Protecting homes and maintaining the landscape sometimes means cutting down trees.
I always feel badly when trees are cut down. Trees are important to our environment - they are the world’s single largest source of breathable oxygen. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and potentially harmful gasses, and they create an ecosystem to provide needed habitat and food for birds and other animals. However, occasionally trees need to be removed. I had two very tall larch trees outside my Summer House that were not doing well and for safety reasons had to be cut down. The crew from The Arborist in Bedford Hills, New York carefully severed each section of tree in 12-foot lengths until they were both down to stumps. Fortunately, the large logs can be milled into usable boards and repurposed for another project.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I never like to see trees come down, but the two larch trees had been in decline for some time.
The Arborist crew came with their own equipment including a crane that could reach the top of the trees easily and efficiently.
The crew prepares the crane so it is level on the ground and very secure. This is called an outrigger, which is an extendable support that adds stability to the crane during lifting operations.
This crane sling is used to tie around the top of the section to be cut. The sling is designed to handle the full weight of the log until it is safely lowered to the ground.
After all the branches are manually removed, the operator is carefully hoisted up the tree again to start cutting it down. Each 12 to 14 foot long section of tree is cut by chainsaw. The section to be cut is secured and the crane holds it taut, so that it is lifted upwards as soon as it is completely separated from the rest of the tree.
The first section of this tree is removed and carried by crane to the designated open area below.
Thankfully this day was not too windy and the section was brought down smoothly.
Once the tree section nears the ground, crew members remove the strap. This piece will go straight into the chipper – the top of the tree is too narrow to make into usable wooden planks, so it will be chipped and used for ground cover.
Any branches are cut off with a chainsaw and put through the chipper also.
Ray, the arborist, secures the sling to the top and then works his way downward to cut off the next section. Arborists wear climbing spurs designed with spikes to ascend trees by penetrating the tree trunk.
Here is another section of tree on its way down. The crane is maneuvered a good distance from any other trees, structures, or people.
Crew members remain on the ground to guide the log as it is lowered.
And another section comes down.
The logs are then taken to my back compost field where they will be milled into two-inch thick boards that will be used in a future building project – nothing is wasted.
Here is what is left after the tree is completely removed. They were able to save my climbing hydrangea too! The entire area looks different, but also very nice.
I also asked the crew to prune some of the surrounding maples and magnolias.
The job is done from the safety of a lift bucket. From here the arborist can reach high branches and prune while a crew catches the debris below.
Branches closer to the ground are cut with a telescopic long reach pruner.
The crew is very tidy and quick to pick up the cut branches.
I think these trees were pruned very nicely.
If trees need to be removed, make sure it is done by professionals who can get the task completed quickly and safely. Thanks The Arborist!
Every year around this time my farm undergoes a great transformation. It's when all the precious boxwood shrubs and hedges are covered with burlap.
I am a big supporter of "burlapping" shrubbery for the cold season. Burlap casings protect the tender branches from splaying and breaking under heavy ice and snow while shielding the foliage from strong winds. Burlap is more effective than plastic because it allows air to circulate through the plants. It is a practice I've followed for many years, and I think it also provides a cozy and pretty look to the winter landscape. Last week, the crew built the framing for the biggest part of this project - my long Boxwood Allée.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I have hundreds of boxwood shrubs, Buxus, growing on my property. I use boxwood in borders and hedges, as privacy screens, as accent plants in my formal gardens, and of course in the long allée to my stable. Just before it gets really cold, my outdoor grounds crew begins the process of covering all the boxwood with burlap to protect them from the winter elements.
These pipes, which I keep organized in a back field where I store other supplies, are made from rolled galvanized 16 gauge industrial tubing. They are actually the metal parts of greenhouse hoop houses.
A few years ago, I came up with the idea to also use them for the burlap framing. In all, hundreds of ground stakes, purlin pipes, connectors, nuts, and bolts are used for the project.
To start, pieces are placed along the allée in a production line process.
As with many projects at the farm, preparation is key. Here, Alex and Phurba secure twine at one end to provide a straight guide for the pipe placement.
Alex checks several times to make sure the twine runs straight down the allée. These boxwood shrubs grow a lot every year, so the measurement and placement are always different.
Next, Alex pounds the ground pipes into the soil as Phurba holds the wood to protect the pipe from any damage.
Alex is young and strong – it only takes a few hits to get it about a foot deep into the ground.
The ground pipes are installed every four feet along the allée. These hollow pipes will anchor the supports.
These are 10-foot wide bow sections – they will last quite a while and give the boxwood a lot of room to grow. Building the frame at least a foot taller than the majority of the boxwood protects any heavy snow from weighing down onto the tender foliage.
Phurba carries one of the bow sections to its designated location.
Working in pairs, these bow sections are positioned on both sides of the boxwood.
Here’s Pasang on the pother side securing the end of the bow pipe section.
Each end of the bow piece is then checked to make sure they are secure and straight.
The boxwood has grown quite a bit in the last couple of years, but there is still room under the framing to accommodate more growth.
Long center pieces support the perpendicular bow sections.
Holding the center piece in place are these tension purlin brackets. They connect the center piping to the bow sections.
Pete fastens one pair of purlins to the bow section at the center peak.
And then small pieces of wood are pounded into the ground next to each steel ground stake. These short wooden pieces provide points at which the burlap can be secured.
Constructing the frame for the burlap takes several days, but the process is well worth the effort. Any snow that accumulates on top of the finished structures will slide down the sides. This boxwood allée will be fed one more time and then enveloped in burlap for the season.
One doesn't have to travel abroad to appreciate Mother Nature - there's so much beauty right here in the United States.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, my daughter Alexis, her children Jude and Truman, our friend Ari Katz, and I spent five days in Canyon Point, Utah at the secluded Amangiri resort. Amangiri spans more than 900-acres of stunning desert landscape where one can see ancient mesas and rock formations, pristine lakes, and awe-inspiring views. We saw so much during our guided hikes, trail rides, and climbing expeditions.
I hope you saw my photos on @marthastewart48. Here are some more, enjoy.
On this day, our Navajo guide led us through three distinct canyons – Upper Antelope Canyon, Rattlesnake Canyon, and Owl Canyon. Upper Antelope Canyon is located in Page, Arizona and is a breathtaking slot-canyon loved for its extraordinary sandstone formations.
This canyon is also know for the breathtaking beams of light that illuminate the walls. The canyon is part of the Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park.
The light shows through the passages during midday creating beautiful photos for visitors – and all of it completely natural.
Rattlesnake Canyon is part of the larger Antelope Canyon system. Although Rattlesnake is a lesser known slot-canyon, it is also stunning to see with all its shapely sandstone walls and natural light streams.
Its name, Rattlesnake Canyon, refers to its many sinuous paths. And while slot-canyons are found in many parts of the world, where rainfall is low, some of the best are in the Southwestern United States.
This is a view of Stud Horse Mesa. It is characterized by a narrow promontory that overlooks Lake Powell.
These are stacked boulders by Cabin Trail, or the Wall-E Rock at Amangiri.
On another part of the trip, we enjoyed a trail ride. This is Long Canyon. Here I am riding through the area on my trusted foxtrotter mare, Sadie.
Long Canyon is a slot-canyon known for its towering red rock formations and views.
This is called a petroglyph, which is made by carving directly on the rock surface exposing the lighter colored rock underneath. Petroglyphs date back thousands of years. They have been found in all parts of the world except Antarctica. Creating these rock engravings decreased largely after the introduction of other precursors of writing systems and storytelling art forms.
The Hoodoo Trail at Amangiri is its most extensive. It features three trailheads and a circuit hike of approximately 3.5 miles. Among the sites are free-standing sandstone towers known as hoodoos. From here, we also saw ancient sand dunes, and spectacular vistas of the region.
Lake Powell is so pristine with its turquoise waters. It measures more than 400-feet deep and 186-miles long. This man-made lake and reservoir is home to many animals including herons, eagles, and fish.
Lake Powell was formed by the flooding of Glen Canyon near the Glen Canyon Dam and was finished in 1963.
Tower Butte is a 5,287-foot sandstone summit located south of Lake Powell, in northern Arizona on Navajo Nation land. It is known for the stunning panoramic views of its surrounding landscapes.
Cookie Jar Butte is another prominent tower located on the north shore of Lake Powell. It has an elevation of 4,311 feet.
During our five hour long visit to the lake, we saw this beautiful heron, a long-legged wading bird characterized by its S-shaped neck which helps in catching its prey from a standstill.
A heron’s wings are long and broad, allowing them the necessary lift for strong and fast flight. The wingspan of a Great Blue Heron can reach more than six feet.
The summit of Padres Butte at Lake Powell is about 4000 feet. It was formerly an island in the lake, but now with lake waters declining, land has exposed its connection to the rest of Padre Point.
This is the Cave Peak Stairway of Via Ferrata at Amangiri. It is a 400-foot high ladder that spans 200-feet. It is currently the longest aerial stairway in the northern hemisphere. The hike from the Via Ferrata trail to this stairway is about three hours – we saw so much during our tours.
And here is a photo I captured of a crescent moon, which is one of the phases of the moon where less than half of the moon’s surface is illuminated by the sun, making it look thin and curved. Amangiri kept us all very busy during our short trip – a different, but very memorable and interesting holiday excursion. I am especially thankful for the natural beauty that surrounds us here in the US – so many treasures that must be preserved.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
