We made it back to working on the woodyard yesterday morning. We had one more 330gal empty tote left, so we filled it with 18" red oak splits for the restaurant.
Thanks, my friends. I'll 'fess up...I stacked a little on the bottom that Miz Carol couldn't reach...the rest is her artwork... The new tractor and bigger loader got it off the ground enough to move it...barely.
After we finished that tote, we tried out something different... That will go to a deer camp for the firepit.
I have been thinking about a spring planting also. Is your thinking that either keeps deer in your area and provides better grazing for does and fawns? Do you then do a fall planting too? I have considered that a spring planting when turned under would make a better soil structure and help the fall planting. Our food plots don’t really last very long in the fall with the numbers of deer on our place though.
Yes, better nutrition for all the deer, antler development on the bucks, healthy does and fawns. And yes, sometimes cover crops will enrich the soil.
Did some rearranging on one of the tote storage areas today. Mowed the grass close and had a couple old billboard canvases and 2 big tarps. Used the signs first, we set the 3 - 16" totes in a row, then moved the 14" totes in a row next. Going to add 4 more 14" totes in that row. Then we will start with 18" totes and use the other big tarp, once brown area is full. We planted wildflowers in that area several years ago, they have re-seeded quite well. As I was moving a tote, I "picked" some brown eyed susans with the forks... Miz Carol is one lucky gal...
At work, we have those self-dumping hoppers, so we modified our box. Added a front slope, now we can throw scraps in, chain it to the forks and dump it on the burn pile... We also got another tote of 14" splits done ... We also finished that deer camp tote to the left.
Ready to work... Had 1 more long sweet gum log in that load of oak, made 11 18" rounds... That and a couple small elm limbs filled up the deer camp tote, it's mostly hickory We finished the 14" tote too... That filled all the totes we had prepped, so time to get more ready. Miz Carol helped get some moved into place.. We started on 4 Tuesday morning before we had to run some errands, we finished those Wednesday, then did 6 more...10 ready to go...
SWEET GUM!!!??? Cant believe you processed it!!! Thought you sold those to the mill/pulp plants? Hope Ms. Carol isn't a "lady driver" with the Kubota. Are those new tires? Great team work there folks.
Didn't have enough/big enough to go to sawmill. Chipmill gig is up for now. Yep, new tires on the new tractor. We got it April 10th.
After some errands in town, we had time to buck 4 16' red oak logs into 18" splits. 2 of the logs... Let the XS400 have some fun today It had already started raining, with thunder nearby. Got enough for Blue Samson to start on in the morning
Yesterday morning we split and stacked the 4 logs from above post...sure turned out a lot of wood, around 1/2 cord...shade over 1 1/2 totes. I've been thinking of a better way to make stops for the tractor forks, sometimes the clamps were hard for Miz Carol to get loose and I've had bigger logs roll over the 4x4 blocks. Using 3 sharp drill bits, worked our way up to 3/4", bought some 3/4 x 8 bolts and some flat washers. Had my shift mechanic weld 2 washers on each bolt. Now just drop 1 in each hole... Finished 4 short logs from that trailer load, got another tote and a piece. We then started on some older oak logs, cut Aug-Sept '24, before Helene. Roll to finish the cut... Split enough to finish the 2nd tote of the day.
T.Jeff Veal Just wanted to suggest a modification to your MS400 that I did and while not a Huskil HP producer I found it beneficial. I put a large capacity clutch cover on and it really moves the chips through and seems to keep the inside of the clutch area cleaner. FWIW
Just moved these logs from a distance, these logs were only 6' long, 4 cuts, and on the bigger side. Kinda mixing things up.
