Well, another amazing day. One of the things you realize as you get older is that time is precious. As we get closer to winter, good outdoor days become even rarer. The plan we started last week and posted about got a lot of traction. When I arrived this morning, a crew of about six people was already there, and a tractor with a claw attachment was sitting in the field ready to go.
We jumped right in with a simple plan. The tractor would pick up any rocks in the left field that were popped out of the wall during last weekend’s work party and place them back on the wall. The rest of the team started cutting the vines from the trees and knocking down the tall grass to open up the view of what will soon be the kids sledding area in the old silage pit. This was the heart of today’s work. The pit has been hidden for years under brush, vines, tall grass, and invasives, and most people had no idea what shape it was really in. Clearing it out gave everyone the first real look at its gentle slopes, the soft grassy base, and how perfect it will be for young kids once the snow arrives.
Once the vines were cut back, the tractor moved in and began pulling the invasives, debris, and old junk out of the pit. In a matter of hours, the entire sledding area went from an overgrown tangle to a clean, open, safe space that parents will be able to see clearly from the parking lot. Every scoop of the claw made the sledding hill feel more real. What started as a forgotten farm remnant is now a simple and family friendly winter feature that is ready for the first decent snowfall.
After the pit was cleared, the section between the pit and the stone wall had all its vines removed, and the tractor grabbed those too. This sets the stage for the next work party to begin exposing and repairing the stone wall on the right side as you walk up the road.
Another big help today was having Bill Vines from the Conservation Commission on site. Having the site manager there made a huge difference because he was able to give real time okays on a few questions we had. It was great to see everyone working together, and I, personally, shook Bill’s hand and thanked him for his direction and insight because it made the impossible feel like reality.
Ken and his tractor returned and picked up every rock that popped last week from the main field and stacked them back on the stone walls. Another astonishing day and a reminder that you can accomplish incredible things when everyone works together.