Dealing WIth Hung Up Trees

If you read some of the articles in this blog site, you'll know that I like to use videos and pictures wherever possible, but I've also wanted to try out something with audio too. So, here's a 5 minute podcast about dealing with hung-up trees. It's just a trial, rather than a full program but I'd like your feedback. Find out more after the jump...

This short podcast aims to take you through dealing with hung-up trees. It's only 5 minutes long and that's not enough time to try and fit in every possibility, but it's hopefully long enough to get an idea of what I'm trying to do.

I'd be grateful for your feedback - is this sort of thing useful to you? As it's an MP3 file it could sit on your iPod nestled between Shania Twain and Leonard Cohen!

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Welcome To Sawpod.

You may have noticed a new logo that has recently appeared on the right-hand side of the page; and I'd like to extend a warm welcome to... Sawpod. Find out more after the jump...

A little while ago I did a review of the highly recommended "Sawpod", used to safely carry a pruning saw when climbing (but just as useful when on the ground).

The sawpod was designed by Tony Darbyshire, who actually taught me how to climb and safely use a chainsaw in the trees. As well as training, assessing, designing useful bits of climbing equipment, he's also a registered LOLER inspector and judges at various tree-climbing events. In fact, when it comes to climbing, he truly is half-man / half-monkey ;-)

So, I hope you'll welcome Tony and the Sawpod, and check out his site (after you've finished reading this one, if you please!).

Related link: Check out the Sawpod.

Bath & West Show (pt 2)

Well, I've just got back after five days at the Bath & West Show at Shepton Mallet (UK) and it was full of adventure! Find out more after the jump...

The best part of the show for me was getting the trees setup for the dismantling demonstration that I was doing - having felled the trees in the woodland area, we then had to get them to the arena where we were demonstrating. Unfortunately for me, the fork lift that had been promised never materialised and so plan B was put in to action... use the Land Rover. The trusty Land Rover proved to be not so trusty after all and could not manage to pull the tree out.

Clearly a plan C was called for, and off I went in search of a heavy horse - enter stage right "Middleton Major", a shire horse who stands 18 hands high and his handler Charles. Now I had never seen a heavy at [real] work, as opposed to dragging bits of wood around at a show - and what an amazing privilege it was to see "Major" doing his stuff.

To be truthful, even "Major" couldn't shift the tree and Charles suggested that we take a couple of the branches off from the lower part of the stem. I must admit, I was slightly reluctant to use the saw as the tree was chained to the log arch that "Major" was harnessed in to; I was using a chainsaw within touching distance of a heavy horse (if I had put my hand out I would have been touching his tail). I needn't have worried.

With the branches off, "Major" pulled the tree (and Charles) straight out of the wood and in to the arena.

The heavy horse had succeeded where the fork lift and Land Rover had failed.

Weather

Unfortunately for those staying at the showground, Thursday night the heavens opened and torrential rain saw flooding around Somerset and that included the showground - I've put a little bit of video footage up for you to watch (2 minutes)...



Apart from that, the tree dismantling demonstrations went well and the rain held off for the rest of the show - although it was touch-and-go at one point.