BTW, back in Winnipeg in the ’60s, people in the suburbs burned their leaves at the bottom of their driveways. Doh. A fire hazard that led to a ban to that practice.
So what do you need to enjoy this annual task and ritual?
-An Obusform belt to support the back of the person who is doing the raking and transport of leaves to bags.
-Gardening gloves.
-A shovel for shovelling leaves into bags.
-A plastic fan-rake. Not metal. Ruins your back from tugging and catching. Used for raking up after bagging, too.
-Garbage bags. Might as well take the bag box outside. You’ll need more than you think.
-A white plastic sheet which can be curled into a garbage bag to give it body and support.
-Have a seat to sit down on without arms for breaks.
Ok, plan the raking in segments. Dirty parts of the yard, as in where birds feed, can be raked up against a fence unbagged. Snow and winter will break these down. Make tall piles for the main part. After bagging, rake leftovers against fences or into garden.
Bagging: Use the shovel for scooping leaves into the bag. Your helper holds the bag. First, though, fully open the garbage bag while the other puts the folded-up white sheet into the bag. Then shovel till full. Use your hands to scoop smaller bits left after shovelling. Pull up the white sheet out of the bag. Tie the bag. Later transport bags to your garbage area.
This all works and is easy on the back. Having another person for the bagging part simplifies that part.
You’ll appreciate the relatively clean yard left after you put everything away and won’t kill yourself holding leaf blowers or vacuums (with numerous changes) for long periods of time, risking deafness.
No, old-school and manual is best. Good exercise and a sense of pleasure engaging in an old ritual which goes back to the beginning of the bagging era. Brings you in closer contact with Nature and death, too.