Pennsylvania stone wall project...:)

[dknarnd]

The amount of rock walls around fields in his area would amaze you. That area is full of small farms and nearly every field has a rock wall around it; actually I would expect that the field you see in the background of his photos has a wall around it. I was raised on one of those small farms and some of our stone rows along fields are 15' wide and 4 or 5' high. I often wonder how they were gathered and how long it took. Those stone rows were there before my grandfather lived there and that was around 1907! Even when I was young after plowing I remember picking stones and loading them on the wagon then adding them to the rows along the fields.

Every year we are asked about selling the stone but as long as I own it that won't happen. It wouldn't be home without those stone rows.

However Tollie I am glad to see that what you have done with the stone fits in with the natural local landscape very well. And it is good to know that at least some of the stone that people are selling stayed local to the area.

 

[Tollster]

Your correct, the fireld is surrounded by stone. You may live very close to me as I see you reised in columbia county. I am on the luzerne columbia line out by cambra. I too use to pick rocks in the summer working for a tomato planting company. I just remember not seeing the other end of the fields when we started because the fields were so long. We would walk behind the dump truck and the only time we got a break is when it stop because the rock was too big for us to handle, so we reached for the sledge hammer.
I often see truck load after truck load of PA stone going somewhere on the interstates, always wondered where. Its sad to see our heritage slipping away just so senors can pay for meds and taxes. I even know some that have had to tear down there 100 year barns just so they would not be taxed on them any longer. Kind of makes ya wonder what it'll be like in the next 20 years.

 

[dknarnd]

I am must be very close to you since I am only about 2 miles from the Luzerne line near Fairmount Springs. You can find my place off of St Gabrial Hill road on Hartman Hollow Road. You must be north of 239 because I know Jerry's Engine Repair is a Stillwater address, probably near Dotyville.

You don't find many good old barns up there any more and they used to be all over. My barn collapased in a snow storm several years ago so it is a pile of rubble now but my brother had the Amish in and repaired his barn, you can see it on the same road I am on. My next implement is a grapple because I am going to start burning the barn a little at a time. I was going to have North Mountain Fire Company come in and do it but thee are some nice Maple and Hickory trees along it that I don't want to die.

 

[Tollster]

You are about 4 miles away. Come up St gabes hill, and got to Tee in Fairmount Springs, trun right then first left past the church. I am about 2 miles down the rooad on right, you can see the walls from the road.
North Mountian would appriciate the drill I am sure, and they should be able to prevent allot of damge. I will look for your place next time I go to Benton for fuel, they are the cheapest around for miles.

 

[tlbuser]

We would like to put a gazebo type structure over the seat and grow some wysteria. Along with some type of japanese garden and trees.

With some minor modification, something like this maybe?

Hard to believe the crew had never done anything like this before. Absolutely awesome job!

 

[dknarnd]

If you are coming from Fairmount just before what is called "five points" you will pass a small christmas tree field and the hardtop road hangs to the left just stay straight and head up the dirt road, my brothers place is about a mile from there and my place is about a quarter mile after his, has a red garage on the opposite side of the road from the house.

Your right about the prices, last weekend I tried to get gas at the uni-mart and they were empty by noon. Had to pay $0.06 more at DR's, people come from all over to buy thier gas there.

 

[Tollster]

Does that road come out on 487 by the trailer court?

 

[dknarnd]

Yes it does, so I guess you have been by there a few times. When I was growing up it was a dirt road and only had 6 homes on it, one was my grandparents and one belonged to my parents. Combined they had about 175 acres but after selling some and dividing it amoung kids it got pretty subdivided up; luckily my two brothers and I have been able to keep about 85 acres of it including most of the open land.

 

[Nuru]

Good pics, nice job.

 

[Tollster]

Its been almost a year now and after completing the backfill just before winter I am now working to build a rock garden above the wall by the pond. I was able to get some large, larger, and largest rocks last fall. I had them set in the yard, then I read and studied as much as I could on rock and Japanese gardens over the winter. I just started to dig in some of the large rocks just behind the mulch line. Its slow going as I do not have my Mexicali workforce any longer. So I am working alone with some help from my neighbor when he has time. The BX 24 is working overtime, and some of the largest rocks are just too much for it, I figure the largest stone I have is about 800 lbs or better.
I was able to skid some of the smaller ones above the wall, using a 3/16 steel plate and chains. I have devised a roller set up to move down the hill from there. I have (4) 2 x 10 s and then I was able to get three 5" diameter by 8' fence post and cut them into six 4 foot sections. I plan on getting the larger rocks onto the plate with the bucket and pry bars, then roll them on the posts across the 4 x 10"s—. Its slow going, each rock has to be set at least 1/3rd into the ground. Then I have 3 different types of geological stones, so that does notreally help the layout process. I only want to move them once, so I study each stone and hopefully will end up with a somewhat natural setting when its done.
I have my camera charging and will try to get some shots of the roller setup for ya'll. It seems to work well and best of all, doesn't tear up the yard.
Heres some picks of the rock garden in progress and the skid configuation to get them down the hill and not into the pond. I use a long chain to hook the skid onto the BH and slowly back down the grade, my neighbor rotates the posts to keep it moving. It can be dangerous, and you have to watch pinch points and not stand behind the load. I use a long chain so I can stay on as much level ground as I can, also I suggest using rocks to wedge under the posts when rotating them to prevent any slipping.
DISREGUARD THE TITLES, as it pick them up from the file hyerachy on my computer.
Toll