Trees Of A Different Kind

[Rod and Denise Nikkel]

When we got home from Sheridan, there was good news and bad news. The good news was that we had had the first decent moisture this year. The bad news was that it came as eight inches of heavy, wet snow on fully leafed out trees. We have smooth wire, electric fence on our place to hold in the cattle and horses, and trees down on the fences need to be cleared. Here is what they looked like. Yes, there is a fence under there somewhere.

We cleared the first 50 yards on this fence line. Normally you can drive the tractor through here.

It is chain saw work to cut the trees down, then into managable sections. Then we play pick up sticks to get them off the fence, off the pasture and back into the bush.

We have at least two more miles to clear yet. The poplars aren't too bad. It is the alders that really make a mess. The name of our road? Alder Ridge Road...

[ClayB]

That looks like a lot of work! Back when I ran a fencing crew, we had to chainsaw paths through the trees to build new fence a couple times, but not for 2 miles. Will some of it at least make you some fire wood for next winter? As dry as it's been up there, it still looks green and pretty.

[Rod and Denise Nikkel]

Clay,

When we fenced the place (there were none when we came here) we cleared some of this chain saw style too, but were able to use some existing cut lines that just needed some cleaning up for the most part. Not much firewood out of it all - too small and too hard to get to to carry it out. The moisture has sure helped. Now we need some heat to get the grass to grow. Cattle coming in tomorrow.