Tree Farm

Discuss non-crawler related issues here (keep it sane, please)
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CuttingEdge
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Post by CuttingEdge » Tue Apr 12, 2016 3:39 pm

Nice job Gus! I am jealous!

I just got my dozer and started making logging roads through my woodlot, but it is still spring here. The frost has just gone out and it was too muddy to make any really nice logging roads. I have done some ditching, but then a Christian Camp needed to do some road building so now it sits there.

They had 1700 ft of powerlines to install underground and we were able to do all of it in 1 day with (2) excavators, (1) dozer, (1) tracked skid steer, and about 15 guys. It really worked well. Then we put in a road in the most horrible spot I have ever seen...right at the valley of two big hills right beside a lake! Talk about mud just after the frost goes out! But we got it skimmed with gravel and looks good.

I am still out with my knee surgery so I cannot get out in the woods yet, but I am ready too. I got an 8 acre clear cut I want to start, turning forest into field. Just need the Dr's okay which I should get on April 27th.
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

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CuttingEdge
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Post by CuttingEdge » Tue Apr 12, 2016 3:53 pm

I am a bit miffed at my forester on all this though. She is really good, don't get me wrong, but she is used to working with absent landowners and not ones that work the woodlot and the farms. So when she did the Forest Management Plan she came back with some low numbers; a recommendation of only cutting 300 cords of wood every 10 years. I thought that was odd, but she is a professional and that is why I pay her. Even then though, two rather big plots (stands as they are known) were never mapped out because its on former gravel pit quarried in the 60's.

So on our walk about the forest getting the tree farm certification I ask her about Stand 3 that has a lot of wood on it, has never been logged, yet she recommended no logging be done, and she stuns me. She had made that recommendation on commercial loggers, as a landowner it would not only be feasible, but recommended to cut it so here is all this wood that is not included in the forest management plan. Then she tells me that she deliberately keeps the volumes on the "conservative side" so that if people log their woodlot, they will be pleasantly surprised at the money they get. So not only is the 300 cords very conservative, there are hundreds of cords that she never put on the Forest Management Plan because a commercial logger would not be interested in logging difficult areas (blackwater).

So I got a Forest Management Plan, but its kind of inaccurate.

Once I get certified though, I am eager to log Stand 3. It is a very tough area to log and why it has never seen a chainsaw. It is 100% blackwater, and with rivulets running through it, its impossible to skid trees through. I got a winch from a granite quarry; one of those 1 ton behemoths that is hand-cranked, so I think I can set up a high line and get the trees up off the ground as they are skidded out.. For Maine it will be a unique way to log, but environmentally sound. I am going to give it a try anyway.
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

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scampr
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Post by scampr » Tue Apr 12, 2016 6:17 pm

In the southern part of the state here... any low grade stuff is chipped as fast as they and gind it up such a waster but it is very popular... I wont go that route... i have a lot of good grade saw logs.. thanks for the reply..
scampr 440icd, 350B, 47 Farmall H, 55 Farmall cub and ashamed to have a Kabota too

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cowboy4996
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Post by cowboy4996 » Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:22 pm

Since Little Red Riding Hood isn't in the picture, does that mean the Big Bad Wolf was successful?? :shock: lol
Seriously, this is a very interesting thread...I'm learning a lot and enjoying the pictures. Thanks guys.
JD MC JD H JD L JD hit and miss engines

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CuttingEdge
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Post by CuttingEdge » Wed Apr 13, 2016 2:05 pm

No I did my civic duty as a Certified Logger and Husband and saved her from the big bad wolf.

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=57849A2D
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

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cowboy4996
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Post by cowboy4996 » Wed Apr 13, 2016 6:44 pm

I think that's a great picture, and quite pertinent to the topic. I personally see nothing offensive about it.
All this forestry talk is making me wish I had some trees to manage....... :D
JD MC JD H JD L JD hit and miss engines

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CuttingEdge
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Post by CuttingEdge » Thu Apr 14, 2016 5:13 am

Forestry is just about the sole reason I bought my John Deere 350D.

We just have so many inaccessible acres because its wet ground (like you can see in the picture of me and Katie). That woodland becomes loggable in the winter when it freezes, but then I had to contend with snow, and for my little Kubota, it just could not pull trees and wallow in deep snow too.

I could have got a skidder, but I actually prefer a slower method. I only have a few hundred acres so I am in no real hurry, but to be able to get to ALL of the woodlot, not rut it all up, and do other tasks around the farm (I have a sheep farm too), it just made sense to go with a bulldozer. But logging is the primary purpose for it.

As for Little Red Ridinghood, we do fun photoshoots sometimes, and once went to a local railroad that looks just as it did back in 1940. We got dressed up like the 1940's too and it came out pretty good.

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hp ... e=57AC89A8
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

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Stan Disbrow
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Post by Stan Disbrow » Thu Apr 14, 2016 6:47 am

Hi,

Little Red Riding Hood. Every time I think on that, I actually think Little Blue Riding Hood. That was a Stan Freeberg recording, a take-off on Dragnet.

Her basket contains a sawed-off shotgun, knife, bludgeon and a box of dum-dum shells. Nothing suspicious here. But, there is a false bottom in that basket, a concealed compartment. In it....Goodies! :P

Grandma runs a Goodies Ring!

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

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CuttingEdge
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Post by CuttingEdge » Thu Apr 14, 2016 4:05 pm

That is pretty funny Stan...a Goodies Ring.

For the wife, she has to be in a pretty daring mood to wear her little red dress, but her I-want-to-go-out, but-not-be-to-conspicuous dress, is her little blue one. Its about evenly split between the two as far as what she wears we go out on our date nights.

The first time she ever wore the red one out in public is kind of a funny story. It was Thanksgiving Week and my foreman has a hunting cabin near us. I knew he would be up there and told the wife we should go out to eat, but as I had been doing sheep stuff; smelled like the south end of a north bound sheep, so I took a shower. When I stepped out of the shower, she had on her little red dress.

I was shocked, but I did not tell her my plans.

So we went out to eat and then as we were headed up this dirt road in the middle of the night she asked, "Where are we going."

And I said, "Ricky's hunting cabin."

"Oh", she said like it was nothing.

Now keep in mind these guys had been hunting for a week and had not had electricity much less of anything but Budweiser, and Ricky said to me, "You brought her up to hunting camp dressed like that?"

This is her blue dress (her red one is an identical twin), and interesting enough on a date when we were at up to the River Driver's Restaurant up in Millinockett, Maine as you can see from Mountain Katadin in the background. Wayyyyyyyy out of the way, but really good food that you would NEVER expect to be in such a place. We have been there twice and each time left a $100 bill on the table and did not need change...and it was just me and her. But be forewarned, it is called a little blue dress for a reason so think twice before you take the link okay?

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hp ... e=57BA765E
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

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cowboy4996
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Post by cowboy4996 » Thu Apr 14, 2016 8:48 pm

You guys seem to have fun making these pics....that's cool.
JD MC JD H JD L JD hit and miss engines

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Stan Disbrow
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Post by Stan Disbrow » Fri Apr 15, 2016 4:47 am

Hi,

Ah, yes. Good food in odd places. Nice. There is one in Port Henry, NY. The Kings Inn. Aptly named as it once was way back when we were still ruled by a King. A stone building up on top of a hill. Have to drive up a (usually) rutted dirt easement driveway, between several homes. Would never think there is such a place at the end of it. Wonderful view of Lake Champlain. Also, wonderful Prime Rib. :)

Many such around. Here in NC, too. But since many folks are up that way, I will leave it as it is. Some may actually get a chance to go there.

Maybe we need to start a new off-topic thread where we tell of great eateries around us in case anyone should get a chance to wander by.

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

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pop pop
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Post by pop pop » Fri Apr 15, 2016 9:53 am

in the big pine forest of Arizona, they can get sort of picky when you plant something that could threaten the rest of the forest.
alot of restrictions placed on tree farms and what/where they can sell it too. heartier/different pines are not wanted in fear of changing the ponderosa wilderness.
i can see their point.

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CuttingEdge
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Post by CuttingEdge » Fri Apr 15, 2016 4:40 pm

cowboy4996 wrote:You guys seem to have fun making these pics....that's cool.
We do.

A few years ago I rented a John Deere 850C to clear forest back into pasture and so out came the camera. I am not sure if you have ever heard of "Trash the Dress", but basically instead of the Mrs stuffing their wedding dress into a closet and letting moths have it for lunch and turn yellow, its used one last time and have a photo shoot done while doing so. Most go into old warehouses, into the sea, set it on fire: Katie and I...we went into the mud.

I posted it on here a few years ago...http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... rash+dress...it was fun.

ABSOLUTELY nothing shameful here guys so need to fear clicking on a link, but it IS pertinent to this forum; a John Deere bulldozer, Its just that you typically do not add woman dressed up in wedding gowns welding or driving big bulldozers to it!

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hp ... e=57AF2965

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hp ... e=57B1A868

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hp ... e=57AE48FB

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hp ... e=57B942B9
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

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CuttingEdge
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Post by CuttingEdge » Sun Apr 17, 2016 6:03 am

pop pop wrote:in the big pine forest of Arizona, they can get sort of picky when you plant something that could threaten the rest of the forest.
alot of restrictions placed on tree farms and what/where they can sell it too. heartier/different pines are not wanted in fear of changing the ponderosa wilderness.
i can see their point.
Here they have similar laws, and some go beyond just planting trees but other plantings that threaten trees. For instance its against the law to plant gooseberry bushes because Pine Weevil thrive on that plant and then kill nearby pines and when you are known as the Pine Street State, that is not good. The forest service even has the right to enter private property and snuff it out if they know its growing on private land.

We are having issues now with a hemlock disease imported from infected nursery stock. Emerald Ash borer has not got here yet, but it is predicted too unfortunately, and I have confirmed cases of Japanese Bark beetle Disease...again from infected imported Japanese Larch.

On our farm, with the exception of Black Spruce, we have not had much luck with the planting of seedlings anyway. A high-Bred Hackmactack Plantation got the dreaded bark beetle disease as I mentioned, some white pine my grandfather planted when my Dad was two years old got White Pine Blister rust from those darn gooseberries.

We have had luck with Black Spruce, planted 20 years ago and they are maybe 15 feet tall and a few inches in diameter, somehow managing to survive the moose. Another program that worked out okay was the scattering of acorns I got off a neighbor and just tossed them out on the forest floor scarified from recent logging. They have sprout up into trees, a very neat thing because despite a few hundred acres there is not a single natural growing oak tree here.
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

B Town
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Post by B Town » Sun Apr 17, 2016 7:37 am

The gooseberry pie is highly prized here in Iowa. No pine weevil here that I'm aware of. Bruce

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