Silt Happens!

[jc7622]

When I was a kid we used to "count coup" on armadillos by sneaking up on them and slapping them over. They are nearly blind. They will occasionally lift up from grubbing around to take a look and a sniff. If you freeze motionless they will usually look right at you and not even know you are there. Once they continue grubbing around you can continue your stalk. They sure can run fast after being rolled over.

We used to also count coup on skunks, but that is another story.

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( By the way, the guy three farms up decided to use a dozer to clean out his pond this year. It broke through the crust and sank. I was told that it took another 2 dozers and a lot of huffing and puffing to get it out. I wish that I'd seen it and taken some photos. All I saw was the quagmire that was left after they had got it out. So, be careful out there.
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That's what I want to prevent by knowing how deep the sludge is and make sure we can work from solid ground. The dozer operator is also coming out to see if it's safe before he begins. This guy makes his living primarily by digging farm ponds, so he has plenty of experience. He has done great work for many people and I'm lucky he's so close to me. He also said he would leave a little mess in the bottom for me to clean up or he could come back with a dozer later on. Personally, for fish, I think an irregular bottom might actually be best. Once it's covered in water, who knows anyhow? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[2nstonge]

Ditto on the animals not being afraid of the tractor. I have a beautiful fox in my yard that will come within 40-50ft of me when I'm on the tractor, he'll root around for mice and voles, the minute I turn off the tractor his ears will prick up and he gets twitchy. If I get off the tractor he scoots -- won't come within a 100yds.

-Norm

 

[jinman]

Dang! It turns out that silt (or something that sounds like it) really does happen. My dozer guy called to say he would not be able to clean out my pond last weekend. The two or three days of bad weather last week (icy roads) put him behind on an oil patch job. His operator had to finish that job this weekend. The dozer guy had to go out of town to a relative's funeral, so he couldn't do the job himself. It's been rescheduled until next weekend. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

As badly as we need rain, if it happens it will be a reason to celebrate even if the pond has to wait. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Louisiana_John]

Good luck it is nice to have dry wether like you said. I have been getting alot done. But my pond could use about 3.5 feet of water.
John

 

[EddieWalker]

Looks like wer'e getting rain tonight, but like the last dozen or so storms that were supposed to dump some water on us, I'll believe it when I actually see the water on the ground.

I'm looking forward to seeing the picks and hearing about the project. Are you still moving dirt yourself in the meantime?

Eddie

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Looks like wer'e getting rain tonight, but like the last dozen or so storms that were supposed to dump some water on us, I'll believe it when I actually see the water on the ground.

I'm looking forward to seeing the picks and hearing about the project. Are you still moving dirt yourself in the meantime?

Eddie
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I don't know about you, Eddie, but we only got enough rain to settle the dust and wet the porch. This was another non-event for us.

I haven't really had time to continue the dirt digging. Since my dozer guy didn't show up last weekend, I spent time doing a little work on Kathy's old IH424, boxbladed my road, and put up more Christmas decorations. I've spent way too much time with my tractor trying to clean out the pond and I just had to spend a little more time doing other things.

On Monday, a guy came and made us a good offer for Kathy's tractor and put a cash down payment on it. If I had not gotten the brakes working, we'd probably still have the tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif This morning the guy is scheduled to bring the rest of the purchase price (in cash) and pick up the tractor. Getting it sold is our first "Christmas present." /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I did take time to clear the brush around the pond and cut the trees down to stumps so the track loader could easily dig them out. Here is a photo of the last tree just as it is falling. Timberrr! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[jinman]

After getting the tree cut up some, I used my rock bucket/grapple to move the big pieces easily out of the area.

 

[jinman]

More limbs. This sure is better than chaining and dragging. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jinman]

The nice thing about this little grapple is it doesn't get into the way but you can easily use it like a thumb to hold onto a pile of limbs that are all askew. There's no way you could lift or push a ragged pile like this, but it's easy with the grapple.

 

[jinman]

Last photo...
Only the stumps remain. The little peninsula is now clean and ready for the dozer to clean out the pond. Hopefully it will get done this weekend. I have my fingers crossed. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( we only got enough rain to settle the dust and wet the porch )</font>

Day before yesterday, I decided to get the ZTR out and "mow"; i.e., mulch the leaves in the yard instead of raking them. It didn't work quite as well as I'd hoped, but not bad. However, I really didn't think in advance about the fact that I very quickly got a really thick layer of dust all over both the mower and myself. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif But last night we got a whopping .01" of rain; might have settled the dust just a little bit. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( However, I really didn't think in advance about the fact that I very quickly got a really thick layer of dust all over both the mower and myself. )</font>

Yesterday morning I saw a cloud of dust on the opposite of the road from me and thought someone had driven off the road and an accident was in progress. As I got closer I noticed there was a John Deere tractor barely visible in the front of the dust cloud and he was pulling a big batwing mower cutting grass and causing a dust storm. I could just make out that he did have a cab. Two others followed him, also with cabs and then two New Hollands without cabs. The guys on the New Hollands didn't even have face masks on. I just wonder what their lungs must look like? I've heard of black lung, but I guess this could be called brown lung. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

Jim,

Same here with the rains, another "non event." We're over 18 inches below normal and more counties are now in a burn ban today than during the heat of summer. The map shows just about every county North, South and West of Smith County. We're still allowed to burn here, but I'm not sure how much longer that will last.

I sure like the way your grapple works!!! Turns a tough job into a fun one!!!

My expereince is it's allot easier to take out a stump if the tree is still attached to it. I mean, it's a HUGE difference. Did your dozer guy say to stump it?

I guess if he has enough power he cound just pop it out. I've heard stories of it happening, but never seen it done. My dozer is only 160 hp and has trouble with a stump that's just half a foot across. Your's looks quite a bit bigger.

Then again, if his track loader can handle three yards at a time, it must be a pretty large macine.

I'm looking forward to the pics and seeing the finished product.

Eddie

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I guess if he has enough power he cound just pop it out. I've heard stories of it happening, but never seen it done. My dozer is only 160 hp and has trouble with a stump that's just half a foot across. Your's looks quite a bit bigger.
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Eddie, the dozer guy said he was afraid the large dead tree's upper limbs would fall on him if he tried to push it over. He said if I cut it, he would undercut the stump with the track loader's bucket and pop the stump out of the ground. The two willow stumps are sitting close to a dropoff edge and he said those would come out easily. Since he said he preferred to have them cut, I went ahead and took them out. I'm sure if he was using a dozer blade instead of the track loader, he would have preferred I leave at least 6' of stump to push on.

 

[Louisiana_John]

Digging yet? Silt got gone?
John

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Digging yet? Silt got gone? )</font>

Yes...and almost all gone.

I had a little "silt" problem of my own and just got back home from a short stay in the hospital with a heart attack and pneumonia. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif They put a stent in one of my heart arteries to keep that silt from building up again. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Anyhow, the doctor has cleared me to do normal activity. I'll be back soon, finishing the job the dozer already almost completed. By this weekend I hope to post the completion of this project. ...that is...the completion of the dry work. Hopefully soon we'll get a nice 3" rain and I'll have a real finished pond. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks for asking, John. I'm doing fine. Naturally I already feel much better than I've felt in the last month. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Jinman,
Sorry to hear about your health problems. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Glad to hear you are going to be OK! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Did you have any idea that you had an issue before hand? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Keep us posted and do what your doctor says. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Cliff_Johns]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I had a little "silt" problem of my own and just got back home from a short stay in the hospital with a heart attack and pneumonia. )</font>

Yikes!

Take it easy, Jinman. You don't have to hurry just to get us pictures of the finished project (although, if you're cleared to do the work . . . /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Cliff