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Posted: 4/19/2016 9:34:34 PM EDT
Been wanting to post about some of these for awhile and after seeing HKH's thread I decided to do one here as well. Will be posting various outdoor projects, garden, woods, etc...
I bought this house and land with the GF (soon to be fiance) last August. Newer house and most things inside were up to snuff but the outside was a total disaster. We have been concentrating on getting the place cleaned up and doing various projects we wanted done. Place is a ranch style house with a walkout basement, attached garage, pole barn on 8.3 acres. About 6 acres is woods, located in the middle of nowhere Indiana on a gravel road. Closest neighbor is about 1/4 mile away and there are maybe 5 houses within a 1 mile radius. Not quite Texas or Montana remote, but pretty good for Indiana. Here is a picture as you pull in the driveway when we bought the house and now. Pole barn had horse weeds over the eves and the fill around it had never been leveled out. East side of the driveway was pasture which has been turned into yard. The fence was not done anywhere near correctly, combination panels wired to the posts and we pulled the posts out by hand    Here is a view from the corner of the pole barn. Currently have it seeded down after leveling it out this spring.   Will post more as time allows and we get more done. Have a garden tilled up and close to planting, koi pond being dug and mallard eggs on the way. Stay tuned! 
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Posted: 4/19/2016 10:36:11 PM EDT
[#1]
TAG
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Posted: 4/19/2016 11:33:39 PM EDT
[#2]
In!
What a great place! 
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Posted: 4/20/2016 3:50:34 AM EDT
[#3]
Already looks 10x better!
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Posted: 4/20/2016 6:00:17 AM EDT
[#4]
If you don't mind me asking, what state are you in and about what does a place like that cost?
I've looked for something similar in my state(Arkansas), but have come up short. |
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Posted: 4/20/2016 7:08:21 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: In! What a great place! Thanks! |
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Posted: 4/20/2016 7:10:05 AM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Already looks 10x better! Thanks! It was a lot of work to get it to where it is now and we still have a long way to go. Already have reclaimed close to a half acre of yard the previous owners let go into weeds and brush. All of that was cleared and we saved the young trees that were growing in those areas. Some trails cut through the woods, shooting lane going in, etc.. |
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Posted: 4/20/2016 7:11:26 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If you don't mind me asking, what state are you in and about what does a place like that cost? I've looked for something similar in my state(Arkansas), but have come up short. House is located in Indiana and was just shy of $200k for the place. |
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Posted: 4/20/2016 7:16:21 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
House is located in Indiana and was just shy of $200k for the place. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
If you don't mind me asking, what state are you in and about what does a place like that cost? I've looked for something similar in my state(Arkansas), but have come up short. House is located in Indiana and was just shy of $200k for the place. About the same for a similar place here. House would be missing a basement in most cases,though. |
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Posted: 4/20/2016 7:18:52 AM EDT
[#9]
Here are some pics of leveling the fill out around the pole barn. Don't laugh at the broom, don't have a good rake so the GF grabbed the broom
 . Actually worked really well since we tilled it up.This is after we removed all of the large rocks. They got thrown in the pile and some may be used for landscaping in the future. It was worse than the picture shows. 8" high or low in spots. Moved quite a bit of dirt around. Tractor isn't ours, borrowed it from a coworker who lives about 6 miles down the road. Has a 5' tiller on the back that was also used to till the garden.   Front of the pole barn when we moved in. As you can see the previous owners didn't care for mowing or trimming.  Here it is now. We moved two day lilys and put in another 18 lily and iris bulbs. Will get mulch around them later this year.  |
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Posted: 4/20/2016 7:20:10 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: About the same for a similar place here. House would be missing a basement in most cases,though. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: If you don't mind me asking, what state are you in and about what does a place like that cost? I've looked for something similar in my state(Arkansas), but have come up short. House is located in Indiana and was just shy of $200k for the place. About the same for a similar place here. House would be missing a basement in most cases,though. My only requirement when we were house shopping was a full poured basement, not block, with natural drainage, no sump pump. If a house didn't have that we didn't even consider it. |
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Posted: 4/20/2016 9:06:23 AM EDT
[#11]
Here is the east side of the house. When we moved in weeds and brush had grown out about 50 ft from the property line. Once we got it all cleared we found a lot of piles of dirt that were left oven from when the basement was dug 9 years ago and were never leveled out and were allowed to just grow up.
 Here it is after we got it cleared out. When we had the loader tractor I leveled out all of the dirt mounds, cut down some of slopes then tilled the entire area and seeded it.  |
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Posted: 4/20/2016 3:58:32 PM EDT
[#12]
Really nice place. I'm envious of all that flat ground and decent property size and the tractor.
Cost me the same for half an acre in the woods. Not one bit of it is flat either. Every garden bed is a terraced back breaking ordeal. |
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Posted: 4/20/2016 6:27:19 PM EDT
[#13]
Gladiolus are finally starting to grow. Planted 160 of these in front of the porch. Wanted something cheap and pretty for now. Will more than likely be taking everything in front of the porch out in a couple years when it gets rebuilt.
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Posted: 4/20/2016 6:51:41 PM EDT
[#14]
I never realized how scenic Somalia was...
Beautiful. |
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Posted: 4/21/2016 7:26:12 AM EDT
[#15]
Here are some pics of the garden. Put it in what was part of the yard. Last summer we picked the area then I sprayed it with Touchdown to kill everything. Last fall we borrowed the same loader tractor and tilled it up then tilled it again this spring. Hoping to get it planted this spring. Hopefully I won't be doing much in the garden, the GF wanted one so I got her one
  If you noticed the area in front of the tractor was pretty grown up. Spent a lot of time clearing that this spring. Saved about a dozen young hickory trees that were in there.    Stay tuned for more! Garden will be planted soon, will have about a dozen grape vines going in as well. |
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Posted: 4/21/2016 2:02:18 PM EDT
[#16]
Looks like some great earth to garden. Can't beat having a buddy with some equipment and tools, either.
Enjoy! |
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Posted: 4/21/2016 4:43:15 PM EDT
[#17]
TAG.
Nice place, keep it coming. |
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Posted: 4/21/2016 6:23:56 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Looks like some great earth to garden. Can't beat having a buddy with some equipment and tools, either. Enjoy! It's mostly good rich black dirt. One little spot of clay. It definitely helps! On the lookout for a New Holland TC40 of our own. Have access from the tractor in the pics up to a 2013 John Deere 8275R . Having farmer friends has its perks. |
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Posted: 4/21/2016 6:24:13 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: TAG. Nice place, keep it coming. Thanks! Will do! |
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Posted: 4/21/2016 6:25:36 PM EDT
[#20]
Everything from the stump on the left to the edge of the trees on the right was cleared last year. This was all grown up in brush and 8' tall weeds.
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Posted: 4/22/2016 9:16:17 AM EDT
[#21]
Mallard eggs arrived
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Posted: 4/22/2016 10:58:13 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Everything from the stump on the left to the edge of the trees on the right was cleared last year. This was all grown up in brush and 8' tall weeds. <a href="http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/pavelow164781/media/ECC69E30-F9E9-4832-A44D-F8F0ED04C833_zps6hatpqcd.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a531/pavelow164781/ECC69E30-F9E9-4832-A44D-F8F0ED04C833_zps6hatpqcd.jpg</a> That's a lot of backbreaking work--clearing ground like that, and especially since you paid enough attention to save the hickories. That paying attention makes you a smart guy. Smarter than most these days. People just mow everything down because a) they don't care and/or don't understand the inherent value b) It's easier to wipe it clean and plant something (way less valuable) from the store than to save those and d) they don't know how to recognize what kind of sapling is what and won't take the time to figure it out. Sounds to me like you are a good steward of your property. Old timers would be proud. 
ETA:  You have an incubator?
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Posted: 4/22/2016 11:13:01 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: That's a lot of backbreaking work--clearing ground like that, and especially since you paid enough attention to save the hickories. That paying attention makes you a smart guy. Smarter than most these days. People just mow everything down because a) they don't care and/or don't understand the inherent value b) It's easier to wipe it clean and plant something (way less valuable) from the store than to save those and d) they don't know how to recognize what kind of sapling is what and won't take the time to figure it out. Sounds to me like you are a good steward of your property. Old timers would be proud. ETA: You have an incubator?Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Everything from the stump on the left to the edge of the trees on the right was cleared last year. This was all grown up in brush and 8' tall weeds. <a href="http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/pavelow164781/media/ECC69E30-F9E9-4832-A44D-F8F0ED04C833_zps6hatpqcd.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a531/pavelow164781/ECC69E30-F9E9-4832-A44D-F8F0ED04C833_zps6hatpqcd.jpg</a> That's a lot of backbreaking work--clearing ground like that, and especially since you paid enough attention to save the hickories. That paying attention makes you a smart guy. Smarter than most these days. People just mow everything down because a) they don't care and/or don't understand the inherent value b) It's easier to wipe it clean and plant something (way less valuable) from the store than to save those and d) they don't know how to recognize what kind of sapling is what and won't take the time to figure it out. Sounds to me like you are a good steward of your property. Old timers would be proud. ETA: You have an incubator?Thanks! It was a lot of work! Sprayed everything with Crossbow when we bought the place last year taking time to avoid the trees we wanted to keep. Then a lot of work with a chainsaw getting everything cleared. The hickories are too close together now but we're going to give them a few years before we thin them out, a little bit of competition is good. Grew up on a lot bigger place than his. Learned how to take care of a property from my parents who learned from their parents. The ground my parents live on now has been in my dads family 116 years. Yep! Only a little 7 egg one for now. This is our first go hatching anything. Will see how it goes this year. Want to eventually get chicken and quail as well. Will move up to a bigger incubator at that point. |
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Posted: 4/22/2016 2:14:47 PM EDT
[#24]
Tag! This is awesome!
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Posted: 4/22/2016 7:24:15 PM EDT
[#25]
Awesome place OP. Tons of potential there.
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Posted: 4/23/2016 1:25:11 PM EDT
[#26]
Went to the local universities garden expo and a greenhouse today. Picked up another 75 or so gladiola and lily bulbs, grass seed for dense shade areas, garden seeds and a sugar maple tree.
Time to mow the yard and start planting!
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Posted: 4/23/2016 2:23:33 PM EDT
[#27]
NICE looking little maple!
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Posted: 4/24/2016 8:54:51 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: NICE looking little maple! Thanks! We picked this one out of the 10 or so they had. Whomever they had pruning the trees back needs to find a new job. Tree is in the ground, garden is planted, grass seed is sown and being watered down, yard is mowed and went to town on the dandelions with 2,4-D. Also helped the in laws burn off the reeds around their pond. Productive weekend    |
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Posted: 4/24/2016 10:28:54 PM EDT
[#29]
Reeds are interesting to a plant geek like me.
Some varieties of reeds and rushes are among the oldest species on the planet. There's your useless science bit for the day. 
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Posted: 4/24/2016 10:53:33 PM EDT
[#30]
Looking good OP!
Sorry if I missed it, but how many acres are you running there? |
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Posted: 4/25/2016 6:53:40 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Looking good OP! Sorry if I missed it, but how many acres are you running there? Thanks! We have just over 8 acres. About 6 of it is woods with mostly black walnut in it. |
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Posted: 4/25/2016 3:56:50 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Thanks! We have just over 8 acres. About 6 of it is woods with mostly black walnut in it. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Looking good OP! Sorry if I missed it, but how many acres are you running there? Thanks! We have just over 8 acres. About 6 of it is woods with mostly black walnut in it. |
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Posted: 4/25/2016 7:06:42 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: "Savings account" quality or "just there" quality black walnut? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Looking good OP! Sorry if I missed it, but how many acres are you running there? Thanks! We have just over 8 acres. About 6 of it is woods with mostly black walnut in it. Savings account quality. Hoping about half of them will make veneer grade. Best part, the price of the property didn't have any timber included in the price |
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Posted: 4/28/2016 2:42:50 PM EDT
[#34]
Been a rainy week here and haven't got much done. Starting to get some pumpkins sprouting in the garden! This Saturday we plan on planting a lilac bush we picked up, another 50 gladiola bulbs and the lily bulbs from the garden expo. Will get pics up!
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Posted: 4/28/2016 7:03:29 PM EDT
[#35]
Pretty cool, OP. I hope to have a place like that some day. Keep up the good work!
:sub: |
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Posted: 4/29/2016 9:00:28 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Pretty cool, OP. I hope to have a place like that some day. Keep up the good work! :sub: Thanks! Gotta mow tonight, planned on doing a lot outside this weekend now it's supposed to rain all weekend  . And I had a business trip come up at the last minute for most of next week, might be awhile before I get any more done. |
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Posted: 4/29/2016 8:28:55 PM EDT
[#37]
Wound up getting more done today than I planned on. GF was home sick so I took a half day vacation. Got the yard mowed, sprayed roundup and 2,4-D around some trees. Also borrowed a 4 wheeler with a sprayer from a farmer and sprayed the entire yard with 2,4-D to curb the dandelion infestation and knock the clover back some.
 Said farmer also had a half dozen bald cypress trees left over that he got from the state for free that he gave me! Hoping to get them in the ground tomorrow along with the gladiola and lily bulbs. Also in the pic are about 10 grape vines a coworker gave from from cuttings of his vines. Need to get these in the ground at some point as well as the lilac bush.  Day 7 on the Mallard eggs! These should be hatching the first or second day of our 10 day vacation at the end of May.  Stay tuned for more! |
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Posted: 5/8/2016 9:25:39 AM EDT
[#38]
Not a whole lot to report, things are starting to come up in the garden. Bald Cypress are all in the ground as well as the lilac bush and 50 more gladiolus. Still need to get the grape vines in the ground. Didn't get much done the past week, had to leave town for work. On the bright side the 2,4-D looks to have killed about 90% of the dandelion population
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Posted: 5/8/2016 6:29:40 PM EDT
[#39]
Any reason for not planting more edible type stuff (fruit, nut trees, edible bushes) over the stuff you've currently got?
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Posted: 5/10/2016 9:02:48 AM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Any reason for not planting more edible type stuff (fruit, nut trees, edible bushes) over the stuff you've currently got? We will probably end up planting some berry bushes for eating and possibly wine making at some point. Most of the stuff we have planted so far has been for aesthetics and landscaping trying to get the place looking better. |
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Posted: 5/24/2016 5:17:01 PM EDT
[#41]
Sad to report none of the mallard eggs made it
 . Due to our schedules I don't think we could turn them often enough and apparently the incubator we have doesn't have the best temperature uniformity.We went ahead and ordered 6 Snowy Call ducklings which should be here in a week. The now fiancé and I are on vacation this week so we've been trying to get a lot done. Garden got weeded and is starting to shape up.  Over half done digging the duck pond. Backbreaking work as we're doing it with a shovel . Hope to have it finished up this week then get a liner put in within the next few. It is roughly 20'x20' and 2' deep. Partway through mowing the yard the pinion gear for the steering took a shit. Finished mowing only being able to turn left, actually wasn't as bad as it sounds Duh around some stumps and cut them off below ground level. Fiancé bought a new toy a couple weekend ago so we are working on putting new valve seals in it. Waiting on a valve spring compressor to show up. Here's her new 1979 280ZX.  Also been going tractor shopping this week. Really like the new 3039R, will probably be going to look at an L3901 later this week. Stay tuned for more. |
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Posted: 5/24/2016 5:58:47 PM EDT
[#42]
Tractors are addictive. I just sat on a Mahindra 55 hp hST this week.
I had to walk away as my wife would kill me with our son coming to this world Friday.
Others may recommend differently but if I had it to do over again, I would buy the biggest machine I could afford with the most FEL lift capacity. |
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Posted: 5/24/2016 6:05:57 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Tractors are addictive. I just sat on a Mahindra 55 hp hST this week. I had to walk away as my wife would kill me with our son coming to this world Friday. Others may recommend differently but if I had it to do over again, I would buy the biggest machine I could afford with the most FEL lift capacity. That's the plan! Would love a used TC40 but damn financing a used tractor is ugly. Will probably not buy anything until later this fall, just shopping around getting hard quotes and seeing what I want to go with. |
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Posted: 5/24/2016 6:06:49 PM EDT
[#44]
Also had a couple coons that have been ripping apart the bird feeder to get at the seed and suet cakes this week, they're no longer a problem...
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Posted: 5/24/2016 11:08:48 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Also had a couple coons that have been ripping apart the bird feeder to get at the seed and suet cakes this week, they're no longer a problem...  |
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Posted: 5/25/2016 9:14:56 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Also had a couple coons that have been ripping apart the bird feeder to get at the seed and suet cakes this week, they're no longer a problem... Have a heart trap, can of cat food and a 45. I don't think that's what the have a heart folks had in mind... |
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Posted: 5/25/2016 9:16:57 PM EDT
[#47]
Today's project was getting lattice up around the porch.
   Lattice is a pain in the ass to work with. Still have a bird feeder hanger to build this week and some bird feeders. Stay tuned! |
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Posted: 5/26/2016 2:00:21 PM EDT
[#48]
Good lookin place bud looks like all the work is paying off
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Posted: 5/28/2016 1:06:22 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Good lookin place bud looks like all the work is paying off Thanks! It's a lot of work to get it to where we want it but we're getting there. |
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Posted: 5/28/2016 1:10:22 PM EDT
[#50]
Today we got a bird feeder hanger with some suet cake holder and places to hold ear corn for squirrels done. Right out the back door and visible from the dining room and kitchen. Have about $40 in it.
  The white stuff on the ground is drywall the previous owners threw out Haven't gotten it cleaned up yet and been too windy the past two weeks to spray any round up. Place is still a work in progress with a long list of stuff to do. |
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