During the past three days; Glenn, Becky and I have been at the new farm, '55', Mountain Glen Farm Extension. The days have been spring-like, sunny, beautiful; fun and so gratifying working together - near perfect days. Really....near perfect days!!!
We are preparing for the installation of a new perimeter fence. New cross-fencing will come later. So, we have to remove the old perimeter fence.
I learned a new skill - rolling up a single line of barbed wire - not difficult, but the process does result in a bit of cramping of the hands. Trying to save as much of the old fence as possible to reuse for other projects is a bit time consuming and dangerous. I stepped on a nail that was sticking out of a board, that board was sticking out of a pile of manure, that manure was probably stockpiled for the last 20 years (that manure was well fermented), and that nail went right through my running shoe and nicked my skin - enough to warn me to react by quickly raising my foot. I cannot remember the date of my last tetanus shot, but it has been a long time - uh oh!
Becky and I pulled the old iron fence posts out of the ground - most can be reused for other fencing projects. Becky also removed fence staples. Glenn came behind us and used his front end loader to, literally, destroy what remained of the old fence rows. Rotten, wood fence posts; rusted, mangled fencing now create piles of debris. Two sides done, two more sides to go.
Yesterday, on Groundhog Day, I saw a fat groundhog (What is the probability of that happening?) waddling in the field...since it was very sunny, I knew this guy saw his shadow - no doubt. Therefore, we are now supposed to have six more weeks of winter. Well, if it is the same kind of winter we have been having - no problem. I like the warm, shirt-sleeve kind of winter days!
Today, Glenn got his front end loader stuck crossing a small spring-fed creek. The tractor was unable to budge the loader, so he went and retrieved his skidder - more power, more weight and it has a wench...the skidder was unable to budge the loader. Finally, our fence builder was able to dig out part of the creek bank with his bobcat, and the loader slowly reversed out of the muddy mess - that took most of the day. Now, that is not the kind of progress we were hoping to accomplish today.
But, bunches of neighbors drove by (the spot of stuck was very close to the road), stopped, and I learned a lot about the local residents in short order. So, there was a plus side to Glenn's miscalculation.
By 4:00 pm, after waiting all day, every one decided that 'Miss Utility' was not on schedule to mark any underground lines that might be aligned with the future fence line. Well, it is Friday...did we really expect 'Miss Utility' to show up on a Friday afternoon?
Frankly....yes!
No matter. We still have plenty of work to keep us very busy!
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