September 11, 2017

A New Home for the Sawmill

Dan's sawmill has a new home. Yes, we still have it, but it's been stationed in our driveway since he bought it last spring. There's enough room behind the house to accommodate the sawmill plus our vehicles, but it's still been somewhat in the way when Dan is working on lumber. Because all our trees come from down in our woods, it seemed like a good idea to relocate the sawmill closer to the source. It's new home is the doe browse.

Here it is in its new home (labeled "browse #2 on our Master Plan).

I admit it's not much of a browse anymore. First the goats took out all the greenery they wanted, and then Dan had to deal with numerous fallen pine trees.

The oldest trees in our woods are pines, a pioneer species.
We've had a lot of them fall, often smashing fences like above.

So between the goats, those old pines being dragged up the hill,

Pine tree on the left uprooted and toppled. All of these
trees are being used for timbers and lumber for the barn.

and my branch and debris clean-up, we've pretty much cleared the browse out. Because of that, it seemed like a good place to set up the sawmill. It will be easier to transport the finished lumber rather than whole logs.


Eventually we'll have all the pines pretty much cleared out. In fact, heavy rain and wind from Irma are forecast to hit us today, so we may find a lot more downed trees once the storm passes through. The browse is already sunnier in the places the pines have fallen or Dan has taken them out. In those areas the young hardwoods are beginning to branch out and thrive.

Goat snoopervision. Planks on the right are for the hayloft.

Eventually the browse will become silvopasture, although that's likely a few years down the road.

11 comments:

Goatldi said...

Envy you your sawmill. We have a lot of trees oaks and pines on the property. Would have been great to have had a opportunity to use some of that in lumber. But we do have a copious amount of firewood stacked.

I will look forward to seeing the finished product standing and love seeing all the local contractors lined up at the job site. ;-)

Be safe in the storm and let us know you are both safe along with the rest of the crew.

Ed said...

If I had a sawmill set up in my back yard, I would end up with a building made from solid oak since so many of them died a few years back due to stress and oak wilt disease.

Leigh said...

Thanks Goatldi! It's so nice having a lot of trees available. We are forecast to have 40 MPH winds from Irma this afternoon, so I'm guessing we'll have a number more pine trees topple.

Ed, that would be a wonderful use for those dead oaks! Think of all the things you could build from oak if you had your own sawmill. :)

Susan said...

Good thinking! That is one great sawmill. I hope you don't get too much wind - some downed trees are one thing, a whole bunch is another. Hoping you don't sustain too much damage.

Caroline J. Baines said...

Leigh, I hope Irma is kind to you. We got home to a mess but the house is still standing. No power and a tree at the widowmaker stage in the backyard, but it could have been much worse if she'd hit us as a cat 4/5 as predicted. God is good!

Chris said...

I see the goats are supervising again! At least they'll have a safe place in the barn, to shelter from the forecast winds. I hope anything which falls, does so somewhere useful. Take care you guys. :)

Leigh said...

Susan, it's still raining this morning doesn't seem as windy, so after it gets light we'll have a better idea. Lots of downed branches in the yard yesterday, but it was way too windy to venture into the woods. I was able to keep an eye on the sawmill from the goat barn and know it's safe. Only lost power for a short time yesterday, so I think we've done pretty well!

Caroline, I am so glad things weren't worse for you! Hopefully you'll have power back soon.

Chris, goats are snoopy creatures, LOL. As soon as Dan fires up the mill, however, they take off for quieter surroundings. :)

M.K. said...

Isn't it nice to move things into their best location? Looking at your master plan, you have such a nice set-up. Good work! I know all that hauling is really hard work.

Leigh said...

M.K. yes, and sometimes it's interesting finding that best location. The master plan took a lot of thought and discussion, I think because of the odd shape of our land. We're still fine tuning! One of these days I'll share an updated one.

Donna OShaughnessy said...

A sawmill. My husband would give his kingdom for one. How we hate traveling 45 minutes for substandard lumber at Menards but for now, it's what we do when not repurposing all that we can. At least here we can burn all the smaller wood in our rocket mass stove. Feels productive in winter time.

Leigh said...

Donna that sawmill has so been worth the investment. It's already paid for itself! And the lumber is such better quality than the big box store, even if it is untreated.