Tags
27-ton, chainsaw, chopping wood, family, farm boss, farm chores, farm equipment, farm tools, fireplace, firewood, front-end loader, hydraulic, kubota, laurel oak, log-splitter, nephew, Quercus hemisphaerica, Quercus virginiana, southern live oak, splitting wood, stihl, troy-bilt, winter fire
So, besides the feeling of power and glory, compensation issues really, the main reason that I chainsaw is for firewood.
laurel oak…
On the ground is a Laurel Oak (Quercus hemisphaerica) that we took down because it was growing too close to a Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana). Don’t you just love the Quercus rolls off the tongue? Go ahead say it really fast three times over.
rounds…
After the initial felling, the main trunk is broken down into smaller sections known as rounds, using the Stihl Farm Boss, which I referenced in an earlier post.
loaded…
I tractor up and use my front end loader to move the rounds from the tree site to the well house shed where I can split the wood.
setting up shop with my nephew…
Now, I used to split wood using wedges, hatchets, axes, and mallets, but that was before my enlightenment. At the shed, out comes one of my favorite boy toys, the Troy-Bilt 27-ton hydraulic log splitter, and a complete exercise in brute power,strength, and dominance.
my nephew experiencing the joy of pure hydraulic power…
From there it is just what you would expect. Stack the wood.
stacked and ready to go…
Burn the wood. Enjoy the life…
the end result…
The Gentleman Farmer 
You have all the best toys. I don’t like using a chainsaw though-so little margin for error, same reason I don’t like motorcycles. Bought a nice little one for Mr. Bebe though. Chainsaw I mean, not motorcycle.
We are bothered about the stumps. What does one do?
Nice fire, looks very toasty. Does it get cold enough down there for a fire?…You know 50 is not cold, right?…
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My Dearest Bebe
I am sure that Mr. B – will absolutely love his new Christmas present, what red-blooded American man would not? The key of course is to have the proper respect from knowing that the instrument can maim or kill you; once you get that, let her rip.
We left that particular stump as a horse mount. Regarding stumps, the stump grinder is yet another fun power invention and a tool every well -equipped farmer should have. Does that sound too odd?
Now, here at Totem Hall I will set a fire anytime the thermometer dips below 50. This morning, at the start of farm chores, the reading was 29, not Bebe cold, but plenty cold for this old hillbilly.
Finally, I have to admit to loving dangerous things. I guess it is my eternal boy trying to get out, but for me life is only worth living when there is the chance that a serious enough screw-up ends it. Makes you appreciate what you got, while you still got it. This is just a segue, of course, for what I truly for Christmas, the new Indian Scout motorcycle. I like to think that I have been an awfully good boy this year and if, perchance, Santa should bring me one, and Mr. Bebe does not object, I will give you a spin…
xo
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I do envy your toys GF! I’d take that Front End Loader into town every morning to get the paper and make ‘Stihl Farm Boss’ an overworked part of my vocabulary. I’m with Bebe, if it’s only 50 then you’re just posing!
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My Dear, Dear GSL
Ha, thank you so much for the great idea. Now that we are in the season of parties, I plan to make Stihl Farm Boss a completely overworked phrase, dependent, of course, on whom I am talking.
Interesting you should mention driving the Kubota into town. I have a piece of land that will eventually go commercial office/retail. Until then, I have toyed with the idea of running an urban farm, which would entail commuting with the Kubota.
No, we do not get Chicago cold, who does? We do see some brisk weather. We will be in the thirties before I retire for the evening and I will wake up to a freeze. So, there is no posing, at least in terms of firewood, now on other issues…
Cheers!
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That is alot of hard work my friend. Never did any of this, except to build a fire in a pit at my friends campsite in the Pocono Mountains. I am guessing the fire smells wonderful with a glass of nice red wine or a whiskey bourbon??? I am in love with that fun fire screen.
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My Dearest Mistress
Fires do smell lovely, particularly when enhanced by wine or whiskey. Here the air is rarely cold and crisp, but on those occasions, to step outside and take in that smoky chimney drift, well, gosh, I am not sure if there is anything better.
Do not discount fire building in the Poconos. How many of us can claim that?
The fire screen is a beauty; it makes the room; it makes the fire. I think we found it in Vermont, maybe upstate New York. The years go by and so does my memory…
Cheers!
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Powerful and advanced equipment, where I live we use chainsaws and axes. Local people ( males) are excellent at it. I heat my house with wood and coal only, no natural gas pipes and electricity is too expensive. Thanks for your post. Good day and good weekend. Wanda 🙂
ps. I’ve built out of 100 year old tiles and firebricks (from a German stove) a tile stove. It is amazing !!!!!!!
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My Dear Wanda
I love the idea that you built a stove from tiles that are over 100 years in age. That is simply amazing. Please, please post a story on your stove!
Electricity is not cheap here, but it is our primary source of heat. I have daydreams of going solar, perhaps powering the kitchen that way, just in case we have a hurricane and the main power goes out.
Stay warm!
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Hello Gentlemanfarmer, I will post something about my tile stove, wood, etc in the upcoming year. Happy Holidays and the best in 2015 to you and your beloved ones. Wanda 🙂
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Brute power, strength, dominance and a nice cozy fire by which to enjoy the life. I think you have it all figured out. Plus, all that machinery looks like it helps plenty. I never knew how much I needed a tractor with a front bucket until I had one. Enjoy your warm fire! 🙂
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Dear Jim
How right you are on the front-end loader. It is so true! My latest use for the front-end is as a box grader, an implement I do not yet have, simply flip it over, and scrape.
If you are speaking literally then with the help of an owner’s manual or two, I am doing my best to figure out things. If you are speaking metaphorically, well, then, I have a long way to go on the whole figure out trail…
Fires are the most elemental and perfect to enjoy life’s blessings.
so, cheers!
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I envy anyone connected to the land.
Lots of work but how very satisfying!
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Dearest Jen
Boy, you will have no argument from me concerning the work. Interesting enough, the more time I spend on the land here, the less I see it as chores, and the more I see it as a vocation, a poorly paid one, but a vocation nonetheless…
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The pain..and the gain! The circle of life all in one piece of wood.. xxx
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My Dear MBS
Indeed, the pain and the gain, and the beauty of everything tying together, which is, I think, the greatest blessing of all the greatest blessings I receive at Totem Hall. Here I get the front row seat, no cheap ones, on the insanely rich dance of life, birth, death, love, and seasons…
Purely, wonderfully, madly crazy!
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Ahhh – I love the end result. As most things in life, anything worthwhile is worth the work to get it.
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Dear Barbara
Right you are. Do you find the most basic and elemental of work to be the most satisfying? Anything that makes you break out into a good clean sweat, some risk of injury, and the promise to get you good and dirty, is all right by me…
Oh, and the end result of this particular work project, warm and cozy evenings in front of the fireplace, snuggled up against the elements, is not too shabby!
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Good words here folks..enjoyed readin’
em..I cut em down, saw em up, split em
and sell em,,,,,plow the earth to grow my
greens,,,,fish the apalachee for river
buzzards and there’s aplenty of edible
4 leggeds for stew or frying….just dug
a patch for nu taters….man I mean,,,
a country boy can survive!…ain’t a boy
no mo’….74 years God has blessed me
and if He pleases, I may get a few more.
This is sho beautiful country. When the
redline hits 40 things get comfortable..
Like cutting wood…warms u twice…
collards taste better …..black eyed peas
and hawg jaw bacon on new years…
…it has gets better all the time…
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Dear Mr. Tuey
I like the way you talk.
I like the way you think.
&
I like the river you fish…
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