Ditch Digging - Old School

To anyone under 40, this scene is an example of something rarely seen in these times...we called it "Manual Labor". No Ditch Witch, no front loader, just three guys with picks and shovels making way for a new concrete curb to be installed.

I was a bit perplexed as to why they were doing the job by hand, and was told that there were several "unknowns" in the area. like buried cables, electric lines, etc. and it was just too dangerous to try to do it with machinery. So, when it comes to the gentle touch, I guess it is just necessary to revert to the "old school" methods.