OT: Lots of shop firewood

Back in late July, lightning killed these 2 big poplars next to the pond and near the house.
In the last 36 years we have lived here, these trees have been struck numerous times, probably 15 to 20 times. This was a huge strike and split the biggest one to the ground.
Priced getting someone to top them so I could pull them down without hitting the house. Had to get it done before rot and ice and snow hits.
Did not want to pay what I was quoted. Thursday morning, a power company truck showed up with a contractor and said they would top them for free since one could hit the line going to the house.
Crew showed up about 2:30 with a bucket truck and a chipping truck. By 5:00 this it what it looked like. Not only topped them, but cut the trees down, chipped all the limbs and raked up the trash.
The biggest stump was where I put one nail in to hold up a wooden box 36 years ago to put a hand pump on to get water out of the spring to mix mortar for house foundation and pillar construction. Of course they found that one nail with a chainsaw.
I gave them all some of our homemade sorghum syrup. They were happy. I am happy.
Some pics. The first is about a year or two ago. The last one from my back door.
I am a very lucky man.
Richard in NW SC

you are favored. for the service wire to the house most utilities will take the wire down so you can cut the tree and then they will reconnect the wire. far cheaper for the utility to replace the wire than to do the amount of work they did. when i was superintendent i kept those crews trimming main line row's trees that endanger a whole lot of customers.

Now if you cut and split let it set for a yr it will be ready to burn.

Nice when someone is generous like that, and is ok without any consequences on their end for doing so. I've had good experiences with the power company forestry contractors locally, usually the same people too.

I have an old poplar that got nailed about 1:30am April 27 2011, somehow I remember these things, some odd ball weather system came in that night woke me up, and I saw the bolt that hit this tree, some 300+ yards away. Its somewhat rare to have lightning around that time of year, really strange event in my memory. It was a one of too, as I don't recall any other strikes from it. It came in from a branch 2/3 or a little more up the trunk, it blew out chards the size of 2x4 and or a little bigger. I found pieces 100 yards away. The power of the electricity is one thing, its the wooden shrapnel that we may forget, if you were any where 180 degrees from the face of that strike, it would be likely you would have been killed or seriously injured.

Poplar burns fast but still makes heat, I use it but never too much at any one time, great kindling, and or to boost a fire if your wood has some moisture, and the poplar is dry.

i took a group grown together 40 ft high down they were in the shoulder of the road on top of a telephone box and power lines across the road 600 cash check might have been higher nobody even thanked me your lucky but i got plenty of firewood

I let these guys park there equipment on my place when they are in this area and my son has let them park on his farm when they are closer to him. They are very appreciative for having a safe place to put stuff off the road.
As for the poplar burning, once I split it, I put a piece or two on a hot fire, it does not take long for it to start burning. If it will fit through the heater door, it gets burned.
Richard

I agree 100%. Can see why you would want the wood.

Billy, my old plant physiology professor at Clemson U told us back in the 70's in class that the reason trees explode when lightning strikes is it turns the water in the tree to steam.
My grandma born in 1894 said when she was little, a little girl from the next farm was visiting. A storm was coming and she was running home and lightning struck her. They ran out and when they picked her up, it was like every bone in her body had turned to powder.
It is some powerful stuff.
Richard

Some guys just live right!

Hmmmm..... I got a drought killed hickory in the field I've been meaning to drop. I haven't yet because it is so close to the power line. I wonder if I told Ameren about it if'n they'd do the same for me?

I haven't had that kind of cooperation with my power company. Have some huge pines that are dead and leaning towards the lines feeding the farm. Asked them to top the trees so I could take them down - NO. Asked them to turn off my power and drop the lines for an hour so I could cut them - NO.
I offered them the chance to only have only me out of power for an hour or less, on a nice day/time of their choice, while I cut all the threatening trees. They said they would rather just deal with the outages when they happen.
Has happened four times so far. Takes out half a mile of lines and power to lots of people when it does. Four more to go...
Scott

Three Rivers came by this summer and took down 5 trees. They hire Hentges tree service to do the work. Ameren isn't quite as helpful. I never did find out who the helicopter tree trimmer was working for (sat at the airport in Eldon for a few evenings)


Tommy