Had to fix a guys air conditioner, today, near Ferney, South Dakota. And would you look at what I found..... A MASSIVE Cottonwood stump. I commented to the gentleman that owned the farm there, "Wow, wish I could have seen her in her hey-day!" This old farmer told me he was 86 years old and that his father had planted that Cottonwood when his father was "just a kid." He also said it started dying because, "we had too many wet years," and he said "when the sun was to the west, it shaded the entire house." As he stood there looking up to the peak of his roof with his arms up and out as in the shape of a cross. And this is no little farmhouse. This house has to be about 3500-4500 sq. ft., with 3 levels including basement. Maybe 4 or 5 bedrooms (all still with his kids stuff in there like they are coming right back) 3 or 4 bathrooms. 2 sitting rooms ,office area ,attached 2 car garage. So that means this tree was probably planted about 110-130 years ago. Wow, sometimes I get very surprised by the places I go. That's probably the best part of my job. And look at the size of this petrified mushroom I was standing on in the first picture.
Cottonwoods can sure get big in the right conditions. Out here they usually die off from lack of water.
Perfect candidate for a carving of some type. I'd hate to stare at a big ole stump like that in my yard.
