Cleaning lawn of branches

   / Cleaning lawn of branches #151  
Well, Indiana isn't exactly known for its mountainous terrain, but your mower must be unique among zero turns, if it is impossible to flip it over backwards. Most zero turn mowers are stable side to side, and facing down hill, but can tip over backwards relatively easy when facing up a hill. If you haven't seen this, or aren't even aware of it, then you would do well to read up on it before ever bringing it east. Many add suitcase weights to a weight bar bolted between the front caster arms, for this very purpose, but it limits the mower's float performance on soft or wet areas.

I live adjacent to a ski resort, and while the foothills of the Appalachians are not exactly the Rockies, it is very hilly here. Likely much more so than any place in Indiana.
People seem to think the mid-mount Zero Turn is the only style of Zero-Turn there is which I agree will flip over backwards going uphill. They are kind of like an old M or H tricycle style they tend to flip themselves with the torque in the drivewheels going uphill.

I stated my "front deck" zero turn will not flip in any direction. If you want something for a steep hilly area that is truly safe get a front deck Zero-Turn machine. Mine is a Deines but Grasshopper, Woods, Deere, Toro, and a few others make them. The only dangers you have is losing traction and sliding somewhere you do not want to be or sliding out of the seat with no seat belt. My true preference is a Grasshopper or Woods because the lower center of gravity and ease of mounting and dismounting but it is not what I have. And while Indiana is not known for its steep slopes there are plenty of places where developers put in some steep slopes as they graded their building pads or in my case a pond bank. And yes I have slid down a few of them and it can be a little exciting but no injuries or damage - I did get very wet one time though.
 
   / Cleaning lawn of branches #152  
You got me curious, so I just went out and counted. Lot with the house is 4 acres, with approximately 3 acres of that being grass. Just counting trees in or overhanging the yard, I counted 99 trees, with 68 of them being mature black walnuts. I pick up a LOT of walnuts in the fall, like a pickup truck load per week. But you can understand the branch issue!



I like that! In fact, I already have a mount for my JR Co Blower Buggy, which could adapt to a rake like this. Do you think branches would get tangled up too much in the front casters, though? Anyone here use one of these?


Same. It was about 6 acres of lawn when I moved in, including the adjacent empty lot. I've got it paired down to about 3 acres of finish mowing now, having planted more than 100 trees and converting large swaths to gardens. I've been optimizing the mowing/trimming routine to where now in under 2 hours, I can mow the entire lawn, string trim half of it, blow off the driveway, walks, and patios. I string trim half the lot on one mowing, the other half on the next, mowing every 4th day during peak growing weeks (May/June, and again in September). Zero weeds to mow, so I can back way off in our usual summer heat and drought, sometimes almost skipping the whole month of July.
I looked at the blower buggies and liked them so I did my own out of aluminum. One of the more handy things I welded up! Don't use it a ton but when I pull it out I sure am glad I have it.
 

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   / Cleaning lawn of branches #153  
Just picked up my "sticks" today. About 2 hrs on the Steiner and trailer. I used my trusty pickker upper device so that I didn't have to bend over but a few times to save my back. Had a load on the trailer that I thought was all going to fall off at one bump on the way to the burn pile. lol Job done. Till next year!
 
   / Cleaning lawn of branches
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#154  
I looked at the blower buggies and liked them so I did my own out of aluminum. One of the more handy things I welded up! Don't use it a ton but when I pull it out I sure am glad I have it.
I like your design better, versus the straps they use to tie the wheels down on the JRCO. If yours is anywhere near as durable as theirs, I'd say you have the better product.
 
   / Cleaning lawn of branches #156  
That looks like it is doing a nice job. Very interesting!
 
   / Cleaning lawn of branches #159  
   / Cleaning lawn of branches #160  
The folks that don't have pine trees but want them for mulch. I rake up a bunch to put the strawberries to rest every fall.
 
 
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