The Cabin

Back on June 9 I posted photos of the completed foundation of the cabin.  By this time I had hoped we would be under roof and working on interiors.   But my builder has really let me down, and we didn't get started with framing until this week.  Here are a few photos of the work so far:

Although I am very disappointed in my builder and the progress to date, I am growing more and more excited about the cabin itself.  Nearly every worker who comes to the site says something like, "what a great place for a cabin."  I have to say I agree.  Now, if we can just get the cabin built!

Deer Vetch and Alyce Clover

As I've mentioned previously here and here, earlier this year I planted a mix of Joint Vetch and Alyce Clover in two small bottoms near the creek that forms part of the southern boundary of Chaplin Bend Farm.  The plan was to establish good warm-weather food plots in a secluded spot for my deer.  But I've been disappointed with the progress in those plots:  the stuff I planted took a long time to germinate and the weeds really took over in the meantime.  But all is not lost:  even though its taken most of the summer, the vetch and clover is now beginning to come along.

With any luck they'll get to seed before the first frost and I'll be able to mow the plots to set up re-seeding next Spring.  Here's hoping!

The Lakes Are Coming Along

 Mel and his crew continue to work on the lakes project, raising the existing dam, building a new dam higher up in the valley, and building a wetland at the very top.  Here are some photos of the work on the existing dam:

 

Here's Mel at work on the core trench for dam 2:

And here's the through-drain for dam 2 (note the anti-seep collar and plastic water barrier):

More next week!

Beavers?

Yesterday I was inspecting my corn, driving the long perimeter between the corn field and the river in the Ranger, when I saw something odd:  a large section of corn had been taken down and eaten, and a long trail of corn stalks ran from the corn patch to the river.  Here are some photos:

At first I thought it was raccoons, but that didn't explain the cornstalks trailing away into the river.  So what else could it be?  Muskrats?  Maybe, but I'm not sure that a muskrat would be big enough to bring down a cornstalk.

Could it be a beaver?  Maybe.  The folks at Fish and Wildlife have told me that the Chaplin River has beavers.  But will beavers eat corn?  Turns out that they will.  So maybe we have a beaver or two living at the edge of Chaplin Bend.  I'll take a game camera down there when I get a chance and see if I can catch them in the act.

Lakes

Finally, after months of planning, the lake project at Chaplin Bend is scheduled to begin in the coming week.  This project has three parts:  expanding and improving the existing lake by raising the dam about 3 feet and creating a better emergency spillway; adding a new, smaller lake above the existing one; and building a smaller "constructed wetland" at the top of the valley to divert some water that now flows out to the east down to the south into the other two lakes.

Mike Mattingly of Mattingly Engineering in Louisville did the engineering and design work for the project.  Here's a diagram of the plans for the three lakes. (I know its small and hard to read.  Click on the image to expand it.)

I've hired Mel Taylor of Smart Fish Farm of Auburn, Kentucky to do the construction work on the lakes. Mel is an experienced lake builder and something of an artist.   I'm looking forward to working with him.

Mel got the project underway this week.  The first step was to strip the top soil off of the existing dam to see what we had to work with.  The good news is that the existing dam was well constructed and appears to have no leaks.  It should serve as a great base on which to build the new, higher dam.  

Mel also began scouring the topsoil off the site of the middle lake.  As our tests indicated, there appears to be plenty of clay in the bed of the existing lake to build the new dam.  

I'll continue to post photos (and maybe movies) over the next few weeks as Mel completes the job.  I can't wait to see the final result!