Getting somewhere

This week feels like we made some real progress! Lundblads finished digging the footings at the end of last week and then the rain came on Sunday.  We got about 1.5" of rain and that was disappointing because the trenches filled in with about 6,500 gallons of water.  But you aren't reading this to listen to me complain. 

It. Was. A. Mess. 

I'm sure we aren't the first ones it's happened to, and our contractor Shane came prepared Monday morning with his pump and fire hose, so we were able to get it emptied and it dried out enough by Tuesday to start setting forms and rebar. 

Supplies started arriving earlier in the week for the foundation work.  It's so great to see progress be made on the building finally. 

Today a pumper truck and 6 cement (maybe even 7) trucks arrived and the footings were poured. All of the truck drivers asked what we were building because of how stout the footings and rebar that were installed are. I know nothing about constructing buildings, but based on how much and how thick this rebar is, this building better not move a spec.

Let's talk about poop for a minute. 

It's gotta go somewhere and we have to install a new septic system for the building. So, from the time we started planning this building, we had been in contact with Scott Elwood of Elwood Septic Professionals out of Villard, MN to design our septic system. Based on the soil borings we had done and the 40+ holes we had dug looking for sand, we were told we had no choice but to put a mound system in. This comes with a huge price tag for us and something we weren't willing to settle on. We've lived here for almost 10 years and have farmed this land for just as long. We know (well Joe knows) we have sand veins here, we just hadn't found one close to the site yet. Until yesterday :) Yesterday, Joe had Scott come back out and they dug a couple more holes. We. Found. SAND!!! The nice stuff. The kind that septic designers get excited about (and husbands too!). We are now able to put in a gravity fed system with a drain field and THAT was a good day!

In other news...

The wild flowers are in bloom and they are beautiful!  The butterflies and bees are loving it right now! And the views are still breathtaking!  I can't wait to be able to share this with all of you.  We are so fortunate!