limb removal

[FrogLick]

I lived in AR when the ice storm came through about 8 yrs. ago and it was a real mess. I got it here in KY this time and wish I had gotten off easy enough to only have some limbs to clean up. Probably still be cleaning up a year from now from this storm. Worse part is a tree fell on the new barn I just completed in Dec. Worse yet, I got up on the barn roof to limb up the tree top figuring I'd lighten the load and prevent further damage as I brought the rest of the tree down. Metal roofs, wet boots, and chain saws don't mix. ER visit and 10 stiches later I'm almost as good as new. Could have been worse. I was alone, 1 1/2 hrs away from ER, phones out in the area so no one to call, I didn't fall off of the roof, the chain saw cut was relatively minor, etc. Be safe out there. Tree is still on the barn.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Hey Froglick you are certainly not the first nor the last that is going to try and save something from further damage to end up damaging yourself.. Been there done that myself. I am glad that you are ok.. There is another thread on here about chainsaw safety and accidents. You will find my blunders on there. Shoot I would go down there and help you all out if needed. I spent 3 weeks in Mississippi helping out after Katrina blew through the area.

 

[oldhippy]

I sure am glad that you not cut up to bad. I can see bty looking that you have a whole lot more trees than I do. To quote Hill Street Blues "let be careful out there". big dan

 

[2manyrocks]

I, too, agree that a rock rake would be nice for this.

Looks like you have a loader on your tractor. It would be easy to add a couple of tusks to the FEL and use them to pick up and move some of this wood. For larger pieces, you could just chain and drag them.

 

[LBrown59]

I sure am glad that you are not cut up to bad.

He could have very easly removed the wrong limb.

 

[HCJtractor]

We had a very similar ice storm 3 years ago. I live in an old neighborhood with a canopy of 100 yr. old oaks, which were devastated much like yours. I remember at night when the storm hit, it sounded like a war with limbs and trees cracking. When a big one let go the whole house shook. The next morning we almost cried. My words are meant to be encouragement, for at the time, we thought things would never look the same and our beautiful neighborhood and city ruined. But now, a few years later, nature has healed these trees to where most would not even notice the damage. Yes, if you look high into the canopies, especially in winter, you can still see the effects, but it looks better than I could have dreamed. So be patient and good luck with the clean up!

 

[ragkar]

In the spring, if you have a bh, dig a burn pit 4x4x4 minimum at least 25 feet from burnables. And on a calm day burn the branches there. The wood ashes will be negligible and you can refill the pit with the removed dirt.
The fastest way to start the fire (info found in another thread) is using a weed burner and one of those 10lb propane bottles.

 

[DanD78]

Sorry to see your damage but have been there and done that. A couple of other neighbors and my self kind of did a co-op on our clean up. It took us about a full day at each home. We used an old ton truck with a dump flat bed and threw the branches across the bed then duped in the field to burn. I had a brush pile the size of a two car garage. The land scape rake is great for getting some of the small stuff and the mower took care of the rest. A brush grapple or 4in1 bucket would have been very handy. The pictures are from 12-1-06 in central Illinois. We ran our propane generator for 7 1/2 days.

Good luck and don't strain your back
Dan

 

[Carykong]

When I prune by 80 walnut trees in the winter. I leave most of the branches under 2" in diameter in the grass where they fall,chip with my 5 ft.brush cutter. goes fast.

 

[rox]

When I prune by 80 walnut trees in the winter. I leave most of the branches under 2" in diameter in the grass where they fall,chip with my 5 ft.brush cutter. goes fast.

That is what we are going to try this year for the first time.