Learning has taken place - again, thanks to you. Going on 3 years ago I purchased an additional 64 acres to my original 8. When I made the purchase I estimated that I had at least 400 dead Ash trees that succumbed to the Emerald Ash Borer. In 2023 I took 127 of them down. On January 8, 20224 we had 74 mph winds that either uprooted or snapped in half an additional 150 plus Red Pine and Locust trees. As Toby Keith said in a song "I'm not as good as I once was", so am I at 72. I began wondering how to take on this mega project with my 35 HP tractor. Research and reasoning and your videos pointed me to purchasing an excavator even though I did not have any experience in operating one. Picked up a 5 year old 4 ton with just over 500 hours on it earlier this year. Then came the learning on how to operate it. Your video with Hanna was instrumental in reducing my learning curve. And the continued use and committing the control usage to muscle memory has me pleased as to my current state of operational skills. Todays video using the trees for a swamp mat has given me the tool that I need to create a trail along my property line through a drainage area. Thanks again for your content and teaching us - Paul
Log road usage is an old old trick from loggers. I was raised in an area that approximately 100 years ago was swamp, backwater most from the Mississippi River and seasonally heavy rains. I have not kept up on it but in the 60’s snd 70’s I knew of several then gravel toads that the base was still old logs.
@@coypatton3160 In the UK they randomly uncover old roman log roads that have been buried and topped over the centuries while doing construction projects. The logs apparently won't rot if oxygen isn't getting to them and there aren't any decomposer's. Sunken (wooden) shipwrecks tend succumb to shipworms, not the water itself. It's likely those swamp roads are still there.
That black muck is really nice fertile top soil for a garden or spot needing a good area of soil! It is like black gold to some farmers and gardeners. Good work Mike!
Speaking of old school when we bought our 5 acre property that was totally overgrown but it did have a fairly new 10x20 shed that needed to be moved . I figured I would use heavy PVC pipe to roll the shed on but the price of the pipe was double what it was before the pandemic. Since my woods needed to be thinned out I cut about 15 eight inch oaks that needed to go anyway and rolled the shed on them . Just like the pioneers did with a truck not a mule.
Black topsoil gets its dark color primarily from a high content of organic matter, such as decomposed plant material and microorganisms. This organic material, often called humus, helps retain moisture and nutrients, giving the soil its fertility. The more organic material present, the darker and richer the soil appears. Great stuff!
Mike, hey from Oregon. it's funny. I just cleaned out my pond last week, and I did it the same way you did. Now I'm cleaning up my muck piles. I have 4 huge muck piles. I am letting them dry out before I spread them on a different part of our property. Awesome video.
The way I look at it. It’s your pond and yes you have the equipment and all the time to do it at your leisure. So keep doing your way and show people how it can be done!
Mike, I sat on the edge of my seat watching this video and nervous for you about tipping over or sinking in the mire. I have seen several excavators sink up to the cab. Videos all over UA-cam getting them buried. You MASTERFULLY cleared that inlet to the pond and removed logs just when I was thinking that should be next to come out. This video is one of the best I have watched on UA-cam!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🫵🏻👍🏻🧐
I was going to suggest building some mats the other day but what you are is doing is absoulutley great!. We built mats for my neighbors pond I cleaned out with power poles and bolted the mats together. Back in the 50's the DOT did exactly what you are doing building a highway through some old canals with red oak logs with about 8 feet of dirt filled over the logs and 60 years later it's still intact. They said without oxygen in that black muck the logs would never rot. It's amazing the simple things they did in building things!. Great job on bridging the muck!.
Dude, you are teaching me about things I never thought I would be interested in. I never knew how a pond worked and I never knew I needed a mini skid.....but....I might need to buy some land so I can dig something. Thanks for your videos
Good morning Morgan's and all from BUCKS county, Pa. What a wonderful weekend it was. The weather is fall like and loving it. Everyone have a day and enjoy. "E A G L E S" LETS GOOOOOOOOOO
Mike, That soil may be wet and slimy but I guarantee every gardener who watched these pond videos would love to have it as they call it black gold !! With that stuff in a garden you’d hear the plants growing. If your nephew used that stuff his pumpkins would be the size of your tractor. Stay safe.
Good morning from Upstate South Carolina. Headed to Johnstown Pa today. Nephew Christian may want some of that black dirt from the pond. Nice work. Have another productive day.
Fantastic! That is the best video I have seen since you were cutting wood and dragging trees out of gullies with the skidding winch and cutting rounds right there with Melissa! I love the digging, moving dirt and anything in the woods! I have been waiting for this since you threw plastic over the dam in a storm. That stuff your are calling "muck" is black gold when it dries and you literally have tons and tons of it. Transfer it up to the new clearing and just scatter it before you plant grass and it will grow like mad! I saw Chris (Lets Dig 18) sit in about a 2 acre pond filled with that transferring it back and back into his uncles haul truck. It was so wet they had to buy a tail gate for the truck and where he hauled it in the property it raised the ground lever 4" over about a 5 acre plot. I guess you only have one pond , but I'd love more videos like this!
Awesome job Mike! Feel silly adding anything to your wisdom/experience but if I did it would be: 1) a graded bench around the low erosion sides. 2) a series of catch diversions on the entry areas. 3) cable the logs for the mats future use. God’s Blessing’s Curly Oh , and I loved the 10 sleeping bags story. That was priceless, thanks (to u and Mel) for sharing!
Good morning Mike, great idea on the log road we don’t want all that muck on that beautiful excavator! Donald and I was just talking last night about you … we truly love this one way friendship lol you would love us too if you knew us lol. Have a super day, lisa
Mike we normally do not place dirt on top of the logs. just drive out and if you need to go further pull from the ones behind you . The dirt on top is a nice idea and stabilizes the logs, but adds more work and weight . still say pump the pound out will help dry out the muck Just leave enough water for the fish.
Mike you’re genuinely gifted with skill. I worked 42 years with the gas company and I have only ever seen this done in my pipelining days. That was awesome. Building an air bridge with logs. Who would’ve thought this would worked, only someone with your experience. Good job man. Brought back some good memories from my time working on the pipelines and right of ways. ❤
I learned something today from the master (Mike) about videography. I kicked the playback speed up to double just to appreciate the beauty of the machine working. When the camera was mounted on the machine and the background was zooming back and forth, it was almost dizzying in an unpleasant way,. But when your camera was mounted on a stationary platform, the effect was awesome! We’ve all learned so much from you over the years Mike. As with many things you’ve taught us, I’m sure you learned this a long time ago, that you can get away with increasing the speed a lot more when it’s stationary. I can’t remember one time where I felt like you increased it too much as you’ve experimented with different techniques, I ‘ve always enjoyed how you craft each video as much as your equipment handling skills. BRW, that’s coming from a retired crane driver from the LA/Long Beach waterfront. Today was a great new insight on what you can get away with in different filming situations. Also, I really enjoy how you let the viewer in on your thought processes as you did with how to approach mucking out the pond. Thanks Mike. Love your work.
What a great project to piddle around on and see what works. All that equipment is worth its weight in gold. Thanks for sharing and the education, Mike! You are the black muck master!
That black muck your in is what we call muskeg here in alaska. dead vegetation and dirt accumulated over years. To get across areas like this permanently, we placed logs or even brush and then covered with dirt and rocks if we had them. They are called corduroy roads and bridges. As long as the dirt covers the logs, it will not rot out. Frozen in time sort of and still going fifty plus years later, solid as the day put in. Long as no air gets to that wood, it is sealed and will not rot, lasts for years and we hauled logs across those roads and they are still solid today
Again, you've got plenty of pond comments below. I just want to say, "thanks for the big kid playing in the mud with an excavator video!" So satisfying. 😂
Good morning, Mike and family! Beautiful job. You showed us that you have the know-how and the skills to use your resources instead of renting more equipment. That's what sets you in a different group than most. You have the ability to solve a lot of the problems that show up. By doing so, you illuminate the drama that often times would infiltrate the situation. That's why a lot of people are attracted to your channel. Keep up the great and interesting work you do with that. Have a day.looking forward to your next videos.
Glad you took my advice about using logs instead of mats just like Letsdig18. Mix the slush from pond with brown dirt and make good top soil for growing grass on rocky ground?
I'll bet that black goo would make some excellent potting soil, very rich in nutrients, mix it with some brown dirt and watch everything grow like bonkers. I pulled a pile out of my pond a few month ago and theres already a jungle growing out of it without even planting anything. I'd put Buford to work and move it up to where you want to grow that rye🤣
Hi Mike In Australia we always use our grading bucket Which we call a mud bucket for such jobs Most machines have a rotary hitch so all buckets can tilt ,swivel Victoria Australia We love Kabota here too
35:47 Hello? 😊 We have a company near us that rents timber mats. We used about 20 to get concrete trucks into a 250 yard pour. Mike could put Levi in the CTL and load some of the muck right into the bucket so it could be taken out of there.
That black gunk will be some dang fine planting soil ...already pre composted...since yo already have the legs down there maybe just make a bridge so in the future it saves some work..
This is called a corduroy road or bridge and was used by the army when building the Natchez Trace. Naturally they are gone but some of the walking trails show where they were used. Can you imagine the labor it took to cut and place these logs in that kind of muck. You and Melissa would love this drive from Franklin TN to Natchez Ms. There you will see some of the most beautiful antebellum homes in the US. Have fun and stay safe!
Many people come up with ways to spend your money!!! You know what your end results should look like. You make interesting videos and I don't agree with everythings that you do but your end results look like something I would think ends up real nice... Keep us in your viewing family, I love every adventure that you take me on.....
One great thing about all that pond muck you're digging out, if it's not full of clay, it'll make excellent topsoil when the organic solids break down.
As I sat here and watched this video, it occurred to me that I enjoy watching the process of things you do, but believe I enjoy even more your process of figuring things out, with what you have available, and how best to accomplish things as safely and as efficiently as possible. You have done so much of that over the years I've been watching, I wouldn't even know where to start, with something that would be considered a standout, since you do it all the time, and just the way your mind works to get things accomplished, I believe. Using the logs in this video to accomplish what you needed to, is a smart idea, and know there are some in the comments that think the way you do, and assist with knowledgeable ideas.
👍👍👍👍👍👌Amazing amount of material taken out of the pond, great plan, and execution of the plan,the logs seemed to work better than swamp mats as well as being easier to handle, only my opinion because I have no idea…….great job, as well as filming the process!!!
Improvise Adapt Overcome! You'd make a Good Old Jarhead! Good morning back at yah, Mike. Lots of suggestions but I would have done what you are doing. Good job buddy. You're reminding me more & more of Chris. Greetings from the Old Jarhead in WNC.
You’d have made a great Seabee in WWII, my dad said they’d build a causeway out from the islands, in the Pacific, so they could unload the ships easier using pretty much the same technique, he said sometimes the D-9 Cats would get out to far and would just sink and they’d just build the road on top of them as no way to get them out, made the road more solid
GOOOOOOOD MAAAWNIN TO ALL MY FELLOW OWTM’S FANS & FOLLOWERS from an absolutely incredible cool & breezy morning here in VaBch!!….Mike I love videos like this… you have some serious skills ( whether you think you do or not) & it’s very impressive! Love the multiple camera shots… many views from outside showing what you’re doing & one on you what talking to us. WICKED AWESOME!!👏🏻….GREAT CONTENT & editing!! Have a Day!! HELLOOOOO HUNTER 😊
My suggestion would be a silt retention basin just above the pond that you could clean out every other year, all in all great job, an extra operator would really help.
Nice videos, been watching them for some time. I think I seen them all. Like it a lot, my dream to do something like that. Looking to buy kx057 for my construction and some landscaping projects. Thank you for posting videos! Thanks for your hard work!
I’m a fisherman! Been waiting a long time to see you you get this nice fishing pond for those grandkids cleaned out so they can enjoy it . Next get that spillway fixed and you will have a gem !
Mike. I would clean out the stream area up from the pond real good and install a couple weirs that would catch probably 90% of the silt then you could just clean those out yearly and the pond would stay way cleaner. Just my opinion. Have used them a lot on ponds and lakes in new subdivisions to keep the lakes clean.
That’s a lot nicer than any log bridges Ive and Chris (let’s dig 18) ever used. 😊 I’ve been on a lake that was bottomless with a Cat316 and 6 telephone poles, leap frogged the poles to the middle and worked my way out. As long as you operate smoothly and keep an eye on ur tracks she will be fine. It’s amazing how much floatation they give u. But I like what u did and you can never be to careful
Great video Mike. Beautiful log swamp"mat". I had to do the same thing when I cleaned out my old pond that was on the property when I purchased it. SC low country muck is just as bad as the goo you are dealing with. My old Hitachi EX120 needed slightly larger logs but I had a lot of downed trees to work with. You did great working with your own equipment at your own pace and avoided the rental costs. You got it under control now!!
I am still subscribed. I am not sure why this type of project is so interesting but if I wasn't in NH, it would be worth a 4 hour drive to come down with a lawn chair , some snacks and drinks and pay admission to sit on the far bank and watch this whole project ! But NH is probably 10 hours from your area.
I do some pond dredging and western North Carolina. I also have a drag line. The excavators are much easier. You’re right about the drag line. It would not fit in there. I think you’ve done a great job why you did it
After you get that sediment cleaned out. Can you use some of those logs to build a couple sediment basins up that gully to catch some of the soil where it’s easier to dig it out?
Something you may want to look at, if you have a need .... LBJ 's entrance/crossing to his farmhouse on the Pedernales River. He built a concrete spillway with a driveway lower as part of one unit. The creek would back up forming a place to fish and swim and water would flow gently over as to not impede travel on the drive way.
My wife and I love to ride the “three sisters” hill country roads on my BMW motorcycle … and we’ve taken many a short breaks on that spillway. Usually tour the museum too, if it’s open. I had a good friend that grew up on the LBJ ranch as his dad worked for the them back in the 50’s-60’s.
How about making a stone waterfall so that the silt will collect behind it an easier to clan out in a few years. Dig a deep hole on the high side just before the dam with a nice flat area to park the machines while cleaning the muck up. I was surprised you didn't finish digging before letting the water flow in, once the water flowed it just turned into a much harder, sloppier job. You called that slop nasty...NO it's actually black gold! I agree with others, pile it up and use it for top soil when you need it! Looks like if you're going to use those logs for firewood after you're done you'll have to do some heavy duty power washing LOL! Good solution to the problem BTW!
A small crane like a old bucyrus 15b with a clamshell or dragline looks like it would be small enough to bail the back of the pond. Although youd have to put the boom on once you got it down there. While that would be more fun (in my book) and alot more interesting, there is a reason why they were replaced with hydraulic long reach.....simply faster
Thats called being resourceful and an excellent job at that. No damage to the logs so they can be used for lumber! That excavator is the best piece of equipment you bought. I bet you can get the same money as what you paid for it. Enjoy the day's ahead
Hi Mike just watch the video for the second time and I had an idea what if you haul that black mock up to the big field and spread it down there and then rototilled it in and then put your new grass seed into that it would do three things it would get rid of that black material you took out the pond it would add organic matter to the field and it would help the grass one more thing have a day good day
Reminds me of how we use to cross creeks and streams. Put several large casings in the middle then dirt and mats. Then open it up and put pipe in. Put dry dirt in than open up the water flow. Pull the casings out clean it up. Now just directional bore in half the time. 😃👍🙏. Big hello to hunter. Is he able to help with the bundle wood?
I got a suggestion. Why not use the Blueford dump truck & move that muck? It will take time however, you'll be rid of that slime. Be safe, healthy, discerning, strong and successful. Blessings Morgans.☝🙏🙌💪👊
Hi Pete, Weather is changing down here and it is a welcome thing. This Summer was not too bad for us. Hot but I don't think it got over 100° F more than a few days. Have a great day!
Thats what you call a corduroy road. There are some roads over a hundred years old like that in the UP. Would placing a culvert in with the logs help keep the road in place.Guess not lol
Think about putting in a short dam across where your log mats were. This will create a sediment pond that you can easily keep clean. In some areas a sediment pond is a requirement for retention ponds / basins.
I was involved in doing something very similar behind a dam on the Missouri River just below Greatfalls Montana. We built a road on crane Matt's and covered it with dirt. Then backed 30 ton end dumps out on it. There was a 50 ton crane with a clam shell bucket on a barge loading big bins with muck. A long stick excavator would load the trucks from the bins and the muck we built the road on. Took us about 6 weeks to clean up.
This was so Satisfying, watching you clear out the pond. You could start a channel, just excavating Neighbors ponds….and make plenty of content! I Remember watching an old , Lone Ranger episode… Tonto got stuck in quicksand and he got rescued just in time…by his Kemosabe, while Trying to Retrieve… stolen gold in the middle… To be used to build an Indian school. It was a very old episode. Watching you dig this, brought that old memory back to me!
You know what? I was just thinking about how rich all that soil (silt) that you're removing from that pond. That stuff dried out would probably be some really great compost to sell, Probably mostly rotten leaves an sticks. Thanks for your videos. You do a great job at whatever you do. Thanks for sharing.
Mike, move some of that black dirt up to the food plot and spread it around, it is loaded with organic material that will make the ground much more fertile for when you plant it again.
Good time to see if your northern pine will last longer in the pond leaves some of them in the water over the winter and see if they do like the yellow pine down here in the south I pulled some out of my pond yesterday and they are all good 👍 and I will make siding for the walls in my cabin God Bless Y'all and have a wonderful day 🙏🙏🙏😅😅😅😅😅
Corduroy roads have been used for a very long time , to move wagons over swampy ground. There was mention of their use in a history of my 5th great Grandfather that immigrated from Germany, to settle in Gap, Pa. area about 1710. Mathius Slaymaker, once owned around 1200 acres in that area, and had an Inn, for travellers.
Hi Mike. The log bridge worked! 👏👏👏👏 Great job. Perfect time to dig the pond out. Story: My best friend's nieghbor told him. He was renting a excavator to dig out his pond & sways. My best friend had a pond to dig out & other excavator works. The nieghbor said. You can did out my pond & others. By pament of renting the machine. You can do your pond & others." No extra charge." It was a beast of excavator with a longer arm. 40 inch wide toothed bucket. Say Hi to Melissa, Eva, Hunter, Levi, Tyler, &Hannah. 🥰🙂😉👍❤️💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🌲
Learning has taken place - again, thanks to you. Going on 3 years ago I purchased an additional 64 acres to my original 8. When I made the purchase I estimated that I had at least 400 dead Ash trees that succumbed to the Emerald Ash Borer. In 2023 I took 127 of them down. On January 8, 20224 we had 74 mph winds that either uprooted or snapped in half an additional 150 plus Red Pine and Locust trees. As Toby Keith said in a song "I'm not as good as I once was", so am I at 72. I began wondering how to take on this mega project with my 35 HP tractor. Research and reasoning and your videos pointed me to purchasing an excavator even though I did not have any experience in operating one. Picked up a 5 year old 4 ton with just over 500 hours on it earlier this year. Then came the learning on how to operate it. Your video with Hanna was instrumental in reducing my learning curve. And the continued use and committing the control usage to muscle memory has me pleased as to my current state of operational skills. Todays video using the trees for a swamp mat has given me the tool that I need to create a trail along my property line through a drainage area. Thanks again for your content and teaching us - Paul
Use more paragraphs.
Log road usage is an old old trick from loggers.
I was raised in an area that approximately 100 years ago was swamp, backwater most from the Mississippi River and seasonally heavy rains. I have not kept up on it but in the 60’s snd 70’s I knew of several then gravel toads that the base was still old logs.
@@coypatton3160 In the UK they randomly uncover old roman log roads that have been buried and topped over the centuries while doing construction projects. The logs apparently won't rot if oxygen isn't getting to them and there aren't any decomposer's. Sunken (wooden) shipwrecks tend succumb to shipworms, not the water itself. It's likely those swamp roads are still there.
@@coypatton3160 Well Professor, When we start a Grammar and Punctuation segment we'll have Archie give you a call. Till then "Pipe Down".
Exactly...u want it in Spanish next time??? 😅
That black muck is really nice fertile top soil for a garden or spot needing a good area of soil! It is like black gold to some farmers and gardeners. Good work Mike!
For that grass flat area , Will help the grass to grow !
Good for nephew christians pumpkin patch! 🤣
It takes a few years to dry and oxygenate before it is truly fertile.
It's not as rich as you think. I bought some "top soil" one time that turned out to be pond dredge. It looked great. Wouldn't even grow grass.
Logs as a mat. Old school is cool.
Speaking of old school when we bought our 5 acre property that was totally overgrown but it did have a fairly new 10x20 shed that needed to be moved . I figured I would use heavy PVC pipe to roll the shed on but the price of the pipe was double what it was before the pandemic. Since my woods needed to be thinned out I cut about 15 eight inch oaks that needed to go anyway and rolled the shed on them . Just like the pioneers did with a truck not a mule.
@@johnm.robertssr.2953…now that sounded like work! What did you use to pull it out with if I may ask? Did it mess up your building?
Mike, I’ve done that a few times with logs. Works good and cheap. Great videos.
@@freepatriot6313 used my pickup truck and I cut the logs 10 feet long worked great
Black topsoil gets its dark color primarily from a high content of organic matter, such as decomposed plant material and microorganisms. This organic material, often called humus, helps retain moisture and nutrients, giving the soil its fertility. The more organic material present, the darker and richer the soil appears. Great stuff!
Mike, hey from Oregon. it's funny. I just cleaned out my pond last week, and I did it the same way you did. Now I'm cleaning up my muck piles. I have 4 huge muck piles. I am letting them dry out before I spread them on a different part of our property. Awesome video.
The way I look at it. It’s your pond and yes you have the equipment and all the time to do it at your leisure. So keep doing your way and show people how it can be done!
Mr Morgan, consider leaving a small line of logs as a retaining wall to hold the recently dug material back! 🇨🇦
Mike,
I sat on the edge of my seat watching this video and nervous for you about tipping over or sinking in the mire. I have seen several excavators sink up to the cab. Videos all over UA-cam getting them buried.
You MASTERFULLY cleared that inlet to the pond and removed logs just when I was thinking that should be next to come out.
This video is one of the best I have watched on UA-cam!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🫵🏻👍🏻🧐
I was going to suggest building some mats the other day but what you are is doing is absoulutley great!. We built mats for my neighbors pond I cleaned out with power poles and bolted the mats together.
Back in the 50's the DOT did exactly what you are doing building a highway through some old canals with red oak logs with about 8 feet of dirt filled over the logs and 60 years later it's still intact. They said without oxygen in that black muck the logs would never rot. It's amazing the simple things they did in building things!.
Great job on bridging the muck!.
Dude, you are teaching me about things I never thought I would be interested in. I never knew how a pond worked and I never knew I needed a mini skid.....but....I might need to buy some land so I can dig something.
Thanks for your videos
People really just need to sit back and relax, you've done this pond before, great job so far!! Have a blessed day!!
That black muck is going to be the best fertilizer to grow plants, fruits, and vegetables whatever
He needs to save some for Christian and use some for the Meadow. That's Black Gold.
Good morning Morgan's and all from BUCKS county, Pa. What a wonderful weekend it was. The weather is fall like and loving it. Everyone have a day and enjoy. "E A G L E S" LETS GOOOOOOOOOO
Mike,
That soil may be wet and slimy but I guarantee every gardener who watched these pond videos would love to have it as they call it black gold !! With that stuff in a garden you’d hear the plants growing. If your nephew used that stuff his pumpkins would be the size of your tractor. Stay safe.
Good morning from Upstate South Carolina. Headed to Johnstown Pa today.
Nephew Christian may want some of that black dirt from the pond. Nice work. Have another productive day.
Fantastic! That is the best video I have seen since you were cutting wood and dragging trees out of gullies with the skidding winch and cutting rounds right there with Melissa! I love the digging, moving dirt and anything in the woods! I have been waiting for this since you threw plastic over the dam in a storm. That stuff your are calling "muck" is black gold when it dries and you literally have tons and tons of it. Transfer it up to the new clearing and just scatter it before you plant grass and it will grow like mad! I saw Chris (Lets Dig 18) sit in about a 2 acre pond filled with that transferring it back and back into his uncles haul truck. It was so wet they had to buy a tail gate for the truck and where he hauled it in the property it raised the ground lever 4" over about a 5 acre plot. I guess you only have one pond , but I'd love more videos like this!
Awesome job Mike!
Feel silly adding anything to your wisdom/experience but if I did it would be:
1) a graded bench around the low erosion sides.
2) a series of catch diversions on the entry areas.
3) cable the logs for the mats future use.
God’s Blessing’s
Curly
Oh , and I loved the 10 sleeping bags story. That was priceless, thanks (to u and Mel) for sharing!
Good morning Mike, great idea on the log road we don’t want all that muck on that beautiful excavator! Donald and I was just talking last night about you … we truly love this one way friendship lol you would love us too if you knew us lol. Have a super day, lisa
Thanks Mike !
Glad a section of the muck break loose from underneath the logs and slide down into the Bottom!!
Keep Smiling On!!
😅👍👊❤️
Mike we normally do not place dirt on top of the logs. just drive out and if you need to go further pull from the ones behind you . The dirt on top is a nice idea and stabilizes the logs, but adds more work and weight . still say pump the pound out will help dry out the muck Just leave enough water for the fish.
The dirt/silt you are removing should be fairly good quality topsoil. You could mix a bit of sawdust in and have a ready pile of topsoil available.
Mike you’re genuinely gifted with skill. I worked 42 years with the gas company and I have only ever seen this done in my pipelining days. That was awesome. Building an air bridge with logs. Who would’ve thought this would worked, only someone with your experience. Good job man. Brought back some good memories from my time working on the pipelines and right of ways. ❤
You’ve never seen an excavator use wooden mats before ?
Letsdig18 has used timber mats on many of his projects
@@bigjimflying7195 it’s common practice everywhere
I learned something today from the master (Mike) about videography. I kicked the playback speed up to double just to appreciate the beauty of the machine working. When the camera was mounted on the machine and the background was zooming back and forth, it was almost dizzying in an unpleasant way,. But when your camera was mounted on a stationary platform, the effect was awesome!
We’ve all learned so much from you over the years Mike. As with many things you’ve taught us, I’m sure you learned this a long time ago, that you can get away with increasing the speed a lot more when it’s stationary. I can’t remember one time where I felt like you increased it too much as you’ve experimented with different techniques, I ‘ve always enjoyed how you craft each video as much as your equipment handling skills. BRW, that’s coming from a retired crane driver from the LA/Long Beach waterfront.
Today was a great new insight on what you can get away with in different filming situations. Also, I really enjoy how you let the viewer in on your thought processes as you did with how to approach mucking out the pond. Thanks Mike. Love your work.
What a great project to piddle around on and see what works. All that equipment is worth its weight in gold. Thanks for sharing and the education, Mike! You are the black muck master!
That black muck your in is what we call muskeg here in alaska. dead vegetation and dirt accumulated over years. To get across areas like this permanently, we placed logs or even brush and then covered with dirt and rocks if we had them. They are called corduroy roads and bridges. As long as the dirt covers the logs, it will not rot out. Frozen in time sort of and still going fifty plus years later, solid as the day put in. Long as no air gets to that wood, it is sealed and will not rot, lasts for years and we hauled logs across those roads and they are still solid today
Again, you've got plenty of pond comments below. I just want to say, "thanks for the big kid playing in the mud with an excavator video!" So satisfying. 😂
Good morning, Mike and family! Beautiful job. You showed us that you have the know-how and the skills to use your resources instead of renting more equipment. That's what sets you in a different group than most. You have the ability to solve a lot of the problems that show up. By doing so, you illuminate the drama that often times would infiltrate the situation. That's why a lot of people are attracted to your channel. Keep up the great and interesting work you do with that. Have a day.looking forward to your next videos.
I'm wondering how The Morgans can afford all the nice equipment.
When you get the pond dug out, why not go up stream and dig a deep sediment pit that you can easily get to and dig out maybe every fall?
Good Morning Morgan Family 🌞- Have a Fantastic and Blessed Day 🤠
Glad you took my advice about using logs instead of mats just like Letsdig18. Mix the slush from pond with brown dirt and make good top soil for growing grass on rocky ground?
That black muck sure reminded me of an area we used to duck hunt in when I was younger. We learned quickly not to step out of the boat lol
I'll bet that black goo would make some excellent potting soil, very rich in nutrients, mix it with some brown dirt and watch everything grow like bonkers. I pulled a pile out of my pond a few month ago and theres already a jungle growing out of it without even planting anything. I'd put Buford to work and move it up to where you want to grow that rye🤣
Hi Mike
In Australia we always use our grading bucket
Which we call a mud bucket for such jobs
Most machines have a rotary hitch so all buckets can tilt ,swivel
Victoria Australia
We love Kabota here too
35:47 Hello? 😊 We have a company near us that rents timber mats. We used about 20 to get concrete trucks into a 250 yard pour.
Mike could put Levi in the CTL and load some of the muck right into the bucket so it could be taken out of there.
Hey David! How are things?
@@OutdoorsWithTheMorgans Hi Mike, Things are good here. Weather is changing to Autumn and that's a little early but I am good with that. Have a day! 😊
Good morning David and Mike 😸
@@badcat4707Hi BadCat, Happy Mewsday! 😸
Everyone should have a David as a friend!
A perfect blend of research, planning, skill, trust, and courage. Well done!
That black gunk will be some dang fine planting soil ...already pre composted...since yo already have the legs down there maybe just make a bridge so in the future it saves some work..
This is called a corduroy road or bridge and was used by the army when building the Natchez Trace. Naturally they are gone but some of the walking trails show where they were used. Can you imagine the labor it took to cut and place these logs in that kind of muck. You and Melissa would love this drive from Franklin TN to Natchez Ms. There you will see some of the most beautiful antebellum homes in the US. Have fun and stay safe!
Many people come up with ways to spend your money!!! You know what your end results should look like. You make interesting videos and I don't agree with everythings that you do but your end results look like something I would think ends up real nice... Keep us in your viewing family, I love every adventure that you take me on.....
One great thing about all that pond muck you're digging out, if it's not full of clay, it'll make excellent topsoil when the organic solids break down.
As I sat here and watched this video, it occurred to me that I enjoy watching the process of things you do, but believe I enjoy even more your process of figuring things out, with what you have available, and how best to accomplish things as safely and as efficiently as possible. You have done so much of that over the years I've been watching, I wouldn't even know where to start, with something that would be considered a standout, since you do it all the time, and just the way your mind works to get things accomplished, I believe. Using the logs in this video to accomplish what you needed to, is a smart idea, and know there are some in the comments that think the way you do, and assist with knowledgeable ideas.
👍👍👍👍👍👌Amazing amount of material taken out of the pond, great plan, and execution of the plan,the logs seemed to work better than swamp mats as well as being easier to handle, only my opinion because I have no idea…….great job, as well as filming the process!!!
perfect job for BlueFord --moving all that dirt by the pond
Improvise Adapt Overcome! You'd make a Good Old Jarhead! Good morning back at yah, Mike. Lots of suggestions but I would have done what you are doing. Good job buddy. You're reminding me more & more of Chris. Greetings from the Old Jarhead in WNC.
You’d have made a great Seabee in WWII, my dad said they’d build a causeway out from the islands, in the Pacific, so they could unload the ships easier using pretty much the same technique, he said sometimes the D-9 Cats would get out to far and would just sink and they’d just build the road on top of them as no way to get them out, made the road more solid
Keep it up!! Very satisfying transformation.
Love to have this awesome guy to teach me this!
Great innovation....a pontoon bridge to facilitate clearing up the pond for your desired flow of direction.
GOOOOOOOD MAAAWNIN TO ALL MY FELLOW OWTM’S FANS & FOLLOWERS from an absolutely incredible cool & breezy morning here in VaBch!!….Mike I love videos like this… you have some serious skills ( whether you think you do or not) & it’s very impressive! Love the multiple camera shots… many views from outside showing what you’re doing & one on you what talking to us. WICKED AWESOME!!👏🏻….GREAT CONTENT & editing!!
Have a Day!!
HELLOOOOO HUNTER 😊
Hi Jack!
Morning
Morning
@@davidmorse8432good morning Dave! Hoping you had a great holiday weekend
Hiya Jack!
My suggestion would be a silt retention basin just above the pond that you could clean out every other year, all in all great job, an extra operator would really help.
I like the way you chose to do the pond clearing . Such fulfilling work!
Good job!..I like the log bridge
this dude is the king of busy work
Your son will love that for his gardening
Like a bridge over troubled swamp waters, Mike didn't let down.
Alot of work, but maybe use the Black Muck on the Deer Plot before you seed. Great ide on the Log Bridge!
What could he use to haul it?
@@jakebredthauer5100 If only he had a dump trailer.
@@MartyMotorizedMayhemhe was probably fishing for an answer of Blueford.
@@jakebredthauer5100 Of course let dry out first. Not the way it is now. Uh, his dump trailer, most likely.
Greg from northern Michigan. Reminds me of Swamp Loggers without the Southern Accent 😂 Good job !
Nice videos, been watching them for some time. I think I seen them all. Like it a lot, my dream to do something like that. Looking to buy kx057 for my construction and some landscaping projects. Thank you for posting videos! Thanks for your hard work!
That log bridge was the ticket!
I’m a fisherman! Been waiting a long time to see you you get this nice fishing pond for those grandkids cleaned out so they can enjoy it . Next get that spillway fixed and you will have a gem !
Mike. I would clean out the stream area up from the pond real good and install a couple weirs that would catch probably 90% of the silt then you could just clean those out yearly and the pond would stay way cleaner. Just my opinion. Have used them a lot on ponds and lakes in new subdivisions to keep the lakes clean.
Great job, would be cool if you if you found a woolly mammoth lol
That’s a lot nicer than any log bridges Ive and Chris (let’s dig 18) ever used. 😊 I’ve been on a lake that was bottomless with a Cat316 and 6 telephone poles, leap frogged the poles to the middle and worked my way out. As long as you operate smoothly and keep an eye on ur tracks she will be fine. It’s amazing how much floatation they give u. But I like what u did and you can never be to careful
That muck is very Fertal
I suggest putting bags of concrete on both sides. I'd definitely put at least 2ft concrete pipe in before you get to the other side.
Great video Mike. Beautiful log swamp"mat". I had to do the same thing when I cleaned out my old pond that was on the property when I purchased it. SC low country muck is just as bad as the goo you are dealing with. My old Hitachi EX120 needed slightly larger logs but I had a lot of downed trees to work with. You did great working with your own equipment at your own pace and avoided the rental costs. You got it under control now!!
You may be able to spread that sediment over the meadow to provide nutrients and protect your seed.
I am still subscribed. I am not sure why this type of project is so interesting but if I wasn't in NH, it would be worth a 4 hour drive to come down with a lawn chair , some snacks and drinks and pay admission to sit on the far bank and watch this whole project ! But NH is probably 10 hours from your area.
keep the pool before the pond (sediment basin). run a short pipe from basin to actual pond.
P38 year civil engineer.
That pond silt would be good addition to any garden
I do some pond dredging and western North Carolina. I also have a drag line. The excavators are much easier. You’re right about the drag line. It would not fit in there. I think you’ve done a great job why you did it
After you get that sediment cleaned out. Can you use some of those logs to build a couple sediment basins up that gully to catch some of the soil where it’s easier to dig it out?
Something you may want to look at, if you have a need .... LBJ 's entrance/crossing to his farmhouse on the Pedernales River. He built a concrete spillway with a driveway lower as part of one unit. The creek would back up forming a place to fish and swim and water would flow gently over as to not impede travel on the drive way.
My wife and I love to ride the “three sisters” hill country roads on my BMW motorcycle … and we’ve taken many a short breaks on that spillway. Usually tour the museum too, if it’s open. I had a good friend that grew up on the LBJ ranch as his dad worked for the them back in the 50’s-60’s.
...........G'day Mike,
Your corduroy road extension worked very well. "Old School" time tested!
Cheers and God bless,
Malcolm.
How about making a stone waterfall so that the silt will collect behind it an easier to clan out in a few years. Dig a deep hole on the high side just before the dam with a nice flat area to park the machines while cleaning the muck up. I was surprised you didn't finish digging before letting the water flow in, once the water flowed it just turned into a much harder, sloppier job. You called that slop nasty...NO it's actually black gold! I agree with others, pile it up and use it for top soil when you need it! Looks like if you're going to use those logs for firewood after you're done you'll have to do some heavy duty power washing LOL! Good solution to the problem BTW!
A small crane like a old bucyrus 15b with a clamshell or dragline looks like it would be small enough to bail the back of the pond. Although youd have to put the boom on once you got it down there. While that would be more fun (in my book) and alot more interesting, there is a reason why they were replaced with hydraulic long reach.....simply faster
Thats called being resourceful and an excellent job at that. No damage to the logs so they can be used for lumber! That excavator is the best piece of equipment you bought. I bet you can get the same money as what you paid for it. Enjoy the day's ahead
Thanks 👍
I absolutly love to watch this pond project ! Do you have a drone eyeview ?
I have always said he is sure missing out a lot on this pond. I think it will b one of the most viewed videos
Nice job on that pond construction project! Well done!
Watching you do this for some reason makes me want to listen to Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton “Islands In The Stream”. lol.
Now I'm singing it too😂
That's great soil for the garden. Flowers, veggies, even spread it across the lawn.
Great idea..log bridge ❤❤❤❤
Greetings from Stuart, Florida! Great job Mike! And a very entertaining video! Best to your entire family!
Hi Mike just watch the video for the second time and I had an idea what if you haul that black mock up to the big field and spread it down there and then rototilled it in and then put your new grass seed into that it would do three things it would get rid of that black material you took out the pond it would add organic matter to the field and it would help the grass one more thing have a day good day
Reminds me of how we use to cross creeks and streams. Put several large casings in the middle then dirt and mats. Then open it up and put pipe in. Put dry dirt in than open up the water flow. Pull the casings out clean it up. Now just directional bore in half the time. 😃👍🙏. Big hello to hunter. Is he able to help with the bundle wood?
I got a suggestion. Why not use the Blueford dump truck & move that muck? It will take time however, you'll be rid of that slime. Be safe, healthy, discerning, strong and successful. Blessings Morgans.☝🙏🙌💪👊
Good Morning Mike and Friends.... enjoy your Tuesday....
Pete 🇨🇦
Hi Pete, Weather is changing down here and it is a welcome thing. This Summer was not too bad for us. Hot but I don't think it got over 100° F more than a few days.
Have a great day!
Morning David, another nice day in paradise, cool and sunny... glad you are getting some relief.... enjoy...
Good morning, 54f this morning and sunny. Errands day and the dreaded costco lol
@fixinanddoinstuff2134 morning, hope you are successful on your journey... pick your time for Costco..
Thats what you call a corduroy road. There are some roads over a hundred years old like that in the UP. Would placing a culvert in with the logs help keep the road in place.Guess not lol
Think about putting in a short dam across where your log mats were. This will create a sediment pond that you can easily keep clean. In some areas a sediment pond is a requirement for retention ponds / basins.
Learned something, thanks.
I was involved in doing something very similar behind a dam on the Missouri River just below Greatfalls Montana. We built a road on crane Matt's and covered it with dirt. Then backed 30 ton end dumps out on it. There was a 50 ton crane with a clam shell bucket on a barge loading big bins with muck. A long stick excavator would load the trucks from the bins and the muck we built the road on. Took us about 6 weeks to clean up.
This was so Satisfying, watching you clear out the pond. You could start a channel, just excavating Neighbors ponds….and make plenty of content! I Remember watching an old , Lone Ranger episode… Tonto got stuck in quicksand and he got rescued just in time…by his Kemosabe, while Trying to Retrieve… stolen gold in the middle… To be used to build an Indian school. It was a very old episode. Watching you dig this, brought that old memory back to me!
The sediment basin becomes your cleanout point in the future.
You know what? I was just thinking about how rich all that soil (silt) that you're removing from that pond. That stuff dried out would probably be some really great compost to sell, Probably mostly rotten leaves an sticks. Thanks for your videos. You do a great job at whatever you do. Thanks for sharing.
Mike, move some of that black dirt up to the food plot and spread it around, it is loaded with organic material that will make the ground much more fertile for when you plant it again.
Good morning to Hunter 👋👋😸and family and friends , happy Mewsday everyone 😹😸😹
Morning BadCat, 4 days of Mike, he's working overtime.... enjoy the weather...
Morning Badcat!
@@peteatthefarm4459 / good morning Pete yes it's good working weather here 😸
@@johnsadler8637 / Good morning John 👍😸
Hey Fellas 👋
Brilliant plan!! Sure, enjoy your program. Keep doing what you're doing!
Good idea with the log bridge . you making headway with the pond .
Good time to see if your northern pine will last longer in the pond leaves some of them in the water over the winter and see if they do like the yellow pine down here in the south I pulled some out of my pond yesterday and they are all good 👍 and I will make siding for the walls in my cabin God Bless Y'all and have a wonderful day 🙏🙏🙏😅😅😅😅😅
Corduroy roads have been used for a very long time , to move wagons over swampy ground. There was mention of their use in a history of my 5th great Grandfather that immigrated from Germany, to settle in Gap, Pa. area about 1710.
Mathius Slaymaker, once owned around 1200 acres in that area, and had an Inn, for travellers.
Mike I was praying while you was doing it Hopen you was Safe .
You made it. God Bless.😊
Hi Mike. The log bridge worked! 👏👏👏👏 Great job. Perfect time to dig the pond out. Story: My best friend's nieghbor told him. He was renting a excavator to dig out his pond & sways. My best friend had a pond to dig out & other excavator works. The nieghbor said. You can did out my pond & others. By pament of renting the machine. You can do your pond & others." No extra charge." It was a beast of excavator with a longer arm. 40 inch wide toothed bucket. Say Hi to Melissa, Eva, Hunter, Levi, Tyler, &Hannah. 🥰🙂😉👍❤️💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🌲