The Old Folks Home

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
here in Southern cal... we cant dig down to permafrost...

Though even in the desert the ground water can be pretty close to the surface. My well for instance is 450 feet deep. When the water table was up that ment I had 250 feet column of water. Most other wells in the area are 500 or more. But hit water at 100 feet.

Thermal columns are an excellent way to even out the temperature in your home, warm or cold. I saw a documentary on them.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Dynamite sounds fun

LOL My dad used to be a helper in an orchard.... The hard pan below the topsoil was drowning the trees. Not allowing the water to percolate down. So His job was to drill holes and drop in Quarter sticks. Most likely about five per acre. Cracked the hard pan saved the trees. I am guessing he was about sixteen at the time.

Course you'd get arrested these days.

He also rid the orchard of Gophers. Got ten cents per tail. (back then ten cents would get you a movie ticket) Hed trap em remove the tail then stuff the gopher back down the hole. The smell of the rotting carcass would drive the other gophers to close off those tunnels so he would work his way through the orchard in a fan shape.... After that it was just maintenance.

deb

 

[tntchix]

LOL My dad used to be a helper in an orchard.... The hard pan below the topsoil was drowning the trees. Not allowing the water to percolate down. So His job was to drill holes and drop in Quarter sticks. Most likely about five per acre. Cracked the hard pan saved the trees. I am guessing he was about sixteen at the time.

Course you'd get arrested these days.

He also rid the orchard of Gophers. Got ten cents per tail. (back then ten cents would get you a movie ticket) Hed trap em remove the tail then stuff the gopher back down the hole. The smell of the rotting carcass would drive the other gophers to close off those tunnels so he would work his way through the orchard in a fan shape.... After that it was just maintenance.

deb

While I don't agree with his method, he was one smart cookie.

 

[perchie.girl]

My coop is coming along slowly but surely

I like the mesh.... Stuff gets stuck you hose it through. Grow Kale underneath to digest and you are good to go. If they are free ranging all day the mesh is a non issue. As long as the perches arent too high.

Ralph Winter of Guineafarm.com has all his Guinea pens built this way.

When and If I ever build a brooder it will have a wire bottom like this. Especially where the feeder and waterer is. Then there will be a bed down spot with sand for the peeps to warm themselves. And sleep.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Wasnt dads dynamite... it belonged to the Orchard owner. Dads dad... My grandpa was a sharecropper who with the family worked their way from Florida to Orange County California. This is where dad went to high school. They worked Sections of land at a time.

deb

 

[vehve]

That dynamite would sure make the ground a bit more porous...

 

[bamadude]

Would probably make my head porous if i had any

 

[Highcotton]

I've never posted on this thread before, but given that I'm a grandparent who is retired and has been raising chickens for the past 50 years, I figured it's time I did.  So to all of you old folks out there like me, enjoy the golden years of your retirement. ) 

Welcome Michael we need more old folks in this thread though we don't necessarily judge old by how long you have been in this world.

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome Michael we need more old folks in this thread though we don't necessarily judge old by how long you have been in this world.

Thanks. I may be old in years, but I don't feel old. )

 

[ronott1]

Thanks. I may be old in years, but I don't feel old. )

I feel old when my knee or back starts acting up....

I still wonder who that old guy in the mirror is and who are those senior citizens at the high school reunions?