Small Projects: Need Daylight Hours

lakngulf · Dec 29, 2009

The pictures below have one thing in common: They represent small projects that I need to complete but have trouble finding enough daylight hours to work on them.

(1) Moving the dirt in TopSoil 1 to the garden boxes in TopSoil 3
(2) Repairing my yard where some of the seawall has eroded (SeaWall 1)
(3) Putting the 20 foot 6x6 posts (RopeSwing 1) along side the mid point of my pier (RopeSwing 3) to build my grandsons a rope swing
(4) Move some of the topsoil to my wifes herb garden (HerbGarden 1)
(5) Install 40 feet of culvert (BoatParking 1) and repair my driveway
(6) Finish the lean-to to house the tractor, equipment and sea doo
(Lean To 1)
(7) Prepare hunting land for planting a few acres of clover (Clover 1)
(8) Not pictured: 8-12 inches of soil over my septic field lines, planting of blue berries over same, planting of pear trees alongside pond at hunting land, whatever my wife comes up with for her new yard projects.

At this point I am wondering if (1) I had lots of projects so I bought a tractor OR (2) I bought a tractor and now have lots of projects. In any event I look forward to spending some tractor time on them and will post progress along the way. I remember my old neighbor in the country where I grew up. I would ask him why do you have mules, and his answer was, so I can grow corn? I would ask him why do you grow corn, and his answer was, so I can feed the mules?

I know the first question will be what about the water? Lake Martin is an Army Corps of Engineers reservoir lake and used for water management/flood control as well as power generation and general recreational enjoyment. As such, it is lowered 10 feet each year, normally this time of the year. Hurricane Ida, and numerous rainfalls, have it much higher than normal. Soon, I hope, the draw down will continue and I will have tractor access to the lake bed.

Obed · Dec 29, 2009

lakngulf, I'm right there with you. It's dark when I get up to go to work and it's dark when I get home. Makes getting anything at all done outside during the week near impossible.

Obed

woodlandfarms · Dec 29, 2009

Blueberries over a leach field? Calling them Poo Berries? Sorry, couldn't resist. Actually I didn't know you could do that. I thought that an plant would cause blockage issues.. Then again, I don't install septics so all I know is usually 3rd hand.

Hey, at least you have good weather. You could be up in No Dak trying to accomplish your list. Make your own daylite. Get a couple of worklites and go at it.

Carl

Thomas · Dec 30, 2009

Going to work and coming home in the dark sure makes long day,than the weekend just enough day light..if old man winter doesn't decides to visit..to get the basic done outside...always looking forward to mud season.

lakngulf · Dec 30, 2009

woodlandfarms said:
Blueberries over a leach field? Calling them Poo Berries? Sorry, couldn't resist. Actually I didn't know you could do that. I thought that an plant would cause blockage issues.. Then again, I don't install septics so all I know is usually 3rd hand.

Hey, at least you have good weather. You could be up in No Dak trying to accomplish your list. Make your own daylite. Get a couple of worklites and go at it.l

I have always heard that the grass is greener over the septic tank. In my case there were four or five huge trees around septic and leach field. Did have some problems a few years back. I rented TLB and increased the leach field four fold but need more soil over a few spots, after I remove the hydranghas that are there now. The Poo Berries should taste better than hyrdrangha blooms, and I have plenty of them elsewhere.

Regarding the lights, one of my first posts had to to with work lights. I have read as many of the posts as I could, and just today purchased some lights from Wally World. Now for a rookie to get them hooked up without blowing a fuse.

matt_isserstedt · Jan 2, 2010

What I did where one project is to be worked on is to buy a 16' x 4x4 and sink it into the ground. Atop which I mounted two 70 (?) watt CFL yard lights on adjacent 90 degree faces, that I got at the Homme Depot. They run on a 100' #10-4 SO cord that I pull from the house, center tapped 230vac with GFI outlets on the other "leg". Only pull out the cord out when it is dry and I plan to work....as late as I can stand the cold weather and still get up the next day on time.

The yard lights and GFI receptacles will eventually be recycled into service in my shop bldg when it is up and ready.

ToadHill · Jan 2, 2010

Woodlandfarm: I've had Blueberry bushed over my leach field for over 20 years and they have not been a problem. hey are "very" shallow rooted and once planted it is not recommended that you even cultivate around the roots just mulch.

lakngulf · Feb 24, 2010

UPDATE: (5) Install 40 feet of culvert (BoatParking 1) and repair my driveway

The weather finally cooperated with some dry days and allowed me to work on one of my projects. I was able to install some pipe along one side of my driveway, to smooth over some area for boat parking in the winter and trailer parking in the summer. The first picture shows the BEFORE shot of the area that I want to smooth over. The second picture shows the same shot after some hours on the CK30. Just behind the tree on the right will be the area to back in the boat and trailer. The last shot shows the same area from the top of the hill. With this shot the parking area is more noticeable. I will probably move some more dirt to that area to continue the leveling process. I revised plans along the way and put in 70 feet of pipe.

It is amazing how much better a box blade will smooth dry dirt than MUD!

Mousefield · Feb 24, 2010

Thanks for posting pics of your projects. Much easier to understand what is being done as well as give us ideas for our future projects. Is your driveway graveled or is that the natural ground material?

lakngulf · Feb 24, 2010

The drive started out as natural material (well in 1996 when I bought the place it started out as WASHED OUT! At that time my brother brought his man-size back hoe in and did the original fix-up, which included putting on a layer of the gray stones. Since that time I have re-stroned it at least once, and some parts twice, but that has been a while back. At this point I will make sure ditches are in order, smooth the road with the box blade, and put on a new layer of the #57 gray rock.

Mousefield · Feb 24, 2010

OK now I have to ask what is #57 rock? Is that a size?

hillman21 · Feb 24, 2010

yes 57 is one inch in diameter

lakngulf · Feb 25, 2010

Mousefield said:
OK now I have to ask what is #57 rock? Is that a size?

As hillman says, it is a size. Most flat driveways around here can use what they call Crush Run or Crush n Run, which has rocks about 3/4 inch as well as coarsely crushed rock. My drive is steep enough in some areas that the Crush Run would just wash off. Even the larger rock can be moved by some of the rains. Ideally, the area is smoothed, the rock is applied when the soil is a bit damp, the 1 inch + rocks work themselves into the soil and form a good solid road bed.

The picture below is neither of the rock described above. Instead, this is Rip Rap, which is about football to basketball size and is used to shore-up sea walls, and to offer protection from the waves. I have this rock around most of my seawall but some areas need some attention. Hopefully, that will be done this weekend. A load of this rock is a pretty big job for the CK30, but it handles it well.

Rio_Grande · Feb 26, 2010

We use alot of DRB Dense Road Base around here. It works well. Aprox 2 inch rock mixed with lime. Once it is packed cap it with amaller rock again with lime in them,,,, Makes for a great base..

I feel your pain. At least I am on Night shift and get a few hours of daylight each day,,, I however dont recomend going to nights to have time to wrok outside

I have a list of projects that desprately need attention. First off though is getting the shop insulated and sealed up,,, It is cold out there even with a 175000 btu salamander running...

lakngulf · Mar 3, 2010

Another great chilly but sunny weekend in Alabama and 13 hours of tractor time. Was able to move some of my rock to the seawall base and one of the projects I had listed:

(1) Moving the dirt in TopSoil 1 to the garden boxes in TopSoil 3

My garden is near the water in a pretty good spot (first picture below). It gets lots of sunshine during late spring and summer, but the trees shade most of it at other times. I decided to build some boxes alongside the small pier to take advantage of more sunshine for tomatoes. The boxes are about 18 feet long and 2.5 feet wide, a lot of cubic space and dirt.

I have some great topsoil on some farm land where I grew up (second picture). The area is call the Bull Pen because it held the big boys during most of the season until they were needed. I got the top soil from the spot where the hay racks were placed, so it became a natural compost pile. It has been 5 years since the bulls were there. I hauled the dirt home, impossible to use bucket to scoop it off the trailer, but a shovel will do.

The last picture shows the process of getting the dirt into the boxes. The water goes down every year so there is access to the lake bed for projects like this. As you can see I had to pile up some sand and rock to (1) make a level spot for the tractor and (2) get the FEL bucket high enough to dump the dirt. I still had to remove some side boards and shovel the dirt to the ends of the boxes.

Now I am ready for springtime. The tomato plants are under a grow light now, and will love the new soil.

Mousefield · Mar 3, 2010

Nice pics. I'm sure the tomato plants will like that composted soil. At least you don't have far to go to get water for them. The white pipe on the lake floor just in front of the CK35 in pic 4, is that for your drinking water?

lakngulf · Mar 3, 2010

That's my irrigation intake. I have a nine zone irrigation system that covers the yard, garden, herb garden, and the fountain below when it is not needed for other areas. Even though we are in the boonies we have city water that was put in by a private entity. We all had to annie up to get on though.\

Also, check out what I want those tomatoes to look like.

lakngulf · Apr 21, 2010

Update on Moving TopSoil

I got the new topsoil into the over the water tomato boxes, and planted some Celebrity and Better Boy tomatoes that I started from seed on January 31. The pictures below show the boxes with tomatoes up and growing. The love the new soil, sunlight and plentiful warm water from the lake.

I repeated a couple of pictures to recap the process.

lakngulf · Apr 21, 2010

Update on Herb Garden

I put lots of new topsoil in my wife's herb garden as well. We have enjoyed some great Buttercrunch and Romaine lettuce along with chives, etc. The area also doubles as a holding spot for my vegetable starter plants before they are ready for the garden. I have included one picture of how it looked in February, and some shots of how the plants are enjoying the new soil and Alabama sunshine.