BlairToday.Com Staff
2021 July 16, Friday
This was easy. I personally use Washington County Mowers. It is my opinion that for lawn-care and snow-removal, they offer the highest-level of service and the best prices. But, this interview is not an advertisement or endorsement. I just wanted to find out more about James Feer, the man behind the best lawncare I’ve ever had.
(1) BLAIR TODAY: When and why did you start Washington County Mowers?
JAMES FEER OF WASHINGTON COUNTY MOWERS: I started in April of 2018. I was doing some on the side – mowing on the side, and our own properties at the time. The place I worked at for 20 years closed their doors on us, so I was forced to find other employment. So, I figured I might as well try and do this full time. It was basically just me, initially – I grabbed as much as I could, and got help when I could. Now, I’m up to two full-time employees, and my son when he’s around.
(2) BLAIR TODAY: Why did you choose lawn care? The competition is fierce around here for that kind of thing…
JAMES FEER OF WASHINGTON COUNTY MOWERS: When was I driving around in a “carpet-cleaning truck,” I’d see guys mow and think, “That doesn’t look too bad.” I thought, “The guy’s gotta be making money for doing it,” so I figured I could try and make money at it, too. I didn’t really want to go work for another guy. I didn’t want a “piece of the pie,” I wanted to MAKE the pie. It had been 20 years since I started my first business – which failed within the first year (I was not prepared when I was 21.) I was reluctant until 20 years later when I got the courage to do it again. And, I had some backing that made it more possible.
(3) BLAIR TODAY: Not to sound pretentious, but good lawn-care like Washington County Mowers is as much art as science. And, you can have the courage, support, and motivation to start a business, but you need the skills to back all that up. Where did you get the ability to do what you do with Washington County Mowers?
JAMES FEER OF WASHINGTON COUNTY MOWERS: Well, thanks, I appreciate that. It’s attention to detail, really. Anybody could do what we do, but if you do it a little better, people like that.
They could do a lousy job themselves – they hire us to make it look as good as it can. And, I’ve always tried to do the best I can with what I do. That’s just what I do now.
James Feer, Washington County Mowers
(4) BLAIR TODAY: How did the last year of covid affect your business?
JAMES FEER OF WASHINGTON COUNTY MOWERS: Grass don’t stop growing whether there’s covid or not. Actually, it was our busiest year to date… Well, I guess now we’re even busier… Up to that point it was the busiest I was. I picked up a few commercial accounts, and several more residential, and some better equipment. In fact, 2020 was the first year I actually made money.
(5) BLAIR TODAY: I’m glad you brought up the commercial side of your business. Probably a good time to ask what your core business is, and what about the lawn-care off-season?
JAMES FEER OF WASHINGTON COUNTY MOWERS: Our “bread and butter” is obviously blowing, mowing, and trimming. We do hedge-trimming, do landscape work and removal of landscaping – like flowers, rock, and mulch. And, we provide fertilizer, edging – a few other things that help our work stand out from others. In the winter, we do snow-removal and maintenance – try to get some things done we didn’t have time for before.
(6) BLAIR TODAY: If someone had to choose a lawn-care service in Blair, why should they pick Washington County Mowers?
JAMES FEER OF WASHINGTON COUNTY MOWERS: We’re very personable. We’re polite. We respect your property – as if it were our own. We provide you the best service we can, and at a fair price. My family is fairly well-known in Blair. A lot of people already know of me. So, I try to respect the family name and reputation with our good work.
Contact Washington County Mowers at (402) 943-6837, or on Facebook.
