When I started working for Jody and Celia at Jody's Lawn Care, it was already more than just a 'job'. I was offered this opportunity as a friend who had linked them up with their Pyrenees dogs, and through circumstance change found myself looking for a job located closer to my newly purchased home. Being trusted to hop into their team was an honour.

When I started I could tell that this company was 'Jody' in more than just name. Not only had he started it, but he was also active in the field with his crews, in the office, and out back working on the machines and tools. More than that, he knew his customers.

I didn't realize how Jody having grown up in Port Dover would result in such a broad expanse of people knowing him and his company; and on the flip side, of us knowing his customers.

Working on site in Port Dover or Simcoe I now see a lot of familiar faces, having met customers while working on their properties or when they stop into the office. There is also the '6 degrees of Jody' that occurs in events such as my taking  my antique chair to be reupholstered in Waterford, and upon seeing me in my JLC sweater (worn by accident, but oh so warm) asked "You work for Jody's?". With my affirmation, she went on to explain how she was best friend's with Jody's aunt, had been at his parent's wedding, and known him forever.

Then there are the customers who call in, recalling when Jody used to live next door to them as a child, or first started his business on his bicycle. Jody himself can be an instigator of this connection when you talk about a particular business owner or person you met on the street, and he pipes up "Oh I know , we used to...". 

He also knows a lot hockey players - who would have thought Dover and Simcoe could be the hidden source of the NHL? Even through his children he knows many of the up and coming players! 

The range of those who know Jody and Celia can only increase exponentially due to their jet setting ways! Jody and Celia work hard, and the one way they reward themselves (and rightly so) is with trips -- whether it is abroad or to the other side of the country to visit friends and family. People can't help but strike up conversations with this duo, as they have such a varied Rolodex of conversation topics and experiences! Celia certainly has gained my habit of striking up conversations with those who are walking their livestock guardian-breed dogs; a sure-fire way to make new acquaintances.  

The six degrees of Jody is a unwritten benefit of being in his employ; and a reassurance that his company is meant to be around for a long time. The reliability he has created is inspiring. I look forward to meeting more people who know him, and who knows, maybe I will be someone that surprises a stranger by saying "Oh I know Jody...". It is amusing to remember that although this is a huge world, small town connections still permeate and the "six degrees of separation" theory still applies. JLC is a great example, and I am proud to be a part of it.

We are excited this week! We are into the last stretch for our Fiesta applications - getting them done before the leaves fall. This heavy iron supplement spray is a safe herbicide that attacks primarily broadleaf weeds (such as dandelions, plantains, and clover). As we discussed in previous blog posts, this all falls under the cosmetic lawn care practices - although these weeds are harmless, they are undersirable in most communities. The crab grass seems to be subsiding, but clover is definitely taking up the slack. Thankfully, Fiesta seems to hit clover decently, so we should be able to beat it back. (Katie will have it noted that she is a fan of clover, especially as part of a pasture mix and its natural Nitrogen fixating properties for soil health)

Our teams have also been busy applying granular fertilizer; again, our goal is to get it all done before the leaves fall! The early frost was a surprise for us, and we are glad we have gotten our seeding done - seed needs warmth to germinate. The cooler temperatures, although refreshing, warn us again that the clock is ticking until the snow comes. 

The employment shortage has had an impact on us, and we are still hoping to hire some crew members for the snow season - those that are willing and able to shovel snow would be very welcome to work for the Winter. We will be pulling all our team members that we can into the cold this coming Winter, and unfortunately not all of it is done from the warmth of the interior of a snow plow -- but still! Needs must! We know the demand for snow removal is huge, with a lot of other companies being unable to survive Covid impacts, so we will do what it takes to provide services for our customers. We are not able to take on new residential customers however, as we must reserve ourselves for current clientele. We apologize for this disappointment, but hope everyone understands we must be loyal and not overstretch ourselves.

The seasons are turning, and we will keep up!

Although we at Jody's Lawn Care live and breathe lawns and property maintencance, it is just a job.

In our off time our employees do lots of different activities that are a far cry from lawn maintenance.

Take Jeremy, our team manager, for example. He is an avid guitar player and vocalist for his band Lower Ground. He also enjoys camping with his family in Algonquin park. 

Carrie, our horticultural specialist, loves to bowl! 

Dave, one of our long-time cutting crew, enjoys riding his motorcycle.

Gabe, another one of our cutting crew, plays bass guitar in a band as well. 

Kyle, an ex-farm boy turned grass cutter for us, loves to be out on the lake fishing. 

Katie, our receptionist, is crazy about her dogs and often spends weekends at conformation dog shows and other dog events. She also pampers her horse and occasionally has time for a trail ride.

Celia too loves dog events, taking the Kirk Great Pyrenees to not only conformation events, but lure courses and sprinter trials as well! She and Jody are also big fans of their hottub.

Jody is the one team member we have the hardest time dragging away from the properties we look after. He is dedicated to maintaining the JLC level of expectation, and often works evenings and weekends to ensure that we meet this goal. On rainy days he grumbles about not being able to complete the jobs he had planned, on hot days he is out working until he nearly drops, and it is a rare, rare occurence that he does NOT do some lawn care for our clients on the weekend. 

The JLC team is determined to keep you and your lawns happy, but we do some other tasks to keep us happy too - except Jody. I sometime think his happiness is in direct correlation with the health of your lawn and our customer satisfaction.