Big Tile Project Underway
After years of talking and planning, we finally kicked off the big Greene Township tile project on November 18. The Bender Land Improvement crew got started at the south end, opening up the ditch on Aunt Cecilia’s place.
Getting everyone on board took more than three years — Martin, Parson, and Jim Kapraun each had their own concerns. In the end, I think Joe Bachman gave us the final push. He rents Parson’s ground and just happens to run a bulldozer for the contractor.
Once the work got underway, it drew a crowd — lots of folks slowed their pickups to watch the action. Even the neighbor to the north, who’d been against the project from the start, now wishes he’d joined in, though he’s still not ready to chip in his share. The neighbors to the south were happy to see things moving and are already talking about dredging their stretch of the ditch to the next road.
Overcoming Obstacles
At the last minute, Road Commissioner Koos tried to change things up, wanting a borehole under the road instead of a cut, which would have bumped up costs by 20%. Thankfully, we were able to talk him into sticking with the original plan from two years back.
We all agreed to run the new line straight across the fields instead of following the old waterway. That meant the contractor had to dig out 4 to 7 feet of soil from Martin’s hills and 2 to 4 feet in the REK back 40. To anyone driving by, it looked like we were building a new highway.
The main tile line is 30 inches across, which is as big as their machine can handle, and it steps down in size as it heads north — first to 24 inches, then 18, and finally 12. In a few spots, the line is buried a full 12 feet deep.
So far, no surprises. The east line, which was hand-dug over a century ago, still looks solid—especially now that we’ve cut off 2,000 acres of water coming down from Benson. The west line, put in back in the late 1940s or early 50s, runs two feet deeper and is holding up well too.
Progress and Demolition
By Thanksgiving weekend, the crew had the main line in from Aunt Cecilia’s place all the way up to Jim Kapraun’s. We haven’t seen Jim around — he’s probably already headed south for the winter.
When the contractor needed more concrete for the new tile head, we had them tear down REK’s damaged grain bin. With their big equipment, the whole thing was down in 15 minutes, and the concrete went right to use. We’re planning to add more this winter by clearing out the old hog shed.
That same weekend, Kelsey got started on another tile project over on HLW (Marg’s West), next to Guthrie’s place, but rain put both jobs on hold.
Attention to Detail
One thing I appreciate about Bender is how careful they are with the soil. They keep the topsoil and subsoil separate as they dig and put it back in the right order, so the fields are smooth and ready for spring. The only sign they were here is the temporary roads packed down by the bulldozers and trucks, which I’ll loosen up with the ripper if things dry out before Christmas.
Meanwhile, we’ve got all the fall fertilizer and nitrogen on, and most of the FS bills have come in. Just herbicide, pesticide prepay, and a bit of seed left to settle up.
Other Updates
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Our cover crop didn’t come up like we’d hoped, so we’ll just have to wait and see how it makes it through the winter.
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The Faulk land sale went way above what anyone expected, with parcels bringing $19,200 and $17,200 an acre. Word is, Hodel bought it on behalf of attorney Jim Stoller.
We’re grateful for the timely progress, good weather, and another safe season. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving, and wishing you all a Merry Christmas ahead.
A Note from Tom
Tom summed it up best after visiting the new tile head:
“I found pieces of the old clay tile line—likely laid by Grandpa Louis, his brothers, and maybe a Sendelbach cousin more than 100 years ago. They dug it all by hand. I rescued a 12×12-inch piece and set it in the rock garden at the end of the lane. My hat’s off to Joe for honcho-ing this monumental, long-overdue project.”
—Joe (with notes from Tom)
30” tile main- installed at 15’ of length per minute
