Texas Tea
Long ago, this phrase referred to that most coveted liquid that used to spew from wells across the state: oil. Nowadays, and in the midst of this drought, Texas Tea is something else altogether: water.
For three days Jeremy and his father worked to carve almost 2000 feet of trenches using insufficient rental equipment. My mother-in-law and both of my parents came to help cement pvc together for the lines, and today – the day that has come to represent the pinnacle of our stupidity – we cleaned trenches with cups.
Details are for another time when my heat-stroked head cools down and once the grime and pain of this day are only a hilarious memory. At 4pm, we all sat together in the “shade” of a puny elm (with air temps of 105, shade is a theory, at best, in terms of the relief is provides). If you panned across the four of us in slow motion, you’d assume we’d just completed the Suez Canal. Each of our mouths hung open slightly, lips cracked and lined with dried spit and crud, eyes dull and crossed, hair so sweaty that salt had formed around each strand. The only words spoken were from Mom who observed that, “You know you’re dirty when you realize you’ve been chewing dirt.” I laughed, which turned into a sneeze, which caused two columns of sand to shoot straight from each nostril.
To those of you planning to DIY a water line, let me offer a word of caution: if you find yourself standing in a four inch wide knee-high trench, stiff roots poking out of each wall, and you’ve got a plastic cup filled with dirt in your hand – then something has gone horribly awry.
Judging by the photo I just received from Jeremy (who is still inexplicably connecting water lines), our combined efforts this weekend may have paid off:
Sweet, sweet, blessed water pouring forth from crudely connected pipes and set into trenches cut with a broken machine, and then cleaned by a bunch of suckers. Suckers with plastic cups.
8 Comments
GenieAz
August 23, 20112:50 pm
Thanks on the name. We are still very much undecided. I was leaning towards Wise Acres, but my husband has a list of entirely unsuitable options, so we are still debating! As for the goats, no decisions yet. Probably Nubians, as I want to make cheese, and they give a really rich creamy milk. Plus they are super cute (although I hear they can be…stubborn). I have a friend in the San Tan Valley that has a small goat dairy farm, so I am relying on her expertise to help. We are having fun!
No Name Farm/Ranch
August 22, 201110:01 pm
Hi Kimberly!! Yay – you found the blog! The trenching was a total pain but definitely worth it in the end to DIY and save the precious dollars. I hope all's going well with you and plan to have our heifer de-horned in the next few months (hopefully) so we'll definitely be in touch about a visit with your Kooper :)
No Name Farm/Ranch
August 22, 20119:59 pm
Hey Genie! So glad you found us and sounds like you're having a similarly “love/hate” relationship with the fantasy of land in the country. In the end it's always more love than hate, though :) Keep us posted on your progress. I'm personally a huge fan of the farm name you've chosen! We're also hoping to specialize in goats – what breed are you looking into?
Kimberly Jacobi
August 22, 20119:05 pm
Hey!!! What a fabulous blog! Tough going on the trenching, but it looks like it's all paying off. Good job ya'll!
GenieAz
August 22, 201112:56 am
Just found your blog…wow! I am laughing and rying at the same time. We just bought a couple acres of dirt outside of Phoenix, where we live with our five dogs, and our former tenant's three horses, 8 hens and four roosters. Our goals are a little smaller…grow some things, raise some chickens and some goats, let our dogs have big space to play in. Let's just say that things are not as….romantic as they seemed at first! We do love a challenge though. We are considering the name Anthill Farm, in honor of the most prodigious creature on our property.
Good luck with your project! :)
No Name Farm/Ranch
August 18, 20119:53 pm
The city only digs if it's in the city but since this is country it's very standard. Anything outside of city limits – you're on your own. Also, the trench is so long because of where we chose to put the house.
Brett, very exciting about the land!! Good luck!
Ebony
August 18, 20119:51 pm
here's my question: why isn't the city/county doing this for you? i've never heard of new home buyers working from the ground up having to dig trenches and such.
Brett
August 18, 20113:43 pm
Yikes!! Hang in there, it'll all payoff and you'll be able to look back someday and laugh.
Btw, we have our eye on a piece of land north of Austin, but are planning to check out a few others this weekend.