Stump dump looks a little big for a fire. Maybe tear that big pile into smaller burnable piles ? Dunno how well porcupine traps work and from the size of the pile and the tree damage you might have quite a few.
It’s way too big for a fire, most of the stumps from our 10 acre field are in that pile. It’s hard to get a burn permit here as we only have a volunteer fire dept. and they don’t like big fires at all. I even offered training room for burning brush piles in the field. They weren’t interested, so I piled the stumps and brush in the woods. Most trees I cut down get the limbs chipped for mulch, and less of a mess. In doing some reading about them I’ve learned that they will girdle trees to let light into the area of their home. I’m a little annoyed that they girdled several nice straight pine trees that I saved and worked around. Was hoping to let them grow bigger, and then saw them for boards. We don’t get many nice pines that survive the pine weevil. I’ve warned the wife that it’s going to be a problem if left unchecked. I know we saw 2 of them last fall in the field while walking one evening. They didn’t care about us at all, just waddling along. My guess is there’s a few more of them around.
Went after a triple trunk apple tree that died last summer during the drought. Bark was coming off of it, so it was fair game. Got it down and into the wood yard in a separate pile. Haven’t decided if it’s going to the in-laws for their fireplace, or just into the totes to be burned. Not much call for smoking wood up here, a friend wants a couple chunks to turn into bowls. This afternoons tree. Main trunk. Pile of apple wood. And today’s damage, the winch cable started to fray, pulling the main trunk it broke a wire strand and this is what it looks like now. A new one is on order. On a better note, I’m using my 2 new choker chains my wife surprised me with! She’s the best!!
Thats some serious apple wood. Wish the cut I've been working had trees like that. Whats to become of it? Any market for smoking wood up there?
Wife reminded me I have 2 smaller apple trees in the backyard that also died. Smaller and hollow trunks, but I’ll get them cut and addd to the stack. Neat thing about this area is most old farms had fruit orchards to some extent. When the fields and orchards grew in with trees they were forgotten. We have been trying to save some of them by slowly opening them up to sunlight. Most are old and grew tall to try and follow the light, woodpeckers also do a number on them. We’ve had some varieties confirmed as 1880’s-1900’s time, and even sent grafting stock to the heritage apple orchard. Our long term goal is to start a new orchard of old varieties on the property. If buZZsaw BRAD lived closer, I’d flip his F150 up with apple wood.
Very kind of you good sir. I have access to an apple orchard and have cut several loads from there recently. Just waiting for snow to melt so I can return for more before they bulldoze them.
Since the winch cable is down, started bucking up firewood logs. Made some progress, then got 6” of snow, and spent yesterday working on the wife’s hot rod project. End of the day pile.
Made some progress in between snow storms, got the main log pile done, just the random short logs pile and the apple wood pile left. Woke up to it snowing this morning, so we will see how much gets done.
Went out after the snow stopped this morning, only got 1” or so and finished up the short log pile, as well as the apple wood pile.
Looking good up there. How bad is the mud? With highs in the 60's here Monday and Tuesday I'm hoping all the snow will at least be gone.
No real mud yet, ground is still frozen. It’s going to be mud season soon though, temps are rising quickly next week, and raining this morning. I’m hoping g to get splitting done before the real mud season shows up, I’ll get some empty totes moved near the splitting area so I can at least fill them when it’s too muddy for equipment.
How far up the Maine coast are you? I have a brother in Ellsworth, that I get up to see now, and then.
Not that far, we are just North of Brunswick. Far enough out in the country to not have to deal with people, but within 10 minutes of Route 1.
Since today was in the 60’s and sunny, there was no way I was heading out into the woods. Grabbed the splitter, and headed to the wood yard. Put 6.5 hours on the splitter, and made it about halfway through the pile. I’m beat, it’s been awhile since if thrown wood around trying to keep up to the splitter! Tomorrow is going to be cold and rainy/snowy, so won’t get anything done outside. Most likely do front brakes on the Ram 3500. Before I started this morning. Lunch break. End of the day.
Thanks! I’m kinda in a hurry to get things done right now. I’ve got a long list to do, and always feel behind. The pile of oak logs behind the firewood stack has now been there 4 yrs, sitting high and mostly dry. It’s a Wolfe Ridge 28 ton compact commercial splitter. I only use the log lift on really big rounds, typically it just sits there to hold an extra pieces while splitting. I setup my work area to turn and grab a round, put it on the splitter, and repeat. If I have to take more than 2 steps to grab a round, the splitter is waiting on me. So I’ll reposition the splitter and carry on.
