Storage Shed Preparation & Delivery

The past three weeks, I've spent a little time out at the land working to prepare for a storage shed I ordered a few weeks ago.  I've accumulated a fair amount of tools and supplies which are taking up valuable space in the cabin.  Additionally, the ATV is always a mess from being in the existing shed with is falling apart.  I decided to buy the storage shed so that I can create a place for everything and the tools and ATV would be stored well and ready for use when I need them.

The first project was to remove a cedar tree that was in the way of the storage shed.  I wanted the storage shed in this particular location so that it was close to the cabin.  I can pull right up in front of it when I enter the property but it is just out of the way.  Additionally, it blocks the view of the neighbors who can see across my land as they drive through this area.  It is a tight fit but I have room for a 12' x '18 shed.

Once the tree was removed, I had to level the land and luckily was able to use my father's skid steer.  I leveled out some high spots on the land and used the dirt to bring the future location of the storage building up to level.  I added quite a few piles of dirt and leveled multiple times to get it really flat.  I then drove the skid steer over it many times to pack it all down really well.  The next step will be adding the pavers which the shed will be placed on.

The pavers were more of a challenge than I expected as it is a bit of a pain to level 16 pavers relative to one another.  I leveled them all according to the cabin dimensions provided by the builder.  Unfortunately, when I was sent a picture of the shed before delivery I noticed that the dimensions could not be right.  I drove over myself to measure the finished shed and found I needed to move half of the pavers which took another afternoon.

The actual delivery of the shed took less than an hour.  My preparation work was good and when the shed was placed on my pavers it was perfectly level.  The equipment used in the deliver was quite impressive.  Once setup, I spent the rest of the afternoon moving tools over into the shed from the cabin and the older shed that we have used to this point.

Seeding with Native Grass

The perimeter of the property was cleared by a bulldozer prior to my purchasing of the land to make way for a fence.  The cleared areas are overtaken by weeds of various types which I'd like to convert over to native grass.  The trouble is determining which form of native grass to use in our area of Central Texas.  I'll use this article to track what I learn about the various options.

When planning to sod an area, or create a food plot for that matter, it is helpful to know the size of the area you plan to seed.  You can attempt to measure but that can be rather challenging with larger spaces or uniquely shaped areas.  A good option is the following website which allows you to set the perimeter of the space you want measured and it will tell you the area of the space selected...

    SodSolutions - Sq Ft Calculator

Native Texas Grasses:

Buffalo Grass

This is a native grass to a large portion of the US.  It grows 5 to 8 inches tall and requires only 12" of rain a year.  It looks quite similar to some of what we have on the property already.  

Little Bluestem 

This is a blue-ish clumping style grass that is somewhat similar to some spots on our land today.  It grows to between 1' and 4' high and requires only 20" to 40" of rain a year.  I suppose it could be used to add some variety to an area but is a bit taller than I think that I'd really want if being picky.

Blue Grama

This is another turf type grass which does not grow over 6" tall and requires only about 7" of rain per year.  Unlike some of the other grasses it can grow in a partial sun area rather than just full sun.  A mix including this would be a good option.  

Native Sun Turfgrass Mix
Thunder Tuff Mix

Vendors

Native American Seed

Plum and Apricot Trees

I purchased five bare root fruit trees which arrived by UPS this week.  I planted four of the five at a distance of 23' apart which should be adequate.  I intended to plant all five but when I measured out the space, the footprint was a little larger than expected so I went with three expecting from the cryptic names on the labels that I planted two plum and two apricot trees.  As luck would have it, I planted three apricot trees and one plum.  The final plum (All Red variety) is at home in a pot so I can plant it later when I arrange a spot to add a fifth tree. 

Bluebonnet Ordinance Storage in McGregor Texas

 https://www.facebook.com/ilovethegreatstateoftexas/posts/the-remnants-of-a-naval-ordinance-facility-near-mcgregor-tx-these-bunkers-were-o/289321951169767/

https://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Before-SpaceX-McGregor-facility-produced-bombs-and-lots-of-them-430442353.html

NWIRP McGregor is a government-owned, contractor-operated facility in McGregor, Texas, approximately 20 miles southwest of Waco. The U.S. Army Ordnance Corps originally established it in 1942 as the Bluebonnet Ordnance Plant. Over the facility’s 50-year history, owners included the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and its current owner, the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). Industrial activities at the site included weapons and solid-fuel rocket propulsion systems manufacturing.

During its prime, NWIRP McGregor utilized 1,400 workers and was the largest employer in the area. Revenues from the facility supported the economies of many local communities, such as the cities of McGregor, Waco, Temple, Killeen, and Belton. At the time of the facility’s closure in 1995, the 625 people still employed at NWIRP McGregor were released. The closure created an economic hardship for the surrounding communities and, as a result, U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards sponsored special legislation to help turn the property over to the city of McGregor for economic redevelopment. Since 1999, 3,500 of 9,600 acres have been transferred to the City of McGregor. Because of the collaboration between the Navy, the City of McGregor, the USEPA, and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC), the City of McGregor was given with the Community Economic Development Award sponsored by the Texas Department of Economic Development.

New Queen Bed

With some of the Federal Stimulus Program money, we decided to purchase a bed for the cabin.  There was once a full size bed in the cabin but we ended up giving it to my son.  It was a little small for us so we wanted to eventually get a queen size bed to replace it.  I purchased the Springfield model mattress this past Monday from a place called Mattress by Appointment.

I purchased the bed and did not realize it at the time but it was made in Corsicana Texas by Corsicana Bedding.  I setup the bed this morning with some pillows from Wal-Mart and a few sheets we have left over from sets that we use at home.  The cabin is really crowded now with tools and unused items but it is becoming at least a bit more functional for an extended stay.

Dining Room Table

Using some of the Federal Stimulus Money, we purchased a used dining room table for the land.  I drove much farther than I really should have to buy it but it was the size that I wanted.  It also had a nice look that I expected to compliment the cabin appearance.  The total price for the table, leaf (not inserted), and six chairs (only 4 shown) was $200.  Quite a bargain in my opinion considering the condition of the table.

My plan was to buy a table exactly this size so that those sitting could look out the windows, it could be pushed against the wall, four people could sit along the sides, but it was not so long that it extended into the walk way through the cabin.  This was a perfect fit and greatly improves the comfort of the cabin.

I also purchased a set of Daniell's salt and pepper shakers (shown on table) from eBay this week.  They are similar to those my grandparents used when it was growing up.  They seal on the top so that moisture does not get in.  I purchased them for the sealing reason and also just being a bit fond of them from many years ago.

Soil Sample Collection for Testing

After having cattle on the property, I became very aware of the importance of quality grass for the cattle to eat.  My property has very little grass and is more overrun with weeds.  I believe it is in some part due to all the bulldozer work in years past along the fence lines which disturbed all the top soil and opened the door for weeds to take over.  This is something I'd like to address especially on the west side of my property which grows over each year with head high weeds.

Today, I decided to start with a few soil samples to submit for testing.  I decided I'd create one sample from various places in the homesite area, a second sample from various places on the north fence line, a third sample from various places on the west fence line were it is so overgrown, and then a final sample from a few places around the tank.  The sample from around the tank is more for potentially adding a deer food plot.

There are other options available to get your soil tested.  I've been reading the GameKeeper magazine a bit lately and read up on their soil testing process.  Mossy Oak charges $7.50 per sample and will provide you with the basic results and will also indicate what products they have which would be fitting for a deer food plot.  I purchased four soil samples from them today and will be sending in the paperwork and samples this coming week.  I'll update with the results once they are in.

Mossy Oak Biologic Soil Testing
https://www.plantbiologic.com/pages/soil-testing-food-plot

I took pictures of every place where I collected a sample.  It took just a few seconds more at each site but then I would remember exactly where I tested and where I did not.  Here are the pictures from the area that I'm referring to as the home site.