Today I made / bought / learnt .... (for a post oil world) 2

patience · Expert Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 1523

topcat,
What are you pulling the subsoiler with, and how deep? I need to do some of that too.
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Local fix-it guy..

WisJim

We got my a garden space cleared and tilled and even a few things planted, for my son and his girl friend. Nice to see them excited about a bigger garden this year.

We also recently found an Elec-Trak garden tractor, made by General Electric back in the 1970s or so. Needs batteries, some work and then I have to find accessories for it. It is a garden tractor that is 100% electric, and we will be able to charge it from our wind and solar system, reducing our use of gasoline for the occasions we need to use some power equipment in the gardens. Got the machine hauled home and put in the shed for now.

wisconsin_cur · Moderator Joined: May 10, 2007 Posts: 2998

patience · Expert Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 1523

wisconsin_cur,
Me too, playing catch up. It seems like I have 2 years work to do in 3 months, and that would be without a day job that I need to make a living. But on the bright side, we have help available, and things are getting done.

Got parts yesterday for a Category 0, 3 pt. hitch to go on the old Case garden tractor for about $60, and will build the rest from stuff on hand. Beats the $500 new unit! Cat 0 implements are scarce now, but I'll make the hitch for the Brinley plow that came with the deal (has a sleeve hitch, with 3 bolt holes). That's the sort of thing our business does every day, so it's a matter of finding time to do it. Probably next winter, since I'm finished plowing for this year.

We plan to get away from plowing altogether, as the garden soil improves, and only do shallow tilling mostly. But there are still the deep rooted crops that want a deep loosened bed, and that will take longer to get this clay in shape, so plows are it for a while. Long term, with enough organic stuff dug in, we can do it by hand.
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Local fix-it guy..

topcat

Patience:

Using a Ford 4000-SU. Depth is kinda funny. Some places it will work its self all the way down to about ~18" and other places I am lucky if it gets down to ~12".

Could be that it hits the top of the hardpan and justs rides along. Could be that I should have done some messing with the top link to change the penetration angle of the point.
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"...the problem is today we have unknown unknowns."
Dominique Strauss-Kahn; IMF chief

patience · Expert Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 1523

topcat,
Thanks for the input. I hit the same thing here. We have shallow topsoil, mostly red clay and rocks, with a mix of red and yellow clay hardpan under that down to bedrock. It really helped us to get our garden spots levelled, and broke up to rduce runoff and allow more water to soak in. With a bit of luck, our latest old garden tractor should be able to get down a foot into that stuff, with enough ground moisture. Not a farm tractor at all, but pretty gutsy for a little one. No problem pulling a 5 ft. single disc, set to the max, and axle deep. If I can get down a foot, rainfall will soak in a lot better.
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Local fix-it guy..

SpringCreekFarm · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 03, 2006 Posts: 891

Patience. I look forward to reading your posts on here because you are the champ at working at peak oil preparedness. Good for you. You are inspiring. Mostly we just use this place as a current events thread whereas you are actually doing projects that may mean something for a post oil future. Just had to state that.

I've been thinking of creating a garden log thread and still might since I don't necessarily garden for a post peak world.

DomusAlbion

[Whine]

I've been working on a most laborious, distasteful but necessary project. When we bought our farm there was an old decrepit barn in the north pasture. Last summer my son and I tore this down, carefully pulling nails and cutting supports. The final pull by the tractor brought down the entire structure. We salvaged most of the wood and burned the rest. This spring I’m completing the job of returning this area to pasture. We want to buy a milk cow next year so I’m working hard to restore all pastures and to make sure they are clean of noxious weeds and any wire or nails; anything that might damage the cow’s digestive system.

Well this barn area is a particular problem. It seems that some previous owners used this area as a general junk dump. Also the original builder brought in a lot of basalt rubble for the foundation and floor. I have to run over the area with the tiller, which loosens rock and junk and then walk over the area and pick out the junk. I’ve been on my hands and knees for 4 days now, pulling out loosened rock (and boulders) and a wide variety of metal objects from wire and nails, to auto parts, to chains! I go over an area, then till again and find more junk. It’s a real mess and some of the hardest work I have ever done.

I spent my entire adult life sitting behind a desk and designing/writing code or managing development teams. All this physical work is entirely new to me is particularly tough on my old bones. But I won’t give up! We’re doing this for the kids and grandkids so they can have a refuge from the coming storm. I know it’s worth the effort, but man, I ache!

[/Whine]
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"Modern Agriculture is the use of land to convert petroleum into food."
-- Albert Bartlett

"It will be a dark time. But for those who survive, I suspect it will be rather exciting."
-- James Lovelock

Lumpy

sdcoyote · Tar Sands Joined: May 24, 2005 Posts: 56

Finished repairing the pig pen and am now fencing in the new extension to the garden....Deer are plentiful here.

Have potato's planted...hope to get the rest of the "spring" vegetables planted later this week.

Been cold (and even snowy) tho...so may wait.

Ludi

Domus, for sure demolition is much harder than building!

Try to find if you haven't yet a large magnet to sweep for nails in the barn site. You can often find these at building supply stores. Our Home Depot in town has them.
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Ferretlover

DomusAlbion

Ferretlover

You are welcome. I was watching a program on sawing lumber the other day, and they used a metal detector to scan the logs for nails, etc., so they wouldn't destroy the saw blades.
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"RRrrruuuunnnn!!!" ~Apocalypto

Ludi

Magnets are cheaper. Sad

Just ignore me. What the hell. Sad

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