, he set out to help. Starting with whatever money he had available, Ethan bought non-perishable food and personal hygiene products that his community desperately needed. He set out a table on his front lawn, wrote “Free Food” on a sign out front, and Ethan’s Table was born.

Ethan’s compassion awakened something in his community, and before he knew it, neighbors began adding their own donations to his table. Being 12 doesn’t pay all that well, so Ethan began doing lawn work for his neighbors to raise money. With the money he made, he bought more food to keep Ethan’s Table stocked.

Unfortunately, the lawnmower this determined 12-year-old had been using was every dad’s worst nightmare. It was old, rusty, and would frequently break down mid-job. Ethan had unshakable determination, but he was held back by his less-than-ideal equipment.

Filled with gratitude for Ethan’s constant support, his community stepped up, thrilled to give something back to the little boy who constantly gives so much himself. Ethan’s community got together and bought the most important item on his Christmas list – a new lawnmower.

Ethan was overwhelmed when he realized the brand new lawnmower sitting in front of his house actually belonged to him – Ethan fell to the ground, bubbling over with excitement about all the people this lawnmower would allow him to help.

“We try to have $75-$100 worth of food on the table every day,” Ethan’s website explains.

Though he frequently receives donations, Ethan puts in the work to make sure that nobody in his community goes hungry. Every community needs an Ethan, and every Ethan needs a lawnmower. Fortunately for everyone, this generous boy’s Christmas wish came true.

Dude, your yard looks great. The grass is at the right level. You finally found your groove for creating the perfect mow pattern. And that groundhog? Yeah, he’s gone. You’ve spent hours each week perfecting your lawn. You planted the bulbs your wife bought and even found a spot for the stupid sparkling gazing ball your kid “needed.” Lawn care was practically a part-time job for the last six-ish months. Now winter is coming and you’re packing away that lawnmower and looking forward to a break, right?

Ehhh… not so fast. In order to keep from basically starting over in the spring, you’ll need to put in just a bit more work in the fall with some winter lawn care best practices. Want to keep your grass greener in winter? It’s also a good idea to remain vigilant over your yard, even in the darkest days of winter. Want to keep your lawn the envy of the neighborhood? Here’s what you need to know and do.

Start winter lawn care in the fall

Do Leaf Control

We know both Finn and Fido love crunching through those autumn leaves. However, leaving them sitting on your grass can take its toll. For your absolute best bet at a healthy lawn, rake often and pick up the piles immediately. If you can’t get to them right away or they end up rain-soaked on your lawn, you leave your yard more susceptible to critters and your grass is likely to end up diseased. At the bare minimum, use your mower to mulch the leaves into dime-sized pieces.

Aerate Your Lawn

What’s it feel like when you walk across your lawn? Is it firm or do your feet sink into the earth? Aerating your yard is beneficial no matter what, but a harder ground is more likely to benefit.

What is aerating?

To aerate literally means to add air or give air. In other words, loosen the earth under your grass so it’s not so compacted.

How do you aerate?

You can do this in multiple ways. There are spikes you can strap onto your shoes so you can walk your lawn and push holes into the ground. There are also tools/machines you can buy that you push across your yard. As they roll over your grass, they pull out plugs of dirt and, again, leave holes to help loosen the dirt.

Why should you aerate?

An aerated lawn has multiple benefits. To begin, you already know that plants need oxygen. Those holes also allow better drainage during rain and snow. This not only brings water to your grass roots, it also helps avoid standing or pooling water. As an added bonus, it also helps with your next step…

Feed, seed, and treat your grass

Did you know there’s actually stuff you can put on your lawn now that will settle in over winter and help your yard look even better in the Spring? Scotts Turf Builder, for instance, has several different fall and winter lawn treatments you can use, depending on what your lawn needs.

Once winter arrives

Keep off the grass!

No. Really. Your grass is much more fragile during colder temperatures. If your dog likes to run in the same path around the yard, look for ways to redirect him every few days, so he doesn’t wear down a path. And, while your kids’ occasional romp through the snow won’t do much damage, make sure they’re sticking to the walk or driveway on regular treks out of the house.

Treat your snow carefully

When managing snow, there are two things to keep in mind: How long snow piles will sit on your lawn and what you’re using on hard surfaces to melt the snow. If your neighborhood plows the street and you end up with snow piled on the easement, it might be worth getting out the shovel and moving it elsewhere. Piled up road slush carries a lot of weight… and harmful chemicals from cars. Leaving snow berms sitting on your grass can actually cause mold, too. Another way harmful chemicals seep into your grass? The chemicals in the “salt” used to melt the snow and ice off your walkways.

This is hard, right? If you have a pet, you might already be buying a special ice melt that’s less painful for your pooch. Is it safe for your lawn, too? There’s a ton of products out there. In the long run, it might be a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. If you’re only worried about your lawn, calcium chloride is the best option. And if you must use straight rock salt? Use it as a pretreatment before the ice and snow arrive instead of using it after the fact. Why? You can use a lot less if you use it before instead of after.

Clear the yard of clutter

Finally, don’t shoot the messenger on this, but you need to bring in anything you can and cover the rest. Winter winds blow ornaments over and knock branches down. Part of your yard’s charm is the cute accessories. Don’t let winter ruin them — that crap is expensive! For bigger pieces, try to invest in covers or even just cheap tarps and bungee cords from any hardware store.

Great for the Environment

Your lawn’s perfect appearance isn’t just a beautiful masterpiece for the neighborhood but it’s also a great help to the environment. When your grass is managed well you help soil erode at a lower rate and minimize dust, which can cause pollution. Your lawn will also help with oxygen production, carbon retention, heat dissipation and water run-off reduction. Wildlife and little critters around your neighborhood will also thank you. A healthy lawn has no room for crawlers that damage plants and birds and helpful insects will flock to your garden, which is helpful to your grass and creates a safe space for your pets to play.

Just a heads up, if you buy stuff using the provided links, The Dad may collect a small commission.

One of life’s greatest joys is a well-manicured lawn, but as you get older, pulling out your trusty mower isn’t always the relaxing activity it used to be. 80-year-old Prince Pinkney, an army veteran from Fort Lauderdale, was mowing his grass on Monday as he’d done countless times in the past. Before he was able to finish the cardinal task, Pinkney started to feel unwell.

After having a stroke several years ago, Pinkney has weakness in one of his legs. When he began feeling ill, Pinkey’s leg buckled underneath him. The elderly veteran fell, and though his wife tried to help him up, he was unable to stand. Fortunately, a passerby noticed the couple struggling in the Florida heat and contacted the Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue (FLFR).

Within minutes, help arrived and Pinkney was treated for heat exhaustion. However, the paramedics knew their job wasn’t done. As soon as Pinkney was safe, one of the paramedics grabbed the mower and got to work.

Though their job was technically done once Pinkney was cooled down and out of danger, the FLFR crew wanted to help the elderly man finish his job as well. Plus, Pinkney is a veteran. Not only did they want to thank him for his service, but with the courage and determination it takes to serve your country, it’s entirely possible that Pinkney would have gone right back out to finish the job himself.

Fortunately, someone caught this amazing act of kindness on camera, and The Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue shared the footage on Facebook. The caption read, “Monday morning Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Station 47 was dispatched to a pass out. Upon arrival they found an 80 year old Army veteran suffering from heat exhaustion while working in his yard. They immediately treated the man and cooled him off. Once his medical emergency was over the crew stepped in and finish cutting his grass! This is truly what it is all about.”

The Facebook community was quick to applaud the three paramedics for going above and beyond, expressing pride in the FLFR and the huge amount of good they do for the community. Some comments even offered to contribute to a GoFundMe, so the elderly couple could pay for a lawn mowing service. The FLFR said it best – when communities come together to support each other, that is truly what it’s all about. That, and a freshly-mowed lawn.

Lawnmowers are far more than just tools to keep our yards looking better than the yard of the rival dad across the street. Lawnmowers help us stay connected to our communities, and did you know there are lawnmower gangs that keep our parks trimmed? Not to mention mowing lawns give dads some much-needed “me time.” So we’re all in for a new streaming service called Menace Vision that’s giving us another highly unusual use for our favorite motorized lawn care companions – a race across North America.

This is far from the fast-paced action-packed reality show we’re used to, but with everything in the world being as chaotic as it is, 10 mph may be exactly the speed we need right now. The Great Grass Race’s Facebook page explains, “Six teams race across North America with just a lawnmower, a trailer, and people skills to rely on. No gas. No food. No money.”

The Facebook group has accumulated over 2,000 followers, with members of the community often popping in to share that they’d run into the show’s camera crew on their journey across the US. The race is set to last roughly three months, as contestants make their way from Los Angeles, California to New York on their trusty Craftsman T110 lawnmowers.

The neon green team spoke to KSN about the competition. “Everybody had a box with their name on it and inside the box was your color shirt so you had to match up with somebody,” one competitor explained. This means that teammates embarking on this nearly 3,000-mile trek were initially strangers.

The challenge extends far beyond the act of riding a lawnmower across the country – contestants have to rely on the kindness of strangers for food, shelter, and whatever else they may need along the way. With additional challenges thrown in and perpetually-changing rules, this race keeps the six brave teams on their toes.

The show’s creator and executive producer Denis Oliver told FOX10, “I wanted a show that everyone could relate to while also forcing people, including strangers, to work together toward a common objective. This long lawnmower ride is a metaphor for our longing to bridge the tremendous distance we feel between each other right now.”

While the show will also be available on other streaming services such as Google Play and Amazon Fire TV, Oliver created Menace Vision to generate more revenue to fund future shows and donate to charity. The Great Grass Race began on July 10 and is expected to continue through mid-October. Who will succeed? Whose ass will be grass? Only time will tell.

The pandemic has caused the world as we know it to flip on its head. Athletes are stepping away from the career of a lifetime to focus on more urgent matters, people are losing their jobs due to business closures and downsizing, and local heroes are stepping up to help their communities stay afloat. Brian Schwartz from New Jersey experienced the full range of life in the era of COVID, pushing through every challenge he faced. He was laid off from his job in advertising, started a free-of-charge lawn mowing service to help disabled veterans and senior citizens, oh – and he became a dad.

After his company downsized due to COVID, Schwartz refused to let the loss of his job keep him down. Because of the high number of people looking for employment paired with the fact that his job could be done remotely, Schwartz knew he would be competing with people around the country for any available job. Instead of stewing in his own stress, he chose a different route to make his time out of work productive. “I had to think about something different that I can add to my resume that reflects who I am as a person and gets noticed by hiring managers. All the while feeling good about doing something for others when they might not be able to,” Schwartz told The Dad.

In response to his own hardship, Schwartz decided to put some good into the world in the form of his service, “I Want To Mow Your Lawn”.This past November, Schwartz lost his grandfather. This focused his attention on the elderly community, as he remembered how challenging it was even in normal times to worry constantly about aging relatives. “I can only imagine the stress families have been going through worried sick about their elder folks and/or suffering losses throughout the pandemic. So I just wanted to help out where I could to provide not just physical but mental relief.”

At first, Schwartz was running a one-man mow. But after being featured in the local news, two New Jersey residents who had also been laid off reached out to offer their services. Even Schwartz’s former co-worker offered to help with social media, and she has since become “VP of Social Mowments.” Schwartz hopes to continue mowing lawns for seniors and veterans for as long as he can, possibly turning it into a weekend hobby once he is working full-time again. He even plans on setting up a similar service to shovel snow in the winter.

How does this hard-working dad with a heart of gold stay so motivated? Well, he credits his newborn son and his own dad, who is battling brain cancer. Both of them are currently fighting admirable battles – Schwartz’s son, Dylan, was born with a cataract in his right eye meaning that after surgery and a few months of weekly doctor visits, he will have to wear an eyepatch to train his eyesight. Schwartz’s dad was given about 15 months to live in November of 2018, but blew past doctors’ projections and was able to meet his first grandchild.

“Both of them have given me strength and inspiration,” Schwartz says. “They make me believe anything is possible.”

One man in Alabama has inspired kids around the nation to mow lawns of the elderly, veterans, and single mothers for free, and the pandemic has only increased his desire to give back to communities. Rodney Smith Jr. founded the Raising Men Lawn Care Service, a lawn care collaborative that aims to keep kids on a positive path and provide free lawn care to those who need it most, especially the elderly, the disabled, single mothers and veterans.

Keeping up with your lawn can be difficult for some people, (especially when your mower is stolen). Rodney’s story is remarkable. A major part of their service is to have kids take part in the 50-yard challenge, where after a kid mows their 50^th lawn for free, they are given a brand new mower and leaf blower for free. More than 700 kids have signed up for the challenge and together they’ve mowed more than 15,000 lawns.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

1 more kids has completed the 50 yard challenge . The 50 Yard challenge has only been possible because of you family, your support, donations and sharing it with even more kids . THANK YOU ! I am now headed to Bechtelsville,PA where we have 2 more kids who recently finished

A post shared by Rodney Smith Jr (@rodneysmithjr) on Aug 22, 2020 at 7:51am PDT

Rodney also tours the nation cutting grass for those in his target demographic to help. He’s gone through all 50 states 8 times, but the COVID-19 pandemic has crippled tour number 9. But that doesn’t keep a guy like Rodney down, as he’s continued to mow lawns in his hometown, and while he’s at it, he’s been delivering meals and much-needed supplies to the elderly and the disabled while he’s there.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Just did a Mow & Drop at Ms. Gibbs house . She’s doing well with everything going on . Said to tell you thank you guys for the items ! Making a difference one lawn at a time

A post shared by Rodney Smith Jr (@rodneysmithjr) on Mar 24, 2020 at 1:43pm PDT

He’s been delivering supplies to people who can’t get out of the house from donations his lawn service has received. He’s also worked with local charities to deliver meals. He told AL.com he mows, drops the meals or supplies, and moves along to the next house, all free of charge.

“I’m just mowing and doing what I love to do best: helping others.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

‪Just did a Mow & Drop at Mr & Mrs Weigand’s house . I’m glad we could help them out. Mr. Weigand is also a veteran . He said he was going to get out & do the lawn today . Now that I did it, he can relax ! Thank you for your service . Making a difference one lawn at a time ‬

A post shared by Rodney Smith Jr (@rodneysmithjr) on Mar 22, 2020 at 8:26am PDT

To learn more about his service or to donate to his cause, you can visit Raising Men Lawn Care Services.

There is no bond quite as sacred as the bond between a dad and his lawnmower. Lawnmowers are there, no questions asked, during the bad times and the good. Not only do they flawlessly do the job for which they are so aptly named, but they help us connect to our communities, and bring unexpected excitement to an everyday task. Gordon Blakeslee, an 85-year-old from Harpursville, New York loved his lawnmower. I’m not positive about the science behind this, but I’m fairly sure that the man-lawnmower bond is strengthened with every turn of the blade. Blakeslee has used the same mower, his treasured 2009 red Craftsman riding lawnmower, for several years – that is, until it was stolen.

Blakeslee recalled using his trusty red mower when his wife was still alive, and the routine of sitting in its comforting saddle remained a constant after she passed away. Blakeslee, like many others who live alone, moved in with family at the start of the COVID pandemic. When he returned several months later, he made a terrible discovery – his clipping companion was nowhere to be found.

Brokenhearted by the theft, Blakeslee refused to get a new lawnmower. Like a man holding onto the hope that his lost dog would one day return, Blakeslee would not replace his mower. He refused donations, and in a Facebook post, his daughter-in-law Candace insisted that there be no GoFundMe. She stated, “He is not seeking donations, just wants his 2009 red Craftsman from Harpursville, NY to be returned safely. We will continue to take care of him. He just wants that mower back!”

Blakeslee hand-wrote a simple cardboard sign to display in his front yard, hoping the thief was capable of compassion. “Bring back my mower,” the sign read, “I am 85 years old! I can’t push.” Ok, this man deserves all the lawnmowers. Please, just give him all the lawnmowers.

After a week of waiting for the mower’s safe return, the family began to lose hope. That is until the Broome County Sheriff’s Department showed up at Blakeslee’s house with an incredible surprise. It wasn’t his stolen mower, but a brand new bright red Craftsman riding lawn mower, and it was all his. An anonymous donor heard about Blakeslee’s devastating loss, and out of the kindness of this person’s enormous heart, bought the 85-year-old a brand new lawnmower.

A message to The Masked Mower: I don’t know who you are, but I hope that as long as you live, not a single dandelion touches your yard. May your grass never brown, and may your own mower have just enough gas to finish the job every single time. Thank you for your service.

Mowing the lawn is quintessential dad work. The leisurely pace, the friendly neighbors, the greenly shoes. What most write off as dull, laborious yard work is effectively cat nip for dads.

But every now and then, even dad needs a break. And what better occasion than Father’s Day to give him one?

Eden is a Canada-based app that offers on-demand and subscription landscaping services, including lawn care and snow removal. The app recently expanded to the United States and is now offering the dads of Northeast Ohio a pretty sweet deal for the month of June.

If you’re in the Cleveland area, simply download the Eden app and use the promo code LOVEDAD to get your lawn mowed for the low low price of $1.

Eden founder and CEO Ben Zlotnick, a 20-year landscaping industry leader and dad himself, says he wants to give dads a break this summer. And if there were ever a year to give dad a break, it’s this one.

And it gets better! Eden will be reinvesting all profits from this promotion back into Northeast Ohio communities.

“We will be donating that dollar back to a local charity,” Zlotnick said in an interview. “We also recently launched $1 services to healthcare workers and teachers. We look at ways to give back to the community, and this is just one of the ways we have the ability to give back.”

If you’re a dad in the Cleveland area, click here to download the Eden app and reserve your $1 lawn mowing!

Meet Scott Golz. Dad. Lawnmowing enthusiast. He caught our eye when he commented on a story we did about a community lawnmowing gang. He shared an amazing photo of him proudly posing on his trusted machine, hoisting an American flag. But our community also noticed a subtle glow coming from his New Balances. We needed to find out more. Thankfully, Scott was gracious enough to share his story and some of his tips for a ballpark-esque turf.

Every superhero has an origin story, what’s yours?

My lawn mowing history began around the age of 12. My father passed away 4 years prior so I am what you would call “self-taught”. I didn’t have much technique but damn were my lines straight. The interesting thing is, I had heard stories of my father and how he could mow the lawn with one hand and drink a cup of coffee with the other. It is quite possible that I had acquired some of the raw talent he possessed.

Tell us about your lawnmowing footwear.

The New Balance sneaker – I had my daughter at the age of 32, it was maybe a couple of weeks later when I purchased my 1st pair of New Balance running shoes. I can’t say what inspired me to try on that 1st pair but I did, and haven’t looked back since. New dad instincts I’m guessing.

I have a theory called the New Balance evolution. That 1st pair was my everyday shoe. I’d wear them to the grocery store, casual work meetings, and fun nights out on the town. When they began to lose their luster, they evolved into “work shoes”, mainly worn while doing various light-duty yard work. At this point, I purchase a new pair for everyday use. Once the new pair loses its luster, they evolve into the “work Shoes” and the old “work shoes” graduate to “Lawn Mowing Shoes”. These grass-stained soles are basically the Holy Grail of Dad footwear. I have a large assortment of grass-stained New Balance sneakers on display in my walk-in closet and the collection isn’t showing any signs of slowing. In terms of what pair I choose to wear when I mow, the sneakers basically dictate which pair will be worn on any specific day. I don’t choose the sneaker, the sneaker chooses me.

You may notice the “N” symbol on my New Balance shoes will glow at times. I compare it to the Bat-Signal. I always say “When the New Balance Glow, it’s time to mow”. I couldn’t tell you exactly when this phenomenon first occurred but I can tell you that every Dad has the ability to harness that power. It does come with time and patience. I have been a Dad now for 13 years and I would say it took a good 10 years before I experienced “The Glow”. The funny thing is… I believe it was right around the time I got my 1st riding mower. It was sitting in the garage of the new house we were putting an offer on. In my offer, I negotiated the beautiful green mower into the price of the house and the rest is history. The only thing that can diminish the glow is a rainy day. It is Dad Law that you cannot and must not mow when those blades of grass are wet.

How did becoming a dad change your mowing mindset? 

You need to teach your kids to take pride in everything they do, even mowing the lawn. I am sad to say, however, my 13-year-old daughter shows absolutely no interest in lawns, lawnmowers, or lawnmower accessories. She does say the striping looks really nice when I finish. I’ll take any compliment I can from her at this point.

What do you think of Robo-Mowers?

THEY’RE A JOKE. This is a major part of living the dad life. Don’t let robots take that away from you. If you want a robot to vacuum your new bamboo hardwoods, that’s acceptable.

Do you have any signature moves?

I have several signature moves. I usually pull out the 1 handed finger gun and pew-pew the next-door neighbor. Sometimes if I am having an exceptionally good mow, I whip out the double-handed finger guns and pew-pew like the wild west. Know this much, if you drive down my street, you will always get a wave no matter what. You will also see me mouth the words “who the hell is this”.

Do you have any lawnmowing rivals?

When I moved to my current house 3 years ago, my lawn was horrendous. Riddled with a cornucopia of weeds and the invasive “Nutsedge” I was a bit overwhelmed. My next-door neighbor Simon has a beautiful lawn and I decided if I get to look out at his masterpiece, he should get a masterpiece as well. I have been on a mission to be on the same level and it looks like I am almost there. I would not consider him competition, I would consider him motivation. He and his family are wonderful neighbors as well.

Between the two of us, we are the dominating forces in our neighborhood.

What advice do you have for up and coming lawnmowing dads?

Keep your blades high, do not under any circumstance scalp your lawn. It opens the lawn up to weeds like you’d never imagined. Get yourself on a 3 step fertilization program and do not mow when the grass is wet. Another major component to my lawn success is to mulch your clippings, do not bag. The clippings are a natural fertilizer. Aerate the lawn every so often and dethatch as well. When you have things looking good and the grass is lush, buy yourself a striping kit for the mower. This will give you those beautiful lines you see at ballparks. This is how you attain lawn domination in your neighborhood. Sticking flame decals your kid got you for Father’s day on your mower definitely scores domination points as well.