Given the verdant carpet of weedless green that envelopes the Tabaka’s house now, it’s hard to believe that three years ago — before their organic lawn care practices began — the backyard “was a disaster,” or so says Tracy.

Now a field of dreams reaches in all directions, sporting an extensive swing set and sandbox that is free of the crystalline silica dust (EPA- and OSHA-regulated carcinogens) typically found in sandbox sand. In this northern suburb, the pristine yard flows seamlessly into other neighborhood yards, most of which are maintained with more conventional chemical treatments.

The Tabakas’ conscientious living started about seven years ago, when they were considering children. “It started with food,” says Tracy.  Now the parents of two say, “It snowballed … Everything we see, do, touch, is rolled into this,” — a concern for what their children and retired service dog are exposed to, playing in their yard and living their daily lives.

Read full article here.