What have you done?

[Silent Bob]

This is the small fish pond I want to fence off and stock next spring with brim. I still need to dam the spillway to raise the water another foot or so.View attachment 2796

Looking good Brent. Love the bike. I don't ride much anymore, but that is a great stress break for you! As for the storm cellar, I didn't see a concrete footing sunk below the blocks...from the pic it does, just not sure, if you've done so...might want to consider doing that, provides a good base and will prevent the blocks from settling. If you did, then never mind my comment. Hard to see at the angle, friend.

 

[Brent S]

Looking good Brent. Love the bike. I don't ride much anymore, but that is a great stress break for you! As for the storm cellar, I didn't see a concrete footing sunk below the blocks...from the pic it does, just not sure, if you've done so...might want to consider doing that, provides a good base and will prevent the blocks from settling. If you did, then never mind my comment. Hard to see at the angle, friend.

Yea it's there and rebar reinforced. I only poured the one in that picture, I just finished pouring the back one and set the vertical rebar. It would have been smart to pour all four sides of the footer at once, but I'm mixing by hand and this is more manageable for me. The only time I'll use a truck is when I pour the cells and ceiling all at once. I can also lay a row of block on it before the rain makes it all muddy this way. I've got a really strong design, the only thing I haven't got is a good plan for the door yet. Inward opening is a must, but that presents waterproofing issues. I'll deal with that issue down the road.

 

[jimLE]

i love my garden so much i just have to show it off..LOL

 

[alabaster]

Off task.. .Everytime I read the title to this thread, I hear Mommy Dearest Saying, "What have you done?" HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH!! That's terrible, isn't it?

Threadjack over....

 

[jimLE]

seems like that should be...WHAT HAVE YA DONE NOW??? LOL

 

[Brent S]

i love my garden so much i just have to show it off..LOL

View attachment 2890 View attachment 2891

Hey Jim, it is a fine looking garden! Is the pasture in the background yours? I'd have 50 cows with a place like that.

 

[jimLE]

the field is a part of this rent home property.its a hay field during the growing season.and a pasture for milking cows during the non growing season..and one thing i've noticed since the corn has come up good..is it blocks my view of the field while im sitting outside.so im gonna have to reocate the garden next year...

 

[jontte]

that looks really good!

 

[jimLE]

thanks.that field is great when it comes to watching for deer.

 

[jontte]

gonna take one??

 

[jimLE]

when the time comes.i enjoy the idea of them being use to coming around.plus i'll i'll go out away from here and hunt away from the house.so i'll be haveing deer up close to the house dureing the winter months.and all this after tshtf happens...

 

[jontte]

what an excellent idea, didn't think that far ahead, blame it being blonde and a city boy,though I hate the latter thing more and more, must definately do something about it

 

[jimLE]

i'll be doing the same for other things of need as well.like going out 1/2 mile to a mile out for firewood.and work my way in towards the house.this way i wont have to travel to far during the winter..i have my blonde moments to.and here i am with brown hair...lol

 

[jontte]

smart move,you don't have to carry the whole load of firewood more than neccesary

 

[Brent S]

the field is a part of this rent home property.its a hay field during the growing season.and a pasture for milking cows during the non growing season..and one thing i've noticed since the corn has come up good..is it blocks my view of the field while im sitting outside.so im gonna have to reocate the garden next year...

I'm still a rookie at growing things, but I am learning and getting better each year. One thing I've learned so far is I moved my garden about five times before finally settling on a spot. The problem is the most important thing in a garden is the soil. Each year you mulch it the soil I gets richer, and over time it will produce great. One thing you've got going for you is the cow manure. Over the winter collect and till in as much of the crap as you can get, pun intended. But every time you move the soil is starting from scratch again.

 

[jimLE]

im already going with grass clippings.in which i'll continue with this growing season..and when the time comes.(this year) i'll have a new location picked out.and i'll start dumping clippings there.and at the end os this growing season.i'll remove the mulch and clippings from this years garden to next years garden.and just leave it untill next growing season.in which it all will get tilled into the soil

 

[Graynomad]

I'm still a rookie at growing things, but I am learning and getting better each year.

The very reason for started before STHF.

My land is in the middle of a cattle property, moo poo is everywhere, I can't drive into town without having to dodge the landmines

 

[Brent S]

The very reason for started before STHF.

My land is in the middle of a cattle property, moo poo is everywhere, I can't drive into town without having to dodge the landmines

Yeah, I'm really glad to make all the mistakes while it's still a hobby, and not my only meal. I wish I had an easy source of the free fertilizer! The rabbits produce some, cows just do it on a much larger scale!

 

[jimLE]

oh yeah..they use chicken manure for the hay fields here.so i can collect ehough of it to spread over the garden

 

[Brent S]

oh yeah..they use chicken manure for the hay fields here.so i can collect ehough of it to spread over the garden

It's great stuff, a little strong for live plants but loads of nitrogen and perfect for tilling in over winter.

 

[jimLE]

i figure things would at least go pretty good with my garden.and i must admit,that its doing much better then i figured it would..now i gotta find something for them..on account something is eating the leaves on my okra.

 

[jimLE]

ok i need to know to do to stop the insect(s) thats doing this..any ideas?

 

[jontte]

I'll put more here; 2 pounds of fresh nettles,1 1/4 gallon of lukewarm water, let it brew for a day and spray.

rhubarbwater;1 1/2 pounds of rhubarbleaves,boil for 30min pour it through a strainer,use it like it is, don't dillute it.

that bugoil recipe is in the shoutbox.

last one is 2 gallons of water,lukewarm,pinewoodsopa,liquid, 2 generous cups,mix,spray

 

[jontte]

hope this helps, otherwise you'll have to use pesticides,which is never good when you want to grow naturally.
have you spotted any small small critters on your plants?? those vermins are small but nasty

 

[Brent S]

ok i need to know to do to stop the insect(s) thats doing this..any ideas?

View attachment 2961 View attachment 2962

I guess I'm lucky, I have junebugs eating my Concorde grape leaves. At least I can see them. I've been taking a pitcher full of chicken food and dropping them into it, the chickens seem to like them. Of course I have too many to catch, but I'm trying to collect them at least once a day. I had another chick hatch in the incubator today. I'll take it out to my chicken nursery tomorrow to mix with the other babies.

 

[Brent S]

I spent most of the day working on the shelter/root cellar today. I still suck at laying block, and think I may be the worlds slowest! I do have good advice, it you are thinking about doing this, call a concrete truck! Mixing bags just plain sucks!!! Anyways, I will sleep good tonight.

 

[QuietH3art]

That looks awesome Brent! It may be a pain, but if you're anything like me, when you're done, you'll take great pride in saying you built it yourself. I did my entire 20x60 dog kennel years ago, mixing one bag of concrete at a time. I built my own shed because I thought buying prebuilt was a ridiculous expense. I built my own privacy fence because it was cheaper than buying panels - and a lot cheaper than having someone else do it. You know that feeling already because of the many projects you've already completed on your own.

 

[Brent S]

That looks awesome Brent! It may be a pain, but if you're anything like me, when you're done, you'll take great pride in saying you built it yourself. I did my entire 20x60 dog kennel years ago, mixing one bag of concrete at a time. I built my own shed because I thought buying prebuilt was a ridiculous expense. I built my own privacy fence because it was cheaper than buying panels - and a lot cheaper than having someone else do it. You know that feeling already because of the many projects you've already completed on your own.

I'm a big believer in do it yourself. It amazes me how many people say, "I could never do that". They allready failed without even trying.

 

[Graynomad]

I'm a big believer in do it yourself. It amazes me how many people say, "I could never do that". They allready failed without even trying.

Me to, and a very professional-looking job there Brent.

I haven't hired a tradesman in maybe 30 years, I probably don't do as good a job sometimes but it's cheaper, makes me more independent, and is good exercise.

So in the spirit of posting current build projects, here's mine

A house I'm building at our BIL from shipping containers, steel, and 8x2" planks.

EDIT: I always assume I can do something until it's proven otherwise, I was asked once if I can fly a helicopter, "Dunno I've never tried" I said

 

[Brent S]

Me to, and a very professional-looking job there Brent.

I haven't hired a tradesman in maybe 30 years, I probably don't do as good a job sometimes but it's cheaper, makes me more independent, and is good exercise.

So in the spirit of posting current build projects, here's mine

A house I'm building at our BIL from shipping containers, steel, and 8x2" planks.

EDIT: I always assume I can do something until it's proven otherwise, I was asked once if I can fly a helicopter, "Dunno I've never tried" I said

Great looking place! I've often thought about building with shipping containers. You can google it and see Picts of amazing projects people have done with them. Your place looks pretty darn professional to me! I like the look of the steel used. In it something you repurposed or are you buying it? It is a really cool look with modern and rustic mixed together. You sound a lot like me, I've always been a little unconventional, and have always had about a dozen projects going at a time!