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harley jim
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We did, there was lots of family and way too much food.
Above 1200 Sq/FT Harley Jim's place
- Thread starter harley jim
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
Kevkx125
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Gazebo looking cool Jim , looks like a nice relaxing atmosphere.
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harley jim
Well-known member
It was fun Kev, we laughed till about 2 am
Logan, we have been hitting it pretty hard but I'm on a mission.
The cactus decided to fall over last night, looks like root rot.
Logan, we have been hitting it pretty hard but I'm on a mission.
The cactus decided to fall over last night, looks like root rot.
Strouty
Well-known member
Can it be saved?
mybigwarwagon
Well-known member
You can just plant a part of it and it will grow.
xtremek
Well-known member
Can you spare some of that motivation?
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harley jim
Well-known member
Yes it can, I found it growing at an old homeplace out in the country, the house and buildings were gone but the sidewalk and steps were still there as well as all of the plants. The cactus was growing by the mailbox so I cut 2 or 3 nopales off and brought them home.
I took a bag of soil and cut it open and started placing the nopales in the soil, I cut off the new growth and the fruit to help them survive.
The fruit on this one are purple and you can make jelly or wine with them, It was loaded this year and I was going to make a 5 gallon jug of cactus wine but I guess that will get put off for a couple of years.
You can see all of the new growth, some are new nopales and some are fruit. Last year it was covered in hundreds of fruits.
This is the second time it fell over, last time I stood it up and tied it to a couple of metal posts for a while and it was fine. The root looks damaged so I'm not going to try this time. I will go plant a bunch of the nopales around my neighborhood also. I have planted them in random places before and they have a good survival rate.
Logan there are thousands of cactus growing here. There is a variety very similar to mine that is cultivated and grown for food here also, that's what I thought I had found when I got this one but it is more fibrous than the one I want. They tast like a cross between okra and bell pepper, I prepaid them just like fried okra and they are delicious.
Willy, do they grow in your area
I took a bag of soil and cut it open and started placing the nopales in the soil, I cut off the new growth and the fruit to help them survive.
The fruit on this one are purple and you can make jelly or wine with them, It was loaded this year and I was going to make a 5 gallon jug of cactus wine but I guess that will get put off for a couple of years.
You can see all of the new growth, some are new nopales and some are fruit. Last year it was covered in hundreds of fruits.
This is the second time it fell over, last time I stood it up and tied it to a couple of metal posts for a while and it was fine. The root looks damaged so I'm not going to try this time. I will go plant a bunch of the nopales around my neighborhood also. I have planted them in random places before and they have a good survival rate.
Logan there are thousands of cactus growing here. There is a variety very similar to mine that is cultivated and grown for food here also, that's what I thought I had found when I got this one but it is more fibrous than the one I want. They tast like a cross between okra and bell pepper, I prepaid them just like fried okra and they are delicious.
Willy, do they grow in your area
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harley jim
Well-known member
I spent the day cutting soil, I had a man rough out a place for the carport behind the shop but he was 80 dollars an hour so we just got the hole cut and stopped him. I knew that things would need to be shaped up so I got the tractor and started cutting the corner by the corner of the carport.
Before I couldn't get the tractor between the bank and the carport. Now I can get equipment in and out so I'm happy about that. I also spread what gravel I had and graded it, I also graded the soil and shaped a swail to let the rain water flow out and not make a mud lake.
I put three more buckets of soil at the gate, the other I put there earlier had settled and was low on one end plus I put some along the fence where it was low.
I also spread some in front of the chicken coop, this was the garden area and had
woop-te-doos in it and was rough to mow.
It's coming out as planned, I will need more gravel. I'm thinking about parking the mowers back there.
Kirk, I'll send you a bottle of motivation as soon as I'm finished.
Before I couldn't get the tractor between the bank and the carport. Now I can get equipment in and out so I'm happy about that. I also spread what gravel I had and graded it, I also graded the soil and shaped a swail to let the rain water flow out and not make a mud lake.
I put three more buckets of soil at the gate, the other I put there earlier had settled and was low on one end plus I put some along the fence where it was low.I also spread some in front of the chicken coop, this was the garden area and had
woop-te-doos in it and was rough to mow.
It's coming out as planned, I will need more gravel. I'm thinking about parking the mowers back there.
Kirk, I'll send you a bottle of motivation as soon as I'm finished.
BuffettFan
Well-known member
That's a year's worth of work or more!
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harley jim
Well-known member
I am pushing hard to finish the house, Pat never says a word but she deserves her canning kitchen and I want the projects done so I can go back to playing in the shop. I hope to have the other carport in place by Friday, it will need to be reframed to work for this spot.
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harley jim
Well-known member
Logan, search out a Spanish market, get fresh and let them remove the splines and cut it. Bread and pan fry it and I'm sure if you like okra you will like this. 
mybigwarwagon
Well-known member
Yes, they grow here. We found some on the new property.
xtremek
Well-known member
I've been trying to grow some motivation, but not having much luck. Glad you're making good use of yours.
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harley jim
Well-known member
My shop projects are motivating me, I like to give undivided attention to what I'm doing so I am picking these off one by one. I will be back in the shop and playing with steel again soon.
We got the other wall built today and stuccoed both of them. I have to finish resurfacing the treads and risers before they can finish the rest of the foundation so I'll go get that tomorrow.
We filled a cavity every four feet with a rebar and quickcrete the rebar was put in the footer.
Then the rest were filled with stone and capped.
We got the other wall built today and stuccoed both of them. I have to finish resurfacing the treads and risers before they can finish the rest of the foundation so I'll go get that tomorrow.
We filled a cavity every four feet with a rebar and quickcrete the rebar was put in the footer.
Then the rest were filled with stone and capped.
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harley jim
Well-known member
I went to Lowes this morning when I took Kay to work, I picked up more type s mortar mix and a few other things.
Went back home and pressure washed the house, stairs, and all of the concrete.
There was paint on this wall and Biggen said that it would need to be removed for the stucco to stick well. I'm hoping he will approve, if not we grind.
The stairs were covered in a moss, when I washed them they smelled of slugs, kinda fishey smelling.
It's supposed to be 95 deg tomorrow so depending on that I will start coating the stair treads and risers.
If it's too hot I can plant grass seed and mulch it on the back hill and work in the shop until the sun goes over the house. I worry that hot concrete may not let the mortar bond well.
Tomorrow will tell.
Went back home and pressure washed the house, stairs, and all of the concrete.
There was paint on this wall and Biggen said that it would need to be removed for the stucco to stick well. I'm hoping he will approve, if not we grind.
The stairs were covered in a moss, when I washed them they smelled of slugs, kinda fishey smelling.
It's supposed to be 95 deg tomorrow so depending on that I will start coating the stair treads and risers.
If it's too hot I can plant grass seed and mulch it on the back hill and work in the shop until the sun goes over the house. I worry that hot concrete may not let the mortar bond well.
Tomorrow will tell.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Great days work as per usual. Any leaks into the basement after pressure washing?
I’m guessing a small bobcat is in your wish list to move dirt around or is the tractor do most and then just call guys that own dozers to move the big amounts?
Rain one day and then super hot sounds muggy which to us PNW guys is almost death so bee careful
I’m guessing a small bobcat is in your wish list to move dirt around or is the tractor do most and then just call guys that own dozers to move the big amounts?
Rain one day and then super hot sounds muggy which to us PNW guys is almost death so bee careful
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harley jim
Well-known member
No leaks, the coal room is almost dry, I'm still in awe. It's the first time I have ever seen the floor dry.
The dirt work will get done with Donnies Massie Ferguson tractor, it's free and I have used it so much I can grade with it very well.
We actually didnt get any of that rain we were supposed to, it hit about 5 miles west of us pretty hard.
If it gets to 95 tomorrow, being on that white rock and concrete walls will cook a person. Donnie said he may have a pop up canopy that I can use.
Whitley, the three year old neighbor girl brought me 17 duck eggs, her and her Mom want me to incubate them for her. So we set up an incubator and got them started, in 28 days we should have some baby ducks. I'll post a pic tomorrow when I go check on them.
She is also going to bring me some chicken eggs, I'm just going to slide them under one of my hens, she said they were blue so there probably ameraucana chickens.
The dirt work will get done with Donnies Massie Ferguson tractor, it's free and I have used it so much I can grade with it very well.
We actually didnt get any of that rain we were supposed to, it hit about 5 miles west of us pretty hard.
If it gets to 95 tomorrow, being on that white rock and concrete walls will cook a person. Donnie said he may have a pop up canopy that I can use.
Whitley, the three year old neighbor girl brought me 17 duck eggs, her and her Mom want me to incubate them for her. So we set up an incubator and got them started, in 28 days we should have some baby ducks. I'll post a pic tomorrow when I go check on them.
She is also going to bring me some chicken eggs, I'm just going to slide them under one of my hens, she said they were blue so there probably ameraucana chickens.
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harley jim
Well-known member
It got up to 88 deg. today so it was a challenge to stay at it, BUT I accomplished something.
I saw cut the piece of concrete in front of the basement door and got it moved to Dudes house, he wants the concrete slabs to go around his koi pond.
Donnies Massie made quick work of it.
Clean slate, now I'm ready.
We dug a trench to bury a 4" pipe for the gutter drain.
Here is where it will go in.
Here is where it will come out.
I am going to place some large rocks over this so it looks pretty.
I hauled out all of the trash, cleaned the area and drug all of the gravel off so that we can prep the grade. We are going to place some bricks at sub grade to set the carport on then that will be where we pour the concrete to when we get there.
Tomorrow we will backfill behind the walls and set the bricks. I have several other things that I think I will do first, that will allow the sun to get over the house and it will be better working conditions.
Here are the duck eggs that we prepared yesterday. They should be ready in 28 days.
I saw cut the piece of concrete in front of the basement door and got it moved to Dudes house, he wants the concrete slabs to go around his koi pond.
Donnies Massie made quick work of it.
Clean slate, now I'm ready.
We dug a trench to bury a 4" pipe for the gutter drain.
Here is where it will go in.
Here is where it will come out.
I am going to place some large rocks over this so it looks pretty.
I hauled out all of the trash, cleaned the area and drug all of the gravel off so that we can prep the grade. We are going to place some bricks at sub grade to set the carport on then that will be where we pour the concrete to when we get there.
Tomorrow we will backfill behind the walls and set the bricks. I have several other things that I think I will do first, that will allow the sun to get over the house and it will be better working conditions.
Here are the duck eggs that we prepared yesterday. They should be ready in 28 days.
mybigwarwagon
Well-known member
Productive day.
Lotusnut
Well-known member
Where did the 17th duck egg go?
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
You certainly are a busy guy. Must feel good that you will be getting back to your shop projects.
Also found the Cactus fruit interesting, could you use it to make liquor?
Happy belated birthday
Must feel good that you will be getting back to your shop projects.Also found the Cactus fruit interesting, could you use it to make liquor?
Happy belated birthday
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harley jim
Well-known member
Lotusnut, unfortunately when I inspected them again I found a crack in one and it had to be removed. I keep a close eye on them while they are in my care. The temperature and humidity must be maintained. I'm just hoping that they are fertile, they have three ducks but dont know there ***!
Pontiac, yes you can make wine from the fruit, then a person could make the wine into brandy. My cactus was finally getting old enough that it was really loaded with fruit last year so the plan was going to be to attempt a wine this year. I may get a different cactus to replant since it fell. The other cactus is edible, that's really what I wanted.
Pontiac, yes you can make wine from the fruit, then a person could make the wine into brandy. My cactus was finally getting old enough that it was really loaded with fruit last year so the plan was going to be to attempt a wine this year. I may get a different cactus to replant since it fell. The other cactus is edible, that's really what I wanted.
mybigwarwagon
Well-known member
A good tractor makes things so much easier.
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harley jim
Well-known member
Yes it dose, I dont know how I would have accomplished most of what I have done without Donnie and his equipment. He is just the best neighbor a person could ask for. This whole neighborhood is that way though we all get along like family.
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I get tired just reading this thread. Hats off to you. I have been sitting in my recliner since 6am waiting to have to go to the bathroom... so I have an excuse to go make breakfast.
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harley jim
Well-known member
You have been kind of quiet latley, everything ok.
It makes me tired too.
It makes me tired too.
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Thankfully ... all is good... but had a few scares and the WAIT to find out about results/appointments was getting the better of me. I was barely able to keep up with my **** forum posts.
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harley jim
Well-known member
Dang, that was scary. Glad everything came out ok!
Jayman17
Well-known member
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harley jim
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yep
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harley jim
Well-known member
I have almost done all I can do with the tractor, I need something smaller and something that I can see the cutting edge, so I used a phone a friend, Aaron is going to bring his dingo over on sunday so I can set final grade.
I set the cap block 3.5" below finish grade for the concrete, the bottom tube on the carport is 2.5" so that will give me 1" of fall in 10' on the concrete slab. I am going to use the drag box to pull the gravel pad down to grade tomorrow and then begin moving the carport into place. It dosnt look much different today than yesterday but there was a bunch of hand digging and laser level work today.
I set the cap block 3.5" below finish grade for the concrete, the bottom tube on the carport is 2.5" so that will give me 1" of fall in 10' on the concrete slab. I am going to use the drag box to pull the gravel pad down to grade tomorrow and then begin moving the carport into place. It dosnt look much different today than yesterday but there was a bunch of hand digging and laser level work today.
xtremek
Well-known member
It looks really good.
makes me feel lazy just watching all the stuff you accomplish in a day
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harley jim
Well-known member
Pat's getting really tired, I guess I'm going to have to give her a break, lol.
I'm on a mission!
I'm on a mission!
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harley jim
Well-known member
Ok, we all played hooky today, Best buy metals called yesterday and invited us to there 20 year celebration today, we had Philly cheesesteak, fries, and ice cream. Then we went to Lowes and bought a garden hose and came home. We were both really tired so we just crashed. Dalton is going to be here at 9:00 tomorrow, we are going to finish grade the parking area and move the carport.
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mybigwarwagon
Well-known member
I don't know why you are tired. It isn't like you do anything.
xtremek
Well-known member
Sounds like a good way to spend a day.