Hand Tools and Machinery for Country Living

[bigbill]

In the last week, I have:
Rented a skid steer and built a road using the blade and bucket, contracted a guy with a big excavator to build the uphill section of the road and flatten the grade, used my chainsaws (electric and gas) to clear brush and invasive trees (Russian Olives) to create two big burn piles for this winter, had 72 yards of gravel delivered, spread 24 yards with the skid steer, had ten loads of dirt hauled to the upper terrace from the lower, had the excavator guy dig a hole for the septic, spent this morning in the hole leveling the bottom, had the tank put in place, repaired several fences that the utility company had downed while cutting trees. Tomorrow we're renting an auger to put posts in the ground for new gates.

I'll get to ride my bike more next summer.

[Tom]

Bigbill, I am two months from retirement. If mine is similar to yours I can't wait.

[Too Tall]

My kind of day Bill. You are living the dream.

[bigbill]

We are heading back to Arizona next week. My wife is teaching some classes at the community college, and I'll be teaching community education. We'll head back up to Wyoming in October after the slabs are poured and build a 20X30 shop with utilities. We will just do the shell and finish the interior next spring. I ordered joists a few weeks ago, they'll arrive in a month. I looked at metal buildings, but it's cheaper and faster to stick build for the time being. My BIL works at the building supply, I get a discount on my materials. Going into next summer, we'll have a shop with a bathroom and shower, laundry hookups, room for my wife's soap business, and a workspace for bikes. I can roll out the back of the property and be on BLM roads.

[j44ke]

In the last week, I have:
Rented a skid steer and built a road using the blade and bucket, contracted a guy with a big excavator to build the uphill section of the road and flatten the grade, used my chainsaws (electric and gas) to clear brush and invasive trees (Russian Olives) to create two big burn piles for this winter, had 72 yards of gravel delivered, spread 24 yards with the skid steer, had ten loads of dirt hauled to the upper terrace from the lower, had the excavator guy dig a hole for the septic, spent this morning in the hole leveling the bottom, had the tank put in place, repaired several fences that the utility company had downed while cutting trees. Tomorrow we're renting an auger to put posts in the ground for new gates.

I'll get to ride my bike more next summer.

We are heading back to Arizona next week. My wife is teaching some classes at the community college, and I'll be teaching community education. We'll head back up to Wyoming in October after the slabs are poured and build a 20X30 shop with utilities. We will just do the shell and finish the interior next spring. I ordered joists a few weeks ago, they'll arrive in a month. I looked at metal buildings, but it's cheaper and faster to stick build for the time being. My BIL works at the building supply, I get a discount on my materials. Going into next summer, we'll have a shop with a bathroom and shower, laundry hookups, room for my wife's soap business, and a workspace for bikes. I can roll out the back of the property and be on BLM roads.

Life is good.

[j44ke]

We’re getting the thrice annual mother’s lament from the Angus cattle farm across the valley this afternoon. Earlier we heard the trucks pick up the youngsters, though we didn’t know what the ruckus was until the trucks left and the moms started their lowing. Usually lasts 2-3 days.

[Mabouya]

We’re getting the thrice annual mother’s lament from the Angus cattle farm across the valley this afternoon. Earlier we heard the trucks pick up the youngsters, though we didn’t know what the ruckus was until the trucks left and the moms started their lowing. Usually lasts 2-3 days.

I'm glad that I have only a very small part in being responsible for that sort of stuff, and feel bad every time I pass a livestock truck on the highway. As a kid growing up I saw lots of killing on the farm but unlike most, I never got used to it.

[j44ke]

I'm glad that I have only a very small part in being responsible for that sort of stuff, and feel bad every time I pass a livestock truck on the highway. As a kid growing up I saw lots of killing on the farm but unlike most, I never got used to it.

In July we were down in Staunton VA, and we visited Polyface Farms run by Joe Salatin and his family (along with lots of other people - the farm is a learning/teaching farm as well). I don't know enough about Joel Salatin's "movement" but it seems pointed in the right directions on sustainable humane animal husbandry. This is an area my wife and I aren't much interested in as we are both vegetarians, but I've worked in animal welfare in a couple different capacities during my life. And the Salatin cows looked happy.

The farms in our valley are not particularly focused on the humane aspects of animal husbandry as much as just good business practices, so they aren't treating the cows horribly. The Angus farm is a pretty typical arrangement. The females get inseminated, raise the kids to 3 months, then the boys go off to feedlots and the girls either get sold or added to the flock. I don't think they do any veal, but I could be wrong. The females do double duty as dairy cows, while the 3-4 bulls do a lot of nothing in a nice pasture on the far side of the farm. There are some farms that employ more animal friendly techniques but nothing like the Salatin farm (except maybe Churchtown Dairy.) As I understand, the regulatory pressure here is high (so say the farmers) as there are local animal rights people who do a lot of reporting, so - for better and worse - the farmers often find out about a problem before they even know there is one.

[bigbill]

I unloaded the back of my truck today at the Ford dealer. Two toolboxes (one was for tubeless), 4000 Watt generator, 2.5-gallon gas can about half full, 1-gallon gas can with 50:1 two stroke blend, electric chainsaw, Husky chainsaw, Toro gas trimmer, two pairs of leather gloves, mesh face shield, ear muffs, and 50' extension cord. The generator was handy for the bigass drill I used to put 3/4" holes in a wood fence post to hang a 12' gate.

[j44ke]

To corroborate Tom's report, there are a lot of spiders this year with all its dryness. Not just the usual wolf spiders who helpfully clean our floors each morning, but just generally everywhere. And along with most of them, are the webs. When I see a web on the house that has been abandoned and now is overloaded with dead insects, I sweep or vacuum it off the wall ceiling pole crevice or wherever it is. But otherwise they stay put and do their work.

This morning I walked out of the house straight into a very large web. Instant full body coverage with spider silk. Bah. Then I realized the web had been full of a grillion (unknown large number) baby spiders. And this fall I have been growing out my hair and beard so yeah, not the best feeling. Quick haircut and shower required. Now I am bald again and beard is reduced to a easily washable/sterilizable goatee.

Add a good pair of hair trimmers to the list of required tools for country living then.

[Too Tall]

To corroborate Tom's report, there are a lot of spiders this year with all its dryness. Not just the usual wolf spiders who helpfully clean our floors each morning, but just generally everywhere. And along with most of them, are the webs. When I see a web on the house that has been abandoned and now is overloaded with dead insects, I sweep or vacuum it off the wall ceiling pole crevice or wherever it is. But otherwise they stay put and do their work.

This morning I walked out of the house straight into a very large web. Instant full body coverage with spider silk. Bah. Then I realized the web had been full of a grillion (unknown large number) baby spiders. And this fall I have been growing out my hair and beard so yeah, not the best feeling. Quick haircut and shower required. Now I am bald again and beard is reduced to a easily washable/sterilizable goatee.

Add a good pair of hair trimmers to the list of required tools for country living then.

Story of my life, the tall guy catches all spider webs that you NORMALS miss ;)

[j44ke]

Story of my life, the tall guy catches all spider webs that you NORMALS miss ;)

The Gandalf of cobwebs you are.

[72gmc]

I’m only 6’1” and I catch a face full of webs every dog walk, while my 5’7” wife breezes through. Local spiders are picking on non-short people.

[SlowPokePete]

Story of my life, the tall guy catches all spider webs that you NORMALS miss ;)

ThaNK you for providing this service.

SPP

[thollandpe]

Add a good pair of hair trimmers to the list of required tools for country living then.

https://www.wahlpro.com/shop/color-groom-09109


Works on human animals too.

[j44ke]

I've got a version of this one. It is about 25 years old now.

[SlowPokePete]

Kind of interesting....



SPP

[monadnocky]

...Just started using the Stihl 2-1 sharpener which makes quick accurate work of it. Getting everything the right height/depth in one shot is magic.

Just purchased one of these. Should make things a little less... well, subjective with hand-filing. So far, seems like an excellent tool - love the 2-in-1 action in terms of simultaneously filing the sharp bits as well as setting the proper raker depth.

[monadnocky]

Kind of interesting....



SPP

And where are these guys to help out with processing the two giant maples that were just felled by the tree company in my front yard? Nowhere, that's where.

[j44ke]

Speaking of firewood, I finally got rid of the stupid plastic tarps and installed corrugated metal roofs. Not an elegant retrofit, but it works. I also moved a bunch of bad wood off these racks onto a pile for outdoor consumption where punky poorly burning wood is less offensive. In the process I evicted a lot of mice. Getting rid of the tarps will help that issue also.