I don't a lot of scrounges, but the Clapp pear tree at my parents died from the drought last summer. The tree shaded the back patio for years and produced so many pears over the years. They believe it was at least 90 years old. It was still producing blossoms and leaves last spring. It was hollow in the base, but solid around the outside. It had three long limbs starting a few feet up from the base. We tied a rope on each limb and dropped it right down into the yard. It was not a very big haul, but there is plenty of nice grain wood for turning, knife handles, mallets and carving. The small stuff will feed the mud oven. One load went to my brother for his stove. There were a few more wheel barrow loads down back of the smaller stuff. The best part was my dad hasn't run his 025 in about 10 years. It had a little gas still in it. I filled it halfway with gas mix and adjusted the chain. About 8 pulls to the "pop", up a notch and it fired solid. He has a new chain on it, and it ran like a top. I know they are not big saws, but they work for us as we don't cut anything too big.
Chip a bunch of it. Then when you're in the mood for something good to eat, soak a couple hands full of chips in water and pitch them in the grill. Throw on some burgers or chicken and enjoy!
Good thing you got it Jon! Nothing wrong with those size saws. It just depends upon what job is to be done as to what size is needed. Too big of a saw is like using a dump truck when a wheelbarrow is all you need to do the job. How about some credit Jon? I know that is not you in the picture!
Had a pear tree at one house I had , produced a lot of pears , I miss those pears, man ! they were so good, nothing like the ones in the store . Use to take em in for my coworkers , once they got a taste they were buggin me , when you bringing in pears
That is my 11 y/o, Nathan. He was a big help on the clean up. I lot him behind the saw on the throttle as I held the saw on the small limbs. Big grins.
Oh yah. This one produced thousands over the years. We had pear sauce growing up all winter and fresh pears late summer. Lots of rotten pear fights too.
There were a very few small upper limbs still green, those will get thin sliced on the bandsaw. Grilled chicken did come to mind when I saw those.
Smoker wood, fire wood, good times with the family, and giving the old family tree a great send off... Can't get a whole lot better than that!
I have one Bartlett in backyard not far from garage door that's about 35 yrs old.Originally parents planted a pear (lol) of them but the east one was damaged as a sapling when a idiot former neighbor next door south backed over it....And it was removed soon afterwards. So it don't get proper pollination as a single tree.Had some storm damage over the years,few branches removed.Still has lots of flowers every Spring & usually a couple dozen smaller fruits by Fall.Though I rarely get over a couple of 'em,the squirrels,chipmunks & the occasional songbird grabs them first.Still have a few small dry chunks in a box from the various pruning salvaged over the years. Thinking the rest of the tree will be gone in a few years due to a couple cavities/other damage.Its barely 8" diameter with a short trunk & total height isn't over 20 feet now.So I'll use the rest for cooking fuel eventually.Still using some pieces from neighbor's old Pear that he gave me in summer 2014.
Nice work Jon. In your description of the plans that you had for the wood, it sounded just like you. Looking forward to some pics of the projects, to include the outdoor wood oven.
It was hard for me to mark the LIKE on your post. My little 35 year old pear does not produce much in most years because there are no pollinators nearby but I love the small amount of fruit that I do get from it. There is little that can compare to a tree ripened pear.
My Grandparents had 6 Pear trees that I grew up with yielding baskets of fruit. When I moved in 35 years ago, the were all hollowed out with no more fruit. Sadly, I cut them all down for cordwood. I would have much rather had the pears of my youth.
If only the ease of taking a small sapling to transplant and grow more was taken when folks are young then the offspring of trees of yesteryear can continue. I find since the chances of fruit trees hollowing out are high, its best to find out a good transplant in the time when they are fruiting the most. Then you have overlapping growth and trees come down but you continue the lineage.
My parents mentioned back in the 1960's and possibly earlier, a local market owner would stop in at the house and take any extra pears from the tree and sell them in his market. Ah, the good old days. I remember from my youth, retired neighbors would sell any extra fruit and vegetables from their gardens on an old table at the road with an honor system cup for paying. I miss those days. I will get into one of the chunks soon and turn it out on the lathe.
Plant more trees. Keep planting them where you have space. Pears grow quickly and produce within a few years. Worth the effort. Plant some plums while you are at it. The produce huge crops.
