grass

19 Stories

Not a Baaaad Idea for Cities Looking to Clean Up Land

Sheep increasingly are put to work grazing in urban communities to handle invasive species and more

(Newser) - Along the Cumberland River just north of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, tourists on party pontoons see something a little expected: hundreds of sheep nibbling on grass along the riverbank. The urban sheepherder who manages this flock, Zach Richardson, says sometimes tourist boats will go out of their way to let their...

An Idea for the National Mall: Wildflower Meadows
It's Time to Ditch the Grass
on the National Mall
OPINION
Aug 11, 2023 10:07 AM CDT

It's Time to Ditch the Grass on the National Mall

'NYT' essay makes the case for wildflower meadows, as a message against 'Big Lawn'

(Newser) - The National Mall is our "dullest national park" in the view of writer and gardener Alexander Nazaryan. In a New York Times essay, he proposes a fix: Replace all that grass with wildflower meadows. Specifically, plant fauna from different parts of the US in each of the eight lawns...

Cows Can't Eat Parched Grass, So We Don't Get Special Cheese

Production of unique Salers cheese halted due to drought in France's Auvergne region

(Newser) - If the grass in your yard goes a little dry over the summer, it's no big deal. In France's central Auvergne region, however, those parched parcels, a result of the nation's current drought, are wreaking havoc on the making of a centuries-old cheese. The Guardian reports on...

Grass Is No Longer Welcome in Vegas

Authorities hope a new law will save billions of gallons amid ongoing megadrought

(Newser) - Las Vegas is the proving ground for a new Nevada state law banning “nonfunctional” grass. It is the first law of its kind in the nation, per the New York Times, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority hopes it will save up to 9.5 billion gallons of water...

Parts of Nevada Banning 'Non-Functional' Grass

Nevada is first state to permanently ban lawns in certain areas

(Newser) - Grass that's just sitting around, serving no purpose, will soon be prohibited in the Las Vegas Valley. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak on Friday signed legislation banning "non-functional turf" starting in 2027, the AP reports. Backyards and front lawns aren't going anywhere—single-family homes are exempt from the...

Las Vegas Is Trying to Ban Ornamental Grass

Not the stuff in your yard, but what's along the street

(Newser) - A desert city built on a reputation for excess and indulgence wants to become a model for restraint and conservation with a first-in-the-nation policy banning grass that nobody walks on. Las Vegas-area water officials have spent two decades trying to get people to replace thirsty greenery with desert plants, and...

Aussie Calls Out to PM: 'Get Off My Grass'

Scott Morrison ensured reporters complied with the request

(Newser) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was in the process of announcing a strategy to assist Australians in investing in their homes Thursday when he was interrupted by an annoyed homeowner who'd just invested in his lawn. "Can everyone get off the grass please," the man yelled from...

His Grass Got Too Long. Now He Could Lose His Home
His House Is Worth $125K.
Fine Over His Lawn Is $30K
in case you missed it
May 18, 2019 3:15 PM CDT

His House Is Worth $125K. Fine Over His Lawn Is $30K

Jim Ficken's grass exceeded 10 inches in length over two months last summer

(Newser) - When Jim Ficken spoke to the press recently in front of his Dunedin, Florida, home, his lawn was neatly cut. That hasn't always been the case, and that fact has made national news. That's because last year Ficken was fined $500 a day over his grass, which exceeded...

Cut the Lawn —As In, Scrap It Altogether
It's Time
for the American
Lawn to Go Away
OPINION
May 2, 2019 12:42 PM CDT

It's Time for the American Lawn to Go Away

Eric Holthaus makes an environmental case at Grist

(Newser) - When purchasing a home, Eric Holthaus looked for "the smallest lawn I could find." It'll mean less work, though not as it relates to mowing, since Holthaus plans to "rip out my grass lawn as soon as possible." He suggests you do the same. "...

He Was Having a Heart Attack. He Really Wanted to Finish His Sod

First responders stepped in for Gene Work and finished his chore while he had surgery

(Newser) - It was a hot, humid day in Pasco County, Fla., on Saturday, and Gene Work was trying to beat the clock to lay down sod in his yard so he wouldn't face a fine from his homeowners association. But the 40-year-old, who was working with his brother-in-law Mark Rouco,...

'Super Grass' to Reduce Methane Emissions From Belching Cows

Researchers say they're able to genetically modify the grass for easier digestion

(Newser) - The grass is about to get greener thanks to DNA technology out of Denmark. Researchers say they've genetically modified a "super grass" that is easier on cow's stomachs, thereby helping them digest the grass more easily and thus belch out less methane gas, reports the BBC . (No,...

Single Mom Thrown in Jail for Overgrown Lawn

Ebony Conner's 5 kids waited at their Illinois home while she cleared things up

(Newser) - An Illinois woman with five kids was arrested July 7 and briefly thrown in jail for an offense that the town of Cahokia obviously feels strongly about: not mowing her lawn, the Week reports. Single mom Ebony Conner tells KMOV she was verbally warned by a municipal code-enforcement officer back...

California Drought Fuels Boom in ... Lawn Painting

Dryness is bad for lawns, good for odd business

(Newser) - Just because you're dealing with dry weather doesn't mean your lawn can't be pretty. Companies in California tell the National Journal that the lawn-painting business is booming amid the state's worst recorded drought. Following the lead of golf courses and realtors, the businesses spread dye they...

Police Hunting Man Who Stole $4K Worth of Grass

Yes, you read that correctly

(Newser) - Austrian police are seeking witnesses to an unusual theft—of huge amounts of grass, mowed secretly from a farmer's field. According to a police statement, a farmer reported today that someone had come into his field, mowed it, and made off with the grass. The alleged theft occurred in...

Amid Drought, Homeowners 'Fix' Lawns With ... Paint

Using green dye on brown grass is catching on, says AP

(Newser) - Is your lawn wilting into a brown wasteland because of the drought? Consider a paint job. That's the solution many are relying on to give their dead yards the look of blooming green life as the worst drought in decades parches a huge expanse of the US. One New...

Home Intruder Orders Woman to Cut Her Grass

But 'intruder' turns out to be overzealous Georgia county employee

(Newser) - When it comes to victims of home invasion, you could do a lot worse than Erica Masters. The Georgia woman says she woke up one morning to find a man standing in her bedroom's doorway—to rebuke her for neglecting her lawn. "I didn't have my glasses...

Aussie Bridge Has a Cow, Man
 Aussie Bridge 
 Has a Cow, Man 
alfresco dining
Oct 22, 2009 1:44 PM CDT

Aussie Bridge Has a Cow, Man

Sydney Harbour span picnic features livestock, hectare of real turf

(Newser) - Australians will get up close and personal with their breakfast on Sunday when 15 cows and a football field’s worth of turf take over the Sydney Harbour Bridge for a picnic. The cows and grass are part of “Breakfast on the Bridge,” an event that showcases regional...

No Kidding: Goats Mow Google Lawns

(Newser) - Google has hired 200 low-carbon goats to graze away dry fire-hazard brush at its Northern California campus, taking a bite out of two environmental threats at once, reports CNET. "The goats are herded with the help of Jen, a border collie,” says a Google official. “It costs...

Ballpark Grass Is Artful Work
 Ballpark Grass Is Artful Work 
Sep 30, 2008 6:55 PM CDT

Ballpark Grass Is Artful Work

Red Sox groundskeeper pioneered growing trend in baseball aesthetics

(Newser) - Amid the pageantry sure to accompany tomorrow’s opening of the Major League Baseball playoffs, the increasingly intricate patterns mown into stadium grass is sure to catch fans’ eyes. Red Sox groundskeeper David Mellor pioneered the technique as an assistant in Milwaukee in 1993, the New York Times reports, and...

19 Stories