Sometimes what one thinks is a small(ish) project is really a solid step towards something bigger, which also means it takes many hands, tools, vehicles & …t-i-m-e!
Thanks to all our teammates, partners & contractors who helped us close this chapter of pasture improvement in the past 2 weeks, expanding where great forage can grow for our grazing sheep and allowing the ripsower (more on that later) to influence more parts of our pasture.
It started with the goal of getting a few mature and over-mature evergreens out of two pastures, roots and all. Before they came down on their own and to allow us to send the ripsower to more spots to help our pasture plants develop deep roots.
So many shout-outs are needed. Gary Davis & “Ex”, his excavator, removed 4 sizable evergreens & a poplar, roots & all. And when you are pulling out trees in Vermont, you tend to also find some very large rocks, boulders even, so those were also loaded into our dump tractor for better use elsewhere.
Amy, Mari & Tyler took down some poplars & sad grey birch and readied them for the chipping team.
Snapping Turtle manouevered all of those trees into their machines and turned them into incredible chip, which will feed so many other projects (base of every compost pile, winter bedded packs in both barns, mulching for orchard and gardens), finishing the last bits just before another downpour.
Mary, Amy & Sylvia helped heal the wounds created by pulling the trees out with amendments, compost, innoculated seed and mulch.
Tucking them all in before this last multiday rain affair.
Our Antonio Carraro fleet (and even the gator) supported all along the way. We always love the agility of Snoopy, the dump tractor (yes, it also goes to market!) and little Antonio 1 got new found respect with its abilty to pull some hefty hitches into place for chipping.
The results, nicely covered ground and new sprouts that will feed our livestock into the future.
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And renewed connection with talented mates integral to helping us harness sun, rain and our living soils to grow food for you!
