Ok I finally got some one up here to teach me the right way to prune trees. I read 1st prune is important. He said “Lyle fruit trees are supposed to be short and Fat, your plum trees 45’ tall “
Well had to go to cousins for SOS (sugar on snow) party in Hardwick, stopped by family camp 10 miles away.. I am not going 100 miles round trip without some wood in bed take a long time to get 6 cords this way Also got some syrup so it’s all good
It’s a family tradition; great grandparents had farm and fed 7 kids through depression her cook books all contain maple syrup instead of sugar exchanges (except frosting) during war ration periods. Those stamps could be traded. Cousin has excess 15,000 taps so he hosts
That’s really cool! And what a wonderful tradition. On of friend (who has since passed unfortunately) was really big into sugaring. He used maple syrup as a sugar substitute for a lot in their kitchen.
Well many may know I got a long drive, we, because it took more than me, did a improvement/ upgrade in 2019 a few pics because this is FHC what we did is removed 7” roughly added heavy duty road fabric and added a foot of 5/8 minus.. it took a good year to settle and finished packing when loggers used my driveway to access farmers land behind the house as I have the road across the swamp.. as previously documented in this thread but hey we all like pics
So we finished the driveway with fines or sure pack and it was fantastic in 2019. The loggers used it in 2023. Well running log loads, and tractor trailers up and down your private road will cause packing in the driven area. The loggers offered to pay for gravel to return it to previous condition BUT I said instead will you clear cut this 3 acre section, de stump and grade it. Let loggers log and trucker truck. They happily agreed took them 5 hours to do what would have taken me years if I ever got it finished what they cleared My 3 year plan coming back together so I have 55hp Kubota with box blade and rake so I made it work and Covid & life happened last year we had a drought and if you ever seen dust when a car drives down a dirt road with a long private driveway that’s material. End of my driveway and across road is a good friend/neighbor that owns trucking company. We talked and yup this was going to be year add more Shur pak as pieces of fabric were starting to show. Plowing, snow blowing and just vehicles takes a toll over years.. Got a call this morning got permission to travel roads, as we have weight restrictions in spring due to frost. Go for it. Plan was 4 maybe 5, 17 yard loads tailgate spread over 1400 feet.. That seems simple right Not in my world!! first truck had wrong chains to tail gate spread No problem dump it right side of garage I will use it to finish low spots later Talked to owner no problem we will make it work Second driver drove up saw what first driver did and even though I was waving like mad man dropped 2nd load right in front of first called owner we chatted, he’s sorry employees don’t always listen… Made new plan as tail gate spread from culvert to road, using last 2 load, so I tractor only moving gravel shortest distance hoping to waste less material So right in front of top of pic past pine tree going up to the rosf. The chain broke on back of dump truck and not tailgate spread. 6’ high pile about 30’ or so ahh best laid plans of mice and men if I didn’t have bad luck I would have none at all. so in short I will get some time Yes long driveway are work & money BUT still worth it!!!
This is 110% Vermont! Dust, logging, Sur Pak, employees not listening to the boss. Well, it’s pretty much everywhere…but the long driveway and dust really hit home for this weekend VT-er.
So 3 dump truck (triple axle) or 216,000 pounds of stone spread about 3/4 done pics coming as I need more diesel for the Bota
Here’s a picture you know it’s good work when you can’t even Tell I can tell no road fabric showing (it’s black fabric)
