Working at The Muck

We did some hard work out at the Muck yesterday for the Tiadaghton Audubon Society. A small group of volunteers dug some holes and erected some posts for interpretive signs to go along the short boardwalk to the blind. There were just six holes that had to be dug along the edge of the trail (comprised of fill material so it rose above the marsh) and there were there were four guys and Terry present. The guys (Gary, Bob, Phil and I) dug the holes while Terry helped hold things and also laid out the lunch. The holes had to go down three feet into the ground at which depth every one had some water seeping in. Luckily, the Game Commission folks had removed part of a beaver dam so the water level as down at least a foot from where it was two weeks ago.


We used iron bars to loosen the rock and dry soil near the top and then clam-shell post hole diggers to lift the loose material out. Once the holes were, metal fence posts were pounded into the loose muck at the bottom, 3x3 aluminum posts were cut to length (the signs must be readable by a person in a wheelchair) and an 80 lb. bag of concrete was poured into the hole, and the holes were backfilled with some of the stone and soil we had dug out. The concrete went in dry but absorbed plenty of water from the bottom of the holes and the surrounding soils. In a day or two, Bob, who lives closest and has the signs in the back of his car, will be able to bolt the signs to the posts and the job will be complete.

For my efforts, I had some sore muscles and a bit of sun burn just behind my ears and at the back of my neck—right where a baseball cap will not cover. Feels good though considering how my back felt two weeks ago.