Friday, December 6, 2019

Another quick one





What a day. Nothing major, just a long slog.

Conditions were right for a controlled burn today. We have several piles of trees, tree limbs, and lumber debris. Most places have them. When conditions are right you strike a match and release the murder carbon directally into the atmosphere.

You have to be careful with fire. Especially out here in the sticks where there's a lot of grassland and it's been an abundant grass year.

Snow on the ground around the site is good, as is a lack of wind. It's not always easy to get the right conditions to coincide with your ability to spend a whole day at the chore. I've been wanting to burn this pile for several years. In that time it went from just a little tyke of a pile to a serious pile.

The day began with a trip to the local Fire Chief's salvage yard. It's a volunteer department and he's a salvage guy. Been going to the same place to get a burn permit for the last 20 years.

But he got voted out last month! There's a new fire chief!

Of course I know him and where his business is, so not that big of a deal.


Burn permit in hand, I got busy.

First I lit it off.



Once it was going good I used the Bobcat to push stuff in and pull stuff out to keep things going the way I wanted.



Eight hours later it was mostly burned down. I banked the area with snow and dumped a good bit of snow on smoldering branches.



It was a hot, dirty, all-day job.



Glad it's done.

Cattle and chickens are fine. I sneaked away from the fire long enough to fix the stock tank float.

It was a very pretty day but I didn't take in much of the beauty as I was toiling longer and harder than usual. It's what I get paid for. I'm blessed that I can do stuff like this; that I have the knowledge and experience and that I'm not afraid of hard physical labor or of getting dirty. Nona made me roll down the windows on the way home this evening. She's a good dog but she'll only put up with so much bullshit!

Be well and enjoy the blessings of liberty.








12 comments:

  1. Ah, another Bobcat owner. Our daughter-in-law's Dad has one and they're a blast to drive as long as you're not doing it for work.

    I was floored when he told me what they go for new. The one he has would go for like $70k new. Even "gently used" ones go for $50~$60k.

    And then there's the attachments.......

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    Replies
    1. They're pretty spendy. Which makes you want to do the whole maintenance and upkeep thing.

      They're a blast to drive for work too when you consider that you're not doing it by hand. :-)

      I'd sure love to have a rototiller attachment...

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting drjim!

      Delete
  2. A most productive day I see. You got some ash on yourself, better than making an ass of oneself. I've done both.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's always good to get stuff done. World class "ass of oneself maker" here. The ash is smelly and a chore to shower off, but all in all the better thing.

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting Sarge!

      Delete
  3. A good day's work. Important, but not necessarily urgent, but had to get done eventually. Glad you took advantage of the "nice weather" to fix the float.
    JB

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    Replies
    1. Having turned the well off to the Cederburg pasture, the cows drank the tank down to about four inches of water. That combined with a pleasantly sunny, calm, and 45 degree day made fixing the float a delight. What a difference the presence of sunshine and absence of wind and stinging cold rain/snow mix makes!

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting John!

      Delete
  4. I burned some brushpiles with the help of Dorothy, my Deere utility tractor, and her end loader. You know you have a proper fire, when you feed it with an end loader..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a little dicey doing it in a Bobcat. You want to have your thinking cap on and be wearing all your anti-stoopid charms and fetishes. That fire stuff are a hot sombrero!

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting Scott!

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Something nice about a bonfire on a sunny autumn day.

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting Brig!

      Delete
  6. Nice videos. Sorry to be late to the party.

    Thanks for the post.
    Paul L. Quandt

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The party don't start 'til you get here Paul. ;-)

      Thanks, and thanks for stopping by and commenting!

      Delete