Foresty,  Milling Lumber

Getting Out the Ash Logs

With one large ash tree cut and hauled to the road, we spent another afternoon doing the same with an even bigger ash tree. This one was located just down from the first. This time we decided to try a slightly different approach.

ash tree,chainsaw,winch
Cutting the second ash tree

Once we had it on the ground, the process was the same as last time. Jim started at the base and cut it into 8 foot lengths.

ash tree,chainsaw,winch
Looks like 8 feet

Jim cut the limbs off and I carried them to the road. Up hill. Who needs to go to the gym! Not us.

Then it was time to get the winch set up for the larger pieces. You know, the ones too big for us to carry.  Jim chained the log and got the cone in place.

ash tree,chainsaw,winch
Great invention

Since we couldn’t exactly pull them in a straight line this time, we decided to use a pulley. Once the cone got to the pulley, we just took the rope out of the pulley and finished winching it up to the top of the hill.

ash tree,chainsaw,winch
Worked like a charm

Here are the two ash trees that we winched up the hill. We are pretty sure there is enough here to fill the order.

ash tree,chainsaw,winch
Most are really straight

There was one more tree that Jim had discussed with the landowner. And it was this rock maple. Can you see it? Yup, the large one leaning over the roadway. There is obviously only one direction for it to fall.

rock maple tree,chainsaw,firewood
Love this picture

And here it is on the ground.

rock maple tree,chainsaw,firewood
It made a huge crashing sound as it fell

The next morning we geared up to go bring everything back to the house. I had a choice of driving the truck with the 20 foot trailer or driving the skidsteer. Thankfully I had one short lesson on driving the skidsteer, so that was my choice. Never thought in a million years. The fun part was driving on the woods road.

chainsaw,ash wood,skidsteer,firewood
Here I go…
chainsaw,ash wood,skidsteer,firewood
Still going…

Once we got up to the location, there was only one place to turn the truck and trailer, and it was a little ways from our logs. This is where Jim took over with the skidsteer. We managed to load all of the large maple and ash onto the trailer.

chainsaw,ash wood,skidsteer,firewood
Picking up the ash logs
chainsaw,ash wood,skidsteer,firewood
Maple on front, ash on back

Then we headed home to unload.

chainsaw,ash wood,skidsteer,firewood
Ash next up at the sawmill

We had to make two more trips up with just the truck to pick up all the small pieces which will be cut and split for firewood.

chainsaw,ash wood,skidsteer,firewood
Firewood

Our goal this week was to get all the trees cut and hauled out of the woods. Mission Accomplished.

Before I go, this isn’t something you see every day. We were helping a friend round up some cows that broke out of their pasture.

cow
Yikes.

Have a great weekend

Later

One Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *