J. T. Dickerson rakes leaves in the yard of his home near Ooltewah.

Raking leaves and mowing the lawn are common chores for homeowners and often ones we dread doing. But take heart: Not only are you sprucing up the yard, you are burning calories.

In fact, you burn 96 calories every 15 minutes you spend raking leaves. Shoveling snow is an even better workout, eating up 144 calories per quarter hour. This winter notwithstanding, snow isn't something we have to deal with a lot, so how about pushing a lawn mower? It will burn 108 calories in that time frame, and a full hour behind the wheels, so to speak, will burn about 400 calories for a 190-pound man.

Bryan Clayton is the founder of Greenpal, a Nashville-based service that matches homeowners with lawn-care services. He's also a fitness buff and computer tinkerer who has a blog where he likes to merge all of his interests.

"I'm also that guy who will go to the gym to work out and drive around the parking lot four times looking for a spot closer to the door," he says. "Or that guy who will spend an hour on the treadmill and then pay somebody to mow his lawn."

When Clayton went looking for data on the benefits of doing common home maintenance projects, he could find it, but not all in one place. So he spent some time gathering the info and then compiled it into one easy-to-read chart, which he posted on his website yourgreenpal.com.

He is quick to point out that all of the tasks on his chart are things most of us dread, but thinks maybe if we tell ourselves we are also exercising, it might help psychologically.

"Yeah, all of it sucks," he says. "Cleaning gutters is my least favorite, and you only burn 75 calories every 15 minutes."

Kevin Fairris, fitness director at the Cleveland YMCA, says he often encourages clients to think of common household chores as exercise.

"We definitely encourage people to just stay active whether here at the gym or just around the house," he says.

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More than a chore: Rake leaves, mow the lawn, burn the calories

Scheer Lawn & Landscape, LLC, in Washington will be mowing 12 city properties this summer.

The lone bidder, Scheer, was unanimously awarded the city of Washingtons ground services contract during Mondays city council meeting.

The total bid accepted is $25,230. The budget for the entire project is $30,000.

The parks department said it needed help maintaining an ever-increasing amount of area.

Parks Director Darren Dunkle said after looking at the budget, it was decided to seek out a mowing contract instead of hiring additional workers to help ease the burden on current staff.

The project was budgeted at $30,000, which Dunkle said could be the cost of one new employee. However, the amount of mowing Scheer is going to provide is easily the work of more than one person, Dunkle said.

The base bid for the project included seven sites located the farthest away from the parks department office. That way, it would save the department time and energy by not having to haul mowers across town.

The sites include the fire headquarters, 200 E. 14th St.; Fire Station No. 3, 1651 W. Fifth St.; Fire Station No. 4, 1201 E. Eighth St.; Optimist Park, 2000 E. Ninth St.; McLaughlin Park, 1215 E. Sixth St.; Krog Park, 801 E. Fifth St. and Riverfront Park, Riverview Dr.

All sites will be mowed 30 times, except for the Riverfront Park which will be mowed 15 times. Dunkle said that park is more natural and requires less maintenance.

The bid for the seven sites came in at $18,165, so the city was able to add five additional locations to the contract.

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City Awards Mowing Contract To Scheer Lawn & Landscape

March 4, 2014 City gets bid on parking garage repairs Work could start in May

By Ken de la Bastide The Herald Bulletin The Herald Bulletin Tue Mar 04, 2014, 07:34 PM EST

ANDERSON The city of Anderson has taken under advisement bids from three companies for planned repairs to the downtown Plaza Parking Garage.

The Anderson Board of Public Works received bids Tuesday and is awaiting a review by city engineer Mike Spyers. The work is expected to be completed by 2016 and will be phased in over three years.

M.K. Betts Engineering of Anderson submitted the lowest bid at $630,782. Glenroy Construction bid $733,755, and Structure Tec CSD Corp. submitted a bid of $657,782.

The downtown parking garage has not undergone a major rehabilitation since it opened in 1980, but the work is planned to begin this year. The five-story parking garage at the corner of Main and 11th streets is slated to receive major rehabilitation over the next three years.

The Anderson Redevelopment Commission expects to spend approximately $1 million on the rehabilitation work through 2016. Structural work will be done on the all concrete facility. Portions of the garage will remain open during the upgrades.

The Plaza Parking Garage has approximately 275 spaces. Work was done on the structure in 1994 when concrete ramps were sealed and waterproofed.

The board received one bid for mowing of the city-owned properties and along street right-of-way.

Select Lawn Services submitted a bid of $10,984 for mowing during each cycle and $15,365 per cycle for hand trimming and application of herbicides. A cycle is each time the mowing has to take place, dependent on weather conditions. The bid was referred to the city engineering department for review.

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City gets bid on parking garage repairs

OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Ottumwans got a much needed taste of Spring this weekend during the 21st Home and Garden Show.

Over 75 vendors were in attendance at the show this year.

They promoted services such as lawn and garden, landscaping, and lawn mowing.

The event provided them leads for potential job opportunities.

Seminars were also presented all weekend long.

They incorporated topics such as how to build a better lawn and the Japanese maple plant.

The event saw a particularly large crowd Saturday drawing thousands of guests.

"People seem to like this," said Ottumwa Chamber of Commerce Director Tim Kurtz. "The weather's put a damper on things, but we still had a lot of people come out--they had cabin fever. They wanted to get out and enjoy Spring for a while."

The event has continued to grow this year in terms of both vendors and attendance.

It is the largest home and garden exhibition in Southeast Iowa.

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Home and Garden Show sees success in Ottumwa this weekend

Tribune photo by Dan McGee Rich Thorwaldson stands in the showroom of his shop, Moto Source, which has about everything a motorcycle rider or competitor in motocross might need, including bike repairs and service. Behind him are the two Dealer's Challenge championship trophies his store has won over the past two spring series.

Tribune photo by Dan McGee Racing is in Rich Thorwaldson's blood as he grew up in a racing family and still rides in motocross races. Here, he is flying over a jump at Exit 28 this past year.

Tribune photo by Dan McGee Although both of his older sisters don't race, Dylan Thorwaldson is keeping his family's tradition going as he competes in motocross. Here he is, at age 9, racing at an event at the Exit 28 motocross track on a day when both his father and mother were also competing.

For years, the late Big Rich Thorwaldson, a nationally ranked racer in his younger days, was a driving force promoting motocross in our region. Now his son, Rich Thorwaldson is keeping the family tradition alive as he not only races but also, along with his wife owns Moto Source.

Like many motorcycle racers his involvement began at a very early age.

"I was 3 years old when I got my first bike and I remember it vividly," he said. "I got it for Christmas and it was a little 50cc Indian my dad built as a replica of his factory Suzuki. And this was back in 1974."

At a young age he and his sister had a lawn mowing business when they lived in Gardnerville. Thorwaldson mentioned his father gave them both a good work ethic so just hanging around wasn't something you did in their house.

"I got in the motorcycle business back in 1986 when my mom and dad, my sister and I, as a young kid, all started Big Valley Honda," he said.

Eventually his parents sold the dealership in 1999 but he stayed on as a General Manager. The buyer stipulated that Thorwaldson and the staff were to be retained.

"So I stayed as a contract employee all the way through 2007," he said. "After I left Big Valley Honda, I had a two-year no compete clause so I couldn't work in the motorcycle business in this area."

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Racing is in business owner's blood

February 27, 2014 - Northwoods League (Northwoods) Kalamazoo Growlers Kalamazoo, Mich. "" The Kalamazoo Growlers are handing over naming rights to the community once again, this time for the team's official name of the new mascot.

The Meijer #NameYourMascot competition will begin immediately to find the best name idea for the newest member of the Growlers family. Participants can send in their name submission and reasoning behind it via the contest form on http://www.growlersbaseball.com. Fans can also submit a name using the Meijer #NameYourMascot hashtag or mentioning the Growlers on Twitter @kzoogrowlers.

The winner of the contest will receive these exclusive benefits for the year:

1. Mascot lawn mowing services for a day

2. Mascot driveway snow removal appearance

3. Mascot Valentine's Day Flower delivery to your sweetheart

4. Mascot birthday party appearance

5. $100 Meijer shopping spree with the new Mascot

The team held a similar contest earlier this offseason called the #NameYourTeam contest. Kalamazoo submitted their ideas and they were narrowed down to the Growlers, Kangaroos, Clutch, Cabbies, and Kraken. Growlers won the vote and became the team's official name in November after it was selected by over 80% of voters.

The name will be announced at an official unveiling event at a date to be determined later this spring.

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Kalamazoo Growlers to Hold Mascot Naming Contest

Lawn Mowing and healthy lawn tips from Premier Lawn Care
Lawn mowing and how to have and maintain a healthy lawn suggestions from Premier Lawn Care.

By: Brandon Imhoff

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Lawn Mowing and healthy lawn tips from Premier Lawn Care - Video

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) February 21, 2014

After being battered by snow all winter, Philadelphians are ready to think about lawn care and hiring a lawn service. Comparing price quotes can be confusing. Prices often vary widely in terms of services offered, product quality, number of visits and the dreaded hidden fees. Giroud Tree and Lawn provides tips on how to identify priorities, accurately compare quotes and select the best lawn service company.

No two lawns are alike, notes Lou Giroud, President of Giroud Tree and Lawn. Before choosing a lawn service, a homeowner should identify their priorities for lawn care.

1.Services: Does the homeowner want mowing, lawn treatments, insect or weed control, lawn fertilization, lawn repair, seeding, or aeration. 2.Product Quality: Evaluate the quality of the products used for lawn treatments. Premium slow-release fertilizers produce the best results but tend to be more expensive. 3.Environmental Impact: If concerned, investigate a 100% Organic programs. Other environmental considerations include:

In addition to the above tips, the Better Business Bureau provides detailed guidelines to help homeowners hire a lawn service company. Tips include: 1.Ask for a lawn inspection and a free estimate for service. Companies that quote a price without seeing the lawn cant be sure what a specific property might need. 2.Get a written agreement spelling out costs and services before you pay. What happens if service is needed between contracts? Will there be a charge? 3.Ask about guarantees and refund policies. Ask if the service is automatically renewed annually. Some contracts automatically renew services, unless the homeowner specifies otherwise. If signing a long-term contract, get information about cancellation rights in writing first. 4.Consider annual costs versus cost per application: Many companies allow payment after each treatment and may offer a discount if the annual cost is paid up front. 5.Look for professional membership in one or more lawn care associations.

The Better Business Bureau cautions check out businesses at http://www.bbb.org and the states Department of Labor & Industries. Ask neighbors or friends for a recommendation. Make sure a company is properly licensed to apply lawn chemicals with the states Department of Agriculture.

About Giroud Tree and Lawn Giroud Tree and Lawn specializes in tree service, tree removal and lawn care programs that make customers love doing business with the company since 1974. Serving Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties, the company offers professional tree and lawn evaluation, tree pruning, tree removal, insect and disease control, fertilizing, stump removal and traditional and 100% organic lawn programs to keep lawns healthy and green . Giroud Arborists are certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and have the knowledge and experience required to properly diagnose, treat and maintain trees and lawn health. The company has been awarded the Angie's List Super Service Award every year since 2005. The Giroud Treework for Charity program donates free tree care services to parks, historical sites and other non-profit organizations located in the Companys service area. For more information, visit the company website at http://www.giroudtree.com or call 215-682-7704.

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Its Time to Hire a Lawn Service and Giroud Tree and Lawn Offers Tips to Select a Reliable Lawn Service Company that ...

How to Make Money in the Lawn Care Business part 2
How to make money in the Lawn Care Business part 2 : there are many things you can do to become profitable in the lawn care business, such as : First, know y...

By: G Packard

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How to Make Money in the Lawn Care Business part 2 - Video

By Teresa McMinn

For the Daily Record/Sunday News

Sign tells customers 'Sold out of Seasoned Firewood' at Diehl's Landscaping and Lawn Care in York Township Tuesday. Demand for firewood has been up this winter and puts a drain on local supplies. (Paul Kuehnel Daily Record/Sunday News)

Recent ice and snowstorms have broken plenty of tree limbs across York County.

But the resulting wood supply, for now anyway, won't help those who'd prefer to burn firewood as an economical means for home heat, local experts say.

Ryan Shank, 24, of Manchester Township, and his stepfather, Wayne Diehl of Seven Valleys, operate Diehl's Landscaping and Lawn Care. In addition to selling firewood, the York Township-based business provides lawn mowing, snow plowing and storm cleanup services across York County.

Diehl primarily handles the mowing and plowing side of the business while Shank a Millersville University student who studies meteorology and works part-time at Jim and Nena's Pizzeria in Springettsbury Township splits firewood to sell.

In the fall, the company had roughly 150 cords of burnable firewood, Shank said. But that supply sold quickly as brutally cold temperatures and rising natural gas and electric prices made wood a popular alternative for home heating.

"The whole pile is gone," Shank said and added the business now only has firewood that needs to "season" for many months until it is suitable to burn.

Shank said he uses his passion for studying the weather to help predict what kind of work the business will encounter.

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Firewood supplies down despite high number of downed trees, limbs