Sweeping the yard

[mowsby]

I have an aunt who lives in New Mexico and keeps a dirt yard instead of grass. She often sweeps her yard which I think is weird. Today she told me why she does it. She sweeps the yard to clear insects out of the yard! I just thought that was an interesting thing and thought how strange it would be to sweep your yard instead of mowing it.

 

[dria]

I went to Aruba a couple years ago and saw a couple housewives sweeping their yards. I thought maybe it was something indigenous people did to keep away evil spirits or something. Nice to know the real reason!

 

[stanley]

The evil spirits come by way of bugs:laughing: In the Spanish neighborhoods in Phoenix you see this quite a bit. This is just one of those things that that culture does.

 

[Bethieboo]

What is it about the sweeping that keeps bugs away. Is it just the motion or vibration that makes them leave? Does this keep them from making there homes in the yard around the house?

 

[adan]

I see this more as a cultural thing. In my country, I see women sweeping the yards instead of raking them. Worse, a lot of rural folks still choose to hold the walis tingting directly with their hand, instead of using equally available ones with handles.

 

[Usedtorent]

Hmmm would I rather sweep my yard or mow my yard? I'm going with mowing the yard, a lot less work! I have never heard of this before but find it a really neat topic.

 

[Flossie]

I think this topic is interesting too, and I had never really heard about it before. After some Google research I found this blog, which offers another explanation to add to the ideas here.

 

[littleAudrey]

Interesting blog too. I always thought people swept their yards for the same reason as I sweep the roadway at the end of my lawn, just to keep it smooth and clear away any bits of debris that have blown there. As for bugs, the birds around here make short work of them!