It's rare we need to harvest an entire healthy tree, but over the course of the last few years, it became obvious we had a maple that had to go. It developed a bit of a lean that posed a danger to the house should the tree fall on its own. Because of the size and location of the tree, we called a professional for help.
We had to wait a while before the trimmer got to us since he's not exactly local. He waited until he had a couple of jobs in our area - price of gasoline and all that - and we were okay with this happening as best fit his schedule.
It was fascinating to watch him work. It takes a lot of guts, and strength, to shimmy up a tree and start cutting off branches. He cut off the heavy branches that pulled the tree into a lean and set a pull rope, the other end of which was secured to a different tree with a "come along" to ratchet pressure in the direction he wanted the tree to fall. Then he came back to the ground and cut the tree. It fell exactly where we wanted it to fall.
We discovered our tree held a wonderful secret - ambrosia wood. Ambrosia maple is highly sought after by woodworkers for the unique patterns created by a beetle-borne fungus. We worked a deal with the tree trimmer for him to take sections of the trunk to his sawmill. I'm pleased some of the wood will be used for more than firewood.
And as for firewood, there was plenty left for us and for my cousin, who helped greatly with the cleanup.
The tree trimmer will be back this fall to harvest the huge poplar outside the sunroom windows. It too has gotten too tall to be so close to the house. I'll hate to see that tree go. It's been a companion of sorts, giving me the first harbingers of changing seasons. Even as I look out the window, right on time, a few yellow poplar leaves have come to earth.
We do what we must.
The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)
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