Hi I’m Mike.
With our big farm to table dinner less than 15 days away, there is a lot of prep work
to get done and today we start cleaning up for about 75 visitors on the ranch, we also
get a chance to try out a new attachment on Erin’s two wheeled tractor, the BCS to help
us out on the project list, on our Wyoming life.
Welcome back to the project list, an ongoing effort to stay ahead of the little things
on the ranch and sometimes the big things, that need done constantly.
On this board we keep track of those things and when Erin starts adding stuff to the list,
we know they need done soon.
Our farm to table dinner last year was a huge success.
In a short amount of time we pulled off a catered dinner for around 75 guests all sourced
from the ranch.
It was catered by a local restaurant who brought out their wood fired ovens and cooked brisket,
and pork shoulder roast from animals raised right here.
They also featured a number of courses utilizing vegetables from Erins gardens including golden
beets, fennel, onions, potatoes and carrots.
Desert was a rhubarb sorbet and a honey cookie that had everyone wanting more.
Why do I feel like the purpose of Our Wyoming Life lately is to make everyone hungry, maybe
its just that it makes me hungry talking about it but that’s a good thing, because to get
ready for farm to table we are going to need a lot of energy and in the long run, that
amazing meal, which this year will be featuring a dessert of hot buttered apples cooked in
wood fired oven will be the reward for us for a lot of work.
Farm to table dinner is a fund raiser for our local farmers markets.
Proceeds from tickets and this year a silent auction will go to fund programs like share
the harvest, where farmers markets can buy left over produce to donate to local food
banks, the snap and wic incentive, loyalty programs, vendor training and a whole lot
more.
It is a, I think 5 course meal that begins with people basically milling around the main
ranch here.
They visit all of Erins gardens, walking through, they get to feed the pigs and calves see the
horses and with people strolling around, we need to clean up.
So that’s where we are going to start today.
First we are going to clean up outside, then move inside the shop, and test out some concrete
cleaner and as I mentioned that new attachement for the BCS two wheeled tractor.
So lets get to work.
Throughout the year outside, jobs get done and messes get left, scrap wood is majority
of the mess but luckily we have the equivalent of a rolling dumpster that we can use to gather
it up.
With a handy dandy hitch mounted to the tractors 3 point arms we then can hook up to our dump
trailer, already full of junk that needs to go to the dump.
Our dump is located about a half a mile from the shop and after we are connected to the
trailer we can go and empty it and then start filling it again, and probably again.
The trailer itself is pretty small, about 4 foot by 10 foot long and with 3 foot sides.
Think of it as a little dump truck, using a 12 volt battery to power a small hydraulic
pump, the hydraulic cylinder pushes the box up and back.
After its lifted, then we pull forward to dump out the contents.
The dump is about a fenced off area about an acre and a half, there is a large pit dug
and usually about once every two years we will burn the dump.
First we take a bulldozer and push everything in the pit then in the winter, when snow covers
the ground we perform a controlled burn, sometimes over a couple of days to get rid of it.
For that reason, we make sure that nothing that cant be burned safely is put in here
and we only burn it when there is plenty of snow to protect the surrounding area.
With our load emptied, its time to fill it up once again.
Erin is out and around and comes to lend a hand.
Team work is essential around the ranch, and having an extra set of hands helps out a lot.
When cleaning up you never know what you are going to find.
I’ll never get tired of watching that, although Erin is probably going to kill me.
Clean up, none the less continues.
Erins heart rate lowers and we get back to it, moving from spot to spot around the ranch,
cleaning up everything from pallets to implements and moving them where they need to be.
When the trailer is full, then its back over to dump it again.
Since the new high tunnel will be on the tour list I am sure, we also clean up the scrap
wood that we have there.
The great thing about taking stuff to the dump, is that until we burn it, its not gone.
Just out of sight.
If I need something I know where to go.
Yea it’s a little hoarderish, if that’s a word but who wants to go buy a 2 foot 2x4
if you need one.
Back at the shop, where dinner will be served its time to start getting cleaned up as well.
After sweeping, we are going to be testing a new type of concrete cleaner that we have
found called Zep Driveway, Concrete and Masonry Cleaner.
There are a few stains on the concrete that I would love to see gone and if this stuff
works in this small area then I will be feel better about making the investment to do the
whole shop it with.
Before we get that far, I have the pleasure to introduce you to the newest attachment
we have for the BCS two wheeled tractor and that is our new pressure washer.
I really do appreciate the BCS, having one power unit that can run multiple implements
is a god send.
One engine to maintain but having a pressure washer for it was one thing that surprised
me.
This pressure washer is capable of up to 4000 psi and should be able to make short work
of our concrete floor.
I hope.
With it in the shop, with a door open of course for ventilation, the water supply is hooked
up and turned on.
The machine itself is left in neutral, the pto is engaged and after releasing the clutch
we put this ring over the safety shut off to keep the pto running.
Everyone probably has their own way of doing this but I like to wet down the whole floor
first, then come through with a squeegee to push out the rest of the dirt.
Pushing it down the shop drain.
Then its on to the Zep cleaner, the instructions call for 6 to 12 ounces per gallon water,
so we are going to go for about 8 cups in a 5 gallon bucket of hot water.
My bucket has a hole in it.
So lets work fast here.
Pouring the solution over the floor and then getting to it with a 15 inch floor cleaner
that attaches to the pressure washer.
This thing really scrubs as we move through the floor, but it occurs to me that its diluting
the cleaner even more, but we are in it now, might as well finish.
After scrubbing then its time to clean it all off and rinse the floor again.
Erin is using a water broom to push all the solution and water and grime away.
Yes we know a nozzle is clogged.
With a few more pushes of the squeegee we can now wait and see what we come up with
once it dries and how well it cleaned.
The floor is now dry, didn’t do diddle squat, at least not any more than the power washer
itself did.
Maybe with the addition of water it was over diluted so I’ll probably try it again in
the worse spots on the floor, but sometimes that’s what is all about.
You never know if you don’t try, and you don’t learn unless you make mistakes.
Maybe I can get this stuff dialed in, maybe I wont.
And even though I wouldn’t eat off this floor, it is a lot cleaner than it was before
and I doubt any farm to table attendees will be eating off it either.
Of course, if you drop your dessert, you might be tempted.
Thanks for coming out with us today, we hope that you will be able to meet up with us on
Thursday for our livestream at 7pm mountain time.
If you didn’t notice we have recently just passed 40,000 subscribers and with that we
want to do something special for you, so we will be giving away a couple tshirts and some
stickers as live stream, as well as talking about our next big giveaway which will be
coming at 50,000 subscribers and hopefully its not to far away.
Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing and you can continue with us as we explore
the ranch life and escape the ordinary.
Until I see you on Thursday, have a great week and thanks for joining us in our Wyoming
life.