Logging

A while back, I mentioned that we did some tree-clearing one weekend. Wanna see some pictures? If not, go ahead and read some other blogs. But here, we're doing tree-clearing.
Also a while back, I posted a picture of our treeline. It was a pretty shot, because it was winter, and the treeline was covered with snow. Well, in summer, not so much pretty. Weeds and brush gather in, and it becomes almost impassable. Which is a problem, because the kids here like to play in the treehouse that sits about midway on the treeline. For a few years, we let the goats and cow pasture in that part of the treeline, but that treehouse was just missed too much. This year, we pulled the fencing. But that meant that we had to clear brush...



This picture shows the treeline, in its early-spring clean state. That won't look like that in July, and we need to remove some dead things so it can be mown then. Branches will be cut up to about the height of an adult male. This is 1) so the person riding the mower should slip easily under the branches that are left and 2) because John won't climb a tree with a chain saw. So he cuts up until he can't reach. Got that?
You can see the treehouse about midway in the picture, and midway up the trees. Just to the left of the treehouse, see that dead tree? That one had to be completely cut down, so it didn't decide someday to just fall on the fence. Let's get started.
Farmer John (or is he Lumberjack John?) checks out the tree to decide direction of fall, etc.



Deciding that he wants it to fall AWAY from the fence in the background, he begins to cut a notch. Once that notch is pulled, it will cause the tree to lean away from the fence. Then FarmerLumberjackJohn will cut on the opposite side of the tree. loosening it to fall. Let's see how it works.



The notch is now big enough to pull out the chunk of wood and begin cutting on the other side.



Now, FLJ (I decided to abbreviate; typing that whole name could get old fast) pushes to encourage the dead tree to fall...



...which it finally does...



falling, well, can you see? See the fence running roughly parallel to the tree? Well, it's not roughly enough. One of the trunks of the tree intersected with the fence as it fell, proving that you can plan all you'd like, but, sometimes, the darn thing is just gonna fall on the fence.

But, never fear, FLJ is here! Here he shows how to pull the fence back up, making it capable once more of containing sheep, goats and one very nosy, personable cow.




And that, ladies and gents, is how we rid our treeline of a dead tree. Now if I could just get someone to move the logs...