Hello there People,
It is time now to describe the huge mess that the site is in, in Part 2 because Part 1 just was not big enough. You know if there is anything to be said about this mess is that the entire time that it has been happening, all of us who work there can't do a single thing, all because it has nothing to do with any Gate or Any Loose Miscreants looking for extra fodder and it has everything to do with the weather, and guess what, that is not covered in my insurance premium!!
Okay, so let's start by describing the mess in a bit of detail.
This panorama shows the most recent view of the waterlogged site. On the left is a bunch of Cows. On the right are pools and pools of stagnant water. A mosquitoes heaven. Also they bring that dreaded disease know by all livestock breeders as Foot and Mouth. What is Foot and Mouth? You can find out more about that here.
Click for a Larger Version
So what is the big Deal? I mean I could just let the water dry up and then everything would be OK right? Wrong! These pools have been here for almost 1 and half months, since the weather turned Nasty about the middle of November Last Year. Also not in this picture is what has happened to our Storage area next to the main enclosure. This area is chock full with mud but previously you could drive and Park a lorry there and it was fine.
Why is all of this happening?
Actually there a myriad of reasons but the fact is the site is heavily travelled upon , by trucks, Cows, people etc, could be a reason. That, however, would only go partially in explaining that mess, there is another reason, but I don't want digress this just yet. Although the rain brought the water, it is the combined effect of water, wear and the just 'plain unevenness' of the land that the site sits on that makes this mess far worse I could carry on describing the causes in infinitesimal detail, but I don't want to bore anyone reading this with mud pie stories.
What it is supposed to look like.
This is what it is supposed to look like. Gravel Paths. Actually, there are a few more layers underneath, a Layer of Sand, followed by a graduated layer of rock from big to small, underneath it all is the soil that covers all the site. The thickness of this would be about 5-8 inches and all done with a tractor and heaps of stones and sand. The top layer is hard because it has been pressed down, but porous so that rainwater can go down to the layers beneath, where it can be absorbed.
This is ideal, barring any damage to the gravel surface and rainwater erosion, this could last quite a long time. Ideally you would use a lot of such gravel because of the vehicles that would be using it. Heavier vehicles mean thicker and thicker layers of gravel. The best Gravel is the most expensive and the more expensive per tonne of gravel the more this will add to the cost of whatever area you are trying to cover.
And Now for what it is NOT supposed to like.
This area is beside the shed to the right. The area is waterlogged. More than that, the gravel covering this particular section to the right of the photo is thin and worn out. A contractor might be to blame? Let's not go there (At least not yet).
This the access road into the site. It is Terrible. If you want to try it out with your car you can call me and I will give you some directions. No, I won't provide a tow-truck and pleas for any kind of help will fall on deaf ears, but I will Sell you some soap if you want to wash your car in-situ.
One such victim of this messy orgy is yours truly. Really what a wasted day, The tractor that pulled the truck out of the ditch worked for only 5 minutes, and I paid him half a days rent!!
The cess pool as exemplified by this one right here, is just of many covering the site. The soil is entirely to blame, being clay like in nature, and unsuitable for drainage. Needless to say all of this stagnant water is not good for cows.
It is time now to describe the huge mess that the site is in, in Part 2 because Part 1 just was not big enough. You know if there is anything to be said about this mess is that the entire time that it has been happening, all of us who work there can't do a single thing, all because it has nothing to do with any Gate or Any Loose Miscreants looking for extra fodder and it has everything to do with the weather, and guess what, that is not covered in my insurance premium!!
Okay, so let's start by describing the mess in a bit of detail.
Click for a Larger Version
So what is the big Deal? I mean I could just let the water dry up and then everything would be OK right? Wrong! These pools have been here for almost 1 and half months, since the weather turned Nasty about the middle of November Last Year. Also not in this picture is what has happened to our Storage area next to the main enclosure. This area is chock full with mud but previously you could drive and Park a lorry there and it was fine.
Why is all of this happening?
Actually there a myriad of reasons but the fact is the site is heavily travelled upon , by trucks, Cows, people etc, could be a reason. That, however, would only go partially in explaining that mess, there is another reason, but I don't want digress this just yet. Although the rain brought the water, it is the combined effect of water, wear and the just 'plain unevenness' of the land that the site sits on that makes this mess far worse I could carry on describing the causes in infinitesimal detail, but I don't want to bore anyone reading this with mud pie stories.
What it is supposed to look like.
This is what it is supposed to look like. Gravel Paths. Actually, there are a few more layers underneath, a Layer of Sand, followed by a graduated layer of rock from big to small, underneath it all is the soil that covers all the site. The thickness of this would be about 5-8 inches and all done with a tractor and heaps of stones and sand. The top layer is hard because it has been pressed down, but porous so that rainwater can go down to the layers beneath, where it can be absorbed.
This is ideal, barring any damage to the gravel surface and rainwater erosion, this could last quite a long time. Ideally you would use a lot of such gravel because of the vehicles that would be using it. Heavier vehicles mean thicker and thicker layers of gravel. The best Gravel is the most expensive and the more expensive per tonne of gravel the more this will add to the cost of whatever area you are trying to cover.
And Now for what it is NOT supposed to like.
Seriously, of course, just don't become a victim. How did the road get so bad? Lorries of course, big huge ones, with many tires. If you want to know which one is the main culprit, I would say that it was the one that wrecked the gate. Mainly because it was also the largest.
Mud, with algae growing on top, its not just the mushy feeling when you step on it, its the smell too. Washed out with the rains, an absolute haven for leeches. Gross.
Overview
Nastiness has been brought to new lows ever since the downpours began, but reassuringly though is the fact that during the dry season, such sights will easily be forgotten. It will take on average 2-3 weeks without rains to dry out the area thoroughly. Right now, that is asking a bit much. The access road will be already be patched up by the time you are reading this, and the Gate will have had work done, but as for these pools, they will just have to stay like that.
This is something that you should consider when selecting a site: its propensity to be degraded to an unworkable state. How can it happen? Weather and location are big influences but overall it is always the site management. Is My site management good? I've put in a lot of hours, and as the pictures show even the best manager has to deal with such circumstances. Despite everything, My animals are still secure, my workers have not run away and the damage is being repaired. Something is being done instead of nothing and if that does not constitute as good management, I don't know what is.
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