First Coos Bay cut and dealing with broken limbs

[Cold Logging]

When I started my firewood business here in the Copper Basin., I was falling Limbing and bucking in the woods and using a 4 wheeler and trailer. Bucking 4' lengths. Moving the wood with a pulp hook. Loading the pick up by hand. Off loading by hand. . Once snow came I built a sled and used an old Yamaha 340 Enticer then a 440 Panther to pull it. Still loading by hand. Then I went to 8' for the smaller stuff. . A 2 cord day was a HARD day. When I got a Duce an half I skidded tree length same with the dozer. . But still loading by hand. But I couldn't beat 3 cord a day working alone. . Then I got an old Terex L20 front end loader. And then put a flat bed on my 1 ton pickup. The bucket is 9' wide outside. So I skid tree length to the landing, buck 8' then scoop the logs up and load the truck with the loader. . Having done it so hard for so long. Sometimes I would scoop up a 60' tree and pick it way up just because I could. .

 

[Cold Logging]

 

[Cold Logging]

 

[Cold Logging]

 

[Cold Logging]

 

[Cold Logging]

.

 

[gf beranek]

All that just to keep cozy in the winter? that's a heck of an operation. You got it down.

 

[oldtimber]

Lovin it !!!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Lovin the deuce

 

[Cold Logging]

This is what I needed to do to get a front tire on my loader to take the bead. At 30 below. Hadthe ready heater going under the loader and a come along around the tire and! 2 gallons of Murphy's Tire Soap stuffed in the bead.
The word ORDEAL is the operating word when using iron in the cold.

 

[Cold Logging]

2 cord load. Made it to the highway. Beautiful weather in March

 

[Cold Logging]

If you use P Tex plastic on the sled runners and pre breakin your trail at least the day before, let it freeze hard overnight. You can move a good amount of wood with a snow go. That's a half cord sled load.

 

[Bermy]

GReat visual of where you live and work, stunning but harsh!

 

[cory]

Wow, that is some intensity in the cold!

 

[Tucker943]

Splitting and stacking firewood for my own home gives me a sense of self sufficiency. Like gardening. Natalie, my 6 year old can operate the splitter lever and has been since she was 4. Her and Emma, my 3 and a half year old, both can stack firewood. Not neatly. But they do it. I make them. Not a ton, but enough to see them exert themselves. When I see they've had enough, I let them walk away. But that's something I do together with them to teach them work ethic. I have always explained to them when they come in from playing in the cold, that they have themselves to thank for having a nice warm house. I teach them about working hard to provide for themselves in a way they can comprehend. I don't want to see them labor as a adults, but I dearly want them to enter society one day with a strong sense of giving an effort to provide for themselves and succeed with hard work in whatever career path they choose. I have always paid Natalie to help split wood. They help stack as a chore. But by giving her 5 dollars or so for spending a little time helping me by her own choosing, she has noticed those 5 dollars bills add up and I allow her to pick out whatever she would like when we are at a toy store. Even if it is more then the money she has saved. I want her to understand the basic concept of reaping rewards for her efforts.

 

[Cold Logging]

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Kids have to get their work ethic from somewhere.

 

[Tucker943]

I'll be damned if Im going to send my children out in to the world with no clue.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

You and me both brother!

 

[oldtimber]

Cold logging, thanks for the great photos, I admire your determination sir!

 

[Burnham]

Indeed.

 

[Cold Logging]

I'm taking a sabbatical from logging this winter. Gonna hang sheetrock at least for the dark part of the winter. Plus. I REALLY NEED a forwarder. . At least a line/ cable skidder

 

[pantheraba]

Great pictures of how you do it...thanks for showing.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Thanks for sharing, CL.

Damn straight, Chris. Our neighbors raised their kids with wood heat. At the time the kids didn't like it, but did it as life on the farm. Now the older daughter is a hard working berry farmer and mother, the other a successful cattle industry person. Hard work was learned side by side.

For me, I learned hard work from both parents, in different ways. Too bad my dad took so much of our every-other-weekends working. Wasn't work morning until night, but a lot for our ages. Balance is key.

 

[Cold Logging]

Ya, balance is the key. All my Dad did was work. Then rest so he could work some more. Unfortunately that's what I do. . But, that's why I'm getting my own wood in now. I really enjoy predator hunting in the winter. Last winter I spent most of my off days getting my own firewood. This winter I'll be able to go calling fur on my days off.