We made great progress tackling one of our biggest challenges: managing water on the property. Last week, we extended three ditches-here, here, and here-and we’re happy with the results so far. But this week, Philippe brought up something fascinating: a discovery we made a while back that might help us solve these water issues for good in the future.
We hike up the property to show you two pools we found, complete with old stone dams. Given this property was once a working cow farm, these pools likely had a dual purpose: providing water for the cows and managing the influx of water from further uphill.
Back at the barn, Philippe gets to work. The beams and old cow feeders have been removed, and after answering some common questions about the barn, he starts breaking out another section of concrete. He uses different tools for the job: the hammer drill (until it breaks), a bit of maneuvering with the excavator, and finally, a sledgehammer to break the concrete pad into pieces. The rubble will serve as hardcore for the parking space behind the barn.
Next, Philippe cuts the beam that had been lying between the two concrete pads into firewood-sized pieces. Unfortunately, it wasn’t salvageable due to extensive rotting.
Between all the hard work, we capture some family moments, sharing glimpses of our daily life-Odin heading to daycare, family dinners, and quality time together. Winter is truly settling in, and while our firewood stock is depleting, we’re grateful for some sunny (albeit cold) days.
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