Excavator Farm Cleanup: Clearing Trees and Preparing for Burn Piles

Project Kickoff and Site Assessment

• 🚜 The excavator, an "Old 220" (likely a new 220), is brought to a farm for a cleanup project that has been pending for a month.
• 🌳 The primary task is to clear a significant number of gum trees and other overgrowth from an area previously cleared for a cabin in the woods.
• 🪵 The plan involves piling up the cleared debris, including larger logs, for a large burn pile in a designated field.

Tree Removal and Debris Management

• 🌲 The process begins with removing branches to allow for chainsaw work and separating larger logs for cutting.
• ⚠️ Operations near a power line require caution, with careful maneuvering to drop trees away from it.
• 🪵 Some larger logs are cut to size for hauling, while the majority of the material is destined for the burn pile.
• 🌿 Dealing with extensive vines and poison ivy on the trees adds significant extra work to the cleanup.

Equipment and Operational Challenges

• 🔧 The operator notes the need for a stumper attachment for easier tree removal, which is expected the following day.
• 💨 The cold weather affects equipment, with grease not pumping properly and requiring manual scooping.
• 🚚 A dump truck without a tailgate is used for hauling brush, ideal for clearing projects.
• 🛠️ An older dump truck, "Barney," is started after sitting for over a month, highlighting the reliability of older vehicles compared to newer ones with complex electronics.

Burn Pile Preparation and Shop Projects

• 🔥 A suitable location for the burn pile is identified, away from buildings but close enough to minimize transport distance.
• 🪵 Logs are cut to size, and brush is loaded into the dump truck for transport to the burn pile.
• ⚡ Meanwhile, in the shop, a mini-split unit is installed, and a large steel shop table is being fabricated.
• 💡 The goal is to clear as much debris as possible before an anticipated snowstorm, with the intention to burn the pile later when conditions are safer.