The Monster Tree of Goose Creek
We hadn't planned originally to take out the biggest walnut--just to take out the big fork in it with the weak crotch left of Craig, the Treeman here. But it turns out, there was a reason the red squirrels liked that tree so much: there was rot in the center of it just above Craig's head. And if we intended to expand our garden (now that we had more access to summer sky with the smaller walnuts removed) the big one would have to go too. As you may know, walnut parts (including roots) contain a compound that is toxic and inhibits the growth of competing plants (like Silver Queen, BetterBoy and Kentucky Wonder!)
Craig and Bill are coming back in a couple of days to carry away the largest pieces. Bill makes custom furniture and capitalizes on the odd forks, irregularities and gnarled qualities of larger, older, imperfect trees. He has a five foot saw (that he brings to the site) that will plank right through the crotch of this one to make a Y-shaped solid wood table top with this tree's wizened grain and character. Wish we could afford to buy it when it's made, or even had a place for such in this smallish house. Instead, I'll barter him the wood for one of his Adirondack chairs--out of locust, if he has it--so it will take the weather should I leave it out under the stars.
It was a big job. But Craig was just happy I didn't want to take out the gargantuan maple behind him! Can you imagine how big a saw THAT would take!?
(I grinned when I first saw this image yesterday. Because of the way the picture was taken, the viewer has no idea of how much distance is between the two trees; the eye puts them on the same plane relative to the viewer and judges size based on known objects like Craig and the ladder. Yep, now that's a tree!)
Comments
I kept thinking there was a bizarre quality to that photo. Craig almost looks super-imposed, but I know you don't "play" with your photos. I just chalked up that monster tree to the overall better growing conditions there (I'm in the state of Nebraska, the state with no native trees. Arbor day was invented here!)
Posted by: Rosalie | January 21, 2005 9:44 AM
Cutting just part of the tree reminds me of the family pet pig... with one ear and three legs... It's hard to kill a good hog all at once. I seldom comment, but I read you daily.
Posted by: Mason Dixon | January 21, 2005 8:44 PM
I have power lines runing across the back of my yard- every few years the electric company comes through & chops, willy-nilly, the tree limbs encroaching on the lines. They were here in December & left 10 foot high tree stumps which look terrible. I had thought about having my lawn man just cut them all down when I found information from the National Wildlife Federation about tree snags which provide a habitat for wildlife. They say that different species use different parts of the tree snags & nearly every part of a dead tree is utilized. So I think I will just wait & observe the situation. One of the trees they chopped off was one that I had a black swallowtail butterfly chrysalis overwinter last year. I am passionate about my butterflies and want to preserve their habitat!
Posted by: Dottie | January 22, 2005 12:37 AM