So I have had the mechanical loggers on my farm for a week now, and while I thought they would work today, it appears they are taking the day off. Load wise, they got out 10 loads; (4) loads of high grade Spruce and Fir, (4) loads of chips, (2) Loads of hardwood. A "load" is 15 cords of wood, so they pulled out about 200 cords with what is still on the deck... All did not go well mechanically; they lost a turbo in the delimber for $580, and lost a set of teeth on the feller-buncher when they got into some rocks at $500 for a set. Fuel wise, they are blowing through about 200 gallons per day. Without question; the trucker is making more money then the logger or I (the landowner). But we have not exactly made any friends either. I have a neighbor that is just a wench...one of those that complains to the authorities no matter what you do. Keeping in mind this is going to be a field so I want to go right up to the line, to keep the peace I marked the boundary line 30 feet back from where I new it was. yeah 30 feet of my loss...and you know how that works, what is abandoned is soon claimed! Nope...she still complained. We have had that boundary line surveyed (3) times, and it is easy to recognize...a rock wall, a barbwire fence embedded in big trees, and even survey marks from the US Geological Survey since this is a gravel pit where we sold gravel to the Federal Government in 1969. Yep...pretty easy to determine where the line is. Anyway I always have an attorney on retainer, and with so many previous tiffs with this woman, he got upset and just said "since we did not cut across the line, she is harassing us, and she is paying for any lawyer fees"...that means any she incurs as well as mine!" Man was he was miffed; he is just sick of dealing with her. Another landowner was surprisingly easy to get along with, and even wanted his wood cut...at first. It was just hackmatack (chip wood) and what he called Oak (though it was really popil). When he found out his 2 acres would not get $3000, but $300, he decided it was not worth cutting. These guys run a meth lab, so their dreams of wealth vanished quickly! "Months of Beer Money", as they called their hopes... Then on Thursday Katie and I had the wonderful experience of going to a special town meeting enacted just for us. We are behind on our taxes and asked for some time until I can get my bulldozer sold and our wood logged off. We thought we would be the only ones that showed up, but lots of people braved a snowstorm, took time off from work, just to support us and vote that we have 6 months extra to pay. How many times I heard, "Anything for you LodgedTree", I am not sure, but the town is behind us for sure, and cares...even our sheriff. A town leader even said they were going to do a fundraiser, but with the dozer sale and logging, we would feel bad. In a few weeks we will be fine; just moving assets around. The story of a farming; no quick cash, but millions in long term assets that take time to convert to cash. In the end I did not cut a stick of wood myself, but I was forever walking boundary lines, marking them out, scouting out wood to cut down the road for these guys, and working with the feller-buncher operator so that what I want done, is done without crossing property lines. Then there was the special town meeting, talking with attorneys, and doing my sheep farming class. I was BUSY this week for sure. But after 10 years of having this land clearing on my farm's to do list, it is nice to see it carried out.
Quite the week. Uncooperative neighbors, equipment breakdowns, and local town officials that feel they are important, can be summed up simply as - life happens. I hope your land clearing and Financials, go as you want them to. Sent from my SM-T280 using Tapatalk
What’s the deal with the low quality wood that they weren’t going to cut because the equipment was sinking 6”? Sorry if I missed that... are they going to cut everything you want? Can’t imagine there is much mud today, but it’s supposed to warm a bit putting us back in surface mud here..
I am not sure. I would think if it froze up that they could get to the wood, but they are saying it freezes in the tracks. So it sounds like they won't get in the mud because it is mud, but afraid if it freezes up, it will freeze up in the tracks? Huh? Me...i have logged with a bulldozer all my life and know one thing about track...in the winter you have to shovel out snow, mud and dirt because it freezes up. Just the sucky part of using tracks in winter. No way around it.
So it sounds like they won't get in the mud because it is mud, but afraid if it freezes up, it will freeze up in the tracks? Pfft..... millennial loggers. Sent from my SM-T280 using Tapatalk
I remember watching Swamp Loggers one time, and the owner called those type of loggers "Tennis Shoe Loggers"...I thought it was appropriate! I told my truck driver one time when he got gun shy about coming down a 9% grade on one of my logging roads due to ice, I told him to "watch another episode of Ice Road Truckers and give 'er a gear." Maybe these loggers should watch Swamp Loggers and get going. I have never seen Spruce and Fir grow in well drained lands before!
Any chance of you pulling a few logs out for them and then having the forwarder add it to their haul? I'm assuming that the feller buncher is tracked and the forwarder is wheeled? Could you drop 'em, limb 'em and buck 'em to have the forwarder pick the logs up? Or skid them to a place where they will? Don't know the logistics but seems like a waste to have all that equipment there and not get as much material as possible pulled off the property... Maybe you working with them will show them that you REALLY want to get as much wood as possible off the property and give them the catalyst needed to get their equipment down there. Here's an idea... Have a spontaneous FHC GTG and put EVERYONE to work..
Sometimes events seem to go into overdrive. At least you don't have much snow to contend with. It will be great in the spring to have all that land clear, so you can get the stumps out and grow some grass!
