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Posted: 3/15/2017 5:25:48 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Pavelow16478]
[#1]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
I'll add...a rototiller has its uses. I have one. But it actually pulverizes the soil. [ALERT--geek-like info dump below] 
In extremely simplified terms, good soil, the way it forms over thousands of years, is actually not just a pile of single bits of anything. It's composed of small "bundles" of stuff. This includes bits of sand, silt, clay, bits of organic matter like leaves, grass, sticks, tons of microoranisms that move through the soil and consume those organic bits and poop out (I do mean extremely simplified, folks) other good stuff, etc. An IMPORTANT part of this is that those little bundles are chemically active. Think of them like a molecule instead of single atoms.If you remember any of basic chemistry (I know, mostly only geeks do)m molecules form largely because of the chemical attractions between the elements present. The bottom line is that the chemical "attraction" that's present on those little bundles of soil stuff is what grabs onto and holds things like Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and the other essential plant nutrients necessary for growing things. When you rototill, you bust up the molecule into smaller particles, breaking all kinds of chemical bonds, and basically, because the particles are so small now, any pressure is going to compact that soil WAY more than it would have if the particles were in original condition and had more substance. More muscle. Those little bundles are what allow for good drainage. The tiny particles don't drain nearly as well. (Think heavy Georgia red clay, which is mostly the smallest particles you can get all packed together.) It takes thousands of years to build those little clumps into something magic. It takes only a few passes with a rototiller over a few seasons to completely destroy them. Even gardening for many decades with a plow, disk and drag will pulverize soil. The ground where I grew up was no longer as productive...it's no longer a good garden spot....after my folks gardened there for nearly 70 years. Rototilling is not the ultimate evil, but it is a tool that should be used carefully and not as a cure-all because it does the most damage per "pass" of the commonly available tillage equipment. "Aeration" is generally considered going in and making little holes (which is why the best aerators actually pull little plugs out) which allows roots and the soil bundles to sort of "spread out" which actually is "anti-compacting" if that makes any sense? When you speak of "fluffing up" the soil, the best goal to go after is to loosen the structure enough to create a decent planting medium so the tender roots can penetrate it, but to leave as many of the bundles intact as possible. Okay I'll shut up now. Sorry OP. I sort of can't help myself. 
[/info dump]  Cover crops are an option as well |
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Posted: 3/15/2017 6:53:17 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Kitties-with-Sigs]
[#2]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Pavelow16478:
Cover crops are an option as well In the theme of soil management, which I truly don't mean to use to jack this very excellent thread (maybe we should start one on soil structure and management. But I always start those "education and information threads" and then life happens and I can't keep up with them) Anyway back to the interrupted sentence... In the theme of soil management, cover crops are one of the most powerful tools available IMO, and thank you Pavelow for mentioning that. They are so awesome because cover crops, green manure crops, and their ilk, actually BUILD soil structure and help to offset, to a small degree, the breakdown we cause with tillage. We can NOT replace the damage in equal measure because only time can build that structure. No-till farmers try hard to avoid tearing up their soil for a lot of reasons, to preserve the soil structure for one, and for another, to avoid erosion. Hard to say whether beating the soil to death, or losing it altogether is worse, but overtilling of course leads to the loss. The unfortunate side of no-till is that farmers must rely on chemicals to replace tillage, and there are drawbacks to that as well, and big arguments and a fence down the middle between the two sides for a lot of people. That fence is not helpful. So this is always a balance. For anybody wanting to avoid ag chemical use as much as possible, more tillage is pretty much necessary. I believe that understanding what we're doing to the soil with what we do is key, and it's smart to understand all we can so we don't buy into either the "no-till is perfect" or "all chemical use should be banned" mindset. The word "sustainability" gets a bad rap now from some, as it's been beaten to death, but it's a very sound approach for anybody to use in thinking about these things. Crop rotation is also one of the best things we can do for our soil. (In this instance I mean rotating where we would put a garden or crop of any kind, and in best case, rotate in a long-term cover crop like a perennial grass) Because letting the land "rest" from tillage allows it to heal a bit (not a very scientific term, that) between sessions. But that takes more work and more land. For anybody who is interested in learning more about taking care of the soil you own, holler and I can IM some good links. The county agent will have info on that too. In some areas I think there is still money for acres managed well. I have no details on any of that, though. Shutting up again.
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Posted: 4/10/2017 9:38:30 AM EDT
[Last Edit: cucamelsmd15]
[#3]
So, this thread saved me some headache. I called to get rip rap. Asked for the big stuff. Then I remembered someone in this thread saying "dont ask for the big stuff, because theyll show up with a tri-ax with a piece of rip rap and the truck at capacity". So I said, whats the big stuff? Oh, 12-36". NOPE.
So, thanks ARF. Instead, I now know to ask for Class B, which is 6-12". 
And thats about what 20.5 tons of it looks like. $800 delivered from Martin Marietta. So, now the work begins... 
Part of my strategic placement has been "places I want to slow water down" and "places I am too lazy to pushmow/weedeat".
And heres the real challenge... 
My dad was kind enough to help me out part of Saturday, but Saturday and Sunday afternoon, I just started dumping with the intent Ill spread it out today. 
The best I can figure is that Ill need another truckload at a minimum. Maybe two. The ditch on the left is 1/2-1/4 the width of the first one, so it should take substantially less rock. Ive been half dumping and half hand placing. Not really placing, just spreading out to lock some of the pieces together. 
Garden is in for the year. 9 rows of Blue Lake beans, a row of okra, row of broccoli, row of cucumbers, row of cabbage, row of brussel sprouts, two watermelon hills for my daughter and a couple of squash/zucchini plants. Oh, and a bunch of tomato plants. Cherry, Roma and Big Boys. 
Also built a few flower beds with castle stone. I need to do the front flower bed, but Ill likely need 2-3 pallets of stone. 
This is my last week of unemployment, so getting the ditches done is the big push. The rest are weekend projects at this point. |
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Posted: 4/10/2017 10:04:41 AM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cucamelsmd15:
So, this thread saved me some headache. I called to get rip rap. Asked for the big stuff. Then I remembered someone in this thread saying "dont ask for the big stuff, because theyll show up with a tri-ax with a piece of rip rap and the truck at capacity". So I said, whats the big stuff? Oh, 12-36". NOPE. So, thanks ARF. Instead, I now know to ask for Class B, which is 6-12". http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170407_084808172.jpg http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170407_084959909.jpg And thats about what 20.5 tons of it looks like. $800 delivered from Martin Marietta. So, now the work begins... http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170408_102621317.jpg http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170408_111736538.jpg Part of my strategic placement has been "places I want to slow water down" and "places I am too lazy to pushmow/weedeat".
And heres the real challenge... http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170408_111715219_HDR.jpg My dad was kind enough to help me out part of Saturday, but Saturday and Sunday afternoon, I just started dumping with the intent Ill spread it out today. http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170409_155924040.jpg The best I can figure is that Ill need another truckload at a minimum. Maybe two. The ditch on the left is 1/2-1/4 the width of the first one, so it should take substantially less rock. Ive been half dumping and half hand placing. Not really placing, just spreading out to lock some of the pieces together. http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170401_152913409.jpg Garden is in for the year. 9 rows of Blue Lake beans, a row of okra, row of broccoli, row of cucumbers, row of cabbage, row of brussel sprouts, two watermelon hills for my daughter and a couple of squash/zucchini plants. Oh, and a bunch of tomato plants. Cherry, Roma and Big Boys. http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170325_145017674.jpg http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170325_145032416.jpg Also built a few flower beds with castle stone. I need to do the front flower bed, but Ill likely need 2-3 pallets of stone.
This is my last week of unemployment, so getting the ditches done is the big push. The rest are weekend projects at this point. |
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Posted: 4/10/2017 12:42:15 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cucamelsmd15:
So, this thread saved me some headache. I called to get rip rap. Asked for the big stuff. Then I remembered someone in this thread saying "dont ask for the big stuff, because theyll show up with a tri-ax with a piece of rip rap and the truck at capacity". So I said, whats the big stuff? Oh, 12-36". NOPE. So, thanks ARF. Instead, I now know to ask for Class B, which is 6-12". http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170407_084808172.jpg http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170407_084959909.jpg And thats about what 20.5 tons of it looks like. $800 delivered from Martin Marietta. So, now the work begins... http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170408_102621317.jpg http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170408_111736538.jpg Part of my strategic placement has been "places I want to slow water down" and "places I am too lazy to pushmow/weedeat".
And heres the real challenge... http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170408_111715219_HDR.jpg My dad was kind enough to help me out part of Saturday, but Saturday and Sunday afternoon, I just started dumping with the intent Ill spread it out today. http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170409_155924040.jpg The best I can figure is that Ill need another truckload at a minimum. Maybe two. The ditch on the left is 1/2-1/4 the width of the first one, so it should take substantially less rock. Ive been half dumping and half hand placing. Not really placing, just spreading out to lock some of the pieces together. http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170401_152913409.jpg Garden is in for the year. 9 rows of Blue Lake beans, a row of okra, row of broccoli, row of cucumbers, row of cabbage, row of brussel sprouts, two watermelon hills for my daughter and a couple of squash/zucchini plants. Oh, and a bunch of tomato plants. Cherry, Roma and Big Boys. http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170325_145017674.jpg http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170325_145032416.jpg Also built a few flower beds with castle stone. I need to do the front flower bed, but Ill likely need 2-3 pallets of stone.
This is my last week of unemployment, so getting the ditches done is the big push. The rest are weekend projects at this point. |
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Posted: 4/10/2017 1:02:20 PM EDT
[Last Edit: cucamelsmd15]
[#6]
Haha, yeah, this HAS been my employment for the past few weeks. That and a ton of interviews. It has actually been welcomed because Id rather do some of this stuff now than in the middle of July and August. Those should be pool months, not schlepping stone around.
Edit: No apologies necessary. Theres a thread in Team, but to say theres no love lost between the former company and I would be an understatement. |
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Posted: 4/10/2017 5:15:20 PM EDT
[#7]
So, you know the mechanics gloves from China Freight?
Two pairs since Saturday. Rip rap just eats holes through the fingertips. Also, getting out the waders to go wade through the little pond down by the culvert. More on that later. 
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Posted: 4/13/2017 12:21:09 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cucamelsmd15:
So, you know the mechanics gloves from China Freight? Two pairs since Saturday. Rip rap just eats holes through the fingertips. Also, getting out the waders to go wade through the little pond down by the culvert. More on that later. The heavy leather gloves (suede) for manual labor are the best but they are all too big for me and don't come in small sizes, even if the stores would carry smalls. 
SO...My experience is...buy ghe cheapest leather gloves you can get and buy them by the dozen. |
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Posted: 4/13/2017 1:25:27 PM EDT
[#9]
So, what was goin on with the pond?
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Posted: 4/13/2017 7:37:05 PM EDT
[Last Edit: cucamelsmd15]
[#10]
So, on the pond...
There was some concern of a spring under the road. I can safely say, that is not the case. The pond however, has to be fed by a spring. We borrowed a pump and genset and pumped the thing for two days. If you look back at my pictures, you can see where the discharge side has been dug out and the galvanized pipe, which has rusted out. The good news is, on examination, the pipe running under the road appears solid. About 18" on the pond side needs some work, and the aforementioned rusted part needs replacement. It would appear that the pipe is horizontal under the road, then breaks on the culvert side. Id like to scope it, but assuming the pipe is good and clean, and I have reason to believe it is, Im inclined not to disturb it or the asphalt and fix the 18" or so on the pond side, along with the culvert side. My gut says if we disturb that, we will have ongoing issues for years. Now, on to more fun stuff... Had the HVAC guys out today to call a preemptive strike on the HVAC. We are going to rework a couple of issues with the upstairs unit, as well as go up 1/2 ton. The bonus room will lose its current 1.5 ton unit in favor of a one ton mini split that we will duct in. The downstairs stays the same. I fully expect this to come in at $12-$13k, but at the same time, not to cause me nagging issues like it has been. Based on my math, this should lop $60-70 off the power bill. We are running the AC right now for dehumidification. I picked up an electric cooktop over the weekend. Lets play "count the code violations" 
Good news is, it works and gets the canning out of the kitchen. And off the glass cooktop. And then theres this: 
41 tons of rip rap. Enough to finish the ditches and a couple of other problem areas I have. Garden is looking good. Broccoli and beans are sprouting now. Gonna need to get on the fence to keep the deer out. They decimated a couple of my tomato plants.
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Posted: 4/27/2017 4:40:24 PM EDT
[#11]
That is a lot of rock!
Lookin' good. |
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Posted: 5/14/2017 2:55:27 PM EDT
[#12]
Time for an update!
I havent touched the rip rap unfortunately. This whole being gainfully employed thing eats into your free time. My plan is to dump and let my wife place on her days off or whenever I have a few free hours in the evening over the next few weeks.
That is not to say things havent been progressing. We are on the board with the HVAC guys to do a full gut and install at the end of the month. I had a few options, ranging from basement bottom (outdoor units and coils only) to the pimpy variable speed everything. Pricewise, looking at $12k-$21k. I ultimately settled on two stage compressors for up and downstairs, variable speed air handlers with propane backups still (bleh ) and matched coils. All in, the price comes to $18.7k. That probably seems high up front, BUT, they are completely reducting the attic space. As in, take all the old stuff out and put new stuff (including dampers) in. So while I am pretty much breaking the bank, I shouldnt have to repeat this exercise in the next 15 years, and the variable speed fans and two stage compressors will hopefully solve some of the humidity issues we have along with evening out the house temperatures. On days like today with full sun, the front of the house is 3-4* warmer than the back of the house. Having the variable fans that run in recirc mode when no heating/cooling calls are active should help mitigate that.
The garden has come in nicely (Ill get some pics this afternoon), but DAMN, its a weedfest. Doesnt matter how much we hoe, its like they pop right back up and it is maddening. Any sage wisdom on fixing this? Obviously, not going the route of industrial strength Roundup since its a garden area, but my Grandmother suggested straight old white vinegar with a pinch of dish soap. Lastly, we have been lucky with regular rain, but back in the fall, I had gutters put on the barn. Barn is a metal roof and I had the gutter guys cut and band a section about 6ft off the ground so I could add IBC totes for rain collection. Its time to put that plan in place. I can source 330gal IBC totes locally for $80/per, and I was planning on starting with two on the east side of the barn close to the garden. I have a 110v water pump to pump it where it needs to go, but now I need something to distribute. I thought about soaker hoses, but given the garden scale (40x175), it would require a lot of hose. Same goes for drip irrigation. So, my next thought was a couple of tripod sprinklers. Thoughts? |
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Posted: 5/14/2017 5:26:32 PM EDT
[#13]
I love my dual fuel propane/heat pump. Only way to go IMO if you don't have natural gas available.
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Posted: 5/14/2017 8:29:04 PM EDT
[#14]
Dont get me wrong, I like having them as a backup and knowing I can heat the house for the (genset) cost of turning the fan, BUT, dealing with the propane company and their merry band of misfit assholes leaves a lot to be desired.
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Posted: 5/14/2017 8:31:42 PM EDT
[#15]
In other news, I get to find out how Husqvarna's warranty process is. I broke one of the hydro linkages on the zero turn tonight while mowing.
As an aside, even though ZT mowers have a hydro bypass, its like pushing a truck. More accurately, with the dew coming up on the grass, I had to put the ATV in 4WD.
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Posted: 5/14/2017 10:59:02 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cucamelsmd15:
The garden has come in nicely (Ill get some pics this afternoon), but DAMN, its a weedfest. Doesnt matter how much we hoe, its like they pop right back up and it is maddening. Any sage wisdom on fixing this? If you have woodchips or can get woodchips from a tree trimming company that would work well as too plus add to your soil. |
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Posted: 5/14/2017 11:46:26 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Kitties-with-Sigs]
[#17]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cucamelsmd15:
The garden has come in nicely (Ill get some pics this afternoon), but DAMN, its a weedfest. Doesnt matter how much we hoe, its like they pop right back up and it is maddening. Any sage wisdom on fixing this? Obviously, not going the route of industrial strength Roundup since its a garden area, but my Grandmother suggested straight old white vinegar with a pinch of dish soap. If you keep at the weeds, eventuallly you win. It gets easier each year after the first two or three. I have found this to be true. It falls outside the realm of my professional training, but it's still true. So.. You have to decide what to do about that. You can fight the weeds the old fashioned way. You can give up and let them take the garden (you will still get some tomatoes and other veggies, but it will not look pretty) Or you can blast it all with chemicals, which will kill everything. Of course, I suggest the option that yields the long-term benefit. But I'm not you. I've BEEN you. I understand the pressure of too much to do in too little time. My best advice is to let the garden go. Harvest what you can and forget the rest until you have more time another year. It is not about winning the war. It is about the battle in front of you. So you pick one enemy at a time and deal with that. A weed infested garden is not a big deal. REally it isn't. Work on other stuff first. harvest whatever is available, and you'll be surprised what makes it through. 
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Posted: 5/15/2017 12:34:01 AM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
My mom (She will be 90 in October if she makes it that long) told me something really useful a number of years back. If you keep at the weeds, eventuallly you win. It gets easier each year after the first two or three. I have found this to be true. It falls outside the realm of my professional training, but it's still true. |
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Posted: 6/1/2017 7:21:28 PM EDT
[Last Edit: cucamelsmd15]
[#19]
The HVAC war has just about wrapped up. The last offensive is tomorrow with the gaspack conversion and final touch up prior to county inspection.
This was the upstairs coil: 
I quipped to the tech who usually comes out that Id rather do this than in July, and he replied "Im surprised that coil has made it this long". I touched one of the copper capillaries, and it was paper thin. So, this was a good call. Out with the old... 
In with the new... 
They had told me previously the new units were HUGE, but they were not kidding. For size comparison: 
The one on the left is a 2 ton unit. The one on the right is a 2.5 ton unit. A keen eye will note the drain on the far right in the previous picture. In the picture with the two new units, the far left is the upstairs heat pump and the right is the downstairs heat pump. The previous arrangement had the bonus room heat pump on the far left, the downstairs heat pump in the middle and the upstairs heat pump right below the window. That window is a master bedroom window. To say Im glad its gone is an understatement. Also, a keen observer might note that there are now two units where there used to be three. Thats because the bonus room is now heated/cooled with this: 
A ductless mini split. Between the unit and the fan up there, it keeps it nice and comfortable. I need UPS to deliver the lineset hider kit so I can touch it up. I put it in myself because, hey, engineer. I only have one tiny refrigerant burn to show for it. I downgraded from a 1.5 ton unit to a 1 ton unit so it dehumidifies.
On that subject, let me tell you guys something... I went with two stage outdoor units, variable speed blowers, and a two stage gas furnace downstairs and single stage upstairs. Both sets controlled by the Trane XL824 thermostat. BUT, in NC, being able to do dehumidify on demand is AWESOME. I keep the house a little warmer now because with ceiling fans, its just that much more comfortable, but the AC units go after the humidity first, and then temp. So yes, they do overcool in some instances by a degree or two, but the feeling of not having a "sticky" house is AWESOME. If I would have known this when we bought the house, I would have done it then. |
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Posted: 6/1/2017 7:27:38 PM EDT
[Last Edit: cucamelsmd15]
[#20]
On to the garden...
Good news and bad news. Good news is, the beans and 'maters have LOVED the rain we've had lately. 
Ive got Roma, Cherry and Big Boy all on the vines. Anyone have a good salsa recipe they'd share? Now, the bad: 
The foreground is broccoli, background is cabbage and brussel sprouts. While the broccoli sprouted, they have not flowered and I dont know why. And with the heat of June coming on, I feel like they may not flower at all. The cabbage though has heads forming but the brussel sprouts seem to have hit a lull. I am thinking about replanting all three towards the end of July so I can try a fall harvest in cooler weather. Also, my wife had the bright idea to take the weedeater to some of the taller weeds and we can hoe the rest. I knew theres a reason why I keep her around.
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Posted: 6/1/2017 10:51:08 PM EDT
[#21]
If you want canned/cooked salsa I just use the Mrs Wages packet as a base and add extra onion and fresh garlic to it.
Otherwise here are four different ways to make fresh garden salsa. The lime juice and cilantro are the key ingredients to really bring out the flavor but that is just a personal preference. § 4 cupsfinely chopped tomatoes § 1/2 cupminced onion § 1/2chopped cilantro § 1 jalapenominced § 1 teaspoon salt § 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper § 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder § 1 tablespoon lime juice 6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped* 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoon cilantro Juice of ½ lime Salt and pepper 1 lg. tomatoes, chopped 1-2 serrano chilies,chopped 1/3 c. green onions 2 tbsp. cilantro,chopped 2 tbsp. lime juice 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 peck ripe tomatoes, chopped 2 med. onions, chopped 2 lg. green bellpeppers, chopped 2 Anaheim peppers,chopped 1 bunch fresh cilantro,chopped fine 3 jalepenos, choppedfine 4 cloves garlic,crushed 2 tsp. cumin seed 1 tbsp. salt 1/4 c. lemon juice 2 tbsp. sugar 1 c. water |
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Posted: 6/2/2017 4:43:34 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE:
If you want canned/cooked salsa I just use the Mrs Wages packet as a base and add extra onion and fresh garlic to it. Otherwise here are four different ways to make fresh garden salsa. The lime juice and cilantro are the key ingredients to really bring out the flavor but that is just a personal preference. § 4 cupsfinely chopped tomatoes § 1/2 cupminced onion § 1/2chopped cilantro § 1 jalapenominced § 1 teaspoon salt § 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper § 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder § 1 tablespoon lime juice 6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped* 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoon cilantro Juice of ½ lime Salt and pepper 1 lg. tomatoes, chopped 1-2 serrano chilies,chopped 1/3 c. green onions 2 tbsp. cilantro,chopped 2 tbsp. lime juice 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 peck ripe tomatoes, chopped 2 med. onions, chopped 2 lg. green bellpeppers, chopped 2 Anaheim peppers,chopped 1 bunch fresh cilantro,chopped fine 3 jalepenos, choppedfine 4 cloves garlic,crushed 2 tsp. cumin seed 1 tbsp. salt 1/4 c. lemon juice 2 tbsp. sugar 1 c. water |
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Posted: 6/2/2017 7:10:33 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By jcarrel:
The second and last one looks interesting. |
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Posted: 6/5/2017 6:02:44 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ColtRifle:
I love my dual fuel propane/heat pump. Only way to go IMO if you don't have natural gas available. I'm wondering whether you had something different before, and if so, what changes you saw to your electric and propane usage/bills when you went with the dual fuel. Thanks in advance.. Kitties |
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Posted: 6/5/2017 6:07:39 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cucamelsmd15:
The HVAC war has just about wrapped up. The last offensive is tomorrow with the gaspack conversion and final touch up prior to county inspection. This was the upstairs coil: http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170526_103648212.jpg http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170526_103705487.jpg I quipped to the tech who usually comes out that Id rather do this than in July, and he replied "Im surprised that coil has made it this long". I touched one of the copper capillaries, and it was paper thin. So, this was a good call. Out with the old... http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170526_093524901_HDR.jpg In with the new... http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170601_185301102.jpg They had told me previously the new units were HUGE, but they were not kidding. For size comparison: http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170526_111807762.jpg The one on the left is a 2 ton unit. The one on the right is a 2.5 ton unit. A keen eye will note the drain on the far right in the previous picture. In the picture with the two new units, the far left is the upstairs heat pump and the right is the downstairs heat pump. The previous arrangement had the bonus room heat pump on the far left, the downstairs heat pump in the middle and the upstairs heat pump right below the window. That window is a master bedroom window. To say Im glad its gone is an understatement. Also, a keen observer might note that there are now two units where there used to be three. Thats because the bonus room is now heated/cooled with this: http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/cucamelsmd15/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20170601_185836603.jpg A ductless mini split. Between the unit and the fan up there, it keeps it nice and comfortable. I need UPS to deliver the lineset hider kit so I can touch it up. I put it in myself because, hey, engineer. I only have one tiny refrigerant burn to show for it. I downgraded from a 1.5 ton unit to a 1 ton unit so it dehumidifies.
On that subject, let me tell you guys something... I went with two stage outdoor units, variable speed blowers, and a two stage gas furnace downstairs and single stage upstairs. Both sets controlled by the Trane XL824 thermostat. BUT, in NC, being able to do dehumidify on demand is AWESOME. I keep the house a little warmer now because with ceiling fans, its just that much more comfortable, but the AC units go after the humidity first, and then temp. So yes, they do overcool in some instances by a degree or two, but the feeling of not having a "sticky" house is AWESOME. If I would have known this when we bought the house, I would have done it then. |
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Posted: 6/5/2017 9:24:01 PM EDT
[Last Edit: cucamelsmd15]
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
OMGosh, is that mold on the fins in that old unit? I'm not going to speak for ColtRifle, but I like the fact that mine are backups because of previously mentioned benefits of running off a generator. However, my supply company leaves a LOT to be desired, and that has me shopping for other providers. My wife on the other hand who is conditioned to the natural gas we had in our last house and not heat pump heat loves when they are on because the heat feels hot. YMMV and all that. Edit: For the record, nothing is a threadjack here. I learn to from you guys, which is part of why I started this thread. You wanna talk about something, go ahead.
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Posted: 6/5/2017 10:33:24 PM EDT
[Last Edit: ColtRifle]
[#27]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs:
@ColtRifle if it's not too much of a thread jack (if OP doesn't mind) will you talk about your dual fuel unit? This is the way my HVAC guy wants us to go when we have to replace (hopefully not for another three years at least, but the time...it cometh and lo, it cometh quickly) I'm wondering whether you had something different before, and if so, what changes you saw to your electric and propane usage/bills when you went with the dual fuel. Thanks in advance.. Kitties The problem with heat pumps are several. Some heat pumps suffer from "dirty sock syndrome" in the winter. My last house did (all electric). Basically in colder temps the inside coil doesn't get very warm and funk starts to grow on it and causes a bad odor. With a dual fuel, the gas furnace gets very hot and heats up the inside coil enough to kill anything growing on it. So no funky odors. Depending on your propane rates (currently $1.39 per gallon delivered but even cheaper in the summer...last year was .99 per gallon) it's likely cheaper to heat with electric when the temps are above 30*. But, the heat pump needs help below that so the resistance heat kicks in....and your meter starts spinning like a helo. My heat pump still kicks out somewhat warm air at 30* but as the temp drops, the gas kicks on and is nice and warm. The air from the vents always feels great. We have a 2250 sq ft house well insulated. Our highest electrical bill has been just over $100 per month and the average is somewhere around $80 or so. We use about $25 average per month in propane...more in winter less in summer...and that depends on the going rate for propane as well. The real key is the good insulation but the comfort and cost savings of the dual fuel blows away a straight heat pump. Another advantage of the dual fuel is you need a big generator to run the heat pump but you only need a small one to run the furnace. In a power outage you can run the furnace with a small generator by turning the thermostat to emergency heat only and running just the gas furnace. |
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Posted: 6/7/2017 9:05:05 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ColtRifle:
We built a house and installed it new. So can't compare directly in the same house. We built very efficient so that also makes a big difference. The problem with heat pumps are several. Some heat pumps suffer from "dirty sock syndrome" in the winter. My last house did (all electric). Basically in colder temps the inside coil doesn't get very warm and funk starts to grow on it and causes a bad odor. With a dual fuel, the gas furnace gets very hot and heats up the inside coil enough to kill anything growing on it. So no funky odors. Depending on your propane rates (currently $1.39 per gallon delivered but even cheaper in the summer...last year was .99 per gallon) it's likely cheaper to heat with electric when the temps are above 30*. But, the heat pump needs help below that so the resistance heat kicks in....and your meter starts spinning like a helo. My heat pump still kicks out somewhat warm air at 30* but as the temp drops, the gas kicks on and is nice and warm. The air from the vents always feels great. We have a 2250 sq ft house well insulated. Our highest electrical bill has been just over $100 per month and the average is somewhere around $80 or so. We use about $25 average per month in propane...more in winter less in summer...and that depends on the going rate for propane as well. The real key is the good insulation but the comfort and cost savings of the dual fuel blows away a straight heat pump. Another advantage of the dual fuel is you need a big generator to run the heat pump but you only need a small one to run the furnace. In a power outage you can run the furnace with a small generator by turning the thermostat to emergency heat only and running just the gas furnace. Your propane rates are WAY cheaper than ours. The cheapest I have paid here is 1.79 per gallon, and that's at summer fill. It's been up to 2.19 before. Yeah, it's the equivalent of statutory rape, but we have no recourse. When our propane heat pack unit was put in, propane was like your rates. The next year was 9-11, and it's never come back down. It's asinine. I'm debating. I can wire a house, plumb a house (anal about venting and my plumbing runs like a freaking well-oiled machine) frame a house, roof a house (if I have to) and pretty much do everything else required for how a house works. But I know so very little about HVAC. It's sad. |
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Posted: 6/7/2017 9:06:15 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cucamelsmd15:
Nope. They are tiny balls of dust that make it through the filter and then collect on the coil. If you touch one, it's like one of the dusty mushrooms in your yard, it just goes poof. I'm not going to speak for ColtRifle, but I like the fact that mine are backups because of previously mentioned benefits of running off a generator. However, my supply company leaves a LOT to be desired, and that has me shopping for other providers. My wife on the other hand who is conditioned to the natural gas we had in our last house and not heat pump heat loves when they are on because the heat feels hot. YMMV and all that. Edit: For the record, nothing is a threadjack here. I learn to from you guys, which is part of why I started this thread. You wanna talk about something, go ahead.
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Posted: 6/22/2017 5:21:58 PM EDT
[Last Edit: cucamelsmd15]
[#30]
So, I have been busy...
This is one of FIVE canning runs we have made this year. Do the math. We picked the last few beans today and pulled the plants. We will snap about half and seed about half for next year. 
I am not sure whats happened with cucumbers this year, and the zucchini also made an early exit. The cukes are yellowish, and not firm when picked. I dont know why. Theyre also horribly bitter. The last few have been green and firm and good to eat though. I dont know what caused this, but its caused me to toss about half of the cucumbers for these guys to eat... 
Also, my makeshift canning setup has worked GREAT 
I need to find a better way to attach the stove to something more solid, but the coil stove cut our cycle times from 3 hours to less than an hour if you hotpack jars and have the water in the canner hot. Thats made a HUGE difference for us. Plus less heat in the kitchen. And lastly, have some cute overload. 
A lady we go to church with comes every Tuesday and Saturday and gives her swim lessons here because the child has zero fear of the water. After a couple of lessons, shes gotten the basic doggy paddle and a butterfly-ish stroke down. Next up out of the garden are going to be tomatoes. I clipped what few broccoli heads we got (Ill plant more for fall harvest in a month or so) and we got our first head of cabbage thats downstairs being cooked right now. We had a few brussel sprouts, but they are HORRIBLY bitter. Im thinking I planted too late and I need to replant now to do a fall harvest in cooler weather. Also, code inspection has been conducted twice on the HVAC and failed both times.  Not for fault of the HVAC guys, its a racket with the county.
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Posted: 6/25/2017 1:25:43 PM EDT
[#31]
Nice canning haul!
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Posted: 7/20/2017 7:50:51 PM EDT
[#32]
I see Photofuckit has officially nuked all my pics. If anyone wants copies, let me know.
In other news, I have employed the help of my lovely wife to do rip rap. Ive dumped with the tractor, and she has spread. We are almost complete on the larger ditch on the driveway. The smaller should take significantly less time. The difference during thunderstorms is HUGE. HUGE. It was worth the effort. Once we do the smaller side, my next project is a pergola on the pool deck and finishing some flower beds I started during my period of unintended vacation. Fall is going to focus on the barn. Building workbenches, organizing and framing out the bottom 1/2 are the primary focus. I finally was present and read the riot act to the county inspectors for the HVAC, and it finally passed. Imagine that.
First full month on the power bill lopped $40 off, and thats probably because I had an algae bloom in the pool that required a week of pump run time. Looks like I was about right on my $$$ calcs. I got a quote today for new driveway gravel. Doing a 3" pour over the current bed comes out to about 80 tons of gravel. Im going to go ahead and pull the trigger on that. People always ask me what its like having a house/homestead of this size, and I tell them its economy of scale. You buy a gallon of Round Up, I buy 10. You get a couple bags of gravel for the drive, I get a truck load. Maybe two. Its not for the faint of heart, but I wouldnt trade it for anything. |
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Posted: 7/21/2017 12:49:00 AM EDT
[#33]
Shoot.
Can you upload to the arfcom server somehow? I have Fototime, so never use our server, but I understand it's available to members? |
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Posted: 8/23/2017 9:00:25 PM EDT
[#34]
Right...
80 tons of gravel scheduled for next Friday. Another 80 tons after that for the parking pad and gravel pad behind the barn in a few weeks if I like the mom n' pop shop Im using this time. We are now on the second month with new HVAC. Comparing heating days to heating days from last year, and now that Ive programmed the thermostats, the difference was $70. Thats a solid 1/3 of our power bill. Downsides of having 100% full southern exposure during the summer and all, but thats freaking huge. Just for a second, Ill nerd out. When we bought the house, well, shortly after, I purchased a Samsung Smarthings hub. Perks of being an engineer and all, but writing code is second nature to me, so Ive automated a bunch of normal functions around the house, including presence based thermostats. But, Ive got to say, incorporating the security system along with the control mechanisms has been a HUGE benefit. Everything is automated. Having guests at the house like we recently did is as easy as pushing a button. The theromstats keep setpoints, lights, fans and automations run like they should. Its wonderful. I kind of love the whole home automation thing. On to landscape maintenance... Ive had an issue with my zero turn lately that I have yet to figure out. At 140 hours in a year and a half, Im sure a set of replacement blades will do it some good at this point. Currently, I am getting an uneven cut in places that I havent previously. Having sloped land, its a given that youll get it in SOME places, but its popped up in others where I previously didnt have an issue. Fall projects are finishing rip rap laying (its been too hot the past month or two), as well as redoing flower beds in the front of the house. Pursuant to the latter point, does anyone have experience with burying pipe that you feed gutters into and routing water away from the house foundation and/or flower beds for drainage purposes? |
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Posted: 8/24/2017 7:00:49 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cucamelsmd15:
Right... 80 tons of gravel scheduled for next Friday. Another 80 tons after that for the parking pad and gravel pad behind the barn in a few weeks if I like the mom n' pop shop Im using this time. We are now on the second month with new HVAC. Comparing heating days to heating days from last year, and now that Ive programmed the thermostats, the difference was $70. Thats a solid 1/3 of our power bill. Downsides of having 100% full southern exposure during the summer and all, but thats freaking huge. Just for a second, Ill nerd out. When we bought the house, well, shortly after, I purchased a Samsung Smarthings hub. Perks of being an engineer and all, but writing code is second nature to me, so Ive automated a bunch of normal functions around the house, including presence based thermostats. But, Ive got to say, incorporating the security system along with the control mechanisms has been a HUGE benefit. Everything is automated. Having guests at the house like we recently did is as easy as pushing a button. The theromstats keep setpoints, lights, fans and automations run like they should. Its wonderful. I kind of love the whole home automation thing. On to landscape maintenance... Ive had an issue with my zero turn lately that I have yet to figure out. At 140 hours in a year and a half, Im sure a set of replacement blades will do it some good at this point. Currently, I am getting an uneven cut in places that I havent previously. Having sloped land, its a given that youll get it in SOME places, but its popped up in others where I previously didnt have an issue. Fall projects are finishing rip rap laying (its been too hot the past month or two), as well as redoing flower beds in the front of the house. Pursuant to the latter point, does anyone have experience with burying pipe that you feed gutters into and routing water away from the house foundation and/or flower beds for drainage purposes? Have you checked the tire pressures on the ZTR? In my experience when I'm getting an uneven cut that's the first thing I check and usually the culprit. When I'm trying to get water from downspouts away from the house I usually run them into the schedule 35 green sewer and drain pvc pipe or the solid corrugated flexible black pipe. Seems to work pretty well. |
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Posted: 9/7/2017 3:10:45 PM EDT
[#36]
Sitting here on vacation and fretting about Irma and its potential impact on us. If the path holds true, it puts us 40-50 miles east of the eye. Some spaghetti models have it coming nearer than that.
So, Ive started my prep list. Vehicles full of gas, atv full, tractor full of diesel. Ill make a fresh batch of 2-stroke for the chainsaws when I get home. Bathtubs full of water, fresh batteries on hand for flashlights and lanterns. Gas cans full of gas, and propane bottles for the portable stove. Kinda glad I plumbed in the 330gal propane tank to the grill now.
That said, I wish I wouldnt have fiddled around with a genset. I had planned on borrowing a friends 7500 watt Champion in the fall to see if it would start the well pump. Its a 9375 starting watt setup on gas and I have a theory it would work IF I werent running anything else. Its also a dual fuel unit, but I dont think my service would support running the genset and the furnaces at the same time. Would be nice to have the option though. In other news, I had 85 tons of gravel delivered last Friday. I made it passable with the tractor with every intention to finish working it this weekend, but best laid plans and all... The next week on the homestead will be interesting for sure. |
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Posted: 9/7/2017 7:37:27 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cucamelsmd15:
Sitting here on vacation and fretting about Irma and its potential impact on us. If the path holds true, it puts us 40-50 miles east of the eye. Some spaghetti models have it coming nearer than that. So, Ive started my prep list. Vehicles full of gas, atv full, tractor full of diesel. Ill make a fresh batch of 2-stroke for the chainsaws when I get home. Bathtubs full of water, fresh batteries on hand for flashlights and lanterns. Gas cans full of gas, and propane bottles for the portable stove. Kinda glad I plumbed in the 330gal propane tank to the grill now.
That said, I wish I wouldnt have fiddled around with a genset. I had planned on borrowing a friends 7500 watt Champion in the fall to see if it would start the well pump. Its a 9375 starting watt setup on gas and I have a theory it would work IF I werent running anything else. Its also a dual fuel unit, but I dont think my service would support running the genset and the furnaces at the same time. Would be nice to have the option though. In other news, I had 85 tons of gravel delivered last Friday. I made it passable with the tractor with every intention to finish working it this weekend, but best laid plans and all... The next week on the homestead will be interesting for sure. |
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Posted: 9/8/2017 9:22:23 AM EDT
[#38]
Funny the difference 24 hours makes. Looks like the track is 500 miles west now, which means some rain and a breeze for us.
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Posted: 9/10/2017 11:20:12 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cucamelsmd15:
Funny the difference 24 hours makes. Looks like the track is 500 miles west now, which means some rain and a breeze for us.
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Posted: 9/14/2017 5:55:51 PM EDT
[#40]
So, this happened:
85 tons of #57 stone. Good times. Covered the driveway in roughly 3" everywhere. Now, next question... I have confirmed the genset I mentioned previously works. It will run ONLY the well pump though, any other load when it starts the wellpump and it chokes. I am doing flowerbed renovations this fall, but I am contemplating putting the generator right here: 
Why would that be a bad idea? Is it to close to the eaves? |
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Posted: 9/14/2017 6:31:07 PM EDT
[#41]
How loud is the generator? Would it be a nuisance that close to the house?
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Posted: 9/14/2017 6:35:23 PM EDT
[#42]
It's loud, but I'd build a house for it. It's on the opposite side of the house from the master bedroom, so likely wouldn't hear it at all if it was running.
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Posted: 9/14/2017 10:17:37 PM EDT
[#43]
Forgive my ignorance, but what are the larger stone that line the drive for?
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Posted: 9/15/2017 12:02:53 AM EDT
[#44]
Noise and exhaust fumes would be my concern. If power is out in the summer you probably won't be running your central air and will have windows open.
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Posted: 9/15/2017 7:07:20 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By dnmccoy:
Forgive my ignorance, but what are the larger stone that line the drive for? B: Im lazy and got tired of mowing/weedeating it.
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Posted: 9/15/2017 7:09:03 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SWIRE:
Noise and exhaust fumes would be my concern. If power is out in the summer you probably won't be running your central air and will have windows open. |
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Posted: 9/17/2017 8:31:03 PM EDT
[#47]
Let me tell you guys about the joys of owning a pool.
So, for reference, the pool is 16k gallons with a 3/4hp pump and sand filter. The pump and filter are enough to turn the pool over for filtration in approximately 5.5 hours. I usually run it 8 for good measure, meaning the pump is on at 8ish pm and off by 4ish am. Ive done the bleach/borax/baking soda method for the past two years and its been great. Great water chemistry, perfect pH and chlorine, I add some calcium chloride to soften it a little, and its sparkling clear. Sometime Friday evening/Sat morning, my multiport valve experienced a massive failure and pumped out the pool to the bottom of the skimmer. In my case, the plumbing was crap anyway. Ill add pictures below from start to current state, but suffice to say, its ALL being redone. The big unknown is the pump. I suspect it is toast, but no way to know until I have a means to give it a supply and return. So, one other caveat to this is that we are on well water. I get about 90 minutes of water before it draws the well down because our refill rate is so slow. Its taken me almost two days to get the pool back to minimum off the well, which means long term, its another plus for going to county water. That is a whole 'nother discussion for later. Pics: Pool piping when I started disassembling. Notice with the drain line, no way to disassemble without cutting it: 
Valve that failed and disconnected chlorinator pipe that cant be unscrewed because of interference: 
View 2: 
Pipe cut, valve out: 
Pipes cut. One of the things Im doing is adding unions for disassembly: 
Current state as of tonight: 
Since Im rearranging the whole dog and pony show, I may take this opportunity to convert the pool to salt.
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Posted: 9/19/2017 7:19:50 PM EDT
[#48]
Salt is always the correct answer. Hopefully the pump didn't run dry for too long.
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Posted: 10/13/2017 5:39:54 PM EDT
[#49]
Ive been quiet lately, but busy.
My goal at some point this weekend is to swap all the pics to imgur so they work again. I am at a crossroads on the genset. I had my heart set on buying one that could run the well pump. While my neighbors unit will start and run it, its not happy about it. So, Im back to waffling on what Im going to do. Bigger generators cost more to operate. Thats a given. Theyre LOUD. I took a step back and regrouped. Long term, my goal is to get the house on county water. With that in mind, I see myself having three options. Option 1: Champion 3400 watt dual fuel generator and a transfer panel Cost: Approx $1500 all in Pros: Sips fuel, inverter genset, WAY more quiet than a traditional genset, can run on propane (and I have a 330gal tank, so this is a BIG plus) Cons: 120v only, additional expense for transfer panel, would have to define "wants" vs "needs" in terms of power Option 2: Something in the 7500 running watt range Cost: $800ish Pros: Short of the well pump and/or water heater, it would run the entire house with room to spare. Would have an interlock kit, so Id just turn off stuff I dont need (well, WH) and leave the rest on. Easy. Cons: Theyre LOUD, fuel consumption, couldnt do propane without worrying about freezing the line/tank if it were cold Option 3: Whole Hog Generac 22kw Cost: Approx $5k if I do the installation Pros: Its like you never lost power Cons: Cost is a big one. Fuel consumption is the next. Id have to move up to a 500gal min propane tank, new regulators etc. Right now, Im leaning towards Option 1. The biggies are the furnaces since theyre propane backups, the fridge and the freezer. Maybe a couple of light/outlet circuits downstairs. The rest I can deal with on an as needed basis. |
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Posted: 11/9/2017 7:31:13 PM EDT
[#50]
Its only been a month, but I promise to swap the pics this weekend.
In related news, my dad and I have undertaken building a new set of stairs for our sunroom/porch. We got extremely lucky and found a near perfect match in brick from a local supplier, so we have been working on that. Pics of that this weekend since we are hoping to be done Saturday if the weather cooperates. |
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