Harvester and Trailer Purchased



Nest Lake Improvement Association, Inc. Board is happy to announce the purchase of another harvester for the 2010 season.  Thanks to the member, county and township contributions, we were able to pay cash for the 1988 Aquamarine harvester.  The engine is a Kubota, the same type that we put on our Mudcat.  The cutting width is almost triple that of the Mudcat (4') at 9'with extentions that make it 11' cutting swath.  It will carry 15 cubic yards of material compared to the 3 cubic yards of the Mudcat.
 

By outfitting the larger Aquamarine with a GPS, we feel we will harvest much more in a more effective manner.  The Mudcat will be used for dock trimming.  

 
We are excited to see what we can do with this harvester.  Of course, the purchase has put a serious dent in our treasury, so we are looking for continued support of our project.

The Mudcat will be used for dock trimming

2009 Harvesting report

We have had a record year!  Thanks to two dedicated harvester operators, a machine that did not break down, more off-load sites, and more people contributing, we were able to take out about 500 harvester loads between Man17th and July 3rd.  That is at least double what we have been able to do in the past.  We had 50 properties paying for harvesting this year. 

While cutting around docks and providing access to open water is what the harvesting fee pays for, a major emphasis this year was on cutting weed beds in the lake.  We believe that this is what has prevented the die-off raft from ending up on your shore.

With our 2009 harvesting season completed, the machine was taken out of the water, maintenance performed, and put in storage for the winter to help protect our machine from the elements.

The long term goal is to reduce the Curly Leaf Pond Weed (CLPW) infestations by harvesting BEFORE it goes to seed (mid to late June).  We will need better and larger equipment to succeed.  We have had some financial support from Kandiyohi County and New LondonTownship - but this is not enough; it is up to us as property owners to contribute to the well being of our lake.

If you feel we are making use of your lake cottage/home more enjoyable, if you feel we are helping our lake to recover, consider making a donation to our operation.  More and better equipment is expensive.

We hope that you are happy with the results this year and will support NLIA.  Any contribution is appreciated.

2008 Harvesting Report

Harvesting began on May 30th and ceased on June 25th due to the breakdown of the harvester.  In that time 116 harvester loads of curly leaf pondweed were removed from the lake by neighborhood crews.  The northerly prevailing winds of this summer meant that the die-off bog went to the south shore this year.  With our harvester incapacitated, we were powerless to help residents with the removal of the mass that invaded them.  The crop of curly leaf pondweed  was slow to get to the surface due, most likely, to the colder than normal spring.  When it did surface, however, it was more prevalent than ever.  The Girl Scout Camp beach became unusable prompting a call for help from them as well as calls from other concerned and distressed residents.