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PEP BB earthworks.sand.bermtrail - build a trail into a berm

BB earthworks - sand badge
posted 6 years ago
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This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the sand badge in earthworks.

For this BB, you will be learning how to create trails. These are useful to help people and animals move across your land, without disturbing the land too much.

An example of making a trail by hand is shown in this video:


This example is not quite perfect, because the trail is not built by a berm. But you can see just how much fun a trail can add to your property!

Another example of trail building is what these guys did over here:


The above example is still not by a berm, but it will provide lots of enjoyment and fun!

Minimum requirements:

  - Build a 20' trail (1' wide) on a berm or hugelkultur
  - Berm/hugel must be at least 7' high so the trail provides access to the higher reaches

To get certified for this BB, post three pics  

  - The berm or hugelkultur without a trail
  - A picture about halfway through of you using handtools to make the trail
  - The berm or hugelkultur with a trail that is at least 20ft long and 1ft wide
  - Describe what seeds were planted.
COMMENTS:
 
paul wheaton
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posted 6 years ago
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The idea is to make a quick trail on relatively loose, yet steep dirt.

It will start off as a narrow, problematic trail that can be widened later.  

In the pics below, jocelyn and I spent about 20 minutes making a rock retaining wall off to the left, and then we completed the rest of the trail in about 20 minutes.  

We spent more time planting seeds than building the trail.   I like the idea that we might someday name it "cherry trail" - so I planted a lot of cherry pits along the uphill side.   Probably 20% cherry pits - and apple, and apricot, plum, peach, black locust.   On the downill side i planted a lot of daikon, holzer grain and my winter mix.






building-trail-berm-1.jpg
[Thumbnail for building-trail-berm-1.jpg]
I would cut the trail into something rough, then sit for a breather and take a pic, jocelyn would rake it smooth
building-trail-berm-2.jpg
[Thumbnail for building-trail-berm-2.jpg]
the trail is a little longer
completed-trail-on-berm.png
[Thumbnail for completed-trail-on-berm.png]
completed trail

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Mike Haasl
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posted 5 years ago
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I made a trail yesterday at base camp.  As it is extended, it will allow full access to the back side of the hugel that is next to the house.  Cutting the trail into the dirt was easier than I thought.  Navigating the slope and contour to aim for the elevation of the cross trail was kinda fun.  I ended up making it a bit longer than the 20' that is required.  I made a switchback but due to large buried rocks, I had to include a step with the switchback.  In the future (as Paul alludes to above), the trail can be improved and this could be a great spot for a dry stack retaining wall.  I planted the fresh dirt on the downhill side with two types of clover, alfalfa and Sepp Holzer grain.

Paul said that building a trail on a hugel also qualifies for this BB.
20190527_162341_resized.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20190527_162341_resized.jpg]
Before with tape measure roughly showing the path of the trail
20190527_163553_resized.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20190527_163553_resized.jpg]
Me digging away with a mattock
20190527_164212_resized.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20190527_164212_resized.jpg]
Overall view of the trail
20190527_164225_resized.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20190527_164225_resized.jpg]
Upper part of the trail

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Pierre Michael
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posted 3 years ago
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Added a little more than 20ft of trail to a 7ft tall hugel/berm. Planted alfalfa, clover, quinoa, peas and buckwheat.
37FB42C3-56BF-40C0-B1AC-77FB307647D5.jpeg
Before there was a trail
Before there was a trail
1F2003C1-C133-4609-84A7-60B1034CE9AB.jpeg
During
During
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[Thumbnail for 79A5DF85-5092-4A51-84AB-E5A4DFDF50AF.jpeg]
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[Thumbnail for 317708F0-2A22-4395-B03C-F0BFB4239378.jpeg]
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[Thumbnail for 9F9F4E65-FA38-49CE-AA4C-A4B099599BD3.jpeg]
2690E07B-94F9-4680-B33E-138FA2258971.jpeg
[Thumbnail for 2690E07B-94F9-4680-B33E-138FA2258971.jpeg]
63228C40-5AD4-422B-9CAA-ADE37EC8A1FB.jpeg
[Thumbnail for 63228C40-5AD4-422B-9CAA-ADE37EC8A1FB.jpeg]
AECA5C5F-A5BD-486D-9F86-D29D5FFCF240.jpeg
[Thumbnail for AECA5C5F-A5BD-486D-9F86-D29D5FFCF240.jpeg]
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Kyle Noe
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posted 3 years ago
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This trail is being added to the berm in arrakis at Wheaton Labs.

The berm needed a path at the middle height and a way to the top.
NoTrail.jpg
[Thumbnail for NoTrail.jpg]
HalfATrail.jpg
Here it is half done, I was using a digging fork to make the path
Here it is half done, I was using a digging fork to make the path
22FootTrail.jpg
A bit hard to read the red numbers, the trail is 22ft long
A bit hard to read the red numbers, the trail is 22ft long
TrailSeeds.jpg
Seeded with buckwheat, quinoa, and alfalfa.
Seeded with buckwheat, quinoa, and alfalfa.
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Malek Beitinjan
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posted 3 years ago
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I added a trail to a berm! It has 1 switchback. It is about 28ft long.

Finished.jpg
Finished!
Finished!
1ftwide.jpg
1 ft wide
1 ft wide
Closeup-of-measuring-tape.jpg
Closeup of measuring tape
Closeup of measuring tape
Measuring.jpg
Measuring
Measuring
Shovelling.jpg
Shovelling the trail
Shovelling the trail
Before.jpg
Before I began
Before I began

“There are no words to express the abyss between isolation and having one ally. It may be conceded to the mathematician that four is twice two. But two is not twice one; two is two thousand times one.”
― G. K. Chesterton

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Opalyn Rose
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posted 3 years ago
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Here is my submission for the Earthworks - Sand - Add a Trail into a Berm BB.

Last fall during the BB20 Event, I built a hugel with Penny, Beau, and Mike.  

Today, I added a trail.  My trail is 34-ft long and 1-ft wide.

To document the completion of the BB, I have provided the following:
  - The berm or hugelkultur without a trail
  - A picture about halfway through of you using handtools to make the trail: square pointed shovel
  - The berm or hugelkultur with a trail that is at least 20ft long and 1ft wide
  - Describe what seeds were planted: sepp grain, dutch white clover, and mustard seeds from the shelves in the library.
1.JPG
The Hugel - no trail
The Hugel - no trail
2.JPG
almost half the trail ahs been built. Square Shovel is on trail and I am standing at the base of the hugel.
almost half the trail ahs been built. Square Shovel is on trail and I am standing at the base of the hugel.
3.JPG
Mike is holding one end of the tape meausre
Mike is holding one end of the tape meausre
4.JPG
34-feet long
34-feet long

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Leah Beninato
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posted 3 years ago
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Build a trail into a berm bb submission
2178F33F-7876-4F65-81E0-3D7EE1F5BA43.jpeg
Berm pre-path
Berm pre-path
9435A8C3-20B7-4A3B-8CAD-060033E69B0F.jpeg
Starting here…
Starting here…
199EE408-455D-42BF-8BBD-70AAFD511AB7.jpeg
Ending here…this attaches as a switchback to Pierre’s trail at the bottom of the berm.
Ending here…this attaches as a switchback to Pierre’s trail at the bottom of the berm.
CCF6371D-09E6-4403-944A-49CB576BD9CD.jpeg
Seeds: mix of mustard, vetch, rye grasses, peas, and cherry pits left over from another seed project.
Seeds: mix of mustard, vetch, rye grasses, peas, and cherry pits left over from another seed project.

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” Leo Tolstoy

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Kaitlen Osburn
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posted 3 years ago
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I created a trail at Basecamp near the parking lot to ascend the berm.

I planted tillage radish, lamb's quarters, orchard grass, and buckwheat along with a sprinkling of crimson clover.
TrailonabermIMG_1315.jpg
Before
Before
TrailonabermIMG_1316.jpg
During
During
TrailonabermIMG_1318.jpg
20 Feet!
20 Feet!
TrailonabermIMG_1319.jpg
Seeds used
Seeds used

Kaitlion
--- not even for a moment do things stand still: witness color in the trees. ---seiju

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Jae Gruenke
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posted 1 year ago
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I worked on this BB at the SKIP 2023 event, adding a trail to one of the newer hügels at Allerton Abbey. 20' was the perfect length to get from the bottom to the top without endangering any saplings or making the trail too terribly steep. The hügel, like all the ones at Wheaton Lab, is 7 feet tall.

I'm attaching the following pics:

 - The hugelkultur without a trail
 - A picture about halfway through of you using handtools to make the trail--despite several attempts to take a selfie of myself wielding the Pulaski to make the trail, I was unable to do it without a squint/grimace in the bright sunlight. Hopefully being photogenic isn't necessary for BB approval.
 - The width of a narrower part of the trail with tape measure showing it's a bit wider than 1ft
 - The trail with a measuring tape showing it's 20ft long
 - The finished trail

Thanks!
hu-gel-before.jpg
[Thumbnail for hu-gel-before.jpg]
action-shot-with-Pulaski-and-squint.jpg
[Thumbnail for action-shot-with-Pulaski-and-squint.jpg]
1-ft-wide-or-more.jpg
[Thumbnail for 1-ft-wide-or-more.jpg]
20-feet-of-trail.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20-feet-of-trail.jpg]
definitely-20-ft.jpg
[Thumbnail for definitely-20-ft.jpg]
the-finished-trail.jpg
[Thumbnail for the-finished-trail.jpg]
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Mike Barkley approved this submission.
Note: good job!

 
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