Material spreader flow rate control system and method

A material spreader, comprising:

• a hopper that defines an aperture;
• a valve fixed with the hopper, wherein the valve obstructs flow of a material through the aperture in a closed position, and passes the material through the aperture in an opened position;
• a lever operatively connected to the valve, and pivotally or slidingly fixed relative to the valve, wherein pivoting or sliding the lever in a first direction actuates the valve toward the opened position, pivoting or sliding the lever in a second direction actuates the valve toward the closed position, and pressing the lever inward in a longitudinal direction drives the lever from an extended position toward a retracted position, the longitudinal direction being orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction;
• and
• a stop that obstructs the lever from traveling passed a predetermined location in the second direction when the lever is in the extended position, wherein the lever passes the predetermined location in the second direction when the lever is in the retracted position.