Winter Cutting Delayed

[logbutcher]

Late Fall/winter is our time for serious harvesting: no bugs, hard ground, less foliage, cool weather. But, there was never any drying since last winter with heavy spring rains through July, then only short periods of slight summer. Now only a few days of normal teens into 20's then back up again. Messy. The woodlands never dried. Now we have wet mush under just a few inches of crusty snow---not good for working the woods.
Anyone else outside of New England dealing with this ? Can the AlGore be correct ?

 

[sly13]

Can Al Gore be right...

It's was 1 lastnight got all the way up to 14. Now 10 warming up tomorrow though. I still say no to Al Gore being right.:bang:

 

[peterc38]

Looks like it is gonna get real cold over the next few days. Maybe it is finally ready to get cold and stay cold.

 

[Outlander]

We have similiar problems in Iowa. It rained all of October, November we harvested crops that are normally harvested in October and now December brings us 20 inches of snow that has everything plugged up or covered up. The frost never got a chance to set in the ground because of all the snow.

I have 2 good wood scores to get, each one about 7-8 cords of Elm and Red Oak and I can't get to them because of snow. If I don't get them this winter the dozers will come in next spring and pile and burn them while I'm busy planting corn and beans. I could take my tractor and loader and dig my way in and out but, that gets really expensive. I hate to let a good score get away but, I might have to and start looking for another.

 

[wkpoor]

This time of year I always hope the snow stays away till the ground freezes. Even if it freezes before snow it can still soften up under the snow pack. Thankfully we are still without that ugly white stuff.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Hate to brag, but plenty of cold weather the last few weeks froze the ground well, and about 8" of snow to keep the logs out of the dirt, means GO time here in Northern WI.

Outlander I feel your pain. Many's the time I've bucketed my way to the woods, 1/2 mile or so 10 feet at a time sucks. I have access to two big Deeres with dozer blades on the front now, but haven't had to use them to get to the woods yet, not much snow the last 4-5 years here. I usually just plow the landing off and the steeper hills if the snow's not too bad.

 

[olyman]

We have similiar problems in Iowa. It rained all of October, November we harvested crops that are normally harvested in October and now December brings us 20 inches of snow that has everything plugged up or covered up. The frost never got a chance to set in the ground because of all the snow.

I have 2 good wood scores to get, each one about 7-8 cords of Elm and Red Oak and I can't get to them because of snow. If I don't get them this winter the dozers will come in next spring and pile and burn them while I'm busy planting corn and beans. I could take my tractor and loader and dig my way in and out but, that gets really expensive. I hate to let a good score get away but, I might have to and start looking for another.

where are you at??? blow the snow of the top of the ground--the soil will freeze real fast as cold as it is now----need help??????

 

[gwiley]

Don't underestimate the value of a home-made snow plow for a loader. I have a home-rigged blade for my bobcat. You can probably put something together that would be good enough for making a lane to the woods.

 

[371groundie]

the snow insulates the ground. go pack your roads down. (if it were me id have done it monday) then let the cold seep in and freeze the roads solid.

more than once a main skid road has been turned into a truck road once the snow gets packed down.

gunna be cold enough tomorow.

 

[logbutcher]

FLASH FLASH
It's go time ---just below zero with hard ground at last. Belay this topic ( until the next thaw :deadhorse.

Now if only the wind would die down some, so that I can pee in peace :hmm3grin2orange for you English majors that is onomatopoetic ). Canadian wind chill in the -20's.

 

[371groundie]

its froze solid now. where ya cuttin butcher?

 

[logbutcher]

its froze solid now. where ya cuttin butcher?

Solid under foot, even the sinkholes are hard. LOve this weather: cool, little snow, ice. Just the wind bothers the pee. :jawdrop:

This winter harvest is on our woodlot on the Blue Hill/Deer Isle Penninsula.
Getting to the usual: dead Red pasture Oaks, Red Maple, Paper Birch, some Green Ash, plenty of Spruce and Fir blowdowns for shoulder fires ( no pulp or sawlogs this year, the market is shut down ).

 

[danrclem]

I usually don't cut wood this time of the year but I've got some big oak that is hard to get to when it's wet. I'm waiting for the ground to freeze before I try it again.

Somebody already got the low hanging fruit and these big logs were all pushed up in one spot and have some rocks and gravel underneath them. They sure are heavy but they'll make a lot of good firewood.

 

[Wood Doctor]

"Anyone else outside of New England dealing with this ? Can the Al Gore be correct?

(1) Yes, I am dealing with it in Nebraska.
(2) Al Gore and global warming have nothing to do with it.

A big snowstorm and very cold weather came in early this year after a warm November. That's all there is to it.

 

[toyfarm]

It was so sloppy here first of the week had to use 4x4 just to get out of the drive! Last couple days we got about 3" of very wet snow, so not much wood time here til we get a hard freeze! Had pretty decent ground up until bout ten days ago! South Eastern Indiana

 

[logbutcher]

"Anyone else outside of New England dealing with this ? Can the Al Gore be correct?
(1) Yes, I am dealing with it in Nebraska.
(2) Al Gore and global warming have nothing to do with it.
A big snowstorm and very cold weather came in early this year after a warm November. That's all there is to it.

Mr. Ed:

The "AlGore" talk is a joke, light, tongue-in-cheek.....don't go ballistic on us yet.

...and that's all there is. Now we're in normal times here : real winter, some snow, good harvesting, talk of wind chills.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

I buried my F-150 in the mud weekend before last...ground was frozen, pretty tight when I got there.....thawed in 2 hrs. tried to get it out Friday, no avail....It will be there for awhile, especially setting in 22" of snow.

 

[Marc]

Little snow doesn't bother me for firewooding. Nothing the Branson can't plow through. Good time for the Stabilicers, snow shoes or other pedal traction aids, but beyond that, cutting for me progresses as usual. The only thing that sucks is when you make a temporary pile, especially with little stuff in it, and it gets burried under snow and you have to look for it.

 

[logbutcher]

Little snow doesn't bother me for firewooding. Nothing the Branson can't plow through. Good time for the Stabilicers, snow shoes or other pedal traction aids, but beyond that, cutting for me progresses as usual. The only thing that sucks is when you make a temporary pile, especially with little stuff in it, and it gets burried under snow and you have to look for it.

What's a Branson ? :monkey:

Since we only do winter harvests, the process is to take all the bucks/butts out as they're cut to the buck pile for later splitting/stacking in the spring or fall. Too often C.R.S. kicks in with snow , we forget where the piles are. Much easier to fell, buck, trailer at the same time.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Mr. Ed:

The "AlGore" talk is a joke, light, tongue-in-cheek.....don't go ballistic on us yet.

...and that's all there is. Now we're in normal times here : real winter, some snow, good harvesting, talk of wind chills.

Can't help but laugh. Al Gore might have been elected had he avoided the global warming issue altogether. Maybe global warming helped clear the runway at Washington National recently to help BO's plane land.

More snow on the way. You folks in Maine brace yourself.