Saturday in Bangor

[Norm]

The snow has stopped falling for a while but the wind has kept blowing. One day it's out of the south the next out of the north. The only place it settles at is the lane to our house. Patty and I both drive 4 wheel drives so we just drive thru it most days but on Saturday I get the tractor out to clean the lane and head to work to clean the loading areas. Usually good for about 3-4 hours of loader work.



I used to have a JD 5300 without a cab so the big tractor is nice with heat and a radio to listen too. I threw the camera in with me this morning to show those poor southern guys how rough they have it.



The lane goes to the pines, the county comes to there. Wish I had a blower.



The log pile hasn't gotten any smaller.



Link and woody are waiting for warmer weather too.

For those of you with good eyes that's Patty's picture hanging on the back wall.  

[DanG]

I don't envy you that mess one bit, Norm. It's miserable enough down here, right now, without that white crap all over everything.
It has been rainy and cold and clammy here for several days, and will be for several more.  Yesterday's low was 48, but the high was only 51, and it drizzled with no let-up, all day long. Today is about the same. I'm wishing I had a heater in the shop, but that wouldn't help much with no front wall or doors, and the water flowing through all day long. :-/

[Norm]

I guess I was trying to be funny Dan but it I came off as being a smart aleck. It sure wasn't on purpose. It really isn't that bad here, crappy weather can get old no matter where in the country you are.

[Neil_B]

For those of you with good eyes that's Patty's picture hanging on the back wall.  

Norm, my eyes aren't that great. How bout a close up of that pic    

[Norm]

Ok but if I get in trouble can I stay at your place?

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Norm. You can always hide out in our swamp

I remember them snow days. Bustin trails for the Milk Hauler and feedin folks that thought their cars would bust through them 4' high drifts that covered the road in front of our house.  Had LOTS of snow movin 'sperense in those days.

[L. Wakefield]

   I finally checked the map. I've heard of Bangor, Maine (pronounced 'banger')- but not the one in Iowa. Sounds purty much the same.  lw

[Neil_B]

Norm, you can come up and visit even if you're not in trouble.

Now how bout the real pic     I can see the difference in the backgrounds between the two and know that's not the same one on the wall  

[rebocardo]

I have some property in St.Albans (about 30 miles south) that needs some upkeep in spring time. Basically, I need about five acres mowed and about 4800 feet of property line cleared of trees to a width of 20 feet or so. Most of the trees are only good for firewood. Most of it is level, though there are hilly parts. I marked most lines a year or so ago so the line is easy to follow. If you are game, let me know and maybe we could met in spring.  

[EZ]

I dont mine the snow or the winds, it's that DanG ice that is a real pain to me.
Hey Norm, so you got a pressure cooker for Christmas, what other cooking item did Patty get you for Valinetines Day. Sorry Norm , I just had to bring that up.
EZ

[Corley5]

What models your JD?  I've got a 6310 MFWD set up like yours at work.  Great tractors lotsa fun to operate

[Norm]

Well Neil I can see your eyesight is not so bad after all.   If I posted the picture that's on the wall I'd have to crawl up to your place. Broken kneecaps are painful.

Corley it's a JD7210, your 6310 would be pretty much the same just a few hp less. They are great tractors aren't they.

EZ, here's what I got for Valentines Day, that Patty's a romantic isn't she.  



After showing that picture I might have to take you up on hiding out in the swamp Harold.

[Patty]

Yea, I'm just too good to Norm.  

[Patty]

Rebecardo,

If you are within 30 miles of us, we'll be happy to help you clear. Norm & his track hoe can downright move some trees.   However, I have never heard of St. Albans, we have a St. Anthony, and a St. Ansgar. Is your property in Iowa, or Maine?

[Corley5]

Nice machines for sure  Real nice to operate I especially like the no clutch reversing for loader work.  I don't think they can be beat.  The 6310s 85hp as I remember.

[Duane_Moore]

  Gee Norm, It' been in the 60s here, sunshine, grass growin, Almond trees in bloom, Roses dorment though, cut them back about a month ago. lots of pruning going on in the fruit orchards, feels like spring for sure, Good to see a JD man, nothing runs like a deere, the whole place looks great,  nice electric broom. But I like the comforter better. Ifin you get into to much trouble ya can hid out out here. always use a good hired man.      Duh---Duane. talkin about pict. I see Beckey behind the JD in the first pict.

[Swede]

"For those of you with good eyes that's Patty's picture hanging on the back wall."

Ok, I´ve understand that US is most swamp where people loves to invite each other (and even me) to. *still look´n for ´em rubbaboots*
You have wood species that makes me jealous.
Sometimes you have problems with the (my) language.
Your logs make me moved because they are that big.
Your girls can live happy in a place where she can´t se a restaurant, theater, solariom, and 3 shops from the window.
In your swamps lives donkeys with horns and frozen tails.
You make the most excellent sawmills in the world.

But HOW GOOD EYES do you have?

Swede.

[Haytrader]

Neil,

I agree with you. I think ol Norm is trying to B S his way out of this one.
Looks like a calendar pic, one of them us guys get at the parts store or from the Snap On man.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  So where's all the puter geeks that can home in on that pic and get us a blow up???

 Swede, SOME of our swamps are over 5000 feet high
 I will get some pics of the swamp this week for ya. Right now, rubba boots are NOT needed. Sneakers work just fine

[Norm]

I just want to warn you guys about the radiation that comes from being too close to your monitors. I'm not talking about a couple of feet either.

I'd like to see pictures of the area your working in too Harold, I have never heard of hardwood swamps. About as close as I've ever been to one was between Little Rock and Stugart (sp).

I've never been to Sweden either Swede so if you've got pictures of those lovely Swedish girls ahhh.. I'm mean trees it would be ok with me.

[Swede]

Norm.
Many people from this part of Sweden went to US and Canada "100" years ago. The strongest survived, some get rich, some earned just for a ticket back home. Some couldn´t get enough for a stamp for a mail to Sweden.
The last 50 years a lot of people from foreign countrys have come to Sweden so I think there isn´t very big differences.
This swede is 51 years old and has met too many lovely girls to be impressed of just a good appearance. Unfortunately he has not easy to be impressed at all,  but he will never publish a photo of them!

One day perhaps I get time to find out how to make a photo of our trees that fits to FF. Not much to look at, I passed by a 10 acre  clearing today. Not one single (big) end of a log more than 18", and in Sweden we cut close to the ground.
People cut down everything just to get timber for their too many and too rapid saw mills!     (I dont think crying makes any good) Most saw mills here can´t swallow 20"!

A friend of mine have a 200 years old house. He wants a new vertical sidig for it and has saved ~35 logs more than Ø 16" (small end) x 19´. I´ll try to get siding  298x28mm. and batten 63x28mm. out of them.  I have a metric scale. This makes me more happy to think about  than the toothpicks in the clearing.

Swede.

[Norm]

I wonder why they are so small there Swede, is your rotation that short? Do they use most of the trees there for pulp. I'm going to have to do some homework about your country.

The reason I was kidding about you sending pictures of the Swedish girls is we in the States have this idea of the beautiful blonde Swedish women. You are absoulutely right in that true beauty is from within.

Well that and Patty said if I didn't quit asking for pictures of girls I would have to sleep with the dog and horse tonight.

[rebocardo]

Patty,

St.Albans ME, I think it is Somerset Country, right off RT23/43. Borders Dexter. It is I *think* exit 39 off of I-95, Rt 7/11.

If you look on a map for Indian Head (or whatever it is called 4 miles long - 1 mile wide) Lake near Rt 23, that is where my property is. About thirty miles south of Bangor.

[Swede]

Norm. Most whifes should think You already get qualified for that dog- & horse-sleeping!  In Sweden we have other prejudices, we think that blondes are silly and make jokes about that. I´m a bachelor so it´s a better idea You send me a dark beauty and I´m not happy with a poto! I´ll meet her at Växjö Airport!

We have a law here saying that if you buy woodland you can sell timber or other for 50% of purchase price with out paying tax for it. I´ve just seen a transaction where I don´t understand where the new owner will take this trees in 30 years. People with money buys all they can get and cuts most of it down. Next year they make a new transaction and with a "forrest acount" they can pull the taxes infront for five years that way. There is no chance for a serious forrester to get some woodland because the prices are to high, if you can´t find an old man without heirs, who cares about what will happen his land after his dead.
Here are also sawmills buying a lot because their "to effective" production. These sawmills also buy timber from Norway and Russian.

There is some other regulations about how you can cut down woods but other regulations how  to go around them.

A good rotation is
1. planting
2 when the plants is 1,5-5M or so you´ll clear up.
3 betwen ~25-40 years, clear up and thinning 2-3 times.
After ~70 years is often a good time to clear and plant again.

I use to count trees older than ~50 years when I´m driving to costomers. There can be many miles between them and there is no such stands.
Everything with leaves they cut down as weed until about 20 years ago but sometimes they saved some, most alder, aspen and birch but haven´t work with them. Now and then it  goes to pulp, leave woods are an article in short supply there.
Thats why I´ve asked for what aspen is good for. Sometimes I can see some big aspen that could be nice boards, but I don´t know if they´ll get rotten used as f. ex.siding.
Aspen is the only of our species that´s good for floorig to the horse. It don´t get slippery but is hard as any wood to sleep on.........

You´re welcome to ask. I´m happy if i can bring you some help. I´ll try to find some Swedish sites for You translated to english. I also posted some about this some weeks ago.

Swede.

[Swede]

http://www.sveaskog.se/default____4349.asp

I was told today that this is the company behind the 10 acre clearing of half grown woods! I think most of the site is translated in english so you can see it´s owned by the Swedish Government!  
Read more about  all conflict this company is in to. Use Google / "sveaskog" "english".

(Just one more reason why (I think) 85% or more of Swedish people think that politicians =scum. Every week TV talk about our growing contempt for politicans as one of our greatest social problem.)

http://www.snf.se/verksamhet/skog/skog-faq-valvtrask_english.htm

Swede.

[johncinquo]

Norm, You gotta love any woman with a big saw and big guns (arms) to tote it around with.  Just don't make er mad with either one!
Throw another log on the fire, rustle me up some bacon and some beans, fill my pipe, then go fetch my slippers, boil me up another pot of tea, then throw another log on the fire, and come and tell me why your leavin me.

[Swede]

johncinquo ; We have  that song in Swedish too!

We are not supposed to understand them, just LOVE them!