This weeks preps check-in

[Brent S]

The two boys and I selected some 6' x 3' (I told them we were digging graves) sites in the yard of the new place, dug out a couple of feet of rocks and roots, churned up the ground, and replaced it with sifted topsoil from another site we were preparing to be the next hole, to make garden plots for my wife to plant vegetables in. I nailed 4" x 12"'s to 2" x 4"'s for frames, with rocks underneath, for her to stand on and be able to reach all of the vegetables without getting in there with them. There's a slope, so we raked an embankment of dirt at the end, backed up by rocks, with which we also ringed the rectangle on the outside.

Pictures please! I always appreciate hard work.

 

[jimLE]

i just trimmed back 2 small groups of trees,to get rid of the dead stuff..and hauled that stuff to the burn pile.no mom aint happy with it.but she gotta live with it.and we can see further out from the house,while looking out 1 of 4 windows.and the yard just got mowed.so it now looks like a yard instead of a field..lol

 

[Brent S]

i just trimmed back 2 small groups of trees,to get rid of the dead stuff..and hauled that stuff to the burn pile.no mom aint happy with it.but she gotta live with it.and we can see further out from the house,while looking out 1 of 4 windows.and the yard just got mowed.so it now looks like a yard instead of a field..lol

I can't say I love yard work, but at least I feel accomplished when it's done. I just put a new battery in the mower, and will probably have to start cutting grass again this comming weekend. I still have another area to till, more spraying of all the trees, mulching and collecting leaves for compost, etc. It never ends! I did get a decent rain today, so at least I don't have to water the outside garden for a few days.

 

[jimLE]

i love yard work.but then again,i love outdoor work.i guess that has a lot to do with growing up outdoors

 

[Billy Roper]

No pictures yet to post, but we put in the second garden plot and began the third, with plans for four total and a water feature, a small pond. Worked on the wire footing of the chicken coop in preparation for the rapidly growing chicks, too.

 

[jimLE]

i just started going through my seeds.i had already decided on tomato in 2-15 gallon pots.and habenero,jalapeno, cayenne long red for 3 diff planters.so im now working on what'll go into the ground..i'll diffidently be going with emerald okra Iroquois cantaloupe melon,golden batman corn..just not sure of what else i wanna go with yet..

 

[Marv.Schmitz87]

With the snow finally gone and temperatures just below freezing at night, I started preparing my backyard. Getting leaves in the composter, bought a whole bunch of yearling grape vines and blueberries. We probably going to start the seedlings as soon as temps stay above freezing at night.
Also bought a new to me garden tractor with plow and lawn cart, snow blower and I treated myself with a brand new stihl leave blower. Can't wait for spring to kick in.

 

[Brent S]

With the snow finally gone and temperatures just below freezing at night, I started preparing my backyard. Getting leaves in the composter, bought a whole bunch of yearling grape vines and blueberries. We probably going to start the seedlings as soon as temps stay above freezing at night.
Also bought a new to me garden tractor with plow and lawn cart, snow blower and I treated myself with a brand new stihl leave blower. Can't wait for spring to kick in.

It's always fun getting new toys! I'm also all for anything that makes yard work easier! We are just getting down to freezing tonight and tomorrow night. I just started a fire, and am hoping the next two nights will be the last ones I need for the season. I'm relaxing next to the wood burning stove right now, just poured a glass of wine, and am content with what I've accomplished this weekend. Life is pretty good.

 

[Rob Painless]

I'm relaxing next to the wood burning stove right now, just poured a glass of wine, and am content with what I've accomplished this weekend. Life is pretty good.

Ditto....except a bourbon & soda for me. (Wine for my wife.) Pretty good indeed.

 

[Brent S]

Ditto....except a bourbon & soda for me. (Wine for my wife.) Pretty good indeed.

It's just good to know when to relax occasionally.

 

[Billy Roper]

I began digging a small pond on our property, mainly for irrigation. Anybody have experience in making holes hold water, and advice on that?

 

[jimLE]

all i know to do..is to dig it where it'll work best.and use the needed dirt from that,to bring the embankment up on the lower side.and maybe pack that down at least some while doing that.then just let go at that.mother nature should do the rest..

 

[Brent S]

I began digging a small pond on our property, mainly for irrigation. Anybody have experience in making holes hold water, and advice on that?

I've learned the hard way that water has a way of going where it wants to. I had a pond break thru underground and drain out. I dug a trench about 5 ft deep and lined it with plastic sheeting. It did the trick in containing that area. I have a third pond that's doing the same thing, so will try it again. Instead of flowing over the nice looking spillway I made, it decided to tunnel under it, and lowered the pond by a little more than a foot. The only thing I can say for sure is there's ongoing maintenance with water.

 

[Maverick]

Anybody have experience in making holes hold water, and advice on that?

Our pond is done with sodium bentonite clays containing ess13, the pond is artesian fed, the pond is 7 1/2 feet deep on the edges sloped to 9 feet center

 

[Brent S]

Our pond is done with sodium bentonite clays containing ess13, the pond is artesian fed, the pond is 7 1/2 feet deep on the edges sloped to 9 feet center

View attachment 5432

Nice! Have you stocked it? I did three smaller ponds, flowing successively into each other. The spring head is three properties from mine, so the water isn't flowing on the surface for long. I still wouldn't drink it directly but it should be easy to filter at least.

 

[Maverick]

Ya it was stocked, last year drought took its toll on the fish we will restock again

 

[Billy Roper]

Thanks for the pond input. It's an extremely rocky area, on top of a mountain ridge in the Ozarks. I'm considering lining the bottom, if not the sides, with rocks, and if it's small enough, koi pond sized, just cementing it in, bit by bit. Make it a summer-long project, as I can afford the sack-crete. Other recommendations are welcome.

 

[carhugger_prep]

Well I got a GPS Tactical Pouch, Tactical Utility Molle Accessory Shoulder Bag Pouch, and a medium Molle pouch. The GPS Tactical Pouch and medium Molle pouch are for my BOBs. While the Tactical Utility Molle Accessory Shoulder Bag Pouch is to be a EDC bag. Below are links to what I got.
https://www.gorillasurplus.com/gps-tactical-pouch
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tactical-Mo...g-Hiking-Sport-Shoulder-Bag-ACU-/270629998455
https://www.gorillasurplus.com/tactical-utility-molle-accessory-shoulder-bag-pouch

 

[Maverick]

Thanks for the pond input. It's an extremely rocky area, on top of a mountain ridge in the Ozarks. I'm considering lining the bottom, if not the sides, with rocks, and if it's small enough, koi pond sized, just cementing it in, bit by bit. Make it a summer-long project, as I can afford the sack-crete. Other recommendations are welcome.

Concrete must be done right otherwise it will leak, using concrete for ponds uses a different method than one would use for foundations or slabs, depending on size of the pond bag concrete won't work. Think of a in ground swimming pool, it has to be done all at once, no patch work like bag concrete. It would have to be almost of the same method as a swimming pool, if you use liners or concrete plan on it lasting 20yrs before heavy maintenance is needed, it was the reason I gone with the clay mixed with ess13 giving me 50 or more years.

 

[Brent S]

Ya it was stocked, last year drought took its toll on the fish we will restock again

I had coi and bass in mine, until a big rain system washed them all down to my neighbors pond. I had stocked some bass in the larger pond but caught and ate them a while back. I made the third pond to raise brim. I'll get it going before too long, but have too many projects going right now.