What a perfect Sunday to be hoarding - It’s 28°F right now with some flurries dancing in the wind and the sun trying to come out from behind the clouds. It hit 40° the last couple days. Everything finally thawed out and melted. Was planning to work in the sugarhouse today but figured I’d take advantage of the nice weather and start clearing the ATV access trail up the hill out back. This past ice storm really gave us a good punch. Lots of limbs and small trees down the further up the hill you go but the damage seems mostly contained to the south facing hill and and acre or two up top. The ATV trail is impassible - or was. Most of my effort this morning was spent clearing small debris and branches. But as I came across the bigger stuff, out came the Stihl. First tree down across the trail was a small red maple, about 7-8” DBH. Got a nice little load into the trailer from that one. A little further up a sizable oak limb was just off to the side of a steep section in the trail. Didn’t feel comfortable loading the trailer on that steep section so I unhooked it and made three quick trips up and down, loading the cuts on the ATV rack. After the oak the next tree was a small diameter but tall ash that’s top came off. I decided to drop the rest of it. Cut it up and loaded it in. Got one full trailer load and then another half load from those three trees. Today was also my first real test of using my new LogOx log hauler. Love that thing. My back loves it even more. Inside now for a hot bowl of leftover stew before heading back up to keep going on the trail. I think with what’s left on from the damage that came down on the trail I will be able to get another heaping trailer load. It’s all small stuff - but it all burns just the same. Mother Nature provides again!
Ended up with another trailer load about 3/4 full from the stuff that came down on the trail. On the way out I decided to take down a black birch that lost most of its top and had some visible rot happening down at the base. Lot of little white mushrooms growing on it. Got two trailerloads from it. Made the felling cuts a little higher than normal. Everything from about head height and up was in excellent condition. All but about three feet of rotten stump came down the hill and got stacked into the splitter pile.
Was a nice day. Good breeze with sun. Perfect cutting weather IMO. I was out all day in it as well. Nice looking stuff. Easier is better in my book.
Was able to get up to the top of the hill at sunrise this morning to put in an hour of cutting before I had to leave. Tackled a shag hickory that snapped from the ice and a small hophorn pole it took out with it. Nice trailer loads worth.
Nice load! Surprised the ice too out a hickory! Some great future btu's there. Is there a lot more Woodsman ?
Got pretty much everything off the ATV trail. Few more hickories of similar size to get and a few hemlocks that I’ll put toward the maple arch. The hickories that came down are on the hill right on the edge of where the loggers that came in under the former owners stopped cutting. So I’m wondering if perhaps a gust of wind caught the hickories just the right way on the edge of the cut line/older growth - they were the first to take the brunt of the gust. Here’s the next one I’ll get to Also decided to drop an ash late this afternoon. Not a storm damaged trees but the top was looking sparse and dead. Sure enough, EAB. I can get used to hauling out a trailer load or two like this per day!
Ill bet you could. Sounds like the hoarder in you has gotten worse. Not that its a bad thing. Theres an online support gr, uh, oh, nevermind! Nice manageable sized trees too!
Yes sir, the hoarding bug has hit me hard. Trying to get as much done as possible now. I think time might be tight later this year. We are expecting our first child this summer. Wife is due July 15th!
missed this response. Congrats to you and the Mrs. July 15 wouldve been my 20th anniversary if i was still married. Divorced in 2004
