(ET) another use for our battery tractors.

[David C Robie <mycroftxx1 juno com>]

Something you don't want to try with a gas tractor unless it's a real big
heavy one, like an old cast iron Simplicity etc.

You have likely heard of the 'over a week' heavy rain and flooding in New
England, especially MA.  Well, we got soaked.  And with really soaked
ground over the years,  here's what I do at those times.

Small stump, bush and big weed pulling.  For this I got 2 tools.  One, a
std 2 hook truckers chain sometimes called a tow chain.  This is for the
biggger stuff up to about 3".   Second tool is a length - bout 15 feet -
of  wire cable with vise grips on one end and a loop on the other to fit
over my 1 7/8 trailer ball.  This is for small stuff the chain won't
grab.  For buhes with multiple stems the wire or chain sort of threads
through and around several of them.  For single stems the vise grip part
clamps direct on the stem close to the ground.  Big stuff use the chain. 
This vise grip arrangement is also good for pulling vines and briars out
of trees and bushes (but that job can be done when everything is dry).

You use the weight of the tractor not the power of it.  Fasten your chain
and back up about to the stump.  Then blast off full speed ahead.  I use
mainly 3rd gear on this GE 12.  If you don't jerk it out the first time
do it again same direction a couple of times.  For tough stuff do it
again but from different directions.  You might have to chain saw a
taproot but with enough jerking it will be visible to do it..
Chain should wrap so that the hook end is on the bottom of a couple (or
even one) turns,  if at top of wrap chain will slip off.

Ground must be really soaked for this to work good otherwise you'll just
break the bush or whatever.  But it  can'''t be boggy gotta be firm so
you won't dig in too much. I wait for these big long rainstorms every
year,  and every year gain valuable improved yard space by it.  What the
hey, you get taxed as much for junk land as decent lawn might as well
have more lawn.

Another thing that can be done - ground levelling using the snowplow. 
Just skim it a little each time and remove rocks that bump the plow up. 
Also - quite large rocks can be moved with that plow if done one at a
time.  The grass gets scarred up a bit moving rocks but it reseeds itself
if done in the Spring.  At one point had some real big rocks but made a
plywood sledge for them, bumped em onto the sledge with the plow or
levered em on. Don't crash into rocks get up against em and push If you
can move em a little you can move em a lot - even uphill - no matter how
big.

Speaking of weed pulling;  If you got Hawaiian bamboo this is the time to
pull it, most just comes up by hand.  NEVER cut this stuff or mow it,
each little piece is capable of generating a whole new plant. Dispose of
the carcasses far far away it proliferates like mad even when seemingly
dead. NEVER put it in your compost pile.

Happy Etrakin (is there any other kind?)
Dave
Weymouth MA