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Old December 23, 2018   #48
rhines81
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Zone 5A, Poconos
Posts: 959
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I think I've grounded myself a little bit better and reality is soaking in. I'm thinking of only going 50x50 this coming year and then double or triple that the following year, which I can get a head start on in 2019. I'm just too busy at work and I still have raised beds at my primary home. I will definitely till the first year and see what I need for amendments ... take it from there. I might be able to get by with a weekend rental of tiller for next year.
My boss is allowing me to work from home one week and be on-site the following for the coming year - this will be of great help to me once the days get longer. I should be able to get a lot of trees downed by the end of Spring. I'll see what my '98 Dakota can do for pulling stumps so I might not need an excavator for that part (rent if I have to after I assess the need). I am leaning toward using a fencing contractor for a 5' chain-link fence around the garden area (future space included). I'll install 3' netting above that to keep the deer out, but not sold on that entire idea yet as there will be many post-hole digging projects that will get expensive if I hire the labor or rent equipment. I'd much rather have a tractor with a 3-point auger for that but maybe I can get'r done with a 1 or 2 man auger.
If I time things right and prep in advance, renting might be the way to go for clearing the land. I will eventually need an excavator to do some demo and fill-in work. I will also still need a long term log-splitter, snow plow, mower, etc ... but until I build a house on the land I will do what I can to get by on the equipment I currently own. I have a truck and trailer and can bring things back and forth, if needed. I will definitely not need snow removal equipment until I really need winter access.
Been looking at the BCS tractors (https://bcsamerica.com/), which can handle a lot of my wish-list items, but not all. They are still semi-manual and I am getting older.
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