Anyone who has ever had to rake a lawn can immediately tell you who won, but it's still a cute video. They've also got some fall cleanup tips.

Man Vs. Machine [Consumer Reports]

On a recent visit to Kuipers Family Farm, about an hour from Chicago, I shelled out $6.50 each for my husband, our 3-year-old daughter and myself to enter the orchard and pick 1/4 peck of apples, about 3 pounds. I could have sat on my couch and ordered a 3-pound-bag of apples from Peapod for $2.50.

I'm not saying there aren't good reasons to visit a U-pick farm. For one thing, these operations have become the only way many apple growers stay on their land, so if you want to support local agriculture and stave off the groundbreaking of yet another subdivision, go for it.

"The other choice is selling (the land) for development," said Jane Eckert, founder of Eckert AgriMarketing in St. Louis. One hundred thousand acres have already been taken out of apple production in the last 10 years, according to the US Department of Agriculture. With suburbs continually expanding into once-rural areas like the Kuipers' Maple Park, now abutted by Chicagoland's western reaches, selling out is often a lot more attractive than selling apples to supermarkets for 31 cents a pound.

Who saves money when you pick apples? The grower. [Wise Bread]
(Photo:Gare And Kitty)

That's why we'd like you to save your emergency room deductible and carve a pumpkin safely.

Consumer Reports likes pumpkin carving kits that featured saw-like blades because they are less likely to stab into your soft, fleshy parts.

The pumpkin-carving kits we evaluated—which ran from about $6 to $15—eased some of those concerns. They contained tools that can saw through rind, poke holes, or scoop out the innards. One advantage of the sawlike tools is that they're not razor-sharp, unlike many knives. Although various tools broke in our tests, the sawlike ones were judged less likely than regular knives to cause serious cuts to your hand.

The tools were generally small, which made them easier to control than a knife, and easier to use when making intricate cuts. Their small size may make it tempting to let children use them. But while safer than knives, they're still potentially dangerous, particularly if you're sawing or poking with lots of force. So pumpkin carving is probably best left to adults.

Instead, kids can draw a face on a pumpkin and clean out the innards.

How to safely carve a pumpkin [Consumer Reports]
(Photo:AdamOndi)

Some residents of a leafy suburb of Boston are fighting over what to do with all the leaves. Residents of Newton, Mass., say they are being tormented by the noise coming from the gas-powered leaf blowers that are now everywhere.

"We're surrounded by these horrible deafening sounds," one resident moans during a debate over gas-powered leaf blowers at Newton's City Hall.

"It sounds like there is a jet stalled over my home," says another.

"My fury at feeling trapped lasts... is this the day when they are coming? Can I get out?"

We especially enjoyed the part when "Landscaper Joe" tells NPR about the magical leaf blowers he uses to blow a tornado of debris three stories into the air. He is unable to contain his excitement as he describes them:

"We almost never touch a rake anymore. We don't have to sweep stairs...nothing! You just blow everything clean after you cut. You know. The doormat goes flying! We've set off the car alarms! Oh yeah...[laughter]."

Joe says he can't imagine going back to raking, and doesn't think homeowners would pay increased bills for quieter landscaping. "Are we going to back to walking? Are we not going to take cars?"

Do these leaf blowers bother you? Newton's residents are trying to ban them completely.

Town Weighs Ban on Leaf Blowers [NPR]
(Photo:Beat Machine)

Nothing groundbreaking here—just a friendly reminder that acting now will save you money later.

A Dozen Tips for a Greener Autumn [Lighter Footstep via Digg]
(Photo:Clearly Ambiguous)