“I wanted to branch out and be my own (boss), make my own hours,” said Darrow, a Fort Edward resident, in a recent telephone interview.

The result? He now runs his own business: East Side Lawn Service. “I provide all lawn needs, whether that be mowing, weeding, hedge trimming, edging—basic landscaping,” said Darrow, who also does spring and fall cleanups.

When he first started his new enterprise, in June, Darrow had to trim lawns with a push mower. Now, with a recently purchased Ariens Edge zero-turn-radius lawn tractor with a 52-inch deck, Darrow is eager to tackle any grass-cutting job.

“It makes the jobs a lot easier,” he said. 

In addition to a truck and trailer to transport his riding mower, Darrow has two leaf blowers, two weed whackers, hedge-trimming shears, rakes, and assorted other tools at his disposal.

Darrow charges “around thirty or thirty-five dollars” per hour, depending on the amount of time he estimates it takes to complete a lawn job, which takes into account such factors as the height of the grass and the distance to—and subsequent gas expenditure for—each client’s residence. To accommodate clients, he will travel as far south as Saratoga and as far north as Lake George. His minimum fee for a job is $45.

Darrow currently attends SUNY Adirondack and expects to graduate in 2023 with a degree in business administration. He said that he wants to earn a license in lawn fertilization.  

Prospective clients can find information on East Side Lawn Service on Darrow’s Facebook page. Darrow can be reached at 518-932-6986.