A budding young tree surgeon

Early morning, Saturday, 1 November, was beautiful, but chilly. I scheduled some firewood cutting in the southwest corner of the farm - an area I hired cleared with a bull dozer 1 1/2 years ago. We had two large oaks laying on the ground that needed cutting and splitting, plus this giant oak branch that has caused me a few a headaches while bush hogging beneath it. I sent I personal tree surgeon, K8, up to drop it.

K8 has the right combination of liking a tough challenge (I don't want to say totally fearless) and using enough caution (he's definitely not wreck less) to be successful. Could he have used a safety line, and tied one end around his waist and the other around the tree behind him? Yes, and I suggested it to him, but I occasionally trust his judgement. As he gets older, I will have to trust him more and more.

The tree surgeon's tool - a good chainsaw with a sharp and properly adjusted chain.

In the background, you can see our truck, which K6 had just brought up.

K8 successfully accomplished this mission - he dropped the branch safely on the ground where he planned to do it, and did not injure himself, his equipment or anyone or thing. We got a decent amount of firewood from this big oak limb. In the future, I can safely drive the tractor and bush hog this area without having to either avoid it or duck under the big branch. 

With the help of a few good friends, we got quite a bit of firewood cut and stacked this day. Sure beats wasting our Saturday morning watching cartoons on TV.