Howard Jensen wears many hats. He's been working for the railroad for 28 years; an engineer for most of that time. He runs a nursery, an RV park, a Walker dealership, and is a respected lawn maintenance contractor. But more than anything else, Howard Jensen is a family man. His railroad career has generated enough income over the years to provide seed money for his business ventures. That, in turn, has given him the opportunity to provide another lifestyle for his wife Susan and two sons.

Belvedere and Schonbrunn castles are truly unique places in Vienna, Austria. Combined, these two castles draw nearly 10 million visitors a year, and it is easy to see why visitors are charmed by the beauty of these venues. Part of that beauty is the maintenance of the grounds around the castles. From seas of perennial flowers to acres of finely manicured turf, visitors can easily see how involved just maintaining the grounds can be.

Edward Cook calls himself "the gardener." He maintains 40 properties throughout northern Connecticut with a dedication that borders on obsession. In his words, that's because he likes what he does and he plans on doing it for the rest of his life.

"I need to make a profit, but I don't need to get any bigger." Sound familiar? It should. That's a tune many small and medium-size contractors play over and over again as they work to keep the lid on both growth and the jar that holds the profit.

Not every city in the country can lay claim to being plumb in the geographic center of the country. Belle Fourche, South Dakota, can. Not every city can look at its public grounds and know they're being maintained with the same vigor and expertise as a proud homeowner would give his or her lawn. Again, Belle Fourche can.

Cemeteries are not often thought of as a place to test mowing equipment, unless you happen to be a member of the grounds crew that is responsible for its maintenance.