Monday, September 26, 2011

Man Versus Machine

I am the human bush hog. The horses need more pasture. Behind those neat piles of brush is the fence where the pasture ended and the wild tangle began. The wild tangle was comprised of an impenetrable mass of vicious thorny rose and oriental bittersweet climbing thirty feet and higher into the trees. There was plenty of blackberry for good effect.

With hedge clippers, machete, loppers, pruning saw, pole saw and several days of effort bare ground for seeding grass is close at hand. All the sapling trees and the next size up were cut down. I think it is still a might shady and the chain saw will have to be used on a few of the bigger trees next.

I am the human bush hog. The horses need more pasture.



Across the road and across the neighboring horse pasture in a field of green grass a big machine digs a big hole. I wonder if a new house is about to be built. How quick and easy that big hole got dug today.



On a steep and rocky slope I cut down the wild tangle quietly by hand. I don't think a bush hog could actually do this kind of work. A weed eater with a blade would be a poor choice as well under these conditions. A gas powered hedge trimmer might be of use, but that is the only machine I can think of other than a bulldozer that could get this wild tangle unwound.



I bet I am cheaper and certainly less destructive than a bulldozer. I am the human bush hog.

4 comments:

Fairegarden said...

You are the green version of the bush hog, Christopher. We tried several times ourselves and hired men with chainsaws to tame our steep slope, money down the drain. It took a backhoe to clear it and constant vigilence to keep the saplings from returning. All land seems to want to be a forest, and will in the end.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Your method is most appreciated in this neighborhood. I would much rather not hear the grinding force of machines. Good job.

Lola said...

Great job, Christopher. It sure looks good. One must be vigilant in keeping the wild back.

chuck b. said...

Example of words hung together in an unexpected way: I am the human bush hog.