The biggest tree I ever cut in my life with a John Deere backhoe and MF 30 tractor.

[jkk04]

There are a couple of reasons to decide to cut this lovely tree.

First: the tree continuously causes trouble to the water line because drought is worsening in California.
It causes the tree to consume water more aggressively.

I had to repair the broken main water pipeline two times in 2 weeks.

I was considered to relocating the water line, but it is too hard to do unless I change the whole well system which means I can't afford the money and labor.

I see the root at 200ft from the main tree trunk. It causes problems for other fruit trees.

Second: My neighbor recommended cutting the tree because that size tree consumes more than 1000 gallon of water per day (I don't know if it is true or not but it consumes a lot of water surely )

It was hard to decide to cut the tree until now.
It is kind of a symbol of my ranch. I would want to save it.
Jkk

 

[LindenBruce]

That IS sad. It's also going to take you a month of Sundays to cut that beast up now that's it's on the ground. Good luck. B.

 

[big bubba]

what is the tree, cottonwood? formidable task, good work on the vid

 

[LD1]

what is the tree, cottonwood? formidable task, good work on the vid

Could clearly see it was a pine in the video. And it's even said in the first few seconds of the video

 

[gsganzer]

The way you cut that notch and backcut, had me scared to death. I'm glad it fell in the direction you wanted, because there looked to be almost no hinge left for controlling direction.

Glad it worked out. That will leave you with a bunch of cutting and splitting.

 

[Gem99ultra]

There are a couple of reasons to decide to cut this lovely tree.

First: the tree continuously causes trouble to the water line because drought is worsening in California.
It causes the tree to consume water more aggressively.

I had to repair the broken main water pipeline two times in 2 weeks.

I was considered to relocating the water line, but it is too hard to do unless I change the whole well system which means I can't afford the money and labor.

I see the root at 200ft from the main tree trunk. It causes problems for other fruit trees.

Second: My neighbor recommended cutting the tree because that size tree consumes more than 1000 gallon of water per day (I don't know if it is true or not but it consumes a lot of water surely )

It was hard to decide to cut the tree until now.
It is kind of a symbol of my ranch. I would want to save it.
Jkk

I simply could not destroy that beautiful landmark. No telling how many years it has been there, standing proudly and representing your place. It simply deserves to remain.

As far as the amount of water it requires, I'd say let a few of those Californians that fill mega-size swimming pools and pump millions of gallons of purified water on their lawns, cut back. Or let those almond farmers reduce the number of water sponges that suck up far more water than your tree does. Your one magnificent landmark is not going to solve the water problem in Cali.

Obviously, my opinion is too late to influence your decision. Sorry for your loss...

 

[mcfarmall]

I'm no tree hugger in any stretch of the imagination but that tree should have been spared. When people make sacrifices for the common good, they'll see all the sacrifice and none of the good.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

There are a couple of reasons to decide to cut this lovely tree.

First: the tree continuously causes trouble to the water line because drought is worsening in California.
It causes the tree to consume water more aggressively.

I had to repair the broken main water pipeline two times in 2 weeks.

I was considered to relocating the water line, but it is too hard to do unless I change the whole well system which means I can't afford the money and labor.

I see the root at 200ft from the main tree trunk. It causes problems for other fruit trees.

Second: My neighbor recommended cutting the tree because that size tree consumes more than 1000 gallon of water per day (I don't know if it is true or not but it consumes a lot of water surely )

It was hard to decide to cut the tree until now.
It is kind of a symbol of my ranch. I would want to save it.
Jkk

1. More like 100 gallons a day, not 1000.
2. You’re lucky you didn’t kill yourself and or destroy your tractor.
3. It doesn’t look like you exactly live in the forest so you probably just decreased the value of your property.
4. Pine trees can live up to 1000 years, that one was at least a lot older that you, and now it’s gone.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

I simply could not destroy that beautiful landmark. No telling how many years it has been there, standing proudly and representing your place. It simply deserves to remain.

As far as the amount of water it requires, I'd say let a few of those Californians that fill mega-size swimming pools and pump millions of gallons of purified water on their lawns, cut back. Or let those almond farmers reduce the number of water sponges that suck up far more water than your tree does. Your one magnificent landmark is not going to solve the water problem in Cali.

Obviously, my opinion is too late to influence your decision. Sorry for your loss...

Yep. Cutting a beautiful old tree just to destroy it is something I would never do. There’s responsible harvesting of lumber and then there’s this.

 

[big bubba]

i may have missed...have you counted the annual rings for age? would be curious. glad everything went safely, (except for the tree) best regards