Wanna know how to get things done fast?  Rent a skid-loader.

We had one dropped off at the farm this morning, and put it to use over the next 9 hours.  Doing what?

Building an entryway, a retaining wall, re-grading around the crib, getting rid of the rubble and field rock piles, and I poked the barn with it once.

This was the biggest recycling project yet at the farm.  Everything served a new purpose.  For example, there is a bank on one side of the driveway.  By digging it back, I had dirt to pile around the corn crib.  Then this new hole made a home for the field rock piled with the rubble.

We also used a lot of the rubble for some of the deeper fill around the crib, and the good parts became our ‘urbancrete’ patio and stairs.

First, there is an awesome, blue, cube-shaped rock that you would step on first.  Then a step of large concrete slabs.  The next step is built from a few large sections of brickwork.  Finally, we had a stash of nice limestone steps that brings you to the French entry doors of the crib.
Our day consisted of moving things around and around the farm.  I was quite good at the skid loader.  I could scoop, drop, flip, and place large concrete blocks right where they needed to go.  There were many pieces we could not have moved by hand, and the smaller ones would have worn us out by the end of the day.  This was the right tool for the job.  I did use it to push the last standing door off it’s track from the back of the barn.  In the process, I took out the post that I previously attacked with a chainsaw.  Now there is a section of second floor balancing on a single beam.  In another day or two of Iowa wind, things should work out.

I took a bunch of pictures, and will be uploading soon to the gallery.

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