Though inclement winter weather sometimes prevents thousands of Baltimoreans from getting to work, the snow is a boon to many small enterprises, like Ray Hill's Hill Gardens & Landscaping.
When a big storm is forecast, Ray doubles his standard staff of five to between ten and twelve people. That spike in shovel-pushers and plow-drivers may not last long enough to change statewide job numbers, but such seasonal business bumps can provide much needed short-term stimulus. Sometimes, when Old Man Winter hangs around, the jobs stick as long as the snow and ice do.
"We work a storm until it's done," Hill says. With three plow trucks and one front-end loader, this crew and others like it spread out all over the area to allow others get back to school and their jobs. Working from sunrise to sunset is tough, and some people just aren't cut out for it. But Hill is willing to give a shot to students, construction workers, or anyone else who will do an honest day's hard work in the freezing cold. "If they work out, we love to have them back."
Writer: Sam Hopkins
Source: Ray Hill, Ray Hill's Gardens & Landscaping