How we ended up with 2 major house expenses in less than one year I don’t know.  Is it called luck?, or bad luck?  Let’s just call it “expensive” and leave it at that. 

Unlike the well issue we knew that the sewer system was on the list of “to dos” as soon as the title?, deed?, whatever it actually was called, was transferred to our name from Loren’s parent’s name.  The rule (though never received in writing) is that with the transfer, the sewer system must be updated in 10 months.  Thankfully we live in a township that is somewhat lenient about deadlines because technically we are about 10 months late on that rule.  We are within a year so that is good right?   And actually we are fine because Loren has been in contact with the township all along and they knew we were waiting until this past spring since putting in a system in January in Minnesota isn’t even possible, and they were good when we put it off until summer, and then fall.  But, I have pictures to show that it is in process and well on it’s way to complete.  It has been a long process.  Some might think that we are procrastinators (which technically we are and tend to be somewhat proud of it) and that is fine, some might think that we are just plain lazy and that is why it took so long, (that one is not true) but whatever you think, the fact is that it took longer for us because Loren is not conventional and we were not going to go with a standard system.  It was decided to take the extra time and extra effort to install a system that Loren thought was best.  I admire him for that and trust his judgment.  Did it take awhile? … yes.  Did it take lots of extra effort? … yes.   Is it done? … almost! 

Original plans and dreams of Loren’s were to install a Constructed Wetland which is very “earthy” and earth friendly, basically no pumps, and to use the natural lay of the land with the natural slopes to construct the wetland and let nature take care of the sewer waste naturally.   Loren was originally in contact with an engineering firm from the twin cities that had designed some wetlands in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  After much work making a plan and mapping the land he was told that to custom design the system it would cost thousands of dollars.  And since he was already capable of doing the design, just not licensed, he decided to do the training since that would be less expensive then paying someone else for what he could do.  I don’t know if I mentioned it or not, but Loren graduated from college with a degree in civil engineer and his minor was in resource water management (I think?, something close anyway) and his senior project with 2 other guys was to design a constructed wetland for a large city in Indiana.  If I listened better I would have better facts, but the details are really not that important right?  So this past winter and early spring Loren took the courses to learn how to design and install sewer systems through the University of Minnesota Extension Office.  Remember Farm Girl Week?, that was a week long course, and there were two others that were each 3 day courses.  He learned a lot and will use more of that knowledge in the future we are certain. 

After much surveying and with his new training, he discovered that the layout of the land would technically work for the constructed wetland, but it would be lots more work then he had time for and much more costly then we had resources for.  If all he had to do was work on the wetland we could have made it work but having a job off the farm, high maintenance livestock, a wife, a garden, hay to make, and everything else that goes along with those things, it was decided to skip the wetland and go on to plan B. 

Plan B turned out to be actually Plan C I think because there was talk of a drain field system that wouldn’t work, but a mound system without a pump would.  We are not really in a great climate to create a system without a pump but Loren was determined to find something that would work without relying on electricity.  He came up with a siphon dosed mound.  He discovered during his training that the mound system that most every one has problems with is a sound design, it is just generally installed improperly.  So being no longer anti-mound system he was able to use the system, but ensure that it was properly installed.  Siphon’s aren’t recommended in our area.  When I heard Loren tell this to the inspector one evening on the phone I thought “oh my goodness, he is crazy!” .  But he assured me that with proper insulation and maintenance it would be just fine.  Loren is not afraid of a little extra work and so when he hears that people want maintenance free systems he gets a little irritated.  He believes that maintaining a home is a privilege and he is willing to do what needs to be done.  So, to ensure that the system won’t freeze up he is making it excesabe if need be anytime of the year with a hinged lid on the tank with the siphon and is insulating the tanks with good insulation, as well as covering the system with hay over the winter, which we do with our current system.  So not a ton of extra work but enough to give the “not recommended system” a shot. 

There has been great support surrounding his plan for this system and lots of people that think it will work and be an example of an alternate system that people can have as an option, using the land they have and running the system without pumps and electricity.   That Loren is a smart guy I tell ya.  I must add that he has been asked more then once regarding this system if he is amish.  Makes me laugh.  Not amish, but he has some similarities.  Growing the beard didn’t help … even though the amish don’t have a mustache and don’t cut their beards.  Did you know that?, I didn’t before Loren told me that.  And they only have beards if they are married.  Just a little amish info as a sidetrack here. 

So here are some pictures and by “some”, I mean like over 20.  It was hard to whittle them down and still show you the process.  If some are repeated then there is a good reason for it, or at least late last night when I was resizing them all I thought there was. 

First, I gotta say that most of these pictures Loren took because I was gone.  All of the “pre-installation” ones I took since he is in most of them, but all the last ones he took, until his face is back in a couple, then you know it was me behind the camera. 

This first picture is out of sequence because there is a short story.  When I was out with Loren looking over the work after it was mostly done he was taking pictures of the tanks and he said “I have a shot of the tanks with the guys working on them”.  He knows that I prefer “action” shots and I said “oh good!”.  Here is the first picture that I saw when I downloaded the pictures. 

Working huh?  Totally made me laugh.  One of the three is working though and we only were paying one of them.  Ha.  But I had to giggle to see that shot first. 

So here are some shots of the first surveying last spring.  You can see that Loren is clean-shaven so it was prior to winter of last year.  Our brother-in-law came to help with the surveying as he has the equipment from work.  We did a second surveying this spring as well but no pictures because it was raining and a quick process.

In January Loren started the process of mapping out the area.  I can’t seem to find the pictures of him working on the map though.  Bummer.  If I find them I will let you know later, not that it is a huge deal but you can see how much work went into it.  I took quite a few shots because it was pretty fun to watch him work … smart people have always fascinated me. 

So anyway, I just love these winter pictures.  It was January 3rd and cold!  I had a really hard time chosing since I thought they were all great … you might be thinking “wow, that is a lot of pictures of the same thing” but trust me, this is a tiny sampling of what I took.  There was something about the lighting and my subject I am sure that kept me clicking away.  So bare with all these Loren in the snow shots. 

Serious work …

I have to add that this is my favorite shot … why? … no idea, but I love it.

After all the surveying, maps, plans, ordering of septic tanks (a huge process!), final design, and everything lined up the big day came to install the system.  I missed it, but here is what happened while I was away. 

there were trucks …

and a bobcat …

and lots of dirt … for the record, sand and rock is not cheap.

the two custom built tanks made just for our site …

made with the help of Loren’s specs, did I mention he was smart?  :)

the “HUGE” mound … it is really big.

the “not recommended for our climate” siphon … we are such rebels huh?

the view from the mound to the tanks .. it’s far, but we needed the natural slope of the land.

pretty much looks like a big ‘ol mess … but it is progress.

Because Loren is so cool he climbs up on roof tops to get aerial views.  You don’t see that when I am behind the camera.   There were lots of them but I just picked a few. 

This is the area on the farm where they took a bunch of top soil from, and when I was back behind the camera.  You get the extra picture of Loren just cause I like it. 

it was quite far from the dirt hole to the farm … this is the south edge of our property.

So what is left?  Well, the pipe needs to be laid and Loren is currently digging out under the house to get the pipe into the basement.  He is over half done and so hopefully that will be completed soon.  Working another Saturday doesn’t help in the process but working Saturday helps to pay for the system more quickly.  After the pipe is laid he will insulate the tanks and do the final layer of sand and then top soil.  Could it freeze before then?  Yep.  But we would just have to wait until spring to finish and transfer the old system to the new, we aren’t worried about it.  Life is too short to worry is our motto … well, just one of our them I suppose.  We will do what we can when we can and take it from there. 

If you made it all the way to the end here let me just say “good job!”.  This was a long post and even though it is just a farm girls perspective of the process and is bound to have a few errors and holes missing, it is the story from here and since it is my blog that is just fine don’t you think?  :)  Thanks for reading and have a terrific weekend.