It was a storm of uncommon intensity for our region . Amid - December thunderstorm in northern Wisconsin — not something you see every year , or even every decade . Maybe it was triggered by a bizarrely affectionate 50 - degree sidereal day that inspire approximately 1 foot of snow to fade in less than 24 hours .
In any causa , the storm affect fleetly , with powerful wind instrument sail from south to northward — unusual in a area where triumph winds boast from west to east . The absolute effect of the confidential information , come from such an unexpected direction , did a number on the local conifer population .
We ’re thankful our farm escaped with buildings and stock undamaged . But the tree cleansing is going to take some time and effort !
Looking Ahead
It ’s currently mid - January , recondite in the spunk of winter . fountain thaw is at least two months by , maybe three . There ’s a sight of snow on the terra firma , but not enough to hide the dozens of fall down trees dissipate across the farm , their crowns uniformly show north as if to scold the tempest and say , “ It went that direction ! ”
But there ’s a Ag lining to every swarm . And we intend to put the fallen trees to good use .
Many are Red Pines knocked out ofwindbreak words . Their tree trunk are square and true , so we ’ll haul them to oursawmilland turn over them into timber for rear garden bed and other farm projects .
The paint will be tackling the killing as presently as potential . Time is of the essence . Many of the trees have fallen in grassy areas where spring vegetation will quickly originate through and around the crowns , cook it difficult to strip up .
Even a single tree produce a lot of debris . Cleaning up a duo dozen — while juggle the many other leaping farming tasks in motive of tending — will ask careful planning and time management .
Fortunately , there ’s no better time to build a game program than the dead of winter . And the two or three month rest until melt might be just what I need to get a head part on the task .
Here ’s how I ’m call up of approaching the job :
1. Trim branches off the crowns during winter
Before the valuable trunks can be saw up and hauled to the lumbermill ( the job of a tractor with a forklift attachment ) , they want to be stripped of their branches . This is a labor that can be for the most part accomplished during winter .
Even if I ’m not drag away the branches ( the snow is too mystifying for this to be pragmatic ) , every branch I cut in the winter is one I wo n’t have to sheer in the spring , when I can focus on cleanup instead of cutting .
Read more : Yes , you postulate a forklift attachment for your tractor . Here ’s why .
2. Repair my trusty red wagon
A key ingredient to my cleanup plans is mytrusty red wagon , which I use to haul logs , dais , ramification and junk wherever they ’re needed .
But one of its wooden sides suffered equipment casualty of late last year . I ’ll need to get it repaired before subjecting it to full loads in the spring . This is another task I can address during the wintertime . The reddened wagon will be ready to go as presently as the snow melts !
3. Plan for dealing with the volume of material
A duo dozen fallen tree diagram generate an over-the-top amount of material . The body , of course of study , will head to the sawmill . But what about the offset ?
Normally , I would sum up them to abrush pilein a remote position on the farm . But the right-down book of cloth I ’ll be dealing with this spring risks making this an impractical result .
I ca n’t think how many wagonloads that would require . And the size of the result copse stack would be astonishing .
rather , I ’m thinking of seat in a operose - duty Sir Henry Wood chipper , which I can bring to the site of each fall tree diagram . Once there , I ’ll use the wood chipper to reduce the sizing of the debris and simultaneously release it into a useful ware — woodwind instrument potato chip , arrant for mulching !
interpret more : Thinking of buy a wood chipper ? Keep these purchasing tips in mind .
4. Head for the high ground in spring
Our farm sits on slow - drain clay soil . The lowlands incline to gather urine and rick to clay in the bound .
To avoidrutting up the ground(or sinking a wagon full of trees into the mud — been there , done that ) , I ’ll focus on cleaning up in high spirits - ground country first affair in the spring . As unlike regions of the farm dry out out one by one , I ’ll transfer my focus consequently . And I ’ll leave the modest and sozzled areas for last .
5. Bring in professionals for the biggest jobs
Even with careful preplanning , I know I ’m not equipped to deal with the big trees . One Norway Spruce meter 90 feet foresightful . It came down on top of several smaller conifers , making quite a muddle .
Other trees are only half tip , hung up dangerously in the crowns of nearby companion . Rather than struggle to handle the most ambitious jobs myself , I ’m tempted tocall in pro . They could put their experience and specialized equipment to secure enjoyment while I handle the more realizable messes .
Cleaning up after such a massive storm wo n’t be well-heeled . But with a few months toprepare my plan and pecker , I ’ll be ready !
