My introduction to cordless mowing was a Black and Decker “ factory reconditioned” CMM 1000, which I babied well past its expected lifetime. I had promised myself that if I could get it through until the end of its last summer, the long winter would give me plenty of time to research a replacement.
A very helpful article in Green Living Journal (*) came just in time to greatly aid me in my search. I know that lawns and mowing are not appropriate in many places. Here, where we live in a pine forest, we keep a circle of mowed lawn around our modest home as a fire-break. We also mow garden cover crops before tillage, and have a half-acre hay field which we mow, often bagged for mulch and compost.
Our mower works hard, so I chose a GreenWorks 80 V model (https://www.greenworkstools.com/80v-21inch-cordless-brushless-lawn-mower-kit). GreenWorks claims that if you have two 2AH batteries, one will charge in the time it takes to discharge the other. This actually turns out to be true!
The mower has a sturdy metal deck. The seven-position height adjustment is effective and easy to use. It is a reasonable weight for a heavy-duty machine, so it is easy to push and maneuver. The best part is the truly superior job of mowing.
Sections of our lawn are predominantly heavy clover which is bagged for the compost, leaving the clover cleanly clipped and ready to regrow. It is also very effective at mowing heavy cover crops. After two years of challenging use, the mower and batteries are still in excellent condition. Overall, I highly recommended this machine for those needing a heavy-duty mower.
There are also the inherent advantages of cordless electric mowing: No poison fumes being spewed in your face. With push button start, it is easy to stop in order to move an object, rescue a Pacific chorus frog, or empty the bag. I can mow as little, or as much as I wish, or need to.
(*) The Winter 2015/2016 issue, page 24
Lance and Jennifer Barker live off grid on 40 acres near Canyon City, OR. Learn more about the Barkers and their Morning Hill Forest Farm at http://www.morninghill.net
