Tag Archives: firewood

Blueberries and Roadside Trees

Today Kathryn and I got up early, completed our runs and got to Irvada’s Blueberry Lane at 0800. We picked 16 lbs of blueberries in about 90 minutes. The 16 lbs translated into 42 cups which Kathryn cleaned, bagged and stored in the freezer.

Afterwards we got the lawn mowed and I cut up another tree trunk from the ash trees dropped by National Grid in anticipation of Emerald Ash Borer disease. Over the course of the past week we have cut most of the wood from 5 ash trees and one maple tree. All that is left at this point are the two largest trunks, which will take some special handling and a lot of splitting.

Chipping the Catalpa Trees

We dropped the two Catalpa trees before they started leafing out. Then it was a matter of trimming limbs and blocking up the trunks; about a day a piece for Kathryn and I. I split the large chunks by hand. I broke up the sessions up with the 2nd tree to reduce the strain on my lower back. It also helped that I used the second stump as a splitting platform. Eric transported the roughly two face cord of wood to the shed. Then we resurrected wood chipper. We had to clean out mouse nest and clear the chutes, but it worked great once we had it going. The branches we chopped into small chips which are destined for the trails across the road.

Status of the Woodpile

Kathryn and I have been cutting firewood on weekends since we came back from vacation.  We got a lot of dead ash from the junction of north trail and the spring trail as well as the intersection of north trail and the angle trail.  In cutting there we were pulling dead ash out of the woods onto angle trail and ended up with a new trail skirting the swamp.  We call this Big Maple, imaginatively due to a large maple tree mid-way.

We can get just shy of a cord of firewood on the carry-all and it is handy for getting around in the woods to pick up wood.

I am estimating we currently have about 15 face cords of wood.  We have two rows 5.5 feet high running the length of the barn which is 48′.  So I estimate about 7 cord for each of those two rows, plus our start at a third row

2-4 more cords will complete our focus on this year’s firewood and gathering dead trees and we will turn our attention to dropping some trees to improve our trail system.  We can let them dry for collection next year.

Early June Roundup

On Memorial Day Weekend  Mark & Danielle hosted a Hay / Muller picnic.  We drove to the Hays and dropped off Eric and then picked up Barb and Joe in Albany getting back to the Hays at 12:30.  Barbara really enjoyed getting out among family and the weather was perfect for a picnic.

Eric went on the 8th grade camping trip (Thursday – Saturday) to Beaver River; sharing a tent with 6 of his buddies.  Initially he wasn’t interested in going, but relented under ‘encouragement’.  I think he had a good time as he said having his life guard certification would allow him to go again as an underclassman.

While he was on the camping trip we went to Rochester for Leo’s wedding.  We just made it to the ceremony as the bride was walking in.  It was a short ceremony and over in 10-12 minutes.  We hung around the reception, talked to most all the Skellys’ and then drove home.

On Sunday Eric played in a 4 team round robin tournament at HCCC.  Three teams consisted of 8th and 9th graders.  One team had three varsity players and they blew out every other team.  Eric had an mediocre showing; he had some rebounds in traffic,  he had a couple of good blocks and played good defense, but he missed all his shots, except for a fast break layup.

Modified lacrosse finished up with Eric playing as a 2nd line middie.  Eric got better at boxing out and digging out the balls on the ground.  He did a few face-offs and overall enjoyed the games.  He is planning to play summer lacrosse at TriCityLacrosse when the fields dry out enough to play.

This weekend Kathryn and I started cutting firewood from Cookout Corner.  There were lots of standing dead ash trees and we likely could get out entire winter’s supply just from Cookout Corner.

We put Eric’s computer desk and the large entertainment center out by the road with a free sign.  The computer desk was picked up within an hour.  The entertainment center was taken by an Amish family who loaded up on top of their carriage. Quite the sight to see.

Blueberry Weekend

Many, many years ago I asked Dad if he could make a replacement handle for one of my slip scoops.  He might have even still been living at Route 30.  I know the last time I used the slip scoop Ed was living with us and he drove our little Ford tractor and I manned the slip scoop. At the time Dad was fading and the handle he made was very ‘roughed in’.  When Dad gave it to me you mentioned you had some tools that we could use to shape it more like the other handle.  This past week I finally shaped the handle, got new bolts for fastening the handles, wire brushed the scoop and painted it with old motor oil.  Of course, I have 3 slip scoops and I am not sure when I will use it, but it is the only scoop I have that drags and doesn’t attach to 3 point hitch.

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Eric and I raked a truckload of pine needles from Elements of Style parking lot and mulched our blue berry bushes today.

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I cleaned up the garden and hoed everything in preparation for Rick’s Leaves.

IF THERE IS RAKING, THEN I’M LEAVIN’

(With apologies to Denny, John, Michelle and Mama Cass.)

All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray,
The leaves begun to fall and they won’t blow away
They fall and stay in my neighbor’s yard,
Getting rid of leaves, is a task that’s hard.
They say that winter’s coming, and it’s on its way
Kincaids don’t like the cold, you know they go away.
But leaves are left behind, you know they’re going to stay
Garden and the pasture – that’s where they’ll decay
You can use my truck, or your own John Deere
Dump six on the garden and the rest real near.
In between the trees they will make good mulch.
Just drive careful, don’t get stuck in the gulch.
All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray,
The leaves begun to fall and they won’t blow away
They fall and stay in my neighbor’s yard,
Getting rid of leaves, is a task that’s hard

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5+ cord of word for the 2016-17 heating season.

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