I still like to play in the dirt.  Here I'm digging a stump out in my woods.
I still like to play in the dirt.  Here I'm digging a stump out in my woods.
Comments (2)
612551 tn?1450022175
Jerry_NJ, Jan 09, 2013
Is the saw you're holding the one used to cut the tree down?  What kind of tree is that?  Nice backhoe, since it is orange I assume not a JD : )  Happy New Year 2013
1423357 tn?1511085442
tom_h, Jan 09, 2013
Haha!... no the hand saw was used to cut the many small tap roots under the stump.  The tree was a very large white pine, one of many on my land.  I cleared about a half acre for more open land.  The tree was felled with a chainsaw and then taken away for lumber.  Some of the wood in my home was from harvested trees on my land.

The tractor is a small Kubota BX24, a 4 wheel drive, diesel tractor.  It comes in handy all year 'round, doing everything from mowing in the summer, and carrying mulch in the loader, to plowing and snow throwing in the winter.  I have a number of attachments for it, and it make those chores a breeze.  The backhoe is really undersized for that large tree, and it took a lof of digging and tearing to get it out.  An tracked excavator would have pulled that like it wasn't there.  Believe it or not, I have a friend who owns 40 acres nearby that has one he bought for a few thousand dollars.  It's old and needed work, but it's working great now.  The problem with these "big boy toys" is when something goes wrong, parts can cost thousands.  We learned to weld, repair, and jerry-rig stuff to keep it running.  I'm looking forward to retirement in a few years when I can play with all this stuff on a full time basis.  I'll have enough to keep me busy for years and won't miss this for a second.  I drive 50 miles each way to work and that has become old over my 12 years here.  It will be a pleasure to look out the window at a foot of snow and say "I'll get to it later...." instead of hiking the boots on at 5AM to plow the driveway so I can get out.  We are formerly from CHerry Hill, NJ area, and plan to return to the general area someday.  Perhaps PA, or a vacation home near the south Jersey shore.  Take care!
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