Jim Dotson is a lieutenant and an emergency medical technician (EMT) at Station 26 in Gwinnett County, Georgia. He spends 24 hours on and 48 hours off, a schedule most firefighters have and a regimen he has followed for 22 years.

When was the last time you soaked in a mineral hot springs pool, relaxed at a spa, or went for a leisurely bike ride? Maybe a more adventuresome horseback ride, hike along the Colorado Trail, or a whitewater raft trip down the Arkansas River is more your speed. This agenda and more await guests at Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort in Nathrop, Colorado.

When Steve Wheatcroft and Ross Rayment “mowed” their way through university in the late 1980s, little did they dream their small company would be as big and successful at it is today.

When asked if they have a training program in place, most landscape contractors will say “yes.” They then will likely describe a spring startup session where all employees, new and veteran alike, will be introduced to safety protocols and procedures. Day-long training may include a review of safe operating tips, required safety apparel, and a primer on how to operate equipment and drive a truck with trailer. Some companies actually provide handson training on any new equipment, putting employees through a driving test.

Ed Castro, BLA, ASLA, president of Ed Castro Landscape Company in Roswell, Georgia, knows why the Walker Mower is the only rider he’s ever owned. “Our customers have high expectations and we have to deliver,” says Castro, who founded his design/installation/maintenance company 19 years ago. “The mower is not only maneuverable and versatile, but also delivers a high-quality cut that helps to set us apart.”

A comment we hear from time to time is, “Why doesn’t Walker design a mower that costs less and competes with some of the other lower-priced mowers on the market”? The quick answer is that we try to design equipment that we would like to buy ourselves, and we just happen to have a taste for high-quality equipment. In our family, we grew up with the idea that we would be willing to pay more to get more value. We are not talking about “luxury” here, but simply high quality and high value to match. So we have never had much interest in building “cheap” or designing to hit a low price point. If that is considered a fault of ours, then we are guilty as charged.