Building a Hobby Farm- from woods to eggs

[riptides]

Now, we just have to take advantage of each rain as a chance to burn off some debris......probably a long uninteresting process over the next few months.

Burning is never uninteresting. Don't take it for granted.

-Mike Z.

 

[tony123]

I meant uninteresting to readers of the thread.

We've been doing lots of "wood management". I started trying to cut up the 3-4" stuff for firewood, but its just a lot of work for little yield it seems. Unfortunately, 90% of what I have is under 4".

 

[3RRL]

Some of the wood you split and quarter become the size of those 4" pieces. They probably make a great addition for "topping" the stove off with a full load for the night. I say probably because I have not fired my new wood burning stove up yet. But I remember my Dad filling every inch of his to get a full nights burn.

I've started a log pile and separated it according to size for my future wood burning. A little extra work gathering small stuff doesn't hurt. It's like when a cashier gives me change. "Sorry, I only have ones" I tell her that's OK, it all spends the same.

 

[tony123]

You've got a point Rob. I'm just anxious to get on with the point of the project. Salvaging firewood out of all this is a much slower process than burning it up in one big burn, and keeps me that much further from having chickens in the spring.

I'll give it a few more days of salvaging and reassess at that point.

I don't have a nice grapple (like some people ) so this is all picking through by hand.

 

[tony123]

I'll make this tractor related from time to time...

I have a thread in the "customization" forum, but it isn't getting much traffic there.

I put about 150 pounds of steel on the front bumper to help keep the front end down on these slopes. It made a wonderful improvement. The I-beam also doubles as a nice shelf to strap stuff to.

Here it is holding my chainsaw for all the wood management I'm doing at the moment.

 

[tony123]

Yesterday, the phone company came out to replace some phone line that the neighbor cut with a post hole digger. While out here with a trencher, I talked the guy into doing about 150' of trench for my waterline out to the farm.

I had a bunch of leftover 3/4" flexible PVC. It was used as our temporary line while building. I put it in the trench and plan to get one of those "yard faucets" from Lowes.

So we've got water at the farm!

 

[Tororider]

Nice, I figure it can never hurt to ask, he didn't even want a case of beer? Nice guy. Free work is the best kind.

 

[flusher]

Forgot to mention, if you are looking for something fast growing to put between your neighbors and your project, check out Austree's. They grow silly fast, 8-12 feet a year, no kidding. I have the prunings to prove it. I think the website is rmausa.com if I remember correctly. I will try to post some pics of mine if you are interested, but they will give you a really quick screen, even if you plant an evergreen in front just to give you some blockage until your other stuff grows up.

Careful with those fast growing hybrid willows. They're wood is brittle and their roots are a problem if you plant them too close to your septic system drain field.

Here in the North Valley it's windy in June and October, so I've decided against any of these fast growing species. So far I've planted crape myrtles, a Chinese elm and a California pepper tree. All doing fine.

 

[tony123]

Free work is the best kind.

Particularly knowing it comes from AT&T. 25 years of paying a phone bill and I get a free trench!

 

[BTDT]

Particularly knowing it comes from AT&T. 25 years of paying a phone bill and I get a free trench!

Just wait till you get the $400.00 phone bill.