Pad Forms
Now that the old hay shed is down and the work site is cleared we’ve been working on construction instead of destruction. The first step involves setting up forms for the first part of the concrete slab pour. Above Will is carrying one of the forms he made. Beyond him, on the hill, Hope is taking periodic pictures of our progress from a pedestal where the camera is mounted each day.
Back when I built this foundation the whey driveway wasn’t there so the back wall was a retaining wall that stuck up above the soil keeping the water away from the building. As part of our project we will raise that retaining wall further and add new stone and drain pipes behind it to protect the new building.
To make that slab you see in the photo we cut into the ledge years ago. We dug that by hand with pick and shovel. This was back before tractors were invented, or at least before we had one, in fact before I even dreamed of having one. It was, shall I say, a good workout cutting through the stone. Remembering that digging makes me appreciate the 48 hp of our tractor and backhoe.
The 4″ thick concrete slab sits on 2″ of blue board extruded polystyrene insulation, a vapor barrier and 4″ of crushed stone on top of the cut in the ledge we dug. The slab is still perfectly level today. I guess the mountain hasn’t shifted any measurable amount in the last two decades and the drainage worked. This makes transitioning the foundation from it’s previous function as a hay shed to a new project that much easier. I like that.
Outdoors: 75째F/45째F Sunny
Tiny Cottage: 72째F/70째F
Walter Jeffries Tinker, Tailor… A bit eclectic & a tad eccentric, polymath, quantum mechanic & Farmer. Also lucky at cards.
Looks like we got similar work going on. Been pouring concrete here for the house add-on. Working on forms today, will hopefully finish slab before rain arrives. Concrete work is hard work!
Hi Walter,
My hubby wants to know what kind of pigs you are raising. We both grew up on small farms in Michigan in the 40's and 50's. My dad had pigs when I was younger. I only liked the babies, lol. The big pigs scared me. We live now in Montana, where we decided to retire. We live in the beautiful Bitter Root Valley south of Missoula. We are surrounded by mountain ranges. We were blessed this year with only 1 fire. So I really am enjoying your daily posts, brings back my childhood memories!!!! Thanks so much!! Gail
Hi Gail, our pigs are a mix of Yorkshire x Berkshire x Tamworth for the most part. We also have one Large Black sow which we're mixing in to the herds.
Thanks, Walter!!! Lynn said he thought he saw some Yorkshire in there. We have been to Vermont in the past when we were still in Michigan. Boy, I wish we could visit your farm now!! Most of the 4-H kids are raising Hampshire crosses out here. One is called "Blue Butt" ;-) We were at the county fair last weekend. Loved seeing all the animals!!!!
Hello. So nice to meet you. We are in West Pawlet, Vt :)!!!!
Doreen
Chinese characters in the temperature lines, Walter.
I can only imagine how good it feels for you to be getting close to the point where all of your family’s hard work begins to finally come together.
I can only wonder how the kids must feel about it. Even Will has been building the butcher shop for probably close to half of the years he can remember clearly.