Taking over management...

First a little background, since I don't think I've told this story. The house that I bought last year used to belong to my grandparents. My grandfather and uncle built it in 1986, and my dad did the electrical. It went up for sale after they passed away, and I happened to be looking at houses at the time. At first I didn't think I wanted it, because I wanted a bigger house, but after one tour of the 14 acre woods it sits on, I fell in love. Made my mom cry when I shook her hand and told her it was a done deal. *sniff*.

Anyway, this property was actually originally part of my great-grandparent's 77 acre farm/orchard. My family still owns the entire property, but it's divided up now. My parents own the farm house, and 30 acres on the other end from me, and that's where my sister's family lives. My aunt owns the 30 acres between me and my sister, and the house and 3 acres on the other side of me. Our family owns literally 1/2 the block!

I cleaned up a huge mess of trees that fell over at my aunt's house this spring, and she told me I could clean up anything that was down in her section of woods. My dad stopped over recently, and was thoroughly impressed with my hoard and management of my woods, and he'd like me to take over management of their section as well. I now have run of all 77 acres! Or rather, the wooded portion, which is probably a good 70 of that.

Of course, there's still plenty to do at my place. This should set me up for shoulder season for a while, if I can GIBIR. Red pine and poplar:


There's also this maple windfall site:


The black locust gold mine I posted about before is on my aunt's property:



My parent's section was logged a bit a few years ago, by the guy my dad gets firewood from. The guy took a ton of BL out of there. He ended up with a couple year's worth of firewood, but the guy thinned it out too much IMO, and he left a bunch of stuff on the ground too. I found a couple BL he cut down in some bushes, and I also found a large black birch down when I was walking it the other day. It was starting to rot a bit under the bark, so I need to hurry up and get that one.

There's also this good size BL leaner:


This was interesting. A coppiced BL stump. Not sure if it was intentional or not.


Not sure if these are norway maple or ash. I'll know when I split em. I'm thinking norway, because ash are usually straighter.


Looks like there will be LOTS more to come! Now I can keep going until my whole family is on the 3 year plan!

 

You certainly sound like you know what your doing, you know your species and the terminology.
You have your families attention in keeping the wooded property managed well.
Congratulations to you!

 

Have fun and work safe.

 

Nice job man. I'd love to have some acreage like that someday.

 

To bad I'm not closer , I could come and help you get rid of some of that dang old wood, you got laying around

 

If I'm at my parents house I might not be too far away.. They live in a town called North East, Pa which is right on Lake Erie and the Pa NY line.. Maybe I'll help..

 

Man Shawn, what a great deal.
Take your time, but hurry up and get 3 years ahead.

 

That's great to hear. Land should be taken care of by people like you. Keep us happy with plenty of pics.

 

Any time! Just make sure you bring a truck load of pallets with you when you stop by!

 

I sure would
I do have a couple of good sources, my bud, Pallet Pete,
and here

 

Lol.. Had to laugh at the truck in your first pic. I drive for Con-way. I used to do the pick up and delivery side of things from 2005 through 2008. I've worked there since 03 and have done everything from days to nights and everything in between - have run day or night line-haul with sets for a while now. My current run is from Pa down to Lexington, Va and back everyday. My terminal is huge and has a massive amount of pallets. Those clowns won't give me one free pallet. It all goes to the pallet recycling place..

 

You sir need a few more saws to justify all that wood. Nice work & management. A C

 

Pallet recycling done right. A C

 

Very nice. I hope to have land to cut on some day. I have a pretty convenient hookup with a tree guy that dumps logs in my front yard, but nothing beats being out in the woods cutting firewood. Not quite the same in a suburban front yard

I think that last tree is Norway.

Also, that coppiced stump is neat. Kinda doubt it was purposefully coppiced though if it's the only one around

 

That place gives all their pallets n stuff away so they don't have to pay to get rid of it

 

Shawn if you're planning on working up that much wood (I know you like hand splitting) seriously consider either getting some hydro's (you'll thank yourself years from now)....
Or getting yourself a bigger saw -70cc's will put a on your face.

Christmas isn't that far off and you never know what a few hints to multiple kin folks will bring you

 

Yeah my Echo has been a great running saw, and it will definitely keep chewing lots of wood after I get another one. I'm thinking I'd like something in the 660 range, so I can use it to do some milling as well. So I think I'm gonna wait for the new 661, whenever they re-release it.

 

Its nice to see property stay in the family. Sometimes things can get crazy. Now get to cutting.