Mud questions

Ezekiel's Garde · #1 02/22/10, 06:24 PM

Bear with me. I've not had to do animal chores in the mud yet up to this point. I'm now getting a taste of this very unpleasant fact of farm/homesteading life. I know that Forerunner has suggested wood chips in the icky areas. Dh and I are planning on doing this, but I am open to other suggestions, though. The other thought is to use some used bedding, but we really don't want to give up our good compost just to mitigate mud, even if it drives us nuts.

Other things we're going to do - keep the mucky boots in the barn/detached garage in a large rubbermaid or other plastic container (keep the micies and spidders away) and use coveralls/overalls that are also kept hanging in the barn. My pants, even with my muck boots, were covered in mud. My barn coat is icky too. Of course, that was also because the puppies kept climbing the fence and getting out of the pasture, where they are supposed to stay, so I put them back. All 30 times. Very large muddy puppies.

Thanks for any thoughts!

rockhound · #2 02/22/10, 06:32 PM

Look at possible changes you can make during better weather this summer to remedy your mud problems for next year.

Callieslamb · #3 02/22/10, 06:39 PM

We dumped a couple tons of sand behind our barn where the worst of our water collected into mud. We also put a gutter on the barn. It helped so much!!! I can' t stand mud on me or my animals. Hopefully, the ground will just stay frozen until it's suddenly spring! LOL! If you have places where it is always muddy in winter/spring - look at the drainage of that area. We had to put a drain tile right next to the barn to get it dried out back there. We really should have reshaped the area to drain away from the barn. Next year....

barnyardgal · #4 02/22/10, 06:42 PM

Lotsa wood chips works here for me around the barn........BUT there is mud everywhere right now!!

ErinP · #5 02/22/10, 07:09 PM

We use straw.

SFM in KY · #6 02/22/10, 07:29 PM

I've been fighting mud for all of the 10 years I've been in Kentucky and have found no "sure cure" but have found that gravel seems to work the best. We keep a truckload of gravel dumped in a couple of places where we can get to it and add gravel to the worst places. We use the loader on the little tractor for the worst places. Shovel/wheelbarrow or bucket for smaller places. The gravel does work down into the mud eventually, but if you keep adding more, in most places you can eventually establish a fairly good base.

Have found that using straw or old hay is a bad choice. It decomposes and then adds more "depth" to the mudhole.

We also tried wood chips but found they get "slimed" and are then slick, making the footing bad and for the two of us, both well into our senior citizen years, we don't like adding to the risk of falling.

Ezekiel's Garde · #7 02/22/10, 07:47 PM

Thank you all. We will definitely look at where our "issues" are and work to remedy them all summer. Unfortunately, right in front of the pasture gate is a big area, simply because hungry goats like to loaf there (and pee and poop, lol) when they feel they're being ignored, which is pretty much all the time for our spoiled goaties. That may be a good place to put small gravel and/or sand. We are also probably going to bring a load of gravel and put it in a path from our drive to the gate, which will help the twice-daily trips to the milking parlor.

arcticow · #8 02/22/10, 08:09 PM

If at all affordable or possible, put down "road fabric" or stabilization mesh in the perennial mud holes. Then the sand, gravel, wood chips or whatever won't disappear into the mud. You will need less, & it will last WAY longer.

littlebitfarm · #9 02/22/10, 08:39 PM

I had a terrible mud hole where 3 barns came together. Tossed a couple loads of gravel into it but that didn't solve it. Must have been a problem for the last owner because I found 2 layers of wood posts buried in the hole. Gave up an ordered a couple yards of concrete. 20 years later an still mud free!

Kathie

Helena · #10 02/23/10, 05:59 AM

Just realize that in the country there are 5 seasons..one of them the ..mud season...We had such a wet summer last year that mud was everywhere all summer too !!We have actually many years ago..put a "french drain" around the barn but when it does rain heavy we just dig a trench through the middle of our small barn and let the water run.Ahh..yes..mud !! Another joy of country living. (just wait until you lose your boot in the mud when you are out feeding the horses..oh joy !!)

fantasymaker · #11 02/23/10, 08:21 AM

Well if ya really hate to lose the compost concrete is the way to go. Of course you can always do the poontoon approach and put down a temp plank sidewalk . If ya do you migh wanna drill holes in the ends and bolt them togather. Ya can do it the redneck way and hold them togather with baling wire but whatever you do make sure they are secured or they will shoot out from under you at the worst time!

geo in mi · #12 02/23/10, 08:44 AM

Good ole Indiana mud! BTDT For 'one boot' mud, carry a one by eight about four feet long. When one leg goes down, throw the one by eight down on the other side, roll onto it and retrieve your boot. Walk with one bare foot to the house--wash up and continue on. For 'two boot' mud, lay each one by eight down and climb out, go to the house, wash up, get another pair of boots, and continue on. Retrieve the boots in August, but by then the buried boards will pose no problem and they will eventually decompose.

Seriously, make a double wide path to and from, and in the Fall let the grass grow--do not mow it. You may have enough of a mat to walk on, if you do not use it for machinery or animals. And you could lay planks out on the mat, just in case. If you break through, use another part of the mat. Maybe, just maybe......

ronbre · #13 02/23/10, 01:39 PM

we went through our years of mud with hay bales and scrap lumber..the lumber worked best

that's how they did it in the old wild west too when it got bad

michiganfarmer · #14 02/23/10, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlebitfarm

I had a terrible mud hole where 3 barns came together. Tossed a couple loads of gravel into it but that didn't solve it. Must have been a problem for the last owner because I found 2 layers of wood posts buried in the hole. Gave up an ordered a couple yards of concrete. 20 years later an still mud free!

Kathie

concrete is really nice

michiganfarmer · #15 02/23/10, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geo in mi

Good ole Indiana mud! BTDT For 'one boot' mud, carry a one by eight about four feet long. When one leg goes down, throw the one by eight down on the other side, roll onto it and retrieve your boot. Walk with one bare foot to the house--wash up and continue on. For 'two boot' mud, lay each one by eight down and climb out, go to the house, wash up, get another pair of boots, and continue on. Retrieve the boots in August, but by then the buried boards will pose no problem and they will eventually decompose.

Seriously, make a double wide path to and from, and in the Fall let the grass grow--do not mow it. You may have enough of a mat to walk on, if you do not use it for machinery or animals. And you could lay planks out on the mat, just in case. If you break through, use another part of the mat. Maybe, just maybe......

THAT is a fantastic idea!

Wolf mom · #16 02/23/10, 07:10 PM

If you're going to use gravel or sand, put down a deep layer of larger 1 1/2 to 2" rock first for a good base, then after it's well seated, put your smaller gravel on top. Treat it like you would a road & it'll serve you well for years.

seagullplayer · #17 02/24/10, 07:39 AM

People don't like to talk about mud in the country, but its a fact of life.

For a temp cure I have laid boards on the ground, we have two down right now so we can get in the house without sinking. I had stepping stones down and the mud eat them last year...

We made a "mud room" out of the back porch, that helps.

pheasantplucker · #18 02/24/10, 09:08 AM

I've got three dogs that run in and out most of the day. During the rainy season, I could mop the floors daily with all the mud they bring in. I started putting straw down in the muddy places where they like to run. Helps greatly.

amwitched · #19 02/24/10, 01:21 PM

During the Fall, I collect every bag of leaves that I see on the side of the road. I use these leaves in my garden and also in the chicken's run. Every time it rains, the run gets really nasty and slick. The leaves sure do help keep their feet dry and it gives them something to do during the day.

jd4020 · #20 02/24/10, 04:03 PM

In muddy areas where I walk, I have some really heavy duty oak pallets that the top boards are only spaced a quarter inch apart. I put these pallets end to end for my path along the chicken pen to their house and the little shed I keep their feed and the cat food in. I take them up when it dries out enough and becomes summer again. I am aware that they can get slick at times but I haven't had a problem with that so far.
In front of doors to various buildings, outhouse, workshop etc, I have laid down heavy duty, outside bricks. These are a surplus that my fil and dh got when the town tore down the high school building. They helped with the haul away and they used many of the broken bricks to fill in our long lane. I'm planning to use these bricks for more walkways around the house and other out buildings. I also use flat patio bricks for stepping stones, the stores often have good sales on them at times.
jd