Washington winter clearing

[LarryD]

I believe there are several species of Huckleberry but around here we only get the red ones. I've got one bush (keeping a few) that has a southern exposure under a fir and it gets loaded with BIG FAT ones. I cut it to about 4' every year, it's gettting to be a good size bush.

For the short story:Red huckleberry or red bilberry (Vaccinium parvifolium Smith) is native to California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, primarily from the Cascade Mountain range westward. There are also small populations reported in eastern British Columbia. Elevations range from sea level to about 3,300 feet. This vigorous and productive diploid grows from three to more than 20 feet tall. It is common along roadsides and in forest clearings, and can also be found under light to moderate shade at the edges of clearings. The red, waxy fruits were popular in jams and preserves with all coastal Indian tribes and remain popular with recreational pickers. The berries are somewhat sour, but make excellent pastries and preserves. Commercial use of V. parvifolium is presently quite limited, but the species’ vigorous growth, ease of harvest, and site adaptability provide opportunities.

And here's more info than than I needed, Red Huckleberries

 

[Highbeam]

Yep, the loggers made quick work of the big treees, stumps, and burnt all my piled slash along with theirs. I really had a nice experience with the logger mostly because I knew what to expect and he didn't cheat me or trash my land. What he left I was able to smooth out with the boxblade. The 15 CY pile of junk in the middle is the muddy roots I raked out with the rippers. I never really got in there for a smoothing pass as winter arrived too soon.

The plan is to build ASAP and be in by Xmas. I have verbally hired a builder that builds the house only and am now getting quotes for the other stuff to finish out my construction loan. It's gonna be cool. The house will have a 3 car garage and 2400 SF compared to my 1350 + 2 car garage on .3 acres now. The addition of 2 little girls in the last few years has made my 1350 SF feel pretty small.

I met the power company guy on Friday and will get his quote this week. The 600' primary line at 7200 volts will hit a transformer about 170 feet of the house. Everything for about 10k$.

The wetland guy needs to come out and certify that there are no wetlands within 315 feet of the house or post the signs at the buffer if there are. Great time of year for that eh?

Then the only unknown is the remodel permit for my septic. I will reuse the old system already onsite but I need to pump about 700' therough the grass valley to the old septic tank on the next ridge which I dug up and it looks real good. So I need to price out grinder/ejector pumps.

The goofy county requires a site plan with 2 foot contours. That's great if you want to build on a 1/4 acre lot but 15 acres? That stinks. I'll be taking the level home from work I guess.

It's starting to get stressful now. I spent yesterday cleaning the tractor, even tire foam on the R4s.

 

[HomeBrew2]

COOL ! I didn't think you were moving for quite a while but your pix were telling a diff story. Sounds like a great plan and house.
$10K for power ... you must be going all underground?
I contracted out all but the site elec and water. I saved some cash and it was easy. I just had the septic guy do my trenching. It worked out good cuz I had something to do while the house was being built which helped with the stress and I could keep a closer eye on stuff.
2 freaking foot contours?! I think I'd have to fake it by interpolating a quad sheet or download a DEM an let AutoCAD Civil or ArcView generate 2'ers for me. Isn't it zoned ag out there?

 

[Highbeam]

It is zoned ag but also rural 10, and the best I have found is 20 footers. I can certainly wing it if I could get 5s or maybe 10s. There is a good bit of relief across the site which I actually like. I am trying to get a copy of the county's contour maps, thing is I may be too rural for them to have mapped it. My site is all drawn up in Acad at home, just not contours yet.

Yep, underground power as required by the power company. Easier for them to require it at build time then have to fix it if a tree blows it down. I don't have a problem with underground since I am less likely to fall a tree through the wires than with OH.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Just as an example of what I eluded to before, here's a screenshot from ArcView showing my lot. The (very pixelated) background is a scanned quad sheet with 20' contours. The 2' contours were generated from a downloaded DEM (digital elevation model) from USGS. As you can see, the old quad sheet only has one contour running thru my lot and practically no indication of the creek topography at my NE corner but, the generated 2'ers show what the ground actually looks like. Plenty good enough for building permit or landscape purposes and only about 10 min worth of time.

 

[Highbeam]

You bet that's good enough. I tried the USGS site but was less than impressed. Is the downloaded 2' contour map easily found and free? Drat, I'll look again, that would be great.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Sorry I led you so far astray. USGS does not have any 2' contour maps to download. I created my 2' contour map from a DEM (Digital Elevation Model) that I downloaded from USGS using GIS software called ArcView. A DEM, is only a cell-based dataset, like a raster image, where the "cell" measures 30m square (for 1:24000 mapping), on the ground (read:100' grid) and carries a value attached to each cell that is the elevation. From that raw dataset contours or aspect ratio, etc can be generated via software. It's been a couple of years since I needed to download any DEM's so I don't know if your area has been digitized by USGS yet as it was a work in progress when I last checked. Feel free to PM me if I can be of any further help in this matter.
Cheers!

 

[HomeBrew2]

Just wondering if you were able to find a DEM for your area ...

If so, it only takes a few minutes to process any contour interval one might require. If you don't have the ability to do it, I could easily do it for you ... just let me know ...

Cheers!

 

[Highbeam]

Almost, the county GIS maps are somehow not public record but the county sent me to two engineering firms with access to their GIS which was purchased for some 17,000$ per year. I suspect this is why I can't just get the maps for free from the county. Lame. I made a living for several years converting survey point lists into digital terrain models and then to contours. I know how to do that but I haven't been able to find any 100 foot grids for my site. The quad map is the "tacoma" quad map. I'll first see if the engineer guy can come up with the map for a modest fee, otherwise I'll try the quad maps a bit harder.

The good news is that the power company called and tells me that the power hookup will only be 6700$ through the transformer with me providing trench and backfill only. The overhead crossing was actually 800$ more money than boring under the county road to the underground service trench.

We are having some pretty huge rains here on our 23rd consecutive day of rain in the NW. The record is 33 and the forecasts aren't showing mercy. Heck of a year for records. I am very curious to see how this rain is or is not ponding up on the site. Might make a quick run to the site tomorrow.

The other good news is that I can stamp my own septic drawings. Fortunately a professional engineer stamp still trumps a septic designer stamp. That saves me from having to get a "deigner" acquaintance to rubber stamp my prepared septic remodel design.

 

[Pilot]

Highbeam,

See if you can find someone to plow in your power. Much cheaper. We went 1,200 ft. in '92 for less than $5K, including phone. Had to push it under a road, also. Crews arrived at 7:00, had the job done by noon, including time for the power company crews to debate & talk with their union rep because the phone company guys were non-union. The phone company guys were actually the ones plowing in the lines. At the time, we were quoted $1.50 per foot to dig a trench, another buck to fill it in and the power company fees were a little cheaper for the plow. Phone company charged $1,700 to plow & lay the wire as opposed to $3,000 just to dig and fill the ditch.

And as far as the shrub is concerned, it's no huckleberry! Probably a hazel.