Trying hard not to swear - guy cutting great trees for posts :( (photo heavy)

[asy]

Well, we are on the prowl for a block of dirt again. Found one we both really like, unfortunately no house this time, but that's fixable

Went there on the weekend to have a looksee again, and try to drive over it, although it's a bit big at 2000 acres to drive the whole thing, as it's thick bush mostly.

Now, while we were there, the owner, who's an elderly greek merchant, and knows nothing about bush, and his son who lives there, who knows less about bush than the father...  told us that there's a guy named Bob who comes and takes fallen trees and cuts them up as fence posts. "He only takes the old crappy trees and cleans the block up" or so bob tells them, and they don't really know better.

Well, we found the cut sites old bob uses. we were NOT amused.

Here are just a few photos of what we found...


This is his abandoned site, he's moved on from here, presumably what's left is rubbish.

This is the middle of the logs that obviously get left behind, they are littered everywhere.


More of the logs he's left at his last cutting site.


Leftovers again...


And another left over...  Now, don't tell me they are cutting FENCE POSTS out of this...


Andy and the owner's son looking over the site...


THis is the log at his new site, next to his tractor.


Shot for size comparison.


More...  at the same site


And more.


We followed the tractor tracks through the woods to this stump.  Yup, totally obvious he's only taking fallen trees, don't you think???


One of the mid sized trees on the property, just FYI!

Now, back to Bob...

He's supposed to be paying the owners $1 per post. Now, my estimate is that he gets about 90 posts from a tree, so the owners get about $90. Theoretically. However in the last month or so, the owner reckons he's only got about $50. Guess how fast this guy's going to be off the property if we take it over?

WHat makes me most cross is that there are literally DOZENS of trees this same size laying on the ground around the site, he hasn't taken any of these. And he's cutting magnificent timber that's absolutely stunning, up into FENCE POSTS!!!

Now I've finished fuming. THanks for listening guys.

asy

[sawguy21]

That is heartbreaking seeing the landowner being victimized by his own ignorance .  Happens all too often.  I hope you get the land and give this vulture the bum's rush. That is beautiful timber . You call 2000 acres "a block of dirt'" WOW

[crtreedude]

Doncha know, trees are free? I mean, they grew by themselves so shouldn't the person get them for almost nothing?

Yes, I am being sarcastic but I swear that seems to be the attitude of so many.

Fred

[asy]

Funny you should mention that, Fred, while we were there another couple of guys in a ute (pickup) pulled up and started loading stuff into it. Nice stuff.

AParrently the locals have been using this site as their own backyard for far too long. They're gonna get a rude shock if we take it over.

We'll probably be looking for someone to manage the site, and take trees of responsibly. Look after the internal roads, and the Gravel Quarry on site. Should be interesting, and I gotta tellya, not sure I'm looking forward to looking for someone who's gonna be able to do it. Still, there's more than a full time job on site, and enough lumber to build a city, let alone a house or three... 

asy

[woodbowl]

Asy, I am trying to visulize the cutting technique used. Are those chainsaw marks, or is he using a swinger? Are the cuts beeing made around part of the log as in peeling a big carrot?

[Kirk_Allen]

So what does the land owner have to say about it?

[DanG]

Looks like he might have been quarter-sawing with a swinger.  Strange technique, though.  Sure don't look like he was making fenceposts.

[asy]

Well, there's one log that's been quartersawn, and it was chocked up on rails and everything. But it had been abandoned and he's moved on to the next site. This was the only log we saw that had been sawn like this.

Most of the others have been sawn radially with a Chain saw. The saw marks were not straight, and the middle of the tree has been left as rubbish. I didn't see any evidence of any sort of milling equipment, and the owner's son says he hears the guy using a chain saw...  But they really don't understand the value of the timber.

I am still shaking my head at what kind of moron would use such beautiful timber as fence posts. And what sort of man he'd have to be to lie to the owner...

Anyone wanna come manage it for us?

asy

[Frank_Pender]

Asy, I am tempted to buy the land to keep all of the jerk form ripping off the logs and lumber.

  What is the asking price?

[Paul_H]

I might be missing something but most of those logs appear to have some serious shake issues and other defects.

[Corley5]

Looks like a lot of work to make fence posts.  I'd be cutting the smaller trees that are just the right size

[beenthere]

I was looking for a stump, but didn't see one. Thought maybe the duplicate picture was to be the stump, so looked in the gallery - but didn't find any of the pics?  Are the pics not there? 

Hope Asy can get the 'dirt' and then the mill so then the house.  Interesting 'bush'.

[Tom]

2000 acres is a lot of land to patrol when there are already people who think it is their's.

The pictures aren't being stored on the Forestry Forum Gallery, Frank.  She's linking to an off-site storage facility.

[Roxie]

Well now, I wondered how your weekend turned out, and here ya are!  I agree with Tom, and I told ya that 2000 acres is not a farm, it's a small country!   
I'd be real curious to hear Bob's side of the story, because somewhere between what the owner is saying and what Bob has to say would be closer to the truth.
If this goes through, how long would it take to build a house on the property?

[Furby]

Looks more like he is cutting rails, and not fence posts.

[asy]

THanks guys, didn't notice the duplicate, it's fixed now.

Rox, it is like a small country! it's amazing!!

asy

[pigman]

asy said    "Yup, totally obvious he's only taking fallen trees, don't you think???"

 He's right. After he cut the tree down it was a fallen tree.

[Ernie]

Asy

Jan and I are coming over to Brisbane at the end of the month for  about 4 days to see daughter, SIL and most importantly our grand daughter, It'd be nice to meet up and have a gekko at your bit of dirt if it's convenient.

[beenthere]

Are those little 'gekko's' edible?   

[DanG]

It was like that on this place before I bought it.  The previous owner hadn't done anything with it for 10 years, so the neighbors was all usin' it like it was their own.  They were running cows on it and cutting the hay for themselves, storing hay in the barns, picking up the pecans, etc.  I locked'r down when I bought it.  Told'em I had plans for all the barns, and needed the pasture for my horses.  I was like a turd in the punch bowl around here for quite a while.   Know what, though?  All but one of'em are either dead or moved away, and the one that's left has always been cool about the whole thing.  He doesn't live here, anyway, but comes to check his cows every couple of days.  I guess I'm the "old guy" around here, now and it's only been 12 years. 

If you get the place, just be friendly but firm with all the locals.  Let them know that the place is private.  They'll grumble a bit, but will respect you more in the long run.