The Elysian Fields

We completed three sides of exclosure #4 - the most we could do without the gate. Despite the steep slope, some of the sides are a lot closer to square, something we didn't think was possible. The stakes went in very fast; the biggest problem was sometimes they would be loose even when driven in all the way.

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We discussed the Boxer as an alternative to a larger skid steer. I had looked at these a while ago ~ they're significantly less expensive than a compact track loader ($25,000-$30,000 vs. $60,000-160,000), and meet the weight requirement nicely. I was worried that they wouldn't be enough to help with our needs, though. Based on Matt's feedback regarding his familiarity with the machines and their attachments, they will be a perfect fit. I will see what kind of financing I can get for the trailer ~ which we'll need first, to pick one up ~ and then I'll see if I can get the financing for the Boxer itself. I know that Boxer offers several financing plans, but I don't think the same thing exists for the trailers. Also, I don't know what the 10k trailer runs. I know the top o' the line 14.4k ran about $60,000, so it's still likely to be more than the Boxer itself.

For attachments, we would need the plate compactor, auger drive and some auger bits, the landscape power rake, and, most likely some form of bucket. Having them in-house would definitely make the 4 projects we have out to bid right now possible. Without that, we'll have to rent pretty much the same equipment, except it's likely to be the larger flavor, which means we'll have to work with someone out of Bethlehem and pay an arm and a leg for delivery to and from the job sites. If we can get financing, this will prove more cost effective.

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The best news came just before Matt was about to head home ~ it was the truck driver, and the rest of our fencing was on its way. Matt hung around for a half hour, and then all three of us could unload the parts for exclosure #s 5 & 6. All parts are now in house, all we need are some rainless days ~ well, one half day of rain is okay; that will give us time to assemble the three gates. =)

Well, I'm not really inventing something new, just cobbling a few things together to meet a need.

I've talked a few times about working on trail maintenance at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. We've done 3 passes on the Prairie Grass Loop - the first being this one with the DR:



The rest have been with the string trimmers.

Now, you've seen what it looks like off the trail - most of the shots of the LGNC from recent posts have been made from this trail, although some come from the wider, flatter, LNE trail (below) or D&L trail.

( More pictures for an idea of the trail terrain... )

So that's the terrain - somewhere between a mile and a half and... well, under three miles. We know the point-to-point of the trailheads are a mile.

If the grass isn't too heavy - as in the final pass we made this Autumn - three guys with string trimmers will use two tanks of gas each. I think, on our first completion with the trimmers - where the first third to a half was done prior with the DR - we used three tanks each and had four or five trimmers. Carrying the small 2.5 gallon cans... two or three of them, no less... is a royal pain. Walking back to the trailhead to refill the tanks there would be worse. You have to leapfrog the fuel cans or have someone do nothing but lug them along. We've never had that luxury, at least not until the one guy's trimmer refused to start and I was so sick I couldn't focus on the work, then we had two - but that doesn't quite count; both of us also had to continue lugging a trimmer as well...

( ...and the idea itself, and planning behind it, under the cut because it is a lot longer than I thought! )

And yeah part two, I can't afford any of it now. I will, however, add the components to the Green Man wish list! =)

Now I'll have to see about getting the company I own to hire me... =)

I'll have to go up before the entire board for the interview process... that'll be rough. I know so much about me already, I'm really not sure what kind of questions I should ask myself...

Big step. Many appointments coming up. Need to get everything ready to go because it's showtime...

In other news, I'll be giving my car some much needed R&R on Monday. Put winter wipers on. Leave it at the garage until it has good oil and working turn signals. 60-70 miles a day, five days a week for five years is enough to wear out any piece of machinery. Maybe even get the check engine light fixed, for once.

This weekend, much to do. It looks like a good chance for plowing tomorrow morning. Have to assemble the wheelbarrow. Put the brush blades on the heavy trimmer and the split-boom trimmer. Need to assemble the new spreader, give it a quick trial run in the snow and see how it does. The old one - maybe 20-30 years old? - is too fragile now, and it would slip way too much. Also, it's a drop spreader, and much lower to the ground than this one. The new one has big ol' pneumatic tires instead of solid plastic ones. Both those will factor into how good it runs on snow in general and in this meadow in particular.

To continue this fragmented style of post, I installed the Slushbusters. Had to warm the truck up for a while - the adhesive likes to be above 40 degrees when first installed. So I sat around, listening to tunes and waited. The supplemental heater really, umm, heats things up, so it wasn't that long until I could pop on all the lights, squeegee the window dry, and install the strips. Gave it a few test runs and I think they'll work. We'll see if it's still snowing tomorrow morning!