Eventualllly it will be terraced with the first level enen with the top of the firepit and another level about three feet up and yes Aimee L, that will be a bobcat job. Right now I'm just trying to get the 15 yr old mulch/weed roots/ junk soil to the top. Can't use it for anything but fill because of the weeds. It came from the front. @Bonnie C I thing they got their sand from here! That's all there is around here.
I just put up the pictures of where it came from. Oh yea the front yard is sloped too. I know there are alot of concerns concerning recycled rubber mulch but I don't want anything to grow there.
All our friends are older and more broken than us. I plan on checking with the other supervisors at work to see if they have any teenagers for rent. Pizza and soda for the under 21 beer for the over 21.
When I read "15 loads" I realized this was some sort of large project you have going here. Any large project takes either a lot of people or you have to think big! Take the time to learn how to rig up a pully system and then go about setting some poles in concrete, let them set and then put the pully system in place. This is not a "I'll work on this when I can sort of project...that is unless you plan to take some time to get it finished.
@Woodbridge I don't bring out the alcohol until painting or whatever is 2/3 done other wise things get a little too creative.:) @Jeanette S 15 wheelbarrow loads that were probably 1/2 full. Turns out the reason the darn thing was so hard to push was a low tire. @Linda R and Micky D We have fences on three edges of the property. Right now I just want the dirt up to the top to help with leveling things out. the 45 degree bank is higher on one end that the other. We plan on cutting back the
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slope with a bobcat and putting in a retaining wall that is the same height as the back wall of the fire pit. Then go back and up a few feet for the final terrace that will be even with the fence. Yes it is a massive job. We want to wait until our Harley Bear is gone because we also will need to reseed the entire back yard after the bobcat work. The back yard is hers and the front is mine. She's a 13 1/2 yr old shephard/husky mix tht still kicks and digs. The fire pit will become a water feature area since we can no longer have large open fires because of the clean air act.
Wheel barrow and muscle. Find a y teenage boy and give them a few bucks. That's what I do for big muscle jobs. Even a 5 gallon bucket will work to move dirt a little at a time. :)
Muscle, pulley, tarp and time. That is what will be used. Thanks to all for your ideas. Dirt is still there because I've no time in my budget due to work constraints. Maybe next month when things calm down at work.
A sign in the front yard for a Saturday "bring your shovel neighborhood event." You might want to cook some BBQ and have lots of lemonade to drink (make sure you put that on the sign!) Legs quarters cut up are cheap and some frozen corn wrap in foil for the pit. Keep finger food and napkins. Saves on paper plates and spending too much money. Do it early so no one expects alcoholic beverages and because of the heat. Or you could just hire a professional landscaper, or rent a small
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bulldozer. Either way you are going to have to fork out some cash to get this completed. www.pinterest.com is good website for suggestions as well.
Thanks all for your input. The dirt is still there since things didn't lighten up at work until it started raining. It's on my to-do-list of dry late spring work. I work outdoors for my job so the last thing I want is to come home and be back out in the wet & cold.
i would ask a local school group who is looking for community work and throw in a pizza and some drinks ...:) they are usually pretty good at trying to help community folks... just remember them at donation time:))
I use the plastic top from my son's old sand box, heavy duty plastic that looks like a turtle shell. I put a pull rope off the top and use it for everything in my gardening, leaves, dirt, rocks, even use it to tranport large rocks from one area to the next. It SLIDES over almost anything, and doesn't damage grass! I have also used his old plastic sled too.
Good Kelly, or look for a plastic sled/tobaggan (as mentioned above) on clearance sale after the winter. I love mine as I drag the turtle all over the property after me for weeding and branches/sticks in all seasons. Really makes a time and labor difference in 'waste' management!
soak down the fence and burn the weeds (keeping the hose handy) then use a tiller and some "Weed Be Gone" to till it up and then rake. Put some plastic over it until you are ready to plant again or design something that is low maintenance. Pine trees will keep away weeds.
I would love to have that hill in my yard.. cause all i can see is a water fall feature and beautiful casscadeing flowers down the side of the waterfall.... .. let me know how this turns out for you .
The black thing in the second picture is a tumbler for mulch which I can't use on the gardens because that is where I put my grass clippings, weeds and shredded credit offers. It doesn't seem to get hot enough to kill the weed seeds. I found out the hard way. Just below it is a fire pit that the county says I can't use now because of the burn restrictions (it's too big and the only time it's dry enough we have burn bans). I plan on a water feature there and terracing it eventually so I can
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have a veggie garden back there. For this spring I just want to get the scrap dirt from various other projects to the top right hand corner to help level it out. A bobcat would be a big help both this spring and when we do terrace it but I don't know if it will fit between my house and the fence < 8' on one side and <5' on the other. So far turtle power seems to be it unless I can find some local teens wanting $$ this summer. No luck last year.
XO, Aimee
http://www.itsoverflowing.com
Why not construct a tier where the soil sits? This soil can end up being the base for the better stuff you will need anyway?
Best to just find some local kids to do this simple task for you. They can have it done in no time.