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Denim Deb
More Precious than Rubies
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- Oct 21, 2010
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Step 1: Take a line, and run it along the area where you want the posts.
Step 2: Take a tape measure, and run it along the line. (It's easier to use a thin line instead of the tape measure for the line. They don't blow in the wind. Ask me how I know!)
Step 3: Make a mark every place you want to put a post, then remove both the line and the measure. (You may need to pull on the tape to be sure you're at the correct spot.)
Step 4: Take a post hole digger, and dig the holes. I have a mark on the handles so I know how deep I need to go. If you're putting in something bigger than a normal post, you'll need to make the hole really big. To do this, just keep putting the digger at the edge until you've made it big enough..
Step 5: Insert post into hole. Make sure it's in line w/the others, and is facing the way it should be. You can use a level if you want. For a really big post, you may need to use a tractor and chain to get it into place.
Step 6: Put the dirt back in the hole. Use something to tamp it down while you're doing this. I've been using the handle off an old manure fork. If at all possible, you want the dirt in a pile around the post. There's less chance of it rotting.
While it might sound like a lot of work, I can normally put a post in in less then 15 minutes. It depends on how soft the ground is. And in this area, there's not a ton of big rocks in the ground, so that makes it easier.
I didn't get done today after all. I had just too much to do. And, everything went wrong.
First off, hubby tells me late last night that he wants to take a bunch of ham to work, as well as some of my bread sliced up, some cheese (from the store) and some brownies. In other words, he wanted me to pack this stuff up for him. And of course, he told me too late to do it last night, so that meant I had to do it this morning. That meant I couldn't make my egg salad until I had all his stuff ready, which meant I wasn't able to leave until almost 6:30! I had planned on being at the farm by then.
I get to the farm, and find 7 horse and the mini mule out! I'm ready to shoot the one horse. I'm pretty sure he's the one that did it. A gate was torn down. This is the same horse that got out from another field the other day. But, not all of the horses in the field got out, just some of them. (The horse does not belong to RU. I forget the reason why he's even here, I've suggested to her that she should send him back to where he came from and if the owner doesn't have the room for him, TLC.) So, B4 I could do anything else, I have to round up horses. And, they didn't want to be caught, even when I tried bribing them w/grain. I wish I had thought to put my muck boots on B4 I went after these horses. The majority of them were in the neighbor's hay field. And in places, the hay was up to my crotch. There was a heavy dew last night, and it was only in the lower 40s when I started after them! I was completely soak from my crotch on down. It took me about 45 minutes to get them all rounded up. Quite honestly, I was ready to give up. Then I prayed, Lord let me catch these horses, please! At that point in time, the 3 that were still out walked over to the gate that I had put back up! They were ready to go away, then the one horse got interested in the grain. So, once I had the gate opened, I walked thru, then dumped the grain in a line for the horses to eat. They all came in, and I shut the gate behind them! Then, I went and fed my horses and gave them hay. They had not been very happy w/me. They couldn't figure out why I was messing w/these other horses instead of feeding them.
From there, I went to work. We had to finish w/the tree we started cutting up yesterday. Quite honestly, I wish the boss wouldn't try to cut up the small stuff. I don't think she really understands how to run the chainsaw. But, while I was taking the really small stuff to the burn pile, she was running the chainsaw. And, the one time I came back, she tells me the chain is off the chainsaw!
Of course, I don't have anything w/me to work on it out there, nor would I. Last time I did, it came apart, and I couldn't get it back together. My hubby had to put it back together for me. I was putting it together right, I just couldn't get the nuts to catch. There was just one more piece that needed to be cut off the tree. She had a sawzall w/her, so we used that. It was a fairly fat section, but was almost completely broken off the tree. The small stuff that she wanted we put in the back of her pickup. The big piece we put in the bucket of the tractor. Then we went up to the barn.
I was able to get the chain back on! Once it was on, I cut up the big piece. While I was working on that, she took the sawzall and the small pieces and tried cutting them w/that. She was trying to use the vice to hold them. But, she wasn't having much luck. So instead, she had me hold the one while she cut. When it didn't go all the way thru, and she was having trouble w/it, I told her to hold on a sec. I went to the pickup, and got her pruners. I then took the wood from her, cut that piece off, stuck the wood on the ground, and used the pruners to cut it the rest of the way. (I used my weight to close the pruners.) Took me a lot less time doing it that way than it would w/her using the sawzall.
Then, I had to unload all the wood onto her front porch. Once I was done that, I still had to do stalls. I was finished by right around 11:00.
From there, I went to TSC. I decided I was going to buy some socks. My feet were still wet, and I was tired of walking around like that. My jeans were drying, and I was only wet from the knees on down. I also needed another roll of fence, plus I needed a fence stretcher. I thought there was one at the farm, but there wasn't. (Now I just have to figure out how to use it!) I was in there longer than I expected.
TSC is right next to a gas station. I didn't really need gas in the truck. I still had half a tank. But, I wanted to get gas for the tractor. I wasn't sure how long what was in there would last, so I got 5 gallons for the tractor, and went ahead and topped of my tank. That way, I know I have the money, rather than waiting a few days and maybe not have enough to fill it.
Once I got to the farm, I decided I was going to take a short break. Often I'll just eat my lunch little by little. I'll take a bite of my sandwich every time I'm near my tack shed. Today, I sat down. I took off my wet socks and put on some dry ones. I have a pair of slippers in my tack shed. I put them on. Then I sat down and ate my sandwich, and part of my brownie.
In the meantime, there's no sign of either KN or RU. But, horses were all moved around. So, I went looking. They were both in RU's kitchen eating some lunch. I learned that they went ahead and moved horses today. So, CL's horses are now in the back field. The horses that were in the back field are now where her horses were. That meant when I went to move horses so I could work on the field, I couldn't just open the gate like I'd planned and sending them thru. Instead I'd have to lead them. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Since I had already eaten, I talked to them for a few minutes, then went out and started up the tractor. I had to put out RBs. I put one out for the main herd. I put one out for CL's horses. Then, I got one and took it down the road, down the lane, and into another field so I could give it to the mares. I was going back up the lane when I ran out of gas! Right next to my truck. I had planned on stopping anyway and putting gas in it, but I hadn't really wanted to run out. I put the gas in it, then went and changed from my slippers to my boots. Then, I tried to start the tractor. Of course, it wouldn't start.
I had to let it sit for a few minutes B4 it would start back up. While I was waiting, I worked on cleaning up manure.
OK, that's enough for today. I'll post more tomorrow.
Step 2: Take a tape measure, and run it along the line. (It's easier to use a thin line instead of the tape measure for the line. They don't blow in the wind. Ask me how I know!)
Step 3: Make a mark every place you want to put a post, then remove both the line and the measure. (You may need to pull on the tape to be sure you're at the correct spot.)
Step 4: Take a post hole digger, and dig the holes. I have a mark on the handles so I know how deep I need to go. If you're putting in something bigger than a normal post, you'll need to make the hole really big. To do this, just keep putting the digger at the edge until you've made it big enough..
Step 5: Insert post into hole. Make sure it's in line w/the others, and is facing the way it should be. You can use a level if you want. For a really big post, you may need to use a tractor and chain to get it into place.
Step 6: Put the dirt back in the hole. Use something to tamp it down while you're doing this. I've been using the handle off an old manure fork. If at all possible, you want the dirt in a pile around the post. There's less chance of it rotting.
While it might sound like a lot of work, I can normally put a post in in less then 15 minutes. It depends on how soft the ground is. And in this area, there's not a ton of big rocks in the ground, so that makes it easier.
I didn't get done today after all. I had just too much to do. And, everything went wrong.
First off, hubby tells me late last night that he wants to take a bunch of ham to work, as well as some of my bread sliced up, some cheese (from the store) and some brownies. In other words, he wanted me to pack this stuff up for him. And of course, he told me too late to do it last night, so that meant I had to do it this morning. That meant I couldn't make my egg salad until I had all his stuff ready, which meant I wasn't able to leave until almost 6:30! I had planned on being at the farm by then.
I get to the farm, and find 7 horse and the mini mule out! I'm ready to shoot the one horse. I'm pretty sure he's the one that did it. A gate was torn down. This is the same horse that got out from another field the other day. But, not all of the horses in the field got out, just some of them. (The horse does not belong to RU. I forget the reason why he's even here, I've suggested to her that she should send him back to where he came from and if the owner doesn't have the room for him, TLC.) So, B4 I could do anything else, I have to round up horses. And, they didn't want to be caught, even when I tried bribing them w/grain. I wish I had thought to put my muck boots on B4 I went after these horses. The majority of them were in the neighbor's hay field. And in places, the hay was up to my crotch. There was a heavy dew last night, and it was only in the lower 40s when I started after them! I was completely soak from my crotch on down. It took me about 45 minutes to get them all rounded up. Quite honestly, I was ready to give up. Then I prayed, Lord let me catch these horses, please! At that point in time, the 3 that were still out walked over to the gate that I had put back up! They were ready to go away, then the one horse got interested in the grain. So, once I had the gate opened, I walked thru, then dumped the grain in a line for the horses to eat. They all came in, and I shut the gate behind them! Then, I went and fed my horses and gave them hay. They had not been very happy w/me. They couldn't figure out why I was messing w/these other horses instead of feeding them.
From there, I went to work. We had to finish w/the tree we started cutting up yesterday. Quite honestly, I wish the boss wouldn't try to cut up the small stuff. I don't think she really understands how to run the chainsaw. But, while I was taking the really small stuff to the burn pile, she was running the chainsaw. And, the one time I came back, she tells me the chain is off the chainsaw!
Of course, I don't have anything w/me to work on it out there, nor would I. Last time I did, it came apart, and I couldn't get it back together. My hubby had to put it back together for me. I was putting it together right, I just couldn't get the nuts to catch. There was just one more piece that needed to be cut off the tree. She had a sawzall w/her, so we used that. It was a fairly fat section, but was almost completely broken off the tree. The small stuff that she wanted we put in the back of her pickup. The big piece we put in the bucket of the tractor. Then we went up to the barn. I was able to get the chain back on! Once it was on, I cut up the big piece. While I was working on that, she took the sawzall and the small pieces and tried cutting them w/that. She was trying to use the vice to hold them. But, she wasn't having much luck. So instead, she had me hold the one while she cut. When it didn't go all the way thru, and she was having trouble w/it, I told her to hold on a sec. I went to the pickup, and got her pruners. I then took the wood from her, cut that piece off, stuck the wood on the ground, and used the pruners to cut it the rest of the way. (I used my weight to close the pruners.) Took me a lot less time doing it that way than it would w/her using the sawzall.
Then, I had to unload all the wood onto her front porch. Once I was done that, I still had to do stalls. I was finished by right around 11:00.
From there, I went to TSC. I decided I was going to buy some socks. My feet were still wet, and I was tired of walking around like that. My jeans were drying, and I was only wet from the knees on down. I also needed another roll of fence, plus I needed a fence stretcher. I thought there was one at the farm, but there wasn't. (Now I just have to figure out how to use it!) I was in there longer than I expected.
TSC is right next to a gas station. I didn't really need gas in the truck. I still had half a tank. But, I wanted to get gas for the tractor. I wasn't sure how long what was in there would last, so I got 5 gallons for the tractor, and went ahead and topped of my tank. That way, I know I have the money, rather than waiting a few days and maybe not have enough to fill it.
Once I got to the farm, I decided I was going to take a short break. Often I'll just eat my lunch little by little. I'll take a bite of my sandwich every time I'm near my tack shed. Today, I sat down. I took off my wet socks and put on some dry ones. I have a pair of slippers in my tack shed. I put them on. Then I sat down and ate my sandwich, and part of my brownie.
In the meantime, there's no sign of either KN or RU. But, horses were all moved around. So, I went looking. They were both in RU's kitchen eating some lunch. I learned that they went ahead and moved horses today. So, CL's horses are now in the back field. The horses that were in the back field are now where her horses were. That meant when I went to move horses so I could work on the field, I couldn't just open the gate like I'd planned and sending them thru. Instead I'd have to lead them. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Since I had already eaten, I talked to them for a few minutes, then went out and started up the tractor. I had to put out RBs. I put one out for the main herd. I put one out for CL's horses. Then, I got one and took it down the road, down the lane, and into another field so I could give it to the mares. I was going back up the lane when I ran out of gas! Right next to my truck. I had planned on stopping anyway and putting gas in it, but I hadn't really wanted to run out. I put the gas in it, then went and changed from my slippers to my boots. Then, I tried to start the tractor. Of course, it wouldn't start.
I had to let it sit for a few minutes B4 it would start back up. While I was waiting, I worked on cleaning up manure.OK, that's enough for today. I'll post more tomorrow.
