When you enter the Crystal Cathedral grounds in Garden Grove, California, the beautiful landscape setting isn’t the first thing that catches your eye. The Cathedral itself, with more than 10,000 tempered silver-colored glass windows, together with a towering spire and prayer chapel, provide plenty of visual interest.

It’s a hot morning in Rockport, Maine. The mowing crews anticipate the heat as they discuss the day’s activity with Tom Farley. Tom is the vice president of Farley & Son Landscaping, and every Wednesday he meets with his six mowing crews.

Lori Miller has a story to tell you about her son, Mark. “When he was nine years old, he walked into the house one day and told me he saw a trailer down the road that he wanted us to buy for him. Well, to make a long story short, my husband, Glenn, and I purchased the trailer and gave it to Mark as a Christmas present. He wanted the trailer to haul around our lawn mower because, even back then, mowing was his passion.” It’s a passion that’s never waned.

With a business to run and bills to pay, no one has the time to send out multiple invoices or otherwise communicate with late-paying customers. In the same breath, few owners can afford to simply “give away” services.

John Dorris is an individual who takes pride in what he does. His truck is immaculate, as are his two Walker Mowers, trailer and attendant equipment. This Georgia native is enthusiastic about his work, enjoys talking about his customers, and even though he’s on the high side of 50, doesn’t have an inkling of when he plans to retire. To the contrary, he wants to operate his lawn maintenance business as long as he is healthy and continues to enjoy his work.

Our readers have given us many encouraging comments that let us know Walker Talk is being read and the publication is working. Suggestions for improvement are also offered. One critique that has been mentioned several times concerns promoting safe operating practices; some of our customer profile stories show workers or operators not wearing “proper” protective clothing and devices. The idea is that Walker Talk should set the example of safe practice and require our story subjects to wear the appropriate gear for the photos, even if they don’t wear it in actual practice.