Working in a cemetery

[capetrees]

Anyone ever worked in a cemetery? I have a potential job coming up, need to give a price on a number of takedowns. What should I watch out for? Is there anything I shouldn't do out of respect for the dead? Can I run a mini over a grave? Can I drop trunks on graves? What about grinding?

Thx

 

[lone wolf]

Anyone ever worked in a cemetery? I have a potential job coming up, need to give a price on a number of takedowns. What should I watch out for? Is there anything I shouldn't do out of respect for the dead? Can I run a mini over a grave? Can I drop trunks on graves? What about grinding?

Thx

Just dont break any thin old fragile grave stones.

 

[treebilly]

I've worked at a few. Yes, watch those thin old gravestones. For respect we've been quieter than usual, treated the place like someone's prize garden, and the best cleanup ever done. Never done a stump job in one.
Probably just ask the grounds keeper his thoughts.

 

[Jakers]

I've worked in a few. rope down anything you can to prevent accidents. cushion the trunk or break the fall a bit with logs. as far as driving over the graves, i don't drive more than a 4-wheeler or a stump grinder over them. I've been told in my area anything newer than 1950 should have a vault so in theory a pickup could go over it with no problems.

the company i used to work for was the local excavating company that dug the graves. we drove a JD 410E backhoe over them all the time but sunk in a few. just black dirt over then sink hole and be done. my boss there told me something that helped my through my first dig... "there's nothing you can do to help or hurt them, they're already dead. do your work and be respectful."

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I've worked in a few. rope down anything you can to prevent accidents. cushion the trunk or break the fall a bit with logs. as far as driving over the graves, i don't drive more than a 4-wheeler or a stump grinder over them. I've been told in my area anything newer than 1950 should have a vault so in theory a pickup could go over it with no problems.

the company i used to work for was the local excavating company that dug the graves. we drove a JD 410E backhoe over them all the time but sunk in a few. just black dirt over then sink hole and be done. my boss there told me something that helped my through my first dig... "there's nothing you can do to help or hurt them, they're already dead. do your work and be respectful."

Had to have a "in case of death" dealio when I was in the .mil... mostly so the morgue or whatever would know if anything special needed to get done. I wrote on the thing... stuff me in a cardboard box and toss in the dumpster. They thought I was trying to make a joke so I got called into explain myself. Told them it was what I wanted, I don't really care once I'm dead!

 

[scheffa]

Actually worked in one on Friday just gone, I was a little uneasy about, walking over graves and dropping limbs on them. Worst part was dragging branches and disturbing the flowers on some of the headstones and trying to put hem back how you found it. Was also the same cemetery my grandparents are buried in

 

[TimberMcPherson]

We work in them a bit, my great grandfather is in one of them. We are always super careful and do our best but some of the jobs are not easy!

rootplace lifted these two. we got to put em back

we did it in a day

 

[crotchclimber]

That's quite the jungle of a cemetery there, TimberMcPherson. Sure looks nothing like our manicured lawn cemeteries here in the US.

 

[jefflovstrom]

That's quite the jungle of a cemetery there, TimberMcPherson. Sure looks nothing like our manicured lawn cemeteries here in the US.

Yeah, a plot here is the same as California real estate,
Jeff

 

[BC WetCoast]

We've worked a couple. No headstones, only markers. Headstones get in the way of the mowers.
The thing we were told is be careful of walking where the grave would be located, as they have been known to collapse.

 

[GrassGuerilla]

Never did tree work in one. Grass work and trimming around headstones... Omg! Gotta be careful, using super tough trimmer line is a no no. Don't want to put marks or wear on headstones. If you want your black belt in string trimming, there's nothing else quite like it. Had a three man crew trimming one nine hours a week. That's a lot of string trimming! Wasn't sad to lose that contract to a lower bid.

 

[capetrees]

All of these comments are great.

My problem is running the mini in the graveyard. As mentioned, I'd hate to cave in a site. Nobody is really sure which direction the bodies are laid, behind the headstones or in front of them. The cemetery is over 300 years old. Lots of old slate and thin white marble stones so everything will be roped down and carried out except the trunks.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

We work in them a bit, my great grandfather is in one of them. We are always super careful and do our best but some of the jobs are not easy!

rootplace lifted these two. we got to put em back

we did it in a day

Um, Uh, Um, NO!

 

[treebilly]

Is your mini on tracks? Would it be benificial to mat your path? A mini on tracks had a very low ground pressure.

 

[capetrees]

It is on tracks and I did consider the mats. The low pressure usually is a major plus.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

That's quite the jungle of a cemetery there, TimberMcPherson. Sure looks nothing like our manicured lawn cemeteries here in the US.

They dont have alot of $ put into them and they were not put on flat ground, most of the trees are self sown in the area, but quite a few (4670) were planted as people on the opposite hill objected to overlooking the cemetery. If it was a flatish expanse of grass it would be alot cheaper to look after, but then its treated a bit like a park by locals, its quite beautiful and well wooded.

This stump had grown between the rows, and we were told not to go to deep. In the depression some graves were not brought outright but people paid them off over time. Now those whose family stopped paying were dug out of there full plots and there much reduced remains were put in the area where we were taking out the stump in the pic and not put down to deep either!

The area that is well looked after is for our war dead

 

[capetrees]

Is that a Dosko?

 

[TimberMcPherson]

yeah dirty ole towable dosko. its got a 16hp engine and with a couple guys can be put stupid places. I got it as an ex rental- cheap!

Its hard work but not many grinders out there that pay themselves off every 4th job.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Cemeteries can be fun! can be fun.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Cemeteries can be fun!View attachment 523302 can be fun.