Anyone have a MESS like this?

[dapper]

Evening all.
Any of you have to deal with a mess like this? I have this problem every spring. These are pictures of my bottom field after about 2"-4" of spring rain. Usual happens about 2 to 3 times each spring. The ground is all sand, and water doesn't stand more than a day or 2. Trouble is that the creek washes all the downed trees, limbs, cornstalks, coolers, empty cola bottles and any other trash or flotsam to the end of the field where it piles up in a huge pile. It has to be cleaned up each year before spring planting. What a job. I will get it cleaned back up as soon as it dries enough to get a tractor down there but was just wondering if any of you have to deal with similar problems and how you do so?

 

[czechsonofagun]

Evening all.
Any of you have to deal with a mess like this? I have this problem every spring. These are pictures of my bottom field after about 2"-4" of spring rain. Usual happens about 2 to 3 times each spring. The ground is all sand, and water doesn't stand more than a day or 2. Trouble is that the creek washes all the downed trees, limbs, cornstalks, coolers, empty cola bottles and any other trash or flotsam to the end of the field where it piles up in a huge pile. It has to be cleaned up each year before spring planting. What a job. I will get it cleaned back up as soon as it dries enough to get a tractor down there but was just wondering if any of you have to deal with similar problems and how you do so?

I have similar problem on much smaller scale. In our pond a creek is starting - hmm, virginians call it run - and the good part of it is the pond never dries out, but we collect water from the local road and few pastures and no matter how often I clean up leaves it always brings new batch and clogs the creek and floods everything around.

Lately I started to rake the creek with landscaping rake and it helped a bit, but for a rain like we have today it is just not enough.

And yes, paper, bottles, coffee cups - it all comes with the water too.

 

[kwolfe]

What about strecthing a large temporary fence across to span the width of the area. Something thin enough to let the water pass without as much resistance, yet just strong enough to hold the debris. This way all you would have to do is take down the fence and pick up along it. Just a thought.

 

[MossRoad]

That's a creek? Looks like a river. I take it the field you are refering to is under there, somewhere?

 

[dapper]

Kwolfe,
It wouldn't be possible to fence as this would just get pushed over once it filled up with junk, and then it to would become part of the mess to clean up. Ask me how I know! Thanks for trying.
Moss,
It is actually called "Twin Creek", but it really is a small river which forms the boundary of my bottom field. I have attached picts of the field the day after, and you can see that the creek is back in its banks, and what I am left to clean up. Not to bad... this time. I will wait until spring rains are over before I try to clean it up, as next time maybe some of it will wash back downstream! Or it will get worse!

 

[MossRoad]

Man, I don't know how you could prevent that. So I'd concentrate on cleaning it up more efficiently. Have you considered a tractor with duals front and rear for floatation and an FEL with a grapple bucket? That would make fast work of anything... just grab it and get out of there.

Something like a Power Trac would probably handle that chore with ease. They are full time 4wd, hydraulically articulated and have a great lift to weight ratio.

 

[Thomas]

We had something like that on the farm...30 arces...between trying to fight the land and mother nature it was loosen battle...dry ground along w/TD7 dozer made the field look good again....each year tho.

Rubbish...tires,bed box springs etc.. some people have no respect.

 

[SCDolphin]

I would love to have a piece of land like that, floods and all.

 

[scott_vt]

Afternoon Dapper,
I would think the plus side is that its river bottom land and whatever you plant there will grow terrific !

 

[dapper]

Afternoon all,
MossRoad,
I just wait till it dries, and then I go at it with a FEL. Would be great to have a Grapple, but that one is still on the list. (Moving up fast) Power track would work great, know anyone who is giving one away? Never enough$$$$!
Thomas,
Like you, I have learned not to try to fight it. Not something I can do much about. There is a line of trees that line the bank, and they do hold back a lot of the debris, but there is a lot that gets threw also.
Scott,
Your correct, this field is usually planted in field corn, or soybeans. There is about 7ac down there, and they usually do pretty well. Dry year hurts though because of all the sand. Really a mess after corn year though, as the fodder piles up at the far end under the trees making that much more work.
SCD,
Don't mistake me, I wouldn't trade the field for anything! In the early spring when there is not much going on, and there are no leaves on the trees, (like now!) it is the most amazing thing to watch what happens to this field, and how it recovers. Critters abound on the place, and they seem as amazed as I am over the events that take place in this field. The field is about 1/4 mi. away, and visible from from the west side of the house. We have anywhere from 5-15 deer that use the creek year round. Along with Fox, Coyotes, Coons, Possums, and I can't tell you all the birds! It truly is humbling, and Yes I do know how much I am blessed to be the one that gets to take care of it for now. I can't believe my own luck sometimes.

This picture is of a second creak that normally dumps into the field. It is the same creek the can be seen in the other pictures coming in on the left coming down the hill. This creek usually doesn't run out into the field more than about10-15 feet. Just sinks right in. Doesn't matter how much it is running. Rest of the field can be nice and dry.
I live at the end of road that slopes gently down to the creek, and for good or bad I see a lot of watter on my place. Just have to learn to deal with it!