Farm and Garden

[rumblecloud]

Fall is officially here (not technically until next week), but the process of gathering wood for the heating season is on. It isn't my primary source, but I'll still burn about 3 cords. A small patch of woods behind my house supplies most of the fuel in the form of fallen Ash trees. Some Shag Bark mixed in. Drag it up to the barn, cut it, split it, stack it. One cord down, two to go.

Then tear down the garden. Rake and mulch leaves. Spread it on the garden and in the compost pile.

Finally, grade the driveway so it's safe for the propane delivery AND more importantly for the Amazon and UPS delivery trucks

 

[sgtsandman]

Stage 1 is done. Now on to the trench for the retaining wall gravel footer and getting it all level.

 

[sgtsandman]

The trench has been dug for the gravel footer. Next step is to start slinging gravel and tamping it level for block installation. The base needs to be about 6" deep for good compaction and and 12" wide to allow wandering of the trench. Even with staking and marking, keeping the trench straight and square is a tough when digging by hand. The end wall is off by 4" as and example.

Then I can move the dirt to make room for the final side. The hard/frustrating part is getting the first coarse level and flush with each other. Once that is set, the rest is smooth sailing. One 30# block at a time. I estimate that I will need 175 blocks to complete the project.

 

[ericbphoto]

The trench has been dug for the gravel footer. Next step is to start slinging gravel and tamping it level for block installation. The base needs to be about 6" deep for good compaction and and 12" wide to allow wandering of the trench. Even with staking and marking, keeping the trench straight and square is a tough when digging by hand. The end wall is off by 4" as and example.

Then I can move the dirt to make room for the final side. The hard/frustrating part is getting the first coarse level and flush with each other. Once that is set, the rest is smooth sailing. One 30# block at a time. I estimate that I will need 175 blocks to complete the project.

I know what you're going through. I didn't have quite as much hand digging, though.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I was bummed at first when I got my C and discovered it had battery ignition instead of a mag. (grew up with a magneto ign ‘49 jd A) but now I think a conventional distributor is better in a allis C. starts every time unless its really bitter cold out, even then Ive used the hand crank and saved the battery amps for the ignition. Mines got quite a oil leak lately, think its the pan gasket. Always have to lay cardboard under the engine when I park it.

I don't have a B/C to compare but the C generally starts quicker than anything else I have (they all start easy)

Just after 75 years a little $.02 snap ring vacated its place.

The biggest advantage to a dizzy though IMO is there is less going on in them and parts are available anywhere (mainly with the dirt common Delco ones)

 

[sgtsandman]

I know what you're going through. I didn't have quite as much hand digging, though.

The layout of the yard and buildings was set by someone who doesn't do this kind of work. Getting machinery back there is near impossible without removing the fence and even then, it's tight. On the plus side, I get a work out that isn't useless time at a gym.

I can't remember if the sheds were ever posted or not. They all have used the same retaining wall block. The difference is those have a gravel base and were raised instead of lowered and leveled. So, I've had lots of practice. Dealing with the tree roots for the first shed was the worst. Even with an axe mattock.

 

[racsan]

Came home to 4 eggs today! the little egg is from the bantam, its first one! the “easter egg” started last week, now it looks like only 2 of the chickens arent laying yet. I need a bigger chicken house but at least these close quarters will let them optimize body heat and keep them around for the winter. I used the light when they were baby chicks but a bit leary of leaving a light on 24/7 during the winter. Ive tarped the kennel they go out in, if nothing else it will block the wind. I dont think they ever sleep, any time ive peeked in on them they are looking back at me!

 

[Roert42]

Lucky bastard. I got my chickens and ducks around the beginning of June. Still, no eggs.

I'm curious if they aren't laying their eggs in a bush or something.

 

[racsan]

They might be, we got ours late april/early may, but someone I work with that lives 2 miles from me got his chickens a month before me and he hasnt got the first egg. Mine are in a small coop with a 6’ high 12x12 kennel (thought it was a 10x10 until I went to tarp ut and came up 2’ short!) Id love to free range but have concerns with the neighbors big dogs, my yorkie acts all big & bad until you put her in the kennel with them and she then just wants a way out! If you have shrubs or bushes, look there. Years ago I lived in a trailer park and ducks were nesting in the front bushes.

 

[Roert42]

They are fenced in, but it's only 4'. Just keep the ducks from running into the road like the idiots they are.

The chickens fly over the fence, come and go as they please.

 

[sgtsandman]

I eventually want to get some chickens. I think I have a decent spot I could put them under the maple tree and still have a bit of an area they can walk about. Better than those little coop things I see where the walking area is about the size of a large dog kennel.

I’m sure I’ll have a lot to learn.

The garden project has been on hold due to rain. I still have about 12’ of 6”x12” trench I need to fill with gravel before I can start laying block. The trench is filled with water where the stone is not. I figured the trench would drain better than that. I guess not. Anyway, the stone will push out the water as the trench gets filled and the stone gets tamped down.

I’ll also need to get some top soil for the sections on either side of the ramps for the shed. Those areas were just filled with stone and not contributing anything. They might be a good place to grow herbs or something small and doesn’t need a lot of space.

 

[sgtsandman]

Picked up some more rock and 50 blocks to get the base started for the wall on the high end and the unsupported side.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I just mowed around the pond, well as much as I could before I thought I was going to pass out if I went further... I really need to dig the pond deeper to get more dirt to flatten the outer edges more so it's less sketchy, or mow it earlier in the season... I'm mowing now since the pond has been dry for like 2 months so when there is water it'll be nicer... The Billy Goat mower is a beast and beats you up, but it's way less sketchy than driving the tractor over side hills... even self propelled it's still a lot of pushing to get a 150lb mower up a 6' high 45* angle bank...

Annoyingly there seems to be a migration of boxelder beetles and those asian "stink bugs" so I've got the shop doors closed...

 

[Jazzer]

A solution of one part dish soap to five parts water will kill stink bugs in a matter of minutes. It hasn’t hurt my house paint but will kill grass/plants. If they don’t survive they won’t be able to breed.

I read that once they find someplace they like, they put out a pheromone that attracts other stinkbugs, so if you get some you’ll get more.

-Jazzer

 

[sgtsandman]

Got some more work done on the garden. Two rows of block set on the high side and one row on the slope side. Some sections on the high side had to have three rows of block in order to get things set right.

Then moved the dirt over so I can dig the move the existing block, dig the trench, and set the base there. The existing block were put there to keep my mom's dogs from digging under the fence and were never properly set over a gravel base.