Pond Pix

[Che]

Our ponds have gone downhill ever since the drought a few years ago. We'd had to supplement the herd's water since, but this last season they've been watered exclusively on city water. $$$$$

So we finally got this old guy out to fix 'em. He can't hear worth anything, crazy as a loon (happy happy), but when he gets on his dozer he's an artist.

The heavy rains this past week have pretty much filled them all. At least one of the big resident snapping turtles found its way back, too. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. :O

[MasterBlaster]

Do you ever aerate it, Che?

[Che]

No. We've put grass carp in the larger two (top two pix) but it's been years since there was enough water in them for even that. This year I'll be cutting the trees off the dam at another one, hopefully keep it from leaking....I didn't know how big a deal that is. oops.

[vharrison]

Che, lovely property. I want to come up and see that part of the world. Any chance of a tour on horseback?

[JamesTX]

My mom had a pond dug. Unfortunately, it hasn't sealed up yet, so it's not holding very well. They're thinking about bring in some clay.

[squisher]

Nice looks like the old timer bermed 'em up really well.:thumbup:

[Frans]

My mom had a pond dug. Unfortunately, it hasn't sealed up yet, so it's not holding very well. They're thinking about bring in some clay.

Fence the pond securely and then run a few dozen pigs in there for about six months.

Old timers way of sealing ponds....

[MasterBlaster]

How does that seal the ground?

[Burnham]

How does that seal the ground?

In a word...compaction.

[Frans]

dunno but thats what some old timers told me.
It must be the hooves compacting the soil and their poop having something to do with it?

[doggonetrees]

Check with the agriculture department- they have here in Ms a cost share program for pond building/ renovation- as well as one for hogs. The farm service guy here told me the same thing with our pond- fence it in and put swine in there and it will seal up. Lots cheaper than a dozer or drilling mud.:)

[JamesTX]

And you can eat the pigs when you're finished. Mmmmmmmmm, bacon.

[squisher]

Lol, don't be bringing up your bacon and egg habits again James.:lol:

[Tom_Scheller]

Homer: Are you saying you're never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Ham?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Pork chops?
Lisa: Dad, those all come from the same animal.
Homer: Heh heh heh. Ooh, yeah, right, Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal.


and they fix ponds too?!?!

TS

[JamesTX]

Lol, don't be bringing up your bacon and egg habits again James.:lol:


Death food. hehe

[GASoline71]

Homer: "Spider Pig, Spider Pig... does whatever a Spider Pig does.

Can he swing...

from a web...

no he can't, 'cuz he's a pig...."

LMAO...:lol:

Gary

[Chisel Tooth]

The second pic looks like a place I use to deer hunt. Nice lookin spread. This makes me homesick, man I miss the farm.
See Ya
Mike

[Che]

Che, lovely property. I want to come up and see that part of the world. Any chance of a tour on horseback?

No horses, Gigi...but I can move all the hardware off the passenger side of the old truck. There's even seat-cushion left on that side! :D

Using hogs works I've heard. We may go that route for another pond that's not used for a water source for the cattle. My husband wants to get it back to where it was when he was a kid. It's split by the property line, and our neighbor went in half on fixing it a few years ago. It held water for a night or two after a big rain....I've got a picture somewhere.....then leaked right out.

The land around here has many, many sinkholes. I've noticed that many are enlarging and some new ones have shown up. I expect there's some involvement in this area as there's a fairly large network close by this pond.

Our next step is to fence them all and pipe the water to a smaller tank to keep the cows (and their poop) out of the ponds.

[MasterBlaster]

Why no horses, Che? A PITA?

[vharrison]

No horses, Gigi..Using hogs works I've heard.

No Che, I am not riding hogs for the tour! :lol:

[Stumper]

THAT would be a pic for posterity.

James, Eat your death food. My Dad just had his annual health evaluation. Heart is strong -49bpm. Cholesterol good, Triglycerides the lowest the Doctors had ever seen. His diet? Bacon, Sausage, most anything fried and pastries.

[MasterBlaster]

I'm living on cerals and oatmeal nowadays. :(

[squisher]

Some people get all the luck, good on your pops Stumper!

[sotc]

boy i hope im like that, id hate to give up the good things

[Che]

Why no horses, Che? A PITA?

Too much on my plate the way it is. When they were younger, I told the kids if they'd keep their rooms clean and wanted one, I'd get them horses. They obviously didn't want them enough by the looks of their rooms. :\:

Personally, I'm scared of horses. I'd love to learn how to understand them, but as it is they're too big and too smart for me. Our back neighbor checks his fields and cattle on a horse, I wish I could/would do that. At my age, I'm not sure the 'learning phase' would be the best thing....I don't heal up as easily as I used to.

Sorry Gigi, thirty+ years ago I could have offered you a 'hog ride'.....four legged, not two wheeled....but luckily, I came into the family after they'd switched to cattle.

The fat/cholesterol thing is tied to your genetics. Even on a very low fat (under30g daily) diet, LOTS of excercise, and no excess body fat to speak of (actually, I still don't speak of it and there's plenty)....I couldn't get mine to lower than 260 w/o meds. IMHO, if there's no family history and you've had your levels checked.....moderation is just fine on most everything. Take away too much and you may live longer, but who would want to?

[Al Smith]

Speculation on my part.If that pond was constucted without a core trench ,that is likely the source of the leak.Those KY soils are not the blue clay we have in this part of the country and it likely contains a lot of gravel.

Most likely the easist way to repair it is to pump it down and seal it off with plastic.You might pump it and haul in about 2 feet of clay but either way it's not going to be cheap.

You could do the hog trick or compact it with a sheeps foot roller but still in all you can't compact sand and gravel to hold water.

[Frans]

Che, the 'run hogs' trick is a lesson I learned from an old timer. Why dont you ask an old timer in your area for advice?

[Che]

Che, the 'run hogs' trick is a lesson I learned from an old timer. Why dont you ask an old timer in your area for advice?

I think we have a pretty good source of info with this last operator. We paid the bill today, when we get THIS paid off.....we'll call him back. Shook his hand today and told him he does BEAUTIFUL work!