I don't employ people, sometimes sub-contract the easy stuff, but I find that the average landscaper doesn't really know anything, and are a lot of trouble to work with.
snow removal is a brutal business, turns a light pick up truck into junk in three years with a bent chassis. Bidding is fierce and the seasons alternate between coming out ten times for a little snow and coming out twenty or thirty times for a few feet at a time
a lot of companies have tracters with a PTO blower
I get a lot of jobs in spring where I drive all over the countryside, with a load of topsoil, some seed, some straw, and some tools, repairing winter damage.
@kevinsky I never advertised either. It was talking to a couple older neighbors, and then word of mouth from there. I even had to take the stickers off the trucks and trailers, too many potential customers turned down.
@J.Musser lol, I've never driven more than a v6, and I'm just fine with that. I don't need much power. As long as a car can get me up the hills around us I'm good
@J.Musser actually yeah, I did drive our work pickup a good bit when I was in college working for the house keeping dept, probably only a V8, but a nice ride. Drove it a few times completely loaded down with carpet, that was fun
yeah we're not that bad, you have to be intentional about going up or down that high. But I live at the top, which means getting down and heading back up for work every day
agreed, unfortunately I've had to bow to practicality and that dictates that because the wife doesn't drive it (tried to teach her and failed miserably), I've gotta have automatics for now
maybe next time :). Going to be in the market for something fairly soon as my car isn't going to last a whole lot longer...though I'm hoping get another year from it
In one answer, I say, "Looks like nitrogen deficiency, and possibly a drainage issue, I'd get the soil tested.", and later he says, "I tested the soil and it gave me some very interesting results... Looks like the main issue would be the lack of Nitrogen in my soil. Second issue could be a drainage problem."
@J.Musser - sod it, yes, I did mean to ping Kevinsky, not you - he was the one who sent me the interesting link to the Statesman. I was obviously having a moment - I didn't look properly and thought it was you who sent me the link - I must admit I was somewhat surprised that you would be looking at such an article, you don't seem that kind of personality type.
@kevinsky - I hope you read the responses I inadvertently sent to J Musser regarding the article in the Statesman - they should have been sent to you, but I hadn't grasped it was you sending me the link, duh... actually I've just read it again...
its worth reading more than once... and I'm intrigued by the churchgoing, is that common in the States?
that last addressed to J. Musser really, but also you, out of curiosity, though I think you're in Canada
Hey, would y'all by any chance be interested in questions about beekeeping? Sounds like no from the help center, but we got a question on cooking, so giving it a shot...
@J.Musser Thanks for remembering! It is going so very well! This guy is a gem! We are breaking the plan down into phases and we are trying to figure out how to present this on Stack Exchange...there is the process, the drawings...do you have any ideas?
Muscle Cars!!! Why don't they make them anymore? Yum!! I like Chevy! Got my own mechanic, too. I want an international, rebuilt and no shiny enamel...matt Rhino-lining over all and in black!! Grin!!
@stormy Great. You would have to break it into smaller q/a's, but make them relevant to a wide audience. Like for the drawings, the question could be, "How do I go about drawing up a landscape plan?" and the answer would, in steps, show how it is done, as efficiently and minimally as possible.
@Bamboo I read it too :), very good article. I think that, at least in my locality, women are taken quite as seriously, if not more so, than are men. Around here, I feel odd going to conventions and things for landscape design, because everyone there are women. And they are good, too.
I grew up looking at the work, not the people, and am learning to look at the people as well. So I don't have any built-in prejudice against women, and think that as long as they really are knowledgeable and qualified, like yourself, I'm a lot more likely to take what they say at face value. Same with men.
It seems that most of the men I have to work with are lazy sub-contractors anyway, in it for the money.
@J.Musser You got it, the Camaro...oh to die for. Only, in flat black rhino lining...grin. Oh, and I finally gave up on believing in stuff that just doesn't make sense, too.
Oh yeah. I started a maintenance job with a brand new one of these including a big trailer. All the boys got back to the yard early and were watching to see if I could park in in the last tiny slot left...HA HA!