Saturday, April 9, 2011

Cleanup Continues

Now that the weather's been warmer, I've been trying to clean up our famous trash dump on our property.  I noticed this area again when I started running outside and I promised myself I'd really try to get it all cleaned up by this summer.  The trash dump appears to be someone's personal landfill.  As if, 20 years ago or more, some family lived in our house, and they took all their household trash out and dumped it in the woods.  If only the house and trees could talk, they'd have lots of stories.




And so, when I have a spare hour or more after all the other chores are done, I sneak out to the woods and bag trash.  And when Randy has a spare hour after all his work is done, he takes all my trash off to the county landfill.  I've made it a game, I try to bag more trash than he's able to fit into the vehicle to take to the dump.  So far I've stayed ahead of him, and we always have a few bags sitting out in the woods ready to go to the dump.  He moans at me about me making more work for him.  I don't take the bags to the dump myself because I cannot lift them, they are too heavy.  I use contractor grade big black trash bags and fill them full.  I also try to separate recyclable items into separate bags and he takes them to a recycling facility.  Mostly I recycle glass bottles.  The people that lived here liked their wine, and there are many different types of wine bottles.  I've learned a lot about the former homeowners by going through their trash.



And speaking of wine, of course I am collecting more big green wine bottles.  I've pulled dozens and dozens more out of the trash dump and added them to my wine bottle collection out in the field.  One day I'm going to find a purpose for them, or maybe I'll find someone who wants them.  Today I am going to count the wine bottles - I've added some since I took these photos. 



PS - We have a new friend living here at Razzberry Corner!! I will be posting about him soon!!! 
Stayed tuned!

10 comments:

Verde Farm said...

Good for you!! I had a big trash dump on my property when we moved here too---I’m talking big metal obects and things a backhoe had to pull out for us. It was so ugly and it just killed me that folks had dumped this stuff over the years. We got that cleaned up but yesterday my husband was up in the woods behind the house and he looks up and the people that live on top of the hill threw a big bag of their trash right down in our woods. We are heart sick. I don’t know what to do except gather it ourselves and put in trash---you don’t want trouble with the folks living around you, ya know? I’m so aggravated with this. Your post spoke to me for sure :)

Razzberry Corner said...

Amy - There are some big pieces of metal in our personal dumping area, too. Some of them I can't pull out of the ground, so I'm picking up around them. I asked Randy to bring his backhoe and help me sometime when he can.

That's awful that your neighbors dumped on your property! Maybe if they notice you cleaning it up it will make them think twice?? I certainly hope they don't continue to dump.

You know, once, many years ago, we moved into our 1st house, and one of the neighbors down the street had a mangy-looking poor dog that dug holes under our bushes and laid there in the dirt. The dog had lost all it's hair and looked so bad I was afraid I was going to catch something from it when I tried to clean up the area. I didn't want to start a fight with the neighbors, as I was the new person in the area. Finally Randy & I went down and asked the neighbors if they could control their dog, and they apologized and took their dog back and with my suggestion they put medicine on her and she healed up just fine. And you know, I became best friends with that neighbor woman after that initial confrontation. Good luck with your neighbors!

~Lynn

Anonymous said...

I think this was common pratice back in the day....we have a dump on our property, right at the edge of the river......we have started taking the metal scrap in and turning it into cash! Scrap prices are up.....the other day I help hubby load some and went with him to the scrap yard to see how it's done and we left with $200.00 dollars! Paid for my new raised garden beds and soil!

Dawn said...

That is QUITE the job!!!
I am amazed by your collection of bottles!!!!!!!

Country Girl said...

Have you tried putting the wine bottles on Free Cycle? Look it up on the computer. There's probably one for your county. It's where people list what they have for free and others come and get it. Or are you looking to sell the bottles? There must be someone somewhere who would love big green wine bottles!!

Karen Anne said...

Verde Farm, I think I would nicely put that bag of trash back in the neighbors' yard. Maybe they will get the hint.

I actually came upon someone dumping in my vacant lot and got an apparently true comment "We didn't know it belonged to anyone." Hello? Are the elves going to clean up after you? And you think there is unowned land in this country?

Those green bottles sure are nice. There must be a use for them. Did I suggest making your own root beer?

Karen Anne said...

Those bottles - storage - storing grains and beans and other stuff critters might get into.

Shim Farm said...

Oh brutal! What a load of work. Truly, I have no clue what people think when they dump trash like that! It looks like you're doing a great job though. I have enjoyed reading your posts and will be keeping tabs on your progress. Regards from Quebec. Ann

Robin said...

Uggg, that picture is bringing back bad memories from our place. lol. You have a good approach for working on it. When it gets dryer here I probably need to do some more cleaning up like you are.

Razzberry Corner said...

Niece - We recycle all metal and get paid for it, too. We even get paid for aluminum cans. We are big on recycling these days!

Dawn - I really need to coin the wine bottles. There's more than there appears.

Barb - Thanks, I will look into freecycle!

KA - That's amazing that people think they can just dump because they think the land isn't owned. Those are the same peole who throw drink bottles and trash out of their car windows, probably. They don't care.

Hi Ann - Greetings from MD! I will have to check out your blog! :)

Robin - does it ever stop raining there????

~Lynn