What Did You Accomplish in 2013?

[/pine]

IMO...it is daily accomplishments that are the most rewarding (for those without major projects...)...IMO the "stuff" you are expected to do or finish doesn't count...It's (mostly boring) stuff that needs doing that you will yourself to accomplish that help you sleep good...

 

[Kapnfriday]

Wow - Tractorbynet has more than one person who knows where Lansing, NC is. cmyoung2 do you ever make it to Phipps General Store on Friday nights? Corner of Bart Hurley Rd and Silas Creek Rd. I like to join in the picking and singing when I'm up there. There'll be a big gathering there Jan. 6th. I've played at the old Helton school a couple times too on Thursdays. Harder to get up there on a Thursday night from Raleigh.

 

[dragoneggs]

That's easy... a couple of retaining walls that no way in heck could I have done with back, pick, and shovel in 10 years!

 

[Mike476]

Aside from the "chores" we've cleared a little more of our property, built a barn and moved a couple of our out-buildings around the property. I've only put 25 hours on the new tractor since getting it in Sept and I only get home every few months for a few weeks at a time so we're usually at it pretty hard when I'm home.

 

[Larro Darro]

I bought a 6' RFM so I'm using the 3930 more and leaving the B7500 under the shed. The new mower has my 6 acres of front yard looking better than it ever has. But my biggest accomplishment is the reduction of tonnage I'm putting on the tractors. There is .02 tons less of me than there was this time last year.

Larro

 

[dragoneggs]

I bought a 6' RFM so I'm using the 3930 more and leaving the B7500 under the shed. The new mower has my 6 acres of front yard looking better than it ever has. But my biggest accomplishment is the reduction of tonnage I'm putting on the tractors. There is .02 tons less of me than there was this time last year.

Larro

Congrats Larro... if I understand and did my math right, you are talking about 2.86 stone... I mean 40lbs! Well done. Unfortunately I need to do 75% of that next year says the better half. I am sure my back would appreciate it too.

 

[RalphVa]

My biggest tractor accomplishment of 2013 was trading my JD 4010 in on a new JD 1025, because the drive link between the engine and hydraulics on the 4010 broke. Everything's better except for the tires (R4s aren't as good for turning on the 1025) and fuel consumption. I'd much rather have had something like a 1018S ("s" for gimme my split brakes that I had on the 4010 and "18" for less hp).

Ralph

 

[samilitant]

Among the many projects...installed my 2500 gallon rain barrel. Got it by breeding Tilapia in the basement, trading 100 fry(baby fish) for an old rotted dune buggy, selling the buggy for $350, and buying the tank for the same amount. So basically my fish gave live birth to this 2500 gallon tank! ha ha!

 

[Larro Darro]

Congrats Larro... if I understand and did my math right, you are talking about 2.86 stone... I mean 40lbs! Well done. Unfortunately I need to do 75% of that next year says the better half. I am sure my back would appreciate it too.

Your math is right. I went from 17 stone down to 14.14 stone. My back still hurts, just not as often or as bad. I'm doing the 5-2 fasting thing like Sodamo. Hasn't been hard so far.


Larro

 

[dragoneggs]

Your math is right. I went from 17 stone down to 14.14 stone. My back still hurts, just not as often or as bad. I'm doing the 5-2 fasting thing like Sodamo. Hasn't been hard so far.


Larro

5 - 2?

 

[TLR15]

The biggest project was installing my septic system.

 

[ededic]

Was a big year for house projects that most somehow included the tractor or Gator.

The first couple of projects only required the Gator to take them from the barn to the house.

January 2013: Built new end tables for the new library.


February 2013: Purchased new window sashes from Marvin. Here is the painting process and them drying for 3 months prior to installation. In the early spring we used the back of the Gator as a table and working stand to remove, clean, swap hardware and install.


March 2013: Removed the pool table and made room into Library. We use often. Should have done it years ago.


April 2013: Refurbished Trailer to haul tractor and Gator back and forth to Cottage.


May 2013: Built new corner cabinet for Cottage bathroom and new island for kitchen.


June 2013: Tear off old deck in preparation for new retaining wall, siding and deck.


July 2013:
Hired to tear out old wood retaining wall, dig for new retaining wall and re-work french drain. Original home builder back filled the french drain outlet too fast and it filled raised up about 36", filled with silt and backed up for years. Put drain all the way around wall to be sure water drains out.


Hired for new siding and all new exterior doors on the house. Tractor and Gator came in handy for clean-up at the end of each day.


Entered into Sand Castle contest and won 2nd prize. Tractors not allowed on the beach but I got one there anyway.


Installed new retaining wall for under deck erosion control and new flower beds.


August 2013: Hired tree company grind 10 stumps and cut big old oak at Cottage. Personally cut and axe split over 1 1/2 cord of wood from oak tree and other limbs.


September 2013:

Hired to tear out and pour new concrete sidewalks, driveway at the house and new pads and sidewalks at the barn over 19 yds of concrete.


Hired to remove old patio that was 10" too high on back of house and rotted old siding. Regraded back yard and put down 8" of chips and dust for new paver patio to be installed by us.



October 2013:
Cut Down 24 Ash trees killed by Emerald Ash Borer. Hauled, stacked brush and wood for drying and burning.


Installed new 1200 Sq ft paver patio with fire pit and retaining wall for green space.


All in all, a busy year. Had to postpone the deck build. Winter and busy travel schedule for work got the best of me.

 

[cmyoung2]

I know where Phipps Store is, know several people that go there often, I just never seem to make it. Very seldom make to the Helton school on Thursday nights, and I can hear them from the house. And even worse, live a stones throw from Helton Creek, and haven't been trout fishing in 20 years. Maybe I need to readjust this retirement thing

 

[ksman]

I have a Mahindra 2015 that I have had for several and this year I wanted to find more attachments to use with it, have 4' tiller, 5' finish mower,5' box blade 5' pull type bush hog. this year I built a dump trailer to use and found a 1 yard pull type scraper and built a dozer blade for the front that is 4' 6" wide X 18" tall and angles both ways, didn't put tilt on it. Will try to put on some pic's on here when I learn how to do it. (would rather be building things than being on here. Jim Almost forgot I built a bridge across the creek on my property so I can get across to cut wood when the weather is bad or the water is to high for the low water crossing.

 

[Larro Darro]

5 - 2?

Here is a video that will explain it: Eat, Fast and Live Longer - Horizon on Vimeo. The video is an hour long, but has some good info. But it is called the 5-2 fasting diet. Five days a week you eat whatever you want. The other two days you limit yourself to 600 calories. I eat a lot of stir fry, fish and chicken on my low calorie days, and so far haven't been hungry. Sodamo told me about it. {he's lost 55 pounds this year} I started a thread called What's For Supper???? http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/288289-whats-supper.html, before I started eating healthy, so you can see the changes I made.

Larro

 

[rmorey]

We built our workshop and tractor shed. View attachment 351416

 

[forgeblast]

Launched my spoon carving website (stormspoons.com) was able to make a profit the first year after doing many art/craft fairs on top of custom work, and many late nights. I have already started booking shows for 2014. I now know what type of inventory I need to keep.
Managed to break 3 ribs in my basement when I did not fully tighten my indoor bike trainer (this slowed me down a bit).
I just pruned a huge apple and have a ton of wood to carve now it was 60 degrees on Dec 22, I had one of my honeybees (caught a wild swarm this year) come out and fly around as i was trimming. I also have 4 projects that I was able to get 1/2 done, so 2014 should be a much more productive year as far as finishing projects. We also did a lot of canning, and our garden was pretty productive after we double fenced our garden to keep the rabbits out.

 

[forgeblast]

Launched my spoon carving website (stormspoons.com) was able to make a profit the first year after doing many art/craft fairs on top of custom work, and many late nights. I have already started booking shows for 2014. I now know what type of inventory I need to keep.
Managed to break 3 ribs in my basement when I did not fully tighten my indoor bike trainer (this slowed me down a bit).
I just pruned a huge apple and have a ton of wood to carve now it was 60 degrees on Dec 22, I had one of my honeybees (caught a wild swarm this year) come out and fly around as i was trimming. I also have 4 projects that I was able to get 1/2 done, so 2014 should be a much more productive year as far as finishing projects. We also did a lot of canning, and our garden was pretty productive after we double fenced our garden to keep the rabbits out.

 

[SPIKER]

I SHOULD have gotten a LOT DONE as I was off work all year pretty much but went back to school to finish my BSEE degree. Started classes in Summer so basically studied most of the year...

I DID manage to build the Shooting Range and took down 5 or 6 good sized trees 4 of which were with in feet of the cabin and I trimmed them some by standing on the cabin roof. I took the trees and turned them into a Gun Range shooting back stop... See here for some pics





I had to cut back on the $ flow without the job so ended up heading to the shop & did some cleaning & small updates such as the install of the Receiver Tube to the Box Blade.


I took out MORE trees in the woods but turned them into Lumber for the barn (drying more now)





Those were pretty much the major tractor use items other than Mowing and Dragging out firewood on top of the other tree drops. I have the stumps to deal with yet, was hoping to get those done out and grass in for fall but time didn't work out with cash running low...


Mark

 

[MNBobcat]