6 minute read

Thoughts from Mary Boorsman ������������������������������

Mary Boorsma, Albert Lea Seedhouse & Garden Center

This will not come as a surprise to my neighbors, but lawns are not my landscaping strength. I know what the ideal lawn looks like, and sometimes I aspire to this ideal. Every time I mow, I think about how I’m going to treat my lawn for weeds, aerate in the fall, fertilize regularly, thatch and over seed, water when it’s dry and do everything right. Then I go inside my house, where a hundred other things are begging for my attention, and I forget about my lawn until the next time I mow. It’s the classic story of the monkeys in the rainforest. When it would rain, the monkeys would huddle miserably under banana leaves and tell each other about the great shelter they would build to keep themselves warm and dry when it rained. Then, the sun would come out, the monkeys would dry off, and they would forget all about the misery of the rainstorms. I, too, am a monkey with a short attention span.

Advertisement

Like a rainstorm, the state of my lawn can cause me some discomfort. One’s lawn is, after all, the first thing one’s neighbors see and it’s easy to draw conclusions about the moral fitness of a home’s inhabitants from the front yard. Lawn ornaments like broken washers or rusted-out cars say something to those who pass by. Likewise, a well-manicured swath of carpet like green also speaks loudly. Humans have a deep-rooted attraction to a smooth, unbroken, clipped lawn.

At the Seed House Garden Center, the staff can spend entire days doing nothing but helping customers maintain their small patch of collective green: Discussing the merits of fine fescues versus perennial rye. Weighing the pros and cons of sulfur-coated urea versus poly-coated urea. Peering at the active ingredients of broadleaf weed killers and teaching folks the advantage of spreader stickers. Lawns are big business.

Here are a few lawn facts, courtesy of John Green, Bestselling author, YouTube content creator, podcaster, and philanthropist:

“*There are around 128,000 square kilometers of lawn in the U.S., greater than the size of Ohio, or the entire nation of Italy.

*To keep all the lawns in the U.S. green year-round requires, according to a NASA study, around 200 gallons of water per person per day, and almost all of the water shooting from sprinklers is treated drinking water. *To thrive, Kentucky bluegrass (the most common lawn grass) often requires fertilizer and pesticides and extensive watering and it cannot be eaten or used for anything except walking and playing on. *In short, the U.S.’s most abundant and labor intensive crop is pure, unadulterated luxury.”

It has taken me a long time to put my lawn in its proper place. I still hunger for a beautiful front yard. However, the fact remains: unless you own a golf course, a lawn is a hobby. Like painting. As painters assemble their palettes, paints and brushes, a lawn enthusiast assembles a mower, trimmer, water, seed and a wide range of chemicals. The hobbyist pours hours of attention and effort into a lawn and at the end of his or her efforts, there is something beautiful to look at. I will gladly keep my front yard free of broken cars and piles of debris. I will mow and weed and occasionally water. But at the end of the day, this monkey would much rather pour hours and attention into making cookies for my family or cutting flowers from my garden to give to a friend. Lawns are just not me.

Answer the Following Questions and Enter to Win Our Readership Contest One Year Family Membership to the YMCA to a New Member

Where can you get 20% off any one item in the store? ���������������������������������������������� Whose goal is create, educate, promote & showcase the arts? ���������������������������������������� Who is finding solutions one client at a time? ���������������������������������������������������� Whose goal is to ensure individual academic, social, and emotional growth? ����������������������������� Where can you find quality seed, feed and supplies for garden and farm? ������������������������������� Who has an $18-$19.20 starting wage? ��������������������������������������������������������� Which company was founded in 1938? ���������������������������������������������������������� Who should you let help you set and achieve your goals? ������������������������������������������� Whose web address is GROWALBERTLEA.COM? �������������������������������������������������� Who is located at 137 North Broadway Ave., Albert Lea?��������������������������������������������� Which business is community owned, community focused? ������������������������������������������ Who offers compassion and professional funeral planning service? ������������������������������������ Where can you find good people and great chicken? ����������������������������������������������� Who is helping the world thrive? �������������������������������������������������������������� Who is running for District 2 County Commissioner? ����������������������������������������������� Whose selection & prices are the toast of the town?������������������������������������������������ Where can you find caring hands enhancing the quality of lives at home? ������������������������������� Who is asking “What does community mean to you?”? ��������������������������������������������� Where can you find great careers, great benefits and great people?������������������������������������ Who should you see for all your automotive maintenance needs?�������������������������������������� Who encourages you to don’t miss the subtle sounds of fall? ����������������������������������������� Which company is 100% Employee Owned? ������������������������������������������������������ Which business is moving to 101 East Main Street in Clarks Grove in 2023?������������������������������� Where can you find affordable & flexible membership options for everyone? ����������������������������� Who is an advocate for working families and seniors? ���������������������������������������������� Who has 22 years of experience with the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office? ������������������������������ Who is promoting health & well-being to our senior population? �������������������������������������� Who is providing safe, reliable, accessible public transportation? �������������������������������������� Who has unlocked the answer to customer satisfaction? �������������������������������������������� Who would like you to join our team and work in a rewarding environment? ����������������������������� Which business asks you to call 377-1863 for more information?��������������������������������������� Where can you get insurance from the best? ����������������������������������������������������� Which business’ mission is to provide member-owners a sound financial environment? ��������������������� Who has the services and expertise you need when problems arise? ����������������������������������� Where can you find all-inclusive pricing for Memory Care? ������������������������������������������� Where can you find community banking at it’s best? ����������������������������������������������� At which business can you find Andrew Schwarz? ������������������������������������������������� Whose slogan is “Community. Collaborate. Change.”? ����������������������������������������������

Name ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Address ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Phone �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Mail or bring your entry form to The Freeborn Co. Shopper, 110 W. Pearl St., Albert Lea, MN 56007 by Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022 No photo copies, one entry per person. Must be 18 years of age or older.

We’ve Unlocked the Answer to Customer Satisfaction!

CUSTOM SHOWER ENCLOSURES

Actual Custom Shower Enclosure Installed by Southern Lock & Glass • Window, Glass, Screen Repair & Replacement • Fogged Thermal Unit

Replacement • Complete Residential &

Commercial Lock Service • Commercial & Residential

Garage Doors • Commercial Store Fronts &

Hollow Metal Doors/Frames • Windshield & Autoglass

Repair & Replacement • Lockout Service • Custom Mirrors

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL

316 Main Court • Albert Lea • 507-373-9446

www.SouthernLockandGlass.com Visit Us On at facebook.com/southernlock

This article is from: