Back on the ranch again

Nomad · January 16, 2013, 08:38:09 PM

Morning yesterday on the WW ranch in Florida. A warm calm winter morning, although most of the pics were even worse. Sunrise, sawdust and steam, the sound of a fresh blade hissing in the cut... Does it get any better than this? I doubt it! Did I ever mention that I really, REALLY like what I do?

clww · January 16, 2013, 08:47:24 PM

Great photos.

rooster 58 · January 16, 2013, 08:52:56 PM

Looks like working in paradise! All iced up here in northern Pa. ;D

slider · January 16, 2013, 09:04:21 PM

Go on and tell them,It' been in the seventy's here all month.

AdamT · January 16, 2013, 09:19:37 PM

Those photos are beautiful!

WDH · January 16, 2013, 09:21:05 PM

The scene was very nicely captured!

fishpharmer · January 16, 2013, 10:02:06 PM

Nomad, thanks for pictures, I can almost smell the pine sawdust ;). The widely spaced trees in what appears to be pasture looks like they are practicing silvopasture?

Magicman · January 16, 2013, 10:11:22 PM

Gotta love it.

Meadows Miller · January 17, 2013, 04:46:06 AM

Awesome Pics and its great being able to make a living doing something you love to do aint it Mate

;) ;D ;D 8)

sigidi · January 17, 2013, 05:58:42 AM

and y'all never 'work' a day in ya life again

Jemclimber · January 17, 2013, 06:26:41 AM

Nice pictures!! To be able to wake up everyday and enjoy what you do to make a living is truly a blessing that very very few people have.

Norm · January 17, 2013, 07:32:55 AM

Great pictures Nomad, thanks for sharing them.

Magicman · January 17, 2013, 08:31:31 AM

Early mornings before the work begins can be pleasant.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · January 17, 2013, 08:48:02 AM

A change of scenery every now and again has got to make sawing more enjoyable. I see the same old barn wall everyday. :(

rooster 58 · January 17, 2013, 08:54:05 AM

Hey magicman, didya try to catch a bass or two before firing up the mill?

Magicman · January 17, 2013, 03:21:30 PM

No, but I did watch several boats with bass fishermen pass by during the day.

rooster 58 · January 17, 2013, 03:35:50 PM

;D I sure wouldn't mind experiencing some of that southern bass fishing I hear about

Nomad · January 17, 2013, 06:26:05 PM

Quote from: fishpharmer on January 16, 2013, 10:02:06 PM
Nomad, thanks for pictures, I can almost smell the pine sawdust ;). The widely spaced trees in what appears to be pasture looks like they are practicing silvopasture?

Fish, I dunno what it's called but most of their pastures are treed like this. (It's a good size place.) There's a sporting clay shooting range at the back of the ranch. This particular pasture is being converted into a world-class motocross track and an RV campground. The track is already being ridden, but by invitation only. The campground is still in progress. That's why I had a few hundred more trees to slice up. The upside is the critters are now all in other pastures, so I don't have "cow exhaust" from curious cattle to deal with this time.

rooster 58 · January 17, 2013, 08:35:33 PM

Gotta watch that cow exhaust. I hear it's really tuff on blades :D :D :D :D :D :D

paul case · January 18, 2013, 09:33:47 AM

''.... Meanwhile back at the case ranch....''

2-11-11 snowstorm. We had record hot record cold and record snowfall all in 1 week.

Much nicer lately even though temps have been below freezing for highs 3 or 4 days per week so far this month, we dodged a possibility for a freezing rain and snow event that could have us under 6'' of snow or an inch of ice.

Nomad,
Did they doze out the clear and just leave those trees? If that had been done any length of time ago here in OK the trees would be sprouting lower limbs all over the place.

PC

drobertson · January 18, 2013, 10:33:51 AM

Nice pics nomad, no doubt about it, I am ready for spring already, even though I know it means most likely another hot summer.

Clean Image · January 18, 2013, 11:16:12 AM

Great shots Nomad and your descriptive helped put us there too.

Every time I return to work on the property in Washington I feel the same way...man it's great to be back on the ranch!

Couple of shots from the last few days, first one shows the garage going up in the background. And don't let that sunshine fool you...its been 17 degs at night so the ground and the logs are fairly frozen.
Still wouldn't trade a week of sun in Seattle for all the sunshine in Maui, told my wife I'm so stinking happy I could cry (just not in front of the guys though) :D

fishpharmer · January 18, 2013, 12:29:14 PM

Paul Case is practicing shiverpasture ;) :D.

Nomad · January 18, 2013, 06:15:26 PM

This is a fairly mature stand of slash pine. They've been culling trees for years to give more spacing as the trees get older. The owner says this spacing is called "plantation spacing," meaning at least 50' between trees. It's actually a bit more than that. He's big into forestry as well as cattle, so he ought to know what he's talking about. He sure knows a lot more about growing trees than I do! :

beenthere · January 18, 2013, 06:26:55 PM

I'm curious about the forestry plans. Seems the trees are maybe left for some shade for the cattle.

Is the plus side of the forestry equation that they are putting on very good growth rings and thus lots of wood volume being that size? And what about new trees to replace those that are being cut? What is in the plan?