# Just about made me sick



## Final Strut (May 13, 2015)

Last night after I dropped my son off at lacrosse practice I decided to take a drive over to the stump dump. As I drew near the area where the tree trimmers dump off the larger logs and such I immediately saw what I thought was a dreaded firewood cutter. As I pulled up to the pile my suspicions were confirmed. There he was with his shiny new Stihl adorned with his chaps and face shield gleefully cutting away at, (Oh my gosh it couldn't be), a 24" x 14' FBE log. I think I threw up in my mouth a little when I realized the treachery he was unleashing on that poor defenseless log that seemed to be crying out to me "save me please". This is the first time in two years that I had seen such a glorious sight at this local stump dump only to sorrowfully realize that there was no saving her. 

As I slowly pulled my defeated soul from my car to assess the rest of the log pile I couldn't believe my eyes. The entire pile of logs was Box Elder and Black Walnut with a smattering of small 8" maple that seemed to muttering something to the effect of "why did they have to take us so young? We could have grown to something so majestic and beautiful." This all was such a sight for my now bulging eyes. I had never seen such a bounteous offering at this location. All the while I looked over the millions of pen and game call blanks and scads of bowl blanks, that nasty old firewood cutter kept passing glances at me as if to say "dream all you want wood boy, this will all be reduced to a mere pile of ash by this time next year".

I began to plan out the rescue mission in my head. After my son was done with practice we would scurry home to swap vehicles with my wife before she went to work so that I could return with my mighty red suburban (AKA the big red short bus) and my trusty trailer to liberate all that I could from the cruel hands of this "firewood cutter". I had no idea how I would load the larger logs but I had to do something. I knew my wife would not be thrilled with the idea but I could not bear the thought of all those wondrous future projects succumbing to the inferno that was planned for them.

When my son finally finished with his practice, after what seemed like an eternity (it was only an hour and a half), I felt the need to take another drive back to the stump dump to see if the "firewood cutter" had finished unleashing his rage on the lowly log pile. When I returned my eyes began to well up in sorrow as I approached what just a short time prior had been a majestic (to me) pile of beauty. The dreaded firewood cutter had managed, in just a short time, to wrangle anything over 10" in diameter leaving just the smaller logs that aspired to be great pillars of beauty, a few butt cuts, and some ant riddled FBE. I could not believe my eyes as I walked through the wake of his wrath. This man was quick and merciless on a well defined mission. 

I looked at my son, who by now began to realize the travesty that had just taken place, and simply said "there is nothing more we can do here son, we should just go". He knew how deeply hurt I was with the thought of all the potential that would now be subjected to a fiery torture chamber to extract a minute amount of BTUs to heat someones house. I was defeated and will not be able to bring myself to return to this horrific site for some time. I still find comfort in knowing that I can come here, to Wood Barter and find my wood fix among friends without the pain and agony that I have experienced at the stump dump.

Really it wasn't that big of a deal but it was pretty cool to see the fbe and walnut there. I have never seen fbe or walnut that size there before. I will probably go back after work today to see if there is anything salvageable that I can throw in the trunk of my car.

If you couldn't tell by now it is a pretty slow day at work this morning.

Reactions: Like 1 | Great Post 9 | Funny 7 | Way Cool 1 | +Karma 1 | Sincere 1


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## pinky (May 13, 2015)

Scott
Don't know what you do for a living but writing should be in your future. You brought the visual of that wood pile to life and I could picture the dastardly wood cutter snickering as he went about his butchery. My wife asked why I was crying. I had to compose myself and just say "I'm not dear, there is just something in my eye".

Reactions: Like 5 | Thank You! 1 | Great Post 2 | Funny 6


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## ripjack13 (May 13, 2015)

I'M NOT CRYING!! I HAVE DUST IN MY EYES.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 3


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## ripjack13 (May 13, 2015)

Should I move this to the "trees to timber" section?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## manbuckwal (May 13, 2015)

I too think u have a future in writing lol . I'm sure @Kevin had a fix for ya .

Reactions: Like 1 | +Karma 1


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## Nature Man (May 13, 2015)

If we had an icon for sadness, I would have punched it about 20 times! How tragic!!! Chuck

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 3


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## Schroedc (May 13, 2015)

I think that guy should have had an "Accident" or his new saw should have just mysteriously malfunctioned.

At our local dump site we had some big maples with pretty good sized burls a guy was feeding into a chipper. I told him what the wood was worth to a turner and showed him what the finished products looked like and he looked at me and shut down the chipper. We got along well after that. Now I get calls when that stuff shows up.

Reactions: Like 4 | Great Post 1 | Way Cool 1


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## Kevin (May 13, 2015)

If it makes you feel any better Scott, There is a humongous FBE on the other side on the other side of one of the barbed wire fences that separates the west side of the 52 acres of my FBE patch from the other landowner on that side, and he doesn't want me removing the tree for him because he says it offers his cows some shade in the summer. It would, but I never seen the damned bovines anywhere near the tree. Don't sweat it Scott, you make good karma in the world and your time is coming . . .

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Final Strut (May 13, 2015)

Schroedc said:


> At our local dump site we had some big maples with pretty good sized burls a guy was feeding into a chipper. I told him what the wood was worth to a turner and showed him what the finished products looked like and he looked at me and shut down the chipper. We got along well after that. Now I get calls when that stuff shows up.



Here all of the brush and smaller limbs go in on pile. As the pile grows the city comes with an end loader and mounds it up. They do that until the pile gets to about 200' in diameter and 30'+ high then they start burning it in a big forced air incinerator. The good stuff all goes in another pile which then becomes a feeding frenzy for the firewood cutters. I actually talked teh guy last night after he got done cutting one of the FBE logs. I told him that that stuff takes for ever to dry so it burns decent and once it is dry you don't get much heat from it (info from my brother who is a wood burner). The guy said he didn't care if it was dry or not that he had an outdoor wood burner that would burn anything. I told him that the red stuff was pretty sought after from a wood working stand point. He said oh yeah, well, if it burns it makes heat and moved on to the next log.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## sprucegum (May 13, 2015)

I am pretty sure if every piece of totally awesome beautiful wood were salvaged the market for it would be destroyed. A great many of the really pretty pieces come from cull logs and trees. I sometimes wonder if I should just make my whole firewood pile into turning blanks and burn more fossil fuel.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Tony (May 13, 2015)

Great story Scott! I think we've all had similar experiences one time or another. I don't know that anyone has ever expressed their feelings so tragically or eloquently though! Tony

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Graybeard (May 14, 2015)

Man, what a shame. The guy obviously didn't have a clue and what's worse he doesn't care. I want what I want when I want it. Wood has one purpose to that guy - heat. He should do like some do around here and burn old tires in their outdoor boiler. The neighbors love him. 

Graybeard

PS You have to get some of Colin's magic and get the yard men to call you ahead of time.


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## Strider (May 15, 2015)

I had to stick a splinter in my leg to feel manly again!

Reactions: Funny 4


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