Making it through another year '21-'23

[Old Greenhorn]

Yeah, that is the plan going forward. But you touched on something I whiffed on. I have a design, but no drawings. :D

 I should probably get on that before I deliver them. All the dimensions are in my head. At least most of them. ;D


Right now it is snowing steady and out entire half of town has no power, so the shop is dark. But I should get on that.

[WDH]

Act like Ben Franklin and draw by candlelight.  

[Old Greenhorn]

Ha! that was 2 days ago and I still don't have drawings. ;D It just doesn't appeal to me and I keep walking past it.  I'll force myself to get it done before these go out.

 Had a great day today even though I didn't earn a penny. I had a chiro appt. which pretty much kills my workday normally, but got a call form Bill about a cut they were doing with some mushroom logs. I had already planned on a visit up to NYBHH's place, it's been too many months since my last visit, so I figured a way to get in both visits.
 We got home from the Doc and I changed boots and headed up the mountain. I found the property much easier this time (last time I drove around for 30 minutes on the private roads looking for the right driveway), but it took a few minutes of walking around until I heard the skidder screaming, then some chainsaws. They have some stuff I can use, but the issue is getting it out. It's an estate type setting and I can't tear up the nicely laid lawns and landscaping, etc. I had arrived just in time for their lunch break and Bill had a hired cutter there who I knew, he developed the property across the road from us years ago. He's a crusty old guy and I enjoyed visiting with him. Anyway, we figured a rough plan and will work it out as we go. I just have to get in there and get to work on the next available day. Weather tomorrow could put us off for 4 or 5 days. No more freezing in sight and this is a wet spot, a foot of snow will make it rough for a bit. Logs are logs, I will take them where I can get them. ;D
 I picked up a new order last evening and another this morning, so I am 100 logs behind right now.

 After I left the cut site I headed up to Brandon's and we had a nice time catching up and talking a lot of stuff through. He is doing some really beautiful work on his shop/office/recreation space and I am extremely jealous. Between his skill, attention to small details, and patience, the place looks like it should be in a magazine spread.
 We started trying to work out a plan on some things going forward. At any rate I really enjoyed to visit with him. I missed that more than I realized. I have been so busy either being sick or working through each day at a time that I missed taking a day out and visit job sites or people. Sometimes I run right past the important stuff and I need to be aware of that.

 Tomorrow we may get a foot of snow dumped. Not sure if Barge will get more than us, but most likely because he is an overachiever. :D Anyway, with the ground not really re-freezing, and the snow on top of that it will make for some pretty lousy conditions. What I wouldn't give for one more week of frozen ground... but it looks like the daytime highs for the next week or more will be 40° or better. I guess the arty is over. I pass cut sites all the time now and two things are happening: they are cutting and skidding to landings as fast as they can, and they are burning as much brush as they can because the state burn ban starts on the 16th. Lots of fires around right now and tomorrow will be a good day for the big ones. I might just have one myself. ;D

 But tomorrow is another day and we'll see what happens.

[WV Sawmiller]

Tom,

   I wonder if the snow provides an opportunity to get your new logs out of some type of sled? Do you guys have and use a snowmobile that you could use in this new site to keep from tearing up the owners landscaping or such? If not it might be an opportunity for using some snatch blocks and rope or cable to slide them out. 

   Congrats on the new log orders and sources. Let us know how it all works out.

   How is the ear BTW?

[Old Greenhorn]

Sources come day by ay, or week by week. This one is likely to be more work that it is worth, but if I fill the orders and balance that against the sources that are really too easy, it all works out.
 A snow machine is something I have actually looked into. It's one thing Bill doesn't have (yet) and neither do I. The window for using such is small for us here and dubious at best. We are between heavy predictable snow seasons and no reasonable snow. It's a crapshoot for us. If I did have one this winter, I might have needed or used it 3-4 days and it might have given me an extra day cutting that I blew off because of conditions. Every winter is different here. Frankly, with the current conditions and depending on the actual amount of snowfall we get tomorrow, I am not sure I wouldn't tear things up anyway, even with a snow machine. 
 I walk a tightrope doing this stuff. My logger friends share these opportunities with me knowing, or expecting, that I will be a low impact guy (in and  out quick, no damage). I need to hold that idea forefront in my mind and stick to it. I can NOT make more work for them (remediation, fixing ground, etc.). Sometimes I have to take pass because it will cause more work for them. This one is right on the edge and since I think I can only pull 40-60 logs (tops) out of it I have to be a bit cautious. You know how it goes, one bad job can seal you off from a source forever. I am not risking that. My relationship wit my sources is more important than my relationship with buyers.
 Lets see what this weather brings, then Monday let's see what I can pull off. Likely, this storm may hold everything off for a few days.

[WV Sawmiller]

Tom,

   Thanks (But you forgot about the ear - maybe you did not hear me ask. :D)

    I can see where you are walking a tightrope there. You need to be helping or at least not hindering your logger friends to stay in their good graces and keep the free logs coming.

    I guess an ATV or UTV is probably the best low impact machine available to most of us. Using them with sleds and snatch blocks and small balloon tire trailers and such probably gets you as close to the site with as little damage in and out as anything else out there. I had a guy bring a pair of mules in one time to drag some big logs out and the damage was very little different than my ATV but they were fun and impressive to watch with a good operator.

   I have moved some pretty big logs with my ATV by watching the weather conditions and waiting for frozen ground at some times of the year or dry weather at others. That's okay for a semi-hobbyist but won't work for someone having to do it day in and day out to support a family.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well I think I heared you Howard, I ain't Deef.
 The issue on this job is that it's a big side hill. Anything moving across it is likely to make a mess given the seeps and pond overflows, etc. It's rough enough that Bill grabs up his hitch with a few trees and drops over the bank and disappears in 3 seconds, then all you can hear is the skidder wailing along below, out of sight for about a mile till he reaches the landing by the main road where he can grab to logs with the log truck. Every hitch is about a 20 minute loop. Even a run back to the truck for saw gas with the 4 wheeler take 20 minutes.
 We discussed bringing in my SXS for the job, but I think it's too sloped and rough. We think we may just have me cut all my logs and stack them, and then borrow the tracked skid steer and latch up the grapple bucket and shuttle logs. Even that is dicey given this terrain.
 Whatever it winds up, I won't mess them up. If need be, I will give them a day of my labor and walk away from the logs. Anytime I have been invited to take logs, I always put in my time feeding the chipper and pulling junk out to help with the job. So if I just do that and help them out, that's fine too. I'll get logs elsewhere.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well another day that didn't end up the way I planned. :D I am absolutely bushed and tuckered out. My plan was to go cut and stack some mushroom logs, then get out of there and head to the mill for a few hours. They (we) are working on a 'view clearing' job as a follwup on a heavier cutting job on the same property last summer. Pretty site (now).


 

That photo is taken from up by the house. We are cutting just down over the drop in front of this photo. It's a full blown job, probably 50 large trees or more going out and we have the skidder running a mile hitch down over the back to the landing, it's a hairy path and the site has to be left very clean, so we are burning the tops as we go. The faller takes 'em down, the skidder pulls the whole tree to where we can work on it. We limb it, then the hitch goes down the hill while I take mushroom logs and stack brush for the grapple and the rest goes on the burn pile. Even though it's a 20 minute skid loop it is proving a full time job for me to cut and stack my logs, then grab brush and stack it for the grapple SS to throw on the fire and when the skidder comes back, the skidder operator finds me trying to catch my wind. I felt like I was running all day. When I work with this crew I have to keep up the pace and that can be a bit trying on an old guy. I skipped breakfast and never had lunch either, thinking I could stop at the house between cutting and milling. :D
 As I said, I figured a few hours. That turned into almost 8 hours. When I got there some seeps were coming up here and there and a few wet spots, but the ground was fairly firm. By the time we quit I was slogging through 10" deep slop. It's all loose ground on a side hill, so tonight my legs are like jello and I have cramps in one. For some reason I have a rash on both forearms again, dangit. It sucks to get old.
 I was planning to work the mill tomorrow, but then found out they have to finish this job tomorrow because after that they can't burn (burn ban for 2 months). It's gonna be a bear to get my logs out on this one and I have to put the guys out a bit helping me with the skid steer. We are still thinking on the most efficient method, but will likely use the root grapple. I am bringing over my small trailer tomorrow. I think I cut somewhere between 45 and 60 logs. That will put me close to covering the existing orders except the 40 for my monthly regular client.

 I got home with just enough time to offload my small trailer of firewood rounds and hook it up for tomorrow, get my muddy boots off and sit down to dinner. Yeah, I'm pooped out.

 Tomorrow is another day.

[WV Sawmiller]

It sucks to get old.

Yes, but it sure beats the alternative! : ;) :D

   If you can't burn do you have and can you use a chipper to chop up the brush?

   Congrats on the continuing mushroom log supplies. Sounds like you are earning them but I'm glad to hear they are going to good homes for useful purposes. Sounds like there are going to be some happy customers. 

[thecfarm]

A nice view. That will take some work on keeping those trees limbs off. And that ground looks rough too. Looks like impossible to run even a push mower around the trees. Will also take some time to keep up on the dead limbs that fall of too.



 

I don't have a nice view through the trees, but this is right by the house. Almost a full time job to keep it looking like this.
Than I have another spot that I am kinda doing the same thing.  :

[Old Greenhorn]

Well, yeah, we could chip but....
 If you look at the photo above, it was a crowded woodlot 16 months ago. Trees were marked and cut, the area stumped, then graded and you can see the line where they stopped laying down sod. This would be the access route and we can't take vehicles across that, we would tear it up and this is a very high dollar place. We can take a circuitous route around the steep side hill with a skid steer or 4 wheeler (which we use for fuel and tool runs), but that's about it. Pulling in a big chipper would be very rough but we could do it and the price would go way up. It was put to the landowner and he is ok with us making a big brush pile after that ban goes in effect to burn at a later date, but frankly, we want to just git 'er done. We are pretty close. 6 trees or less left in remote corners of the cut. The trees are being felled in order to make for the easiest hitching and skidding, so the skidder and the faller take turns hop scotching around the site to let the other guy work. It's probably a 100 by 400 yard area. We need to do a good clean and complete job. Bill is sure when the landowner sees the result, he is going to mark more trees and have him back. These folks really want a perfect view and apparently want to pay for it. ;D

 Yeah, I take the logs where I can get them. Sometimes I cut and load 35 logs and help with cleanup and am gone in under an hour, and sometimes it's a whole day. It balances out. I'd have to check but between the logs I have on order and the ones already sold, I am into the season for about 500 logs so far. Last year at this time I was just over 100 and thought I was done.

 Yeah Cfarm, they seem to be doing the same thing. When they cut last year I am sure they took well over 200 trees of mostly junk out. The ground here is steep, but not rough like it is in our area. We have all shale and it's really tough keeping your feet. This place is about 12 miles from us, but higher and has a lot of dirt and a lot less shale. Your cut there looks really appealing. As for the view, I have a short video, but I just don't have the focus and energy to upload it tonight. Sorry. Their view looks at the Blackhead range in the eastern Catskills.

[aigheadish]

Looks like a lot to keep up with OGH, but that view is pretty incredible. I did similarly in my yard but was only a few trees and my view is of the local landfill mountain about 2 miles directly east of me. 

[Old Greenhorn]

Well I said I was pooped yesterday and tonight I am flat out just shot through. :D It was hard getting my old butt out the door before 8:30, glad I hitched the trailer last night. Also glad I noticed this morning that I never cranked the jack all the way up. ;D
 The mud is like bad pea soup (not the great stuff my wife makes).





It really wears out the legs. About 10" deep. As expected, the landowner added a couple more trees to the cut, so we took 4 more today. Skidded out the big stuff, cut the rest for firewood if I could not make mushroom logs out of it. I cut about another 20 logs. We tended the burn pile trying to get it all done, did a bunch more cleanup and bucked and hand-split a load of firewood. Then the skid steer op and I collected the logs and he ran them up to my trailer. It took 5 loops and I still had no idea how many I had cut. I had the small trailer, 5x8 I think. I didn't expect to fill it. When we walked out I found this load:



 

Turned out to be 92 logs and I am surprised that trailer handled it ok. We got out of there at about 3:30, so a decent day. They still have to fetch out the firewood, do a little more dressing up, load the logs truck and some other stuff that I can't really help with much. I did mention that video I shot yesterday, so here is that:

Harvest site - YouTube

At least today I had breakfast before I left and had a couple of boiled eggs and an orange for lunch. All in all a pretty nice day. It hit 61° and we were taking off and putting on sweatshirts as the clouds came and went.
 Tomorrow we have to do the monthly food shopping, then maybe I will get to the mill. Maybe.

[WV Sawmiller]

Tom,

   Nice load and I don't envy the soupy mud.

   I see the top log on the trailer by the rail had a good sized limb cut off. Does that affect your mushroom growing? Can you drill into a bare spot like that or do you need to bore into a bark covered area or does it make any difference?

[Old Greenhorn]

If it weren't for 'limb cut' logs I wouldn't have very many logs. :D Those can be waxed over when they are sealing the spawn holes. The only concern is entry points for insects or other spores. Once the target mycelium is growing, it has dominance and those small invasions are less important. I tell everyone to do this, but few do. I suppose you could drill those areas. The idea is the get the spawn in the logs in many areas and then the mycelium spreads out in a network and mushrooms break out wherever they decide to. Almost always they do not fruit out of the inoculation holes. I don't know why. I just cut logs. :D

[newoodguy78]

That's interesting the fruit doesn't usually come out of the hole it's placed in. Wonder if the wax forces it to go elsewhere? 

[Nebraska]

That was plumb ugly mud!

[Old Greenhorn]

Yeah, Nebraska, and that would be fine, but in some spots it was deep enough to suck in half your lower leg and you could never tell where those spots are. The mud is still drying on my boots so I can chip it off with a putty knife later. ;D

 Newood; It's a fascinating thing about mushrooms and how they grow. They don't set roots from a seed. The spawn creates a mycelium network inside the log that goes in every direction until it encounters a competing species and then it just goes around it or stops there. This network digests the nutrients within all parts of the logs and grows itself. When conditions are right for fruiting, it comes out of the host wherever it is strongest. There is a movie out called 'Fantastic Fungi' which was on Netflix for a while (maybe still?) and it explains and shows this process and a lot more. There are some 'interesting theories' presented in the movie about other aspects of mushrooms and their effects on humans. Not sure I subscribe to them, but the photography in that movie and the scientific explanations of how mushrooms 'work' is fascinating. I have met a couple of the people shown in that movie and don't necessarily subscribe to all their theories and opinions, but they do know their stuff.

[WV Sawmiller]

  I still remember reading an article about "The Mighty mushroom" where a mushroom grew in the crack of a city sidewalk and actually pushed the 2 sidewalk panels up about 6" or more. I don't remember if it was an edible species. :D

[aigheadish]

I recently heard that there is debate on what to call mushrooms; plants or animals, and there may be evidence on either. It's interesting how much we don't seem to understand about mushrooms. Looking at the Morell there has been legit debate on how they arrive, as there aren't many people who've seen them come up from the ground, one day they are just there. 

I'll have to look for that movie OGH, thanks, I've seen other documentaries espousing the virtue of some kinds of mushrooms on those with migraines and some other mental issues, not to mention the spiritual side of some of them, which I find fascinating. 

Isn't the biggest living thing on the planet a mushroom? 

[doc henderson]

I have been told it is the aspen tree.  

[aigheadish]

The Aspen is up there! Here's an article- who knows if it's accurate, and I'm sure there are things we don't even know or understand exists.

[Old Greenhorn]

Largest, heaviest, tallest, it's all relative. HERE is a more technical article from the Forest service on that fungi colony. They are all amazing organisms.
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So off and on over the last 2 weeks I have been messing around with some Maple Business cards that Doc made and sent me. They came out really nice all by themselves and he left up it up to me how I was to finish them, or not. I took a few and tried a light sanding on some, no sanding, water based, or oil based urethane. The thin maple is subject to curling if wetted, so I wanted to seal them a bit considering what he goes through to get them flat in the first place. ;D

But I don't want to hand these out to just anybody, so I started thinking on different ways to use them. I took some nice cherry I had and cut a few blanks out the same size as the cards and glued them on.



 

Then I ordered some hardware and made these up:



 

No particular idea why I did that, but I thought I might like to have one, so I tried a few. I finished these with Danish oil covered with oil poly. They didn't come out too bad and the laser work looks great. (yeah, photo is backwards and before poly.)


 

Then about halfway through that I came up with another little idea to hold business cards. So I made up two of these, setting the maple card in a recess to come flush with the top.



 

Still poking around for more ideas to use these on. I may make up a template guide for my router to take out a mortise pocket for these to drop into, then I could put them on the bottoms of tables and things I make and seat them into an epoxy bed.

It was a very nice surprise to get those cards from Doc and it gave me something small to work on while my ear was giving me so much trouble. I am not in a hurry to use them up. I will let it stew in my head for a while and maybe come up with other ideas. I'm sure Howard will have an idea or 3. :D

[aigheadish]

That's pretty cool Tom!

[doc henderson]

they look great, and I love the idea to make other things with them.  Howard would have clamped them on the sawmill to trim the edges!   8)      :D      ;)  @WV Sawmiller