Friday, May 29, 2009

Pulling the Pump

28th016

I’ve heard of it, but never seen it done……pulling the pump out of the well, which became necessary late yesterday afternoon when our water faucets and livestock fountains suddenly ran dry!

The rust-covered pipe was pulled out in 20-ft. sections. 

28th014 (2) A new pump and plastic piping was installed.  The whole process---from loss of water to its restoration---took several hours.  The cows had no water to drink during milking time and they were mighty thirsty by the time their drinking bowls filled back up again. 

28th020

Hmm……this will add a substantial bill to next month’s pile…..hooray for that.

In the midst of the pipe and pump removal, an oriole sweetly serenaded us from high in a maple tree…..

28th003 (2) While I was trying to get a decent camera angle on the oriole, this red maple leaf meandered into the viewfinder.  The evening sun was hitting it just right to provide a surprising glow of red.

28th006 (3) *

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hooray for plastic piping! How old was your rusted out pipe? Such a job to replace... such a cost as well.

Love the oriole!

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal

Kat Mortensen said...

Ooh boy! Don't you hate when those expenditures creep up out of the blue? Poor cows. I bet they really enjoyed that first drink.

Did you know you can attract orioles with orange sections? They love them!

We don't get orioles in my neighbourhood - wish we did.

Kat

Sempringham said...

Every guy here wants to know:

How many 20-foot sections of pipe were pulled out? How deep is that well?

Laura ~Peach~ said...

we have so had to do that and it stinks.... glad it went well and the girls are not thirsty now...

Trisha said...

The Oriole is beautiful! I have never seen one in person but your picture almost makes me feel like I have!

Reamus said...

Farm Wife,

Glad to see the flowers on the dirt roads and sorry about the pump. Be interested in how many sections came out as Sempringham is.
I am out of the "Dark" but will be ove the candian border for about two weeks. Hope to get two posts up before I leave Upper Michigan.

Stay well.

Jeannelle said...

Hi, Blue Ridge Gal,

My husband can remember this well being put in, so the pipes were probably around 40 years old.

********

Hi, Poetikat,

Yes, water is crucial for cows.....think of all the liquid they put forth as milk.

Thanks for the info about orange slices....I'll remember that. The oriole was singing this morning, too.

*********

Hi, Sempringham,

Three 20-foot sections of old pipe were pulled out. Eighty feet of new pipe was put in, inside of the well casing which goes down 185 feet.

Its amazing to me that there is so much water way down below the ground. I've read that there are huge aquifers under this part of Iowa.

*******

Hi, Laura,

You must have your own well, too.

Hi to dear little Bradley!

********

Hi, Trisha,

Oriole orange is so bright and lovely!

*******

Hi, Reamus,

Very nice to hear from you, Traveling Man! I can't wait to read about your experiences! Hurry up and post!!

You can read about the pipes above.

You stay safe and well, too!

Leenie said...

My condolances to your check book. My dad used the old pipe from his pulled pump to make a swing set for his grandkids. It is now into another generation of swingers and third coat of paint. Loved the oriole.

shutterhand said...

I got here through Sempringham's blog. Fantastic info on the cowbirds. I enjoyed reading every bit of it. Also think you take lovely photographs. Thanks.

Jeannelle said...

Hello, shutterhand,

Thank you for stopping by....and for your kinds comments!

Jeannelle said...

Hi, Leenie,

Sorry to have skipped you there. Thanks for swinging by. A swingset sounds like a great way to use the old pipes!

Egghead said...

Don't you just hate it when another major thing crops up to spend money on? It seems that is our whole life...never ending.

Gail said...

Pump pulling was a dirty word when I was growing up since we had a three hundred foot well. Oh, but the water was sweet and cool.

Pat - Arkansas said...

All's WELL that ends WELL. :)

Love the maple leaf and oriole. Maples, we have here; not so many orioles. In fact, I've seen only one (1) oriole here in all my years of looking at birds.

DesertHen said...

At least you were able to replace the casing and pump. I have seen many wells pulled over the years only to find that a new well must be drilled...that is a cost you don't want to have to deal with!! Glad to know all have water again. Must not let those cows get thirsty!! =)

Lovely shot of the bird and leaf too.

Caution/Lisa said...

There is always a bill waiting to surprise us, isn't there? Every. Single. Month.

What kind of camera do you have? Your pictures are always so pretty.