Loss of our Tamarack (Eastern Larch)

[thecfarm]

I always enjoy doing something like what you are doing. Just making the woods better and working the land. Deer will like all of the new growth that will come up. Any plans for the lumber,or just going to save it for later use? Good to see you working again. Using a chainsaw is work for your shoulder.

[g_man]

Best mental and physical recovery strategy there is . . . running a chain saw. Go easy and enjoy yourself. Nice pics and video.

[Jeff]

Short Video clip to show what I've been doing the last couple days. Lots of work creating some skid trails for the arch and the quad just to get things started. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONCcdx0i-wE

[WDH]

It is such a shame to see all those dead larch.  Reminds me of the dead hemlock in the North Georgia Mountains.

[Jeff]

Its really sad.

[WDH]

Well, nature has a way of compensating.  100 years from now there will be a vibrant mature stand of something, maybe not larch.  In any case, the cycle will repeat itself again, and in a few centuries, the larch will probably be back. 

[Magicman]

Jeff, was that behind the cabin where we walked or on your place?

Beetle killed SYP trees are what got me into the sawmill business.  Matter of fact, I guess beetle killed SYP trees is what is keeping me in business.  I saw hundreds each year for landowners just to keep them from going to waste.  They may not even know what they are going to do with the lumber.  They just have it sawn and stacked in the barn.

It was very depressing to see all of your trees dead or dying.   :-\

[Jeff]

This is at the cabin.
My trees are more widely scattered, so I am hoping they all don't go down because for the most part they are much bigger, and far more inaccessible. I have had several attacked and killed that are going to just have to remain due to the difficulty to extract them.

[Magicman]

I have used a 100+ feet of cable and a few blocks to long line them out.

[mad murdock]

good looking vids Jeff/  Glad to see you are able to get out to the woods and shake a little rust off 8) 8)  8) Are the Tamarack affected in the whole Lakes states region?  We used to cut it during the winter months, always brought a decent price, and winter logging was always best, as it like to grow in wet areas.

[Magicman]

I watched it again with Pat, and recognized a bit more the second time.  You returned to the cabin from the East.   ;)

[Jeff]

I have used a 100+ feet of cable and a few blocks to long line them out.

My woods is predominantly northern white cedar. Dense cedar. Scary dark even in the middle of the day  . To begin with, there isn't anywhere to fell many of the trees let alone try to snake them out. The soil is mostly hydric, so sensitive to most any type of mechanical disturbance.


The Beetle is native to North America and is nothing new. We just happen to be the unlucky recipients of a local infestation.

http://threatsummary.forestthreats.org/threats/threatSummaryViewer.cfm?threatID=225

I watched it again with Pat, and recognized a bit more the second time.  You returned to the cabin from the East.   ;)

Yup.

[SwampDonkey]

I guess I mentioned it before, but Jeff has another looming threat from the spruce budworm. It isn't far away, I saw it at the Soo. That eats fir and spruce mostly, but can go for larch. The worms drop down from the upper crown on a silk thread.

[thecfarm]

I have a few places that ceder and hemlock grow. But my are some rocky. Would have a hard time not making a trail with rocks in them. I noticed your land is kinda flat too. I have alot of uneven spots on my land.Too bad about the tamarack.

[Jeff]

If you have 9 minutes and 15 seconds to kill, my sister took some video clips today of my working on the Tamarack that I threw into a short video. I figure I am about 8 to 10% into the job.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWfkpJCoU84

[thecfarm]

Nice job using the arch. I just hate to see your stumps cut so high.  I think they would get in your way with the other trees. But I suppose your shoulder has something to do with it.  ;D

[Jeff]

Figures she would video the only high one. :D  I left that one high on purpose. I have several trees back and to the right of the photo that need to come out, but I have limited direction to fell them. I left this one high so I can drive the atv up against it, then run the winch out and winch the butts around on these trees to where I can get the arch over them and pointed in the direction they need to go to come out. I don't want to pull them tops first to keep from tearing stuff up, and if I fell them the other way, they will damage the young aspen stand we just thinned. There was a method to my madness. ;)

As of tonight, those trees are now down and out, and that high stump has been cut off just above grade. If you look between where I was cutting, and Lynda was filming, that used to have about 10-15 trees standing in it. I need to easily drive over the stumps, so they are low.

[beenthere]

Just like reality TV. Just have to wonder how those cameras get around to all those "just right" places.

Good video of the process and how easy that logging is with the LogRite tools, even with the shoulder healing.

[Jeff]

I lied. There are two other high stumps right now. Pete directed me to leave those high and there will be three more high ones on the opposite side of the stand. We cut grooves in the top of them with the saw then he puts his deer mineral on them. The deer end up eating the stumps right into the ground to get the mineral.  This is Pete's "Grow Em big Antler Grower' that he makes and sells. We've given quite a bit of the stuff away at the pig roasts. 

[Coon]

Nice job.  Too bad you weren't lots closer to me.  I have got quite a bit of demand for tammarack bull rails and trailer decking.  It lasts for years even untreated.

[thecfarm]

That's why the stump was high.  ;D   I really enjoyed the viedo. Never seen a ATV and logging arch working in the woods.

[Ianab]

Only issue I have...

Chainsaw started first pull... BOTH times.  :D

Both of mine are 100% reliable, 3rd pull every time  :-\

But yeah, nice video of what you can do with small scale low impact logging. Hauling out some useful logs, with basic gear, and not making any huge mess.

Ian

[mad murdock]

We cut grooves in the top of them with the saw then he puts his deer mineral on them. The deer end up eating the stumps right into the ground to get the mineral.  

That is a great idea.  Way to get the deer out of the garden and actually do something useful to you while you help them help you become a better bone collector 8) 8) 8)  BTW, nice looking job, and looks like the shoulder repair is doing you well!  Looks like you are having fun!  Thanks for posting the vid.

[Jeff]

The hardest part of this job, is keeping my "landing" clear. I have to pile things by hand, so that's tough PT. :D  I've actually got to do that again before any more felling or skidding as I am getting plugged up mu allotted area in the field again. It's a lot easier with two people to pile, but I don't expect any capable visitors for at least a couple days, and that's probably the reason why. :D

I think the rest of the afternoon, I'll put on the sprayer and go fertilize food plots and try to avoid the piling for a bit longer.

[mad murdock]

I think the rest of the afternoon, I'll put on the sprayer and go fertilize food plots and try to avoid the piling for a bit longer.

:D :D That's the spirit!! I always say, why do today what I can put off for tomorrow ;)  Just kidding.  I have a couple of handy brush pile makers that will work pretty well most of the time, (couple of teen-aged boys).  Maybe your ATV is stout enough to handle the brush if you fashioned a brush rake for the frunt, that you could mount to a snow plow, or the plow frame, (if you have one handy)?