There have been suggestion/requests to improve the field.

I will approach this the way we discuss new projects at work, trying to outline all the considerations in point form.


Hills; the present hills complicate the field prep and grass cutting, adding a lot of time to the work and get in the way of clearing grass clippings. They cannot be driven over with the tank.

In the short term, I am willing to volunteer to try modifying one or two of them to see if it can be done well and determine how much time/work is involved. Once we know that, we could arrange some work parties; I don't want to ask everyone to commit time/travel if a good result is not cannot be achieved.

I will do this, if people are OK with my judgement on the end result.

I will also check into sources of soil, which may take a few days to do.


Challenges;

1.) Many of our members live 1 hour plus from the site, we cannot expect them to travel to work on the field (if the could, that's great, but not expected in any way)

2.) Of the few of us that are close to the field, most are of an age where lets say we cannot slug it out with heavy work for extended periods of time. We would need to make sure that we have enough reliable people who can commit to finishing the work, so we don't have a mess for the next meet after the work.

3.) Killing large portions of grass, while Black Creek has not said we cannot do this, I can tell it is not a popular suggestion and, here, exposed clay cracks badly when it dries.

4.) Soil/dirt; we have to be careful, cheap or free stuff certainly appeals, but usually does not spread, level or compact well. If good stuff is bought, it is expensive from my experience at home.

5.) Modifications will likely involve hand labour, a Bobcat or similar machine could tear up the other parts of the field.

6.) Due to the distance, we cannot easily hold on site meetings to discuss any modification. The best we can do is communicate here.

7.) We cannot use every suggestion, or accommodate all wishes, all we can do is make best effort within the limitations of 1.) through 6.)

For my two cents and this is what I can offer
1. I will come down and do a work detail for the morning of a battle day
2. I have no issue slugging a shovel and agree the older members should not even be asked to do this.
3. I do not think you need to expand the field, just modify the areas that are there that cause issues.
4. As I work with Landscapers I can get quality materials at a distributor cost, the most I can carry is 500lbs of material which is more than enough to modify the hills we do have and add some stone for roads etc.
5. The amount of work involved is really not that much. I agree about the equipment and think an organized work detail of 6 or 7 guys over 2 battle day mornings would accomplish a huge amoiunt of work. The key here being organized. I would suggest a discussion happen on what needs to be repaired or changed.
Just as an Fyi I think you guys have a phenomonal field, IMHO I think all you need to do is tweak the unpassable or uncrossable areasn ( there should be some choke areas, how many is up to you guys )
Agreed with 6 and 7.
Once you guys agree on what we need for material I'll go see my buddy at the GTA's largest landscape distributor and see what we can get for between free and nothing.

Curtis

Thanks, your suggestions all sound good to me.

I have sent a message to Mike to see if they have a wheelbarrow we could use to move the soil around.

I can bring the wheel barrow if needed or for a second.

Stinger wrote:

I can bring the wheel barrow if needed or for a second.

THANKS!

Mike got back to me, they don't have one, so that would be a big help if you could do that

What i can help here is, I can put that burnt pz4, Bandai one for bid here, all proceeds go to the battle filed improvement, if does not sell, we can use it as decoration on battle field. WT, open you pocket

i'm more then willing to do some work on the field on battle day. i think on the next day i will bring a bucket and brush so i can wash that trailer and get it painted

Negaduck wrote:

i'm more then willing to do some work on the field on battle day. i think on the next day i will bring a bucket and brush so i can wash that trailer and get it painted

Thanks

They expect to be able to relocate the trailer before the next meet, just remember, we can't paint it until it is moved there, unless drop sheets are used.

In the first part of the first year, we did start the meet day off with a work party, a small group can get a lot done in a short time, compared to one or two on their own; great idea.

i had a drop sheet in my car on saturday. i'll just make sure i have it with me next time as well

Negaduck wrote:

i had a drop sheet in my car on saturday. i'll just make sure i have it next time as well

Sounds good.

I am sure you'd do a better job than me

If I was painting it, half the paint would be on the trailer, a quarter of it would be on the drop sheet and the other quarter would be on me

i would have to take pictures of that lol

Hey I have tones of top soil and a front end loader I realy don't think I need any heavier equipment down there the small loader will scrape and level just fine and it will looke a heck of a lot better than that @#$% poor fixer job in the stone lot ...lol no offence to the guy running the fixer but keep trying ...practice makes perfect lol...
No seriously I'm in for what ever you guys are thinking....also have truck and tailer for haulage of materials ...I'm in .......