# Equipment Video and Pics



## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

I am starting to download some old videos and pics of our equipment. I will post them here as I upload them. I am getting a new camcorder so I will be posting new videos and pics as well. These videos will be mostly of our mossing and some of our cranberry marsh work. I might get some videos and pics of my brother in laws equipment. He has some really nice John Deere stuff.

Here are the first videos:

Bucyrus Erie Excavator






416 Caterpiller backhoe loading moss in our walking floor trailer






John Deere 450 C Dozer






Moss puller and Bombarier with a dump bed






Moss puller loading an OC-6 Oliver crawler






416 Caterpiller backhoe pushing a load of moss off






And some pics of building the puller. It is a modified OC-6 Oliver crawler.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## srl28 (Jan 2, 2006)

Forgive me for being naiive but what are you harvesting and for what? I know it's moss but....


Really neat looking equipment and some amazing fab work


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

srl28;1475318 said:


> Forgive me for being naiive but what are you harvesting and for what? I know it's moss but....


We are harvesting long fiber sphagnum moss. It is used by nurseries and anybody that has plants. It holds 20 times its weight in water. The moss is used to ship bare root plants. If you pack the roots of a plant you can help stop transplant shock. You can use it as a ground cover around plants or mix it with the soil to help hold water. Topiary and hanging baskets are other uses.


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## vegaman04 (Dec 12, 2007)

Now i see where your fab skills came from


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## CGM Inc. (Dec 15, 2008)

mossman381;1475324 said:


> We are harvesting long fiber sphagnum moss. It is used by nurseries and anybody that has plants. It holds 20 times its weight in water. The moss is used to ship bare root plants. If you pack the roots of a plant you can help stop transplant shock. You can use it as a ground cover around plants or mix it with the soil to help hold water. Topiary and hanging baskets are other uses.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

vegaman04;1475336 said:


> Now i see where your fab skills came from


Yeah, my dad can pretty much build anything he sets his mind too. He just rebuilt an undercarriage for our walking floor trailer. I should get some pics.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Here is the reason why I have not been able to get in the shop to finish my truck. It is the dolly that goes under our walking floor trailer. It was rusted out bad. My dad put new crossmembers in. I did some detailing on the wheels and frame. We just put it back under the trailer today.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## vegaman04 (Dec 12, 2007)

So does this stuff go on its own and its just harvested or more like a crop?


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

vegaman04;1475643 said:


> So does this stuff go on its own and its just harvested or more like a crop?


The moss grows all by itself. It takes 3-5 years to grow back enough to harvest it again. Really good moss is about 12" deep but it varies all over the marsh. We just take the moss. We don't take any of the peat that is below the long fiber sphagnum moss.


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## toyotaplow (Jan 17, 2011)

That old excavator is really cool. I love seeing old iron still doing what it was made to do. Me and my father-in-law spent last spring getting an old 955 Caterpillar crawler loader running. It was so fun playing on that thing once we got it going.


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## BCF250SD (Nov 16, 2011)

Awsome equipment! Love all the fab work


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Some more equipment. The 977 Caterpiller looks mean with the root rake. It also has a bucket. Dad picked it up cheap a few years ago. Going to get some video of it. And I was pulling the John Deere disc with the Deut-Allis. Not going to plant crops. We are making another drying bed to dry moss on.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## SNOWLORD (Aug 10, 2007)

Excellent Fab Work!!!!!


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Our 276 Versitile tractor. I was smashing and loading old culverts on the trailer today.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

Very interesting, never even knew that people grew and harvested moss. I liked watching the harvesting process.


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## CAT 245ME (Sep 10, 2006)

I likes the video of the old Bucyrus hoe, for a machine that is from the early 70's it seems to run really well. Tuff to kill those old machines. To bad the Bucyrus Erie name isn't in use anymore.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

JD Dave;1476197 said:


> Very interesting, never even knew that people grew and harvested moss. I liked watching the harvesting process.


A lot people don't know about the moss we harvest. There is a lot more to it than just pulling the moss in the marsh. That is just the start. I will be getting video and pics of all the steps we go through to get the moss shipped out.



CAT 245ME;1476218 said:


> I likes the video of the old Bucyrus hoe, for a machine that is from the early 70's it seems to run really well. Tuff to kill those old machines. To bad the Bucyrus Erie name isn't in use anymore.


Yeah, dad is pretty good at running the old machine. He has done a ton of work with it.


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## thelettuceman (Nov 23, 2010)

Got to give "props" to your dad, you and all the machinery and the way you guys keep it runnin'. Wish I could turn wrenches like that !!!!


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

thelettuceman;1476259 said:


> Got to give "props" to your dad, you and all the machinery and the way you guys keep it runnin'. Wish I could turn wrenches like that !!!!


Thanks lettuceman.

Some pics of my ranger. It is a piece of equipment that does work. I know a lot of people think that the ranger is just a play rig. Here are some pics of it pulling a hay rake and a "fluffer". We use it to turn the moss to help it dry. Normally a polaris 4-wheeler pulls the fluffer.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

And some video of my ranger


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Our pump motor blew up a few days ago. We had to get our other 301 International motor out, transfer the pump and take it back to the marsh. Here is a pic of the motor and Walden loaded up ready to go.


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## DareDog (Oct 22, 2007)

you learn something new everyday, so that is why they call you mossman ha


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Video of the 977 CAT crushing some culverts.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Versitile pulling the land leveler today.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Did some grading today


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Tried to get some mossing done today, but the tractor was not going to let me get much done. It blew a hose on the loader.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Very cool pictures!


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks, a new video of laying down the moss with the Versitile 276 and the GEHL 980






And a video I already posted in my truck thread but thought I should post it here because of the Deutz-Allis. These are my first videos in HD.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

More video of the drying process. Spreading the moss with the Allis and fluffing it with the Polaris.


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## PrimoSR (May 15, 2010)

That's some cool equipment.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

PrimoSR;1488253 said:


> That's some cool equipment.


Thanks Primo, I need to get some video of the dump trucks working. And some better video of the excavator.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Video of the Max 6 wheeler. We use this to go out in the marsh and check moss.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

The first Oliver OC-6 with a cab. My dad put this together. I finished up putting the pads on it and backed it out of the shop to make room for my trailer.

A video


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

I like all the pictures. I have never scene a Pete Moss operation before. What kind of wood do you use for track pads?


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

mercer_me;1498573 said:


> I like all the pictures. I have never scene a Pete Moss operation before. What kind of wood do you use for track pads?


Thanks, We harvest long fiber sphagnum moss not peat. The sphagnum moss is on top of the peat. Usually 8-12" deep. We do not dig up the marsh. A year after we leave a marsh you can't tell we were even there. We use rough cut white oak for the pads. Not easy to find anymore. Used to buy it from amish.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Video of dad running the Bucyrus Erie in HD






Video of me pushing up dry moss


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Some neat older equipment right there!


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Pics of us getting ready to pick up the first of our berries.


















And dad running the beater tractor for the first time.


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## G.Landscape (Oct 20, 2011)

Did you have to empty the Budweiser truck before you could fill it?

Sweet pics, love the entire operation, very unique


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

G.Landscape;1507352 said:


> Did you have to empty the Budweiser truck before you could fill it?
> 
> Sweet pics, love the entire operation, very unique


The trailer was empty when they dropped it off.


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

So how does the berries thing work? Another type of business you guys do along with sphagnum? (sp?) Looks like the berries grow in wet fields, but why at the end are they floating in the pond? Like the oceans spray commercials?


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

DieselSlug;1507434 said:


> So how does the berries thing work? Another type of business you guys do along with sphagnum? (sp?) Looks like the berries grow in wet fields, but why at the end are they floating in the pond? Like the oceans spray commercials?


My dad started the cranberries as a retirement plan for him and his brother. We have been working on the cranberries for 8 years or so. It has been a struggle trying to get it off the ground and we were hoping for a good year, but with the drought looks like another year before we make anything off it.

The vines and berries are only in water to harvest them. Otherwise water is only used to irrigate and protect them from freezing.

It is spelled sphagnum moss. Actually long fiber sphagnum moss.


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## Polarismalibu (Sep 20, 2012)

So dose that beater tractor just get the berry's off the vines? Looks like a fun piece of equipment to run


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Polarismalibu;1507898 said:


> So dose that beater tractor just get the berry's off the vines? Looks like a fun piece of equipment to run


The beater tractor just knocks the berries off the vine. You then have to put more water in the beds to float the berries. Then use the bog boom (like what they use to contain oil spills) to bunch them up so the cleaner can suck them up into the trailer.

I forgot to post the beater tractor video






And pumping out the ditch


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Laying the last loads of moss down for the year. Used a camera mount that I made to get some new views.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Another video of spreading the moss using my new camera mount.


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Sweet vids! I need to make some type of mount setup for mine, its hard to get good footage when wheeling.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Video of pulling the moss in the marsh


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

A ride from hard ground out to the marsh on the Oliver OC-6.


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## SNOWLORD (Aug 10, 2007)

If you ever need more white oak let me know, I know all the loggers and haulers in your area.


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

mossman381;1513758 said:


> Video of pulling the moss in the marsh


Does this unit just physically rip the plant out of the ground?
That oliver dozer is cool!


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Is the dozer designed for wide tracks? Seems like the drive wheels are spaced out pretty far to allow the planks to be wider. Very cool operation.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

SNOWLORD;1516378 said:


> If you ever need more white oak let me know, I know all the loggers and haulers in your area.


I will let you know. Dad found someone local that just cut some for us. So far it looks good.



DieselSlug;1516470 said:


> Does this unit just physically rip the plant out of the ground?
> That oliver dozer is cool!


It has teeth that retract that pull the moss off the ground. I know it is hard to see when it is in the grass. I have some more video I have to edit.



DieselSlug;1516474 said:


> Is the dozer designed for wide tracks? Seems like the drive wheels are spaced out pretty far to allow the planks to be wider. Very cool operation.


The Oliver's that I have in my videos are not dozers. They are OC-6 crawlers. They do have a dozer like track but none of them have blades on the front. We do have an Oliver OC-6 dozer that was set up with a front blade from the factory. They were not made to have the wooden pads on the track. That is something that my grandpa came up with I think. You could just drive them out in the marsh without the pads but the damage to the ground would be severe. Actually the track would work better without the pads but to keep from tearing up the ground we use the wooden pads. About a year after we leave a marsh you can't tell we were there.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

A ride along as I turn the moss.


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

I love the Chevy Like A Rock video Moss Man.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Couple more videos first one is our dry harvest.






This one is pulling moss with some Aldean


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Some more videos

Pushing up dry moss






Pulling moss that is partly frozen


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Hauling the puller and a crawler home


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Pull starting an Oliver






Loading the walking floor trailer


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Cool vids mossman. You guys break a lot of the paddles for your tracks? Any info on the red looks like international rig?


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

DieselSlug;1528026 said:


> Cool vids mossman. You guys break a lot of the paddles for your tracks? Any info on the red looks like international rig?


The pads do break. Usually because of hidden stumps. You like the 6x6 International? I will see if I can get some pics and maybe some video.


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

mossman381;1528048 said:


> The pads do break. Usually because of hidden stumps. You like the 6x6 International? I will see if I can get some pics and maybe some video.


Absolutely! Love seeing the large old iron. Did those come 6x6 or was that a conversion? Someday id like to get a 90's GM 3500HD and convert it to 4wd. Not as big but same idea.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

DieselSlug;1528055 said:


> Absolutely! Love seeing the large old iron. Did those come 6x6 or was that a conversion? Someday id like to get a 90's GM 3500HD and convert it to 4wd. Not as big but same idea.


I will get some pics. Not sure if it is a factory 6x6 or a conversion. I will ask dad. It is going to be a dump truck some day so we can dig out our ponds.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Video of the Waldon moving some bales.






Putting a stack of moss into the shed.


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## icudoucme (Dec 3, 2008)

Great thread!


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## lawnboy2121 (Jan 25, 2007)

hey mossman is that a international harvester 3514 or 3616 piling moss in the pics on the first page?


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

lawnboy2121;1532077 said:


> hey mossman is that a international harvester 3514 or 3616 piling moss in the pics on the first page?


I am not sure. I know it is a International. It hasn't run for years. It has a cracked block or head I think.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Haven't posted in here for awhile. Went to check the equipment today and took a few pics.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Dad loading pallets of moss on the semi trailer with the Waldon 6000.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Burning a pile of brush


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Nice pics moss! Havent had time to sit down and watch your last two videos yet. Hopefully lunchtime entertainment!


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## xgiovannix12 (Dec 8, 2012)

*Rubs hands* Nice COZY warm fire on my screen.


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## scott3430 (Dec 28, 2010)

mossman - that International is a beast! Nice thread, I never knew our great state could produce moss! Learn something new everyday.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks guys. The International is suppose to be a dump truck someday.

New video of the Versatile 276 working


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Top loading the walking floor trailer.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)




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## scott3430 (Dec 28, 2010)

That's a good vid mossman. I like the loader - it almost looks like a skidder machine that's used in the woods for logging.

So after you harvest the moss, do you guys dry it out in the barn for a while before shipping?


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

scott3430;1563416 said:


> That's a good vid mossman. I like the loader - it almost looks like a skidder machine that's used in the woods for logging.
> 
> So after you harvest the moss, do you guys dry it out in the barn for a while before shipping?


No, once the moss is dry it can be packaged and sent out. The dry moss in the shed is so we can package in the winter.


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

This is probably a stupid question but, what do they use moss for?


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

mercer_me;1563497 said:


> This is probably a stupid question but, what do they use moss for?


Moss holds moisture. It is mostly used by nurseries to ship live plants and grow plants. It can be used for hanging baskets or topiary. It can be used as mulch for sandy soil. Anywhere you need moisture moss can be used.

A video of top loading the walking floor trailer.


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

The 90 pushing some snow


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Some more videos from this summer. Enjoy

John Deere Mowing with Batwing






Start of our moss season






Cat 416 Backhoe ditching






John Deere with pull grader






John Deere Z-Trak mowing






Mowing Fence line with the Z TRAK






Mowing Cranberry Vines Part 1






Mowing Cranberry Vines Part 2






Mowing Cranberry Vines Part 3






Disking New Moss Bed






Bucyrus Erie Excavator Loading Dump Truck






Unloading Moss by Hand






International and GMC dump trucks dumping sand






Turning Moss


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## Pit Crew (Mar 19, 2014)

Awesome thread, how many acres do you guys farm?


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## mossman381 (Nov 17, 2009)

Pit Crew;1817115 said:


> Awesome thread, how many acres do you guys farm?


We farm but not like most people do. We harvest moss out of marshes that we bid on that are owned by the county and state. We don't go by acres. It is by the marsh. I really gave up on the thread because nobody seemed interested. I have tons of videos and pics.


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