The Best 2 Bucks You Can Spend In Beachwood. S ometime you have to tell a story to get a story. Once upon a time, many years ago in a place far away, when I graduated from the 8th grade to my freshman year in high school, my folks decided to leave the comfortable confines of one of America’s great cities, New Orleans, Louisiana, and move to a working farm in the sleepy town of Picayune, Mississippi. Picayune was about a two-hour drive from New Orleans and hundreds of miles away from anything exciting for teenagers to do, but go to school and work. And work we did. My older brother, Kenny, and I worked the isolated 100-acre farm like true pros, once we got the hang of it. We got up at 4:30 every morning and milked the cows; picked the eggs; and fed the cattle, pigs, chickens, ducks, turkeys, cats, dogs and other critters. Once our chores were done, we drove 25 miles to the nearest high school in Kiln, Mississippi. Kiln is famous for producing NFL, Hall of Fame, Green Bay Packer, quarterback Brett Farve and world-famous Kiln moonshine whiskey. Actually, about 50% of the student body at Kiln High School was involved in the transportation and distribution of illegal whiskey. These students fell into two categories – runners and blockers. Runners were the fast drivers who drove cars with 100-gallon tanks built into the back seat and trunks. Their job was to outrun everything to deliver their tasty cargo. Blockers were skilled, defensive drivers who followed runners to keep the local sheriff and deputies from capturing them. For ALL Your Landscaping Needs COMPLETE LAWN & YARD SERVICE Lawn Maintenance • Mulching Lawn Installation and More Have it done right the first time. Call us today for a free estimate. My first week as a freshman at Kiln High School was enlightening. I discovered dozens of students wearing very expensive, gold Rolex watches. When I asked where they got them, I was told it’s really easy to get one – just sign up to be a runner or blocker. Needless to say, I didn’t become either. I was too busy with school and farming. Once we got home, we had an hour or so of farm chores before dinner and home work. Then, it stated all over again at 4:30 a.m., milking the cows. One of the great rewards that came from all the hard work on the farm was the knowledge that you had helped produce just about everything that was served at the dinner table. And, when we sat down at Thanksgiving time with our New Orleans family and friends to enjoy a great meal, we were proud to announce that everything on the table, except the salt and pepper, came from the farm. That included milk, homemade butter and ice cream, salads, potatoes, corn and popcorn, beans, squash, okra, collard greens, peanuts, pecans, watermelon and honeydew melon, duck, turkey, chicken, steaks, pork chops, and a lot more. And, in the real tradition of a wellrun farm, nothing went to waste. Everything was recycled, even in the days when it wasn’t required. Any unused farm products were mixed into large compost piles, that in time, found their way back as mulch to help the growing process of vegetable and flower gardens. Today, that same great quality mulch is available to Beachwood residents through the City of Beachwood, for just $2.00 a bag. And, you don’t have to do anything but drive into the City of Beachwood’s Service Center, at 23355 Mercantile Road, west entrance, Monday – Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Just pop your trunk, pay by cash or check only, and you’ll have high-quality mulch to decorate your flower beds, cover weeds in your garden, line a walkway, create a new yard attraction, cover the base of trees and ornamental shrubs, and hide unsightly spots. And, just think – most medium-size car trunks will hold at least 10 bags of mulch per load. The mulch is composed of quality materials, as good as we had down on the farm in Mississippi. Each 2 cu. ft. bag weighs approximately 40-45 pounds and contains three basic, all-natural ingredients – tree lawn materials, leaves and tree branches. Each element is ground up once, individually, and then all three are reground together to complete the double-shredded approach. Every bag of mulch is all natural. No additives. Nothing toxic. Nothing harmful to pets or wild critters. Every bag of mulch sold is part of the City of Beachwood’s current community recycling goal of 60%. So, if you find yourself looking for something to do on a warm summer day to spruce up your Beachwood property, just jump into your car or SUV, pop over to the Beachwood Service Department, and grab a couple of bags of Beachwood mulch. After all, outside of a cold beer or a bag of popcorn, it’s the best 2 bucks you can spend in Beachwood. 216.581.9103 14 Beachwood Buzz n July 2014 Our Mailing Address Has Changed! Beachwood Buzz P.O. Box 22194 Beachwood, Ohio 44122 PLEASE NOTE: