Life in the BT era

[blueriver]

Have you ever considered writing a book? Your post are always so enjoyable to read ....

 

[F.L. Jennings]

Have you ever considered writing a book? Your post are always so enjoyable to read ....

Thanks, yes I have BR. Maybe someday. Not nearly as many people read books today and lots of publishers are having hard times. Seems everyone reads everything on the net. I have a lot of non-tractor, but country living related articles I've written about experiences in my short life and lives of very interesting people I have known.

 

[steveoutdoorrec]

You should explore the idea of writing for publications like Mother Earth News. I'm sure they are always looking for new articles about how to do things for less. Or maybe a website/blog about life BT

 

[Sackett2]

Great post!
I would suggest "Country" Magazine, readers do a lot of the writing.

As for the BT era, that was us until this summer- Dad and I had our first lesson on working more efficiently when taking a tree out for firewood. it fell into the blackberries in the winter. first we tromped the berrybushes down, then drug pieces out to cut them up in a field. We quickly realized that we could now drag the big branch next to the burn pile, rather than moving the brush later. We cut up the wood and started hauling it to the truck. I looked at dad and said "Why don't we back the truck up closer to the wood?" we were so use to cutting wood where it lay then packing it to the truck. we now look at the job and think about how the tractor could make it easier. We are so programed to do it the hard way...

 

[F.L. Jennings]

Great post!
I would suggest "Country" Magazine, readers do a lot of the writing.

As for the BT era, that was us until this summer- Dad and I had our first lesson on working more efficiently when taking a tree out for firewood. it fell into the blackberries in the winter. first we tromped the berrybushes down, then drug pieces out to cut them up in a field. We quickly realized that we could now drag the big branch next to the burn pile, rather than moving the brush later. We cut up the wood and started hauling it to the truck. I looked at dad and said "Why don't we back the truck up closer to the wood?" we were so use to cutting wood where it lay then packing it to the truck. we now look at the job and think about how the tractor could make it easier. We are so programed to do it the hard way...

Even with a tractor and hydraulic wood splitter mounted on the backhoe boom I still have to break down those 30" plus diameter Red Oak cookies sawn 16" long from the chunks in the photo, with a maul and steel wedges to get them to a size so a normal human that doesn't wear leotard tights and a cape can grunt them into the labor saver. Unless I want to saw all those big chunks into pieces.

I can see now that there is only so much labor my poor back/damaged rotator cuffs can afford to save.....alas and alack. All these have been cut into 250lb cookies and about half of them quartered, but they all still have to be lifted into the splitter. In the bad old days BT, it would have been worked up right where the hurricane winds and high water dropped it. Now I can haul 1000lb, maybe 1400lb logs where ever I need them to be. Progress is wonderful. I'm 64, soon to be 65 but look 90. If I'd had a tractor SOONER then I would appear only a youngish 85. Haw!

Next summer - Lord willing - I still have to cut off a 20 ft. butt end log from this tree that buried itself in the flood covered bottom and dig out that nice sized stump.
That log is better than 36" dia where it meets the dirt.

1. excavate along the log so you can get a chainsaw to bore from the top down, a little sideways.

2. Drag the log out of its nest.

3. Dig all of the dirt from the stump that will drop off.

4. Start pushing/pulling/working the stump from its fox hole.

5. Breathe a sigh of relief when it's on level ground, and roll it over to the woods.

6. Start filling in the crater so it will be nicely compacted by fall planting time.

7. Wait for the next big tree to drop into your nice field in a very awkward place and at the wrong time of the year.

 

[LBrown59]

Great post!
I would suggest "Country" Magazine, readers do a lot of the writing.

We are so programed to do it the hard way...

I could never get programed to do it;let alone the hard way.

 

[horse7]

Ah yes, the BT days.

using a brushwacker to clear acres of 12' high bushes (the bigger ones needing a bow saw, no chainsaws). Heck of a lot easier with a bush hog, FEL, and chainsaw....

750000 to 1000000 lb of earth and fill moved with a shovel and wheelbarrow. Makes you appreciate both how easy the pyramids are to build with infinite slave labor, and how little such an impressive sounding number really is.

Living on site in a tiny insulated building (inside dimensions 4'x8') and that included the shower, water tanks, electrical subpanels/heaters, and bed... with the door swinging inwards. Now at least in the warmer weather I can live in part of the house that is still under construction.