Henry Rifle Forums

Probably the final mowing of the bottom land for 2018.

Series of photos looking westward. My steed in not as nice as RR's. But it's what I have.
I mow first with the 3pt hitch JD 513 PTO driven deck mower. And then because that mower deck throws clippings everywhere follow up with the riding lawn mower to clear path/trail. Both are diesel driven. I've discovered a diesel powered riding lawn mower is a rarity around here.

Also notice the clear air. Smoke has cleared out. Smoke had been so thick it was like hazy mist in the air appearing about 50yds out and beyond.
Turnabout, eastward looking photos.

Looks good. I mow my fields with a 5Ft Bush Hog. Twice a year works out fine. Both on Holiday week-ends. Memorial Day week-end and Labor Day week-end. Also with a John Deere Diesel.

Nice and green there. We are pretty dried up and brown by now. Last time I cut grass was in June. Will give it all a once over in Sept and that's it 'til next June.

RanchRoper wrote:Nice and green there. We are pretty dried up and brown by now. Last time I cut grass was in June. Will give it all a once over in Sept and that's it 'til next June.

This bottom land is at water table, so it stays green. The shreds will dry out an turn yellow/brown but new green will push up through it. Out of the bottom land what isn't seeping or watered is brown and dry. That will start to change during the next month with return of the fall/winter/spring perpetual drizzle and rain. I might be able to mow one more time. Usually takes until early July for the bottom land to dry out enough to mow. By then the canary grass can be 6ft high. I can usually mow 4-5 times from then until Sept rains. This year the beaver have been more active in the summer months than usual so keeping the water level down has been a challenge. This was only my second mow.

Out of the bottom there are a few seeping springs, so we have a patch work of green where the seeps are and brown/dry elsewhere where not purposely watered.

Nice pics Mags. reminds me of Washington where I was raised. I miss the PNW but there is just to many people up there for this old man anymore.

BigAl52 wrote:Nice pics Mags. reminds me of Washington where I was raised. I miss the PNW but there is just to many people up there for this old man anymore.

We're feeling the people pressure here. 23 years ago when we got this piece of property it was reasonably remote. Great place to have finished raising our kids. They've all grown and moved on for a while now. The urban growth boundary was recently expanded to about 1/2 mile from here. Will probably take quite a few years to fill it up. As they get close, the UGB will get expanded again and over run us. It's sad to see all the farm land and orchards getting built over. Likely noticed in a few of my other posts that in the meantime we've casually started looking at properties elsewhere. That adds to the urge to finish up remodeling projects and down size our junk. I sometimes get close to tears thinking of leaving here, though.

That's a big willow, and a big lawn mower.
I can tell it's up north, no broken down Fairlanes

BigAl52 wrote:Nice pics Mags. reminds me of Washington where I was raised. I miss the PNW but there is just to many people up there for this old man anymore.

Like Yogi said, "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded".

Mags wrote:

BigAl52 wrote:Nice pics Mags. reminds me of Washington where I was raised. I miss the PNW but there is just to many people up there for this old man anymore.

We're feeling the people pressure here. 23 years ago when we got this piece of property it was reasonably remote. Great place to have finished raising our kids. They've all grown and moved on for a while now. The urban growth boundary was recently expanded to about 1/2 mile from here. Will probably take quite a few years to fill it up. As they get close, the UGB will get expanded again and over run us. It's sad to see all the farm land and orchards getting built over. Likely noticed in a few of my other posts that in the meantime we've casually started looking at properties elsewhere. That adds to the urge to finish up remodeling projects and down size our junk. I sometimes get close to tears thinking of leaving here, though.

When I moved out where I am 28 years ago, there were MILES of woods behind me. Still no paved roads back there but it's been broken into 5 to 20 acre mini ranches. Still plenty of wildlife. Things could be worse. I guess Hickok45 is right, "Life is good".

Henry88 wrote:That's a big willow, ...

There were 3 of them. We planted them to help shade the water to the left (north). There are now 2. You can see the 3rd laying on the ground. Beaver(s) got it. I have wire mesh fence around them, but my wife snagged the wire open on the one with her mower deck and didn't notice. I usually have the willows strings trimmed up with a hedge trimmer held above my head, but didn't bother this year.

Here my 2 mowers in Tn on my farm .

tx gunrunner wrote:Here my 2 mowers in Tn on my farm .

yep very close setup pair to mine. both mine JD green/yellow and my pto deck mower is 5ft and the riding mower deck is 4ft.

Looks like a job. But, it seems like you are getting it done.

Mags wrote:

BigAl52 wrote:Nice pics Mags. reminds me of Washington where I was raised. I miss the PNW but there is just to many people up there for this old man anymore.

We're feeling the people pressure here. 23 years ago when we got this piece of property it was reasonably remote. Great place to have finished raising our kids. They've all grown and moved on for a while now. The urban growth boundary was recently expanded to about 1/2 mile from here. Will probably take quite a few years to fill it up. As they get close, the UGB will get expanded again and over run us. It's sad to see all the farm land and orchards getting built over. Likely noticed in a few of my other posts that in the meantime we've casually started looking at properties elsewhere. That adds to the urge to finish up remodeling projects and down size our junk. I sometimes get close to tears thinking of leaving here, though.

I'm in the urban growth boundary but luckily in an area that's unlikely to be developed anytime soon, also I'm on a dead end road with only 2 other houses and a orchard past me so not a lot of traffic. I'm also close to town, although I wish I was further out it is convenient be so close. We also had a lot of orchard land actually inside the city limits but that's all gone now, still a lot of orchard land but further out now.

Can't imagine living over in the Seattle, I 5 corridor area. I used to go over there a lot when I was younger and my brother lived over there. Traffic was bad back then, now I hear it is one of the most congested areas in the country. Around here there really no place in town that is more than a 20 minute drive away.

dave77 wrote:... I'm in the urban growth boundary but luckily in an area that's unlikely to be developed anytime soon, also I'm on a dead end road with only 2 other houses and a orchard past me so not a lot of traffic. I'm also close to town, although I wish I was further out it is convenient be so close. We also had a lot of orchard land actually inside the city limits but that's all gone now, still a lot of orchard land but further out now.

Can't imagine living over in the Seattle, I 5 corridor area. I used to go over there a lot when I was younger and my brother lived over there. Traffic was bad back then, now I hear it is one of the most congested areas in the country. Around here there really no place in town that is more than a 20 minute drive away.

Similar here. Although outside the the current UGB, we have gotten notice that 10-15 years out we likely will be inside. The city has a long ways to go with in-fill of the recent addition before then. Also on a dead end private road, well off the main road, but can hear distant traffic from it. 3 properties off our road. Separate orchard properties front the main road either side of the entry part of the private road. Reasonably close to nearest grocery and hardware store 4-5 miles. 25 minutes to my LGS.

I've been fully through Seattle twice. Once on the way back from Lake Chelan via Leavenworth and the 2nd after leaving a football game (son played for Boise State against Washington). I-5 was a parking lot for hours getting through both times.

A good day is riding on your property cutting grass and drinking beer.

I have use of this Toro thing, reminds me of that Mr Toad ride in disneyland.

I don't like it, cause I have to keep my hands on the sticks and can't drink beer = No Fun.

Henry88 wrote:A good day is riding on your property cutting grass and drinking beer.
I have use of this Toro thing, reminds me of that Mr Toad ride in disneyland.
I don't like it, cause I have to keep my hands on the sticks and can't drink beer = No Fun.

Hear ya, but then I don't drink bear while mowing. I might run over one or more of the tree seedlings and the forestry people would frown on that, being a county zoned designated forest property.

Those pesky rules again....................

Henry88 wrote:Those pesky rules again....................

That one I don't mind so much, having a mild bent toward being a tree huger (reasonable and practical one). Makes for an interesting obstacle course for mowing patterns.