Hate WASTING beautiful trees

[Boeing]

Fellas, I have about 3 acres on top of a hill top. In the winter the views are breathtaking. In the summer with leaves out I can't see anything other than the field. Everyone, realtor, wife, daughter, friends say take down some trees. The rest of the 70 acres is forest with a few trails for deer food plots. (haven't killed anything yet)
I LOVE trees......anyway, I have approx (10) 60' tall red oaks, (20) 60' POPLARS, (150) 50' pines all around this field/hilltop. These first four photos were taken 3 years ago in winter, the last shot was this summer.
I have had THREE timber guys out.....they all look around....then tell me there isn't enough for them to fool with.
IF I took the oaks and poplars down is there an inexpensive way to make lumber and save it? I don't want to pay to have it hauled to a sawmill....then I guess it would have to be dried someway????
If I cut it into rough boards with my chainsaw.....then what?
Am I better off selling the wood for FIREWOOD? I don't have a splitter so I would be marketing "round" wood up to 20" in diameter. hmmmm, that might not be an option either....who can lift it?
I'm not a young feller anymore and usually alone so make your suggestions based on that too.
Thanks

 

[dave1949]

There is no easy way. Trees have it in for people. :laughing: they do tend to close in on an open area.

The pines can be trimmed up from the bottom to 1/3 of their height if that would help. Makes better logs too. You might need a pole saw though.

You could girdle and leave standing some of the larger trees to create habitat and open the view. Wasted wood, but useful over all.

You could pick on the easy small trees, that will make a difference if you can mow in between the big ones. It is a waste, but pile them up and bring your hot dogs and beer.

 

[bigtiller]

I would be highly selective about which trees to cut down.

I live on top of a knoll in the middle of a corn field. I planted 187 trees on 5 acres in the past 17 years trying to slow down the wind. They are all 15 to 20 foot tall now and it is still very windy.

 

[deezler]

^ what big tiller says. Especially being up in cold, cold Vermont, I would be wary of losing all windbreak.

I dunno, but it looks to me like, with leaves, you still have amazing views. I don't see any structures in your pictures. What do you want the view for, a future home or cabin?

If you decide to take down trees, start slow! Even just one or two gone in the exact right spot could prove pretty satisfying for view improvement.

 

[BeezFun]

Photos don't appear to be taken looking the same direction so it's hard to make a suggestion. The first photo looks out and down onto a large valley and landscape, the next three seem to look up a small hill into the sky. I'm in your camp, I am reluctant to cut down anything. Cutting down pines can't change anything from season to season so there's no point cutting them down. Poplars grow fast , could you take some of those down and leave the oaks?

 

[Boeing]

Beez, you're right. The photos are in different directions and there are magnificent views in ALL directions. East, a close mountain ridge....3/4 obscurred by pines. South, Peaks of OTTER....a famous attraction, blocked by pines and poplars. West, Orbeck Mtn, rugged fairly close hidden by pines, and North....the long range views of the first photo. Take a close (distant) look at photo 2. To the right in the blueish haze is "House Mountain" 40 miles away.
I doubt that I'll ever build there, wife doesn't want to be there more than a few hours (boring) but I love it. I have a large steel building now with wood stove, solar lights, tanked water and a shower. It's my have fun with tractor, plant deer food plots, tend trail cameras and man cave. Everybody ELSE who comes up wants the VIEWS. (this photo is north-west and when the leaves fill in you can't see anything)

 

[Stick895]

You could try thinning the trees on the knoll, especially if the pines are close together. The state forester in Chesterfield recommended thining some I have @ 16' between the trees. As far as logging goes, maybe add in aas many of the other 70 acres as it takes to make it worth the timber guys while. Depending on the layout of the land maybe clear cut 20-30 acres, or do a select cut on all 70? Get a consulting forester to work the deal.

 

[pnhd65]

Might I suggest having someone come in with a portable sawmill. You'd get the trees out like you want and get some useful lumber in the process. There are several manufacturers of portable mills, some have lists of owners who mill on site. There are some sawmilling forums you could look at also. Might I suggest the Forestry Forum and Woodmizer as a start. Anyway, good luck.

 

[SPIKER]

Might I suggest having someone come in with a portable sawmill. You'd get the trees out like you want and get some useful lumber in the process. There are several manufacturers of portable mills, some have lists of owners who mill on site. There are some sawmilling forums you could look at also. Might I suggest the Forestry Forum and Woodmizer as a start. Anyway, good luck.

PNHD beat me to it. http://www.forestryforum.com/ is great site and has many people who saw wood on contract for small jobs like you have.

#1 Why cut trees for OTHERS do something for yourself. If you decide to thin some out & have it milled into lumber then you should buy and use "End Sealer." (real watery elmers glue that seals the end of cut logs so they do not dry and crack so bad.)

#2 get a plan together and stick to it. When cutting be sure to have someone with you at all times, easy to be hit on head when dropping trees.

#3 Know that once you take out some trees the grasses will fill in fast and the wind will blow much harder.

#4 make a plan for any lumber you are going to have milled so you can get that cut correctly while mill owner is there and be prepaired to Sticker the lumber out of the weather. You CAN build with green wood and I would suggest a nice pavilion with a steel roof placed in a nice spot so when wood is cut it can be put under roof to air dry for a while. Some lumber builds the pavilion (used for later entertaining with porch swings etc.) In mean time for a few months on that windy hill your other wood will dry quickly when a roof open on all sides lets the air blow.

Then Enjoy...

Mark

 

[TractorGuy]

I can't imagine why a lumber or pulpwood harvester would not be interested in 150 pine trees. Is there no place nearby for them to sell them? Back in the early 80s I was paid over $600 for the pines off two acres here in FL. They got one load of lumber and 2-1/2 loads of pulpwood if I remember correctly. We do have a lumber company just a few miles up the road though. If you have any lumber companies or sawmills nearby call them and ask for numbers of people they buy from.

 

[Stick895]

They should have a xhitload of sawmills and lumber companies in Botetourt (pronounced Botte-tot), that's why I recommend a consulting forester. There's a lot more to selling timber, if you've never done it before, as I hadn't until recently, than just saying "Here it is!"

 

[DieselnHooters]

Like Stick895 mentionned you could consider thinning some of those pines. Poplars are giant weeds . Oaks if they are straight and healthy are a prized possession. Thats how I gauge my own wooded lot.

 

[BeezFun]

Everybody ELSE who comes up wants the VIEWS.

Build some kind of a lookout, like a fire tower, that gets above the treeline. Put some chairs up there and send the crew up there to admire the view. Then you can keep your trees and they can have an unobstructed view for an hour before they get bored and want to go home.

 

[newbury]

Let's see if I have this correct:
Large steel building
Kubota L3010
1 old man
Love of trees
Easy access

If you have a use for the lumber

I'd say add in a good chainsaw and a small mill, either your own or one for hire.

Chain saw milling (CSM) is impractical if you have a tractor, easy access and numerous trees, been there done that. A good entry level mill like a Woodmizer LT15 runs about $7K. A really base LT10 for $3,555.

If your even thinking of CSM in your case a BSM would be the way to go. What I can cut in a day with my CSM


I can cut in under an hour with my BSM

 

[ArmyPair2]

Boeing I know how you feel when it comes down to tree's and I have to fight with the wife cause she wants them thinned out. I keep telling her I want them for a wind block and for the wildlife in our forest. When I do have to cut one down or when the weather knocks them over I use my Alaskan portable saw mill and make boards out of them.

When I cut my wood into boards I go by the old rule that for every inch thick is one year to dry but that is just me. When it come to firewood I let it season for about 9 months before I will put it my fireplace. Below is a few photo's of the west side of the land and a photo of one of those honey do this and that and If your married you know what I am talking about.

She seen one of those things in a book and said I want one of them and build me one. So I had to take some of my cedar and make her happy. As far as logging company's go they will only do big jobs where we live. To help me clean out the land fast we said 35$ a pickup load and you cut if the tree was down.

As far selling for firewood this is about the time it kicks in for folks getting ready for the winter. When I sold my wood at a low price they also was not knowing they was helping me clear some land. I wish good luck on which option you take. And don't ask me what the you know what I built at the end of the bed cause it must be a woman thing.

 

[oosik]

Wow! If it weren't for my hugh Ponderosa pines that form a gigantic arc to the south & west I would be a popsicle in the winter. Our cold winter wind come out of the SW. Be very sure that you will still have a buffer of trees if you have winter winds.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I'd go the portable sawmill route too.
Be a neat excuse to the old lady to get a pair of fork attachments for the loader too. ;-)

 

[JPRambo]

I had 1 large white oak and 1 large red oak I needed to remove for the driveway into my property in Georgia. I called a guy with a portable band saw mill. A couple of day later I had this. Approximately 800 board feet. It cost me under $300. And it only took 3 day to clean it up and stack it to dry.

 

[tony Cecil]

Hi Boeing.....I remember you asking about your road, quite a long time ago, and responded....I personally think the photos show a wonderful environment, with great winter and summer views.....I wouldn`t do a thing, other than what you have been doing.....Who wants a static view? You now have something to look forward to in the winter (not my favorite time of year) which gives inspiration......I believe if you cut down even one tree you will regret it....When one dies it is a sad occasion....Usually the one that dies is the most important tree of all....sort of like us people....Take care...You know what you are doing Tony

 

[Boeing]

JP, that is some beautiful lumber. IS it quite rough? How long until it could be laid down for flooring? We like rough cut for tables and wife wants rough cut for flooring.......but I'd prefer minimizing splinters,thank you, they're no fun.