Habitat out loud

[SD51555]

Is that operated hourly rates? because a good operator could probably do in less than 20 what I could in 40 and I'd not have to burn PTO to do it. I imagine the main rub of someone else doing it is getting things done exactly how you want them done and not messing everything up! SD's project seems like work that would be hard to explain clearly to someone else.

Yeah, there'd be no way an operator would take on what I did. I had dozens of 5 minute fixes that needed doing. Now, the big part of the project would have probably been a good job for a big time operator, but all those little ones would go undone.

 

[TenPoint]

What machine was that? E42?

 

[SD51555]

What machine was that? E42?

E50

 

[TenPoint]

E50

I could see that machine doing the 2 little things I need done.

 

[SD51555]

No video from this weekend. I was originally just going to smooth out my plot and leave my spoils lay. I got all my smoothing work done quickly and decided to try spreading dirt. It actually spread really well, so I decided to go like hell and try to push this thing over the finish line. Well, at the 5 hour mark, I had about 4 hours left to finish the whole thing. I snapped the belt that runs the hydraulic pump.

No machine has gone into that plot and finished it's job without a breakdown. I'm renaming that plot from the South Plot Complex to the Bermuda Triangle. Still, I did move the ball forward. It's starting to take shape. I got about 1/3 finished in a couple hours. The areas without hay to the left are what still need to be finished. Then I've been spreading moldy swamp grass on what is seeded and properly gypsum'ed to keep the rain from hitting that clay.

 

[Foggy47]

No replacement belt available? BT / DT That is one of the big issues I have with rental equipment......never know the condition of things until it's broken. Frustrating.

Just yesterday I was considering how little I had to do at my place this Tuesday (which is my normal work day at the Deertopia Proving Grounds). Decided I need to do some routine maintenance on several pieces of equipment and give most things a shot of grease. Also could look at my cone spreader and see about changing those spinner plate vanes. That could turn into a circus.

 

[SD51555]

No replacement belt available? BT / DT That is one of the big issues I have with rental equipment......never know the condition of things until it's broken. Frustrating.

Just yesterday I was considering how little I had to do at my place this Tuesday (which is my normal work day at the Deertopia Proving Grounds). Decided I need to do some routine maintenance on several pieces of equipment and give most things a shot of grease. Also could look at my cone spreader and see about changing those spinner plate vanes. That could turn into a circus.

I switched to the outfit in Longville. They've got much better equipment and way better service. It's still not brand new, but at least it wasn't all humped out and beat to snot. That heavy clay is just hell on equipment.

 

[Foggy47]

I switched to the outfit in Longville. They've got much better equipment and way better service. It's still not brand new, but at least it wasn't all humped out and beat to snot. That heavy clay is just hell on equipment.

I wish you were not so darn far away......then I could drive my tractor over there and push.a little dirt around for you. Just too many miles to drive there......and I lack the hauling equipment for such a trek. Alas.....your nearly done.......and the adventure is in the planning and work you do.

 

[SD51555]

I wish you were not so darn far away......then I could drive my tractor over there and push.a little dirt around for you. Just too many miles to drive there......and I lack the hauling equipment for such a trek. Alas.....your nearly done.......and the adventure is in the planning and work you do.

Yeah, I'm almost finished. I hope I get back the same machine I had. That'll deal with the breakdown curse at least, and that one had decent speed and power. If I can just get one day I can finish. I don't even care if I don't get it seeded, I just wanna get the machinery out of there.

 

[SD51555]

The big dig has been suspended for the rest of 2023. I took a knee and seeded what was done so I can have some forage back here in time for season.

The pond is starting to fill. Picked up some rain to get it started.

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[TenPoint]

Are you going to make a "safety shelf" around the whole thing next time you have equipment? Looks like it's straight into the abyss in a few spots. ;)

 

[SD51555]

I'm not worried about it. I imagine it'll slough in over time, and there are lots of places on the near side to walk right out.

 

[TenPoint]

I'm not worried about it. I imagine it'll slough in over time, and there are lots of places on the near side to walk right out.

Was thinking more about equipment going in than people or critters.

 

[SD51555]

It was pretty dry this year at my place. Didn’t get any meaningful moisture after the snow melt until late July. The 250 spruce relocation project this year looks to be doing well.

This was the planting video if you missed it.

Planting 250 spruce trees 2023

Total cost = $0. I moved a bunch of trees on my property, and saved some from the electric company mower.

rumble.com

Here’s how they look now. Tree cost on this project - $0 (except $3 in gas to go scavenge up the doomed ditch trees, and those that would have been lost to the canopy on my own property.)

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[SD51555]

Well, bear hunting this weekend. Gonna be about as hot as it's ever been to bear hunt. I called my guy to ask him if we're going out, and he said "the show must go on." So we'll be at it starting Friday. It's gonna be balmy at camp all weekend. His opinion is that we've got a small window to have the woods to ourselves before the fall invasion kicks up with grouse hunters, rifle season preppers, dogs, chainsaws and all that. I agreed. I count on all the intrusion elsewhere to push all the deer to my property. Mine is about the only chunk of woods in the area that isn't blown up by human intrusion after mid September.

I also got word that the bur oak acorn drop is in full swing and it's about the biggest crop I've ever seen. Some of the bear baits have gone cold, but not all. That's the one upshot I've got over doing this on my own. The guide sets up 3 bait sites for each guy he's got in camp, and we'll move to different spots the next day if nothing is happening.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Not an exciting forecast for bear hunting but good luck! How many points did it take to get a tag?

 

[SD51555]

Not an exciting forecast for bear hunting but good luck! How many points did it take to get a tag?

It's taking 6 to get drawn in my zone.

 

[SD51555]

I threw in the towel on bear hunting. Worst conditions anyone has ever seen between the heat and acorn deluge.

Anyway, Camp Dogwood is now in the elderberry business. My neighbor has a hookup at a nursery in town and I got 2 producers and a pollinator for 60% off.

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[SD51555]

I made my last attempt at a peaceful resolution with white clover. I spread rye into all of my perennial plots on Sunday morning. By the time it germinates, the deer will be well on their way giving it all the Final Cut before winter.

This is the last best idea I have to get rye up in that stuff. If this doesn’t show rye heads by June 5th, I’m going to take it all out and start over.

Anyway, while I was out there, I got to check my plots up close. Got a really nice crop of barley coming in the margins between where I was spreading pond spoils and where I had native clover. This spot shows the high and dry clover on the left, dead spoils on the right where it’s short and yellow, and the good stuff in the middle where the roots made it thru to the living soil.

The good spots really grew well. I overshot the greens portion of this, but I still have the seed heads.

It’s made 33” tall.

The seed heads aren’t as big as wheat, but barley can also put put up to a 1/3 more seed heads that wheat in the same amount of space.

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[Foggy47]

Nice pics........but what kinda tape measure have you got there. Is that one for folks that can't count over 12? grin. (not sure I've ever seen a tape like that)