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Cedar Harvest 04

Started by Corley5, February 05, 2004, 06:38:17 PM

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Corley5

Opening up road to the swamp.  That's the tractor that rescued mine when I got stuck


A shot of some of the trees we're cutting


372 Husky waiting to cut some more.  It's little more saw than is necessary for cedar but it gets the job done and is better than the 395 that I used last year.  I used a Jonsered 2054 one year to cut cedar and it was pretty well suited to the job.  The bigger saws are nice when the occasional big spruce or tamarack comes up ;D


Skid heading for the landing


Another shot of same skid heading out



Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Jeff

Greg, are you going to have cedar for sale?
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Corley5

We are hoping to have some for sale.  We've got one guy interested in some sixteen and twenty footers with minimun 8" tops and he's willing to pay lots ;).  He wants the 20s for porch posts for a log home he's building :o  Must be one
heckuva porch.  I need a about 1,500 bdft for some barn doors and the rest will be on the market.  As long as the weather stays cold we'll be cutting 3 or 4 days a week.  Anything special you're looking for?
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Jeff

There is a guy that called me from around Marion looking for saw logs. I got his number if you need it.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Jeff

If you had some log siding profile knives for that planer of yours, we could do some business. ;D
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Corley5

Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

SwampDonkey

I like your setup Corley. That's cool working your own ground and marketing the wood.  8)  8) They cut a little piece of cedar under the hill here. It was a 5 acre stand and they cleared it with a yield of around 55 cord/acre. I couldn't believe it, but that was along with 4.5 acres mixed spruce (50 cords), tamarack (30 cords) and poplar (60 cords) - 30 cord/acre. We had just cut some spruce logs down there in 1987 for a 80 foot extension on our packing shed. Those white spruce were purdy standing there. I'm not allowed to post the $$ from the harvest, but the contractor had a nice Christmas and the owner got 3 times the amount the first contractor offered.  :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Corley5

It really is amazing how much material comes out of a small area in a cedar swamp.  I'll post some pics of our pile of stuff tomorrow as we are planning play day ;) :D  The swamp actually belongs to my friend, and retired co-worker Steve Fitzner.  We are just barely out the Wolverine Village limits and less than an eighth of a mile from the Sturgeon River.  He owns the tractor too. I supply the skidding winch, chainsaw, my labor and sawmill.  Works out good for both of us and we have a good time playing with our toys 8) 8) 8)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Ron Scott

You must be feeding a few deer to.
~Ron

Corley5

I counted eight of them the last day we were in there.  Two of them walked up to within 10 yards of us when we were taking a break but didn't stick around for me to get the camera off the four wheeler.  They're keeping the greenery browsed off and helping to freeze down the work area 8).  
  There was a time when Grandpa had a set of cabin log knives for the planer but didn't figure he had a use for them and sold them to someone. ::)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

slowzuki

Do ya find you get stick a lot with turf tires?

Corley5

It actually does really good with them.  In the past we've added tire chains for more traction but haven't put them on this year.  This is the second Kubota Steve's had with turf tires and when he got this one he made them take the ag tires off in favor of these.  One nice thing about the loader is that if you get hung up a bit you can push yourself back with the bucket.
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Jeff

Greg, I don't recall, is Steve the fellow I met when I came up to your place for the first time? He was helping at the mill and you were sawing out hemlock for him?
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

SwampDonkey

Corley:
By the looks of the snow depth along the path of your blower, you've had a pretty good winter. Over here, we seem to be getting only snow squalls. They aways forecast 9 inches + of snow every storm. But, we only get 4 to 6 inch storms all winter, saturday we got 3 out of 7 inches forecast. This is exactly what the farmers almanac had predicted for our region. Would you expect your tires to function as well in a 5 foot snowpack? ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Corley5

Jeff the guy I was sawing the hemlock for was Fred Thomas.

SD
If we had 5' of snow we'd start packing and freezing and drive right over top of it and would be very careful not to slip of the edge ;) and I'd have to carry a shovel to get down to cut the trees so they have a flare :(  We've had more snow this winter than we've had in several and it's all came since the first of Jan.  Since we haven't had any warm weather to settle it it's fluffy all the way to the bottom.  A couple warm day's would reduce the ground cover to half.  While waiting for the tractor to come back I took a little walk to plan my next move and the snow is now better than knee deep with more forecast for the week ahead.  I heard a couple snowmobilers complaining that there was too much snow for them.  They had to ride on established trails and couldn't go X-country ::)  They're probably some of the ones that I've had trespass here the last couple winters.  Not this winter though and I'm ready for them too.
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Corley5

Case IH 5130.  It opens up the road and rescues me when I get stuck ;)


View of area that we are working on at the beginning of the day.  Notice the deer tracks and lack of greenery on the tops.



Pile of tree length material at beginning of the day.  After the snow melts and before the blackflies come out we'll cut everything into logs, posts etc and sort it into different piles



Pile at the end of the day.  It's grown but notice in the next photo that things don't look much different in the cutting area.



End of the day and things don't look a lot different except for green boughs laying around.  The deer will make quick work of them.  I saw a couple today and Steve played chicken with a couple on the skid trail on occasion.  They wouldn't let me get a photo and carrying the camera while cutting wouldn't be good for the camera ;)


Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

SwampDonkey

Corley

I can understand your gripe with the snowmobile tresspassers. Sometimes the neighbor will drive his ski-doo right over my cultivated raspberries and then procede to drive through my planted yellow birch stand. He hasn't this winter yet, I've been waiting. He has 100 acres of field and cutover of his own to drive through, so I can't figure it out.
Fall before last in October an individual bailing straw on our farm desided to set some a fires. I told him not to do this to our ground. I went back up there that evening and the fire was heading toward my spruce plantations where there are dry weeds and grass in between trees. I had to manually put the fires out they may have wiped out some trees. Up here the fire season is until the end of October and I know he had no permits. That fall I also found where individuals were steeling tips and it was planned because I was there in the afternoon untill it started raining one day and returned in the morning and they had sacked some tips and cut some of my hardwood saplings to bind then together for carrying out. They also rutted up my trail, which was only used for winter access for hauling wood. They threw garbage out on my trail which I picked up and my cousin found their axe they left behind while carrying out their tips. I didn't like seeing my maples and white ash trees hacked up.  The moose are hard enough on them already. >:(

cheers
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Corley5

Yup I hate snowmobilers.  I built a trap this year.  They would come from the east across the back of the place along the woodline then turn down a pretty sharp drop into a valley and out my driveway onto the main road.  If this wasn't bad enough then they started turning off the main road into my driveway so I had two way traffic.  The thing of it is once you got one track the next thing you know everybody thinks they can ride where ever they want >:( >:( >:( on your property.  This continued even after I posted the place at their entry points >:( >:( >:( >:(  Back to the trap ;D  Where the trail drops down into the valley it gets narrow with maple whips dog hair thick and 10' tall on both sides.  Halfway down this chute I put in a tube gate. If I'd had time I was going to paint the gate white too ;)  The catch is that they can't see the gate when they're heading into it and bang they've come to the gate and the snow drifts in there 4+' deep and the only way out is back up the hill.  I've got 'em, they're stuck ;) :) :D ;D but I haven't had any trespassing sleds this year 8) :(  I've also got a idea now who one of the offenders may be.  It's also a neighbor like yours.  Without accusing him of riding on the place I told him what I thought of snowmobiles trespassing and that I was going to install a couple Gametracker cameras to catch the offenders.  Hmmm No offenders yet but the winter isn't over and judging from the tracks last winter there were a couple different packs.  There were three sled groups, two sled groups and a single.  I might catch one of the S.O.B.s yet. 8) 8) 8) :) :) :) :D :D ;D ;D ;D.  Now not all snowmobilers are bad it's a few that give them all a bad name.  The Few are why I don't ride anymore and I used to ride all the time.  They are the ones who go where they want with no respect for property rights, drive as fast as they can to get to the next bar and die on a regular basis :(  OK I'm done ranting about snowmobiles  
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

UNCLEBUCK

great pictures Corley5. I been driving across the u.p and lower part now for 1-1/2 years and I go through your area and then down past Jeff . Its a beautiful 15 hour drive everytime but I am always lookin for critters at night . I guess I better start watchin for moose too !  :D  I never seen so many snowmobilers as I have going across the u.p. . Looks like my old johnson skee-horse would kind of be a little out of date from what I have seen .  :D  Good luck cutting cedar trees and thanks for the great pictures .  moose?
UNCLEBUCK    bridge burner/bridge mender

Corley5

No moose down here just deer and elk.  No elk in the swamp but watch out for them on I-75 especially around the Black Bear Golf Course north of Vanderbilt and where 75 goes over Trowbridge Rd and the Sturgeon River just south of Wolverine.  Stop in some time when you're passing through
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

UNCLEBUCK

thanks for the critter report Corley 5 , I remember last year about this time when I joined the forestry forum and seen your logging pictures showing I think your maple tree harvest , thats quite a selection of quality you got , all I got here is oak and ash but anything is possible with a good air nailer  ;D. Someday I would like to stop in and see your shop and sawmill but when I travel my old truckin instincts kick in and I like put my brain on auto pilot and never stop except for fuel and a big mac until I get to where I gotta be , sure would be a treat to see your beautiful trees and thanks for the invite ! I am not having much luck trying to buy some pine right now so I will continue with the white oak stuff, my new 48 inch 36 tooth simonds sawblade is ready to go get at the saw shop so that should get me excited again ! hope you sell all your beautiful cedar logs !
UNCLEBUCK    bridge burner/bridge mender

SwampDonkey

Funny there's no moose down your way Corley. On the north side of the lakes from Saulte Sainte Marie, Thunderbay and Kanora Ontario the highway is posted all the way for moose crossing. And that stretch of the Trans-Canada highway is trechorous in itself snaking through the shield. When I was there last, it looked like one great big clearcut.

regards
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Corley5

There's a few moose in the eastern U.P. but none below da bridge.  HIstorically there were some here but brainworm is too prevalent now because of the high population of whitetails.  That's why they were planted around Marquette during the Great Moose Lift.  Not as many deer.


U.B.
A good nailer's definetely in order if you're using hardwood for framing.  A new blade sounds  8).  Grandpa always wished he'd bought a new blade when he got the Corley.  I had his 50" insert tooth hamered after I started running it and it does good.  I've got a 52" also that I need to get tuned up for a spare.  Grandpa liked the old solid tooth saws better.  I've got 4 or 5 of them hanging in the mill.  I'd like to see your set up too.  You ever go to the tractor show Rollag? http://www.rollag.com/  I see you're not too far away.  Dad and I went last year and were impressed.  I want to take Zach there in a couple years when he's little older so he'll appreciate it more.  Great sawmill set ups.  
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

SwampDonkey

Yeah the brain worm did the woodland caribou in here also, years back. My great grandfather used to hunt them in the interior of the province around present day Mount Carleton Provincial Park. Travel was by canoe and pole or paddles. There is not as many deer here as there was 20 years ago though. Loss of over wintering habitat was a huge factor.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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