Yesterday, a wicked storm ripped through our township. It blew in like a freight train and moved out just as fast. My wind meter registered 71 mph just before it was torn from it's post. It took down many trees, power poles and lines throughout our township (20 miles square) and caused two house fires as well as causing power outages across the county until late this morning. When I called a small local tree service located across the road from my station, they responded within an hour to assess the situation and offer a quote . Now you would think that a tree service would come out with at least, medium duty truck equipment or greater, right?
Nope, not this time. They came in with a 85 F350 460 with a dump bed insert and a chipper in-tow ! Within 3 hours, two guys with chainsaws, had the bulk of the mess cleaned up in 85 degree heat, only leaving stumps behind to grind out tomorrow. While they were working, numerous people pulled in my drive to ask them if they could take care of their downed trees. The tree service secured 6 more jobs while working in our yard. The owner was so grateful, he knocked $150 off of my bill which totaled out at $450.00. I had contacted 3 other services and they were all at $700 and higher. When he saw my 84...it sparked a whole conversation about his choke issue on his 460 which i think we sorted out with a minor adjustment. It is, indeed...... a small world.

 

Gettin' 'er done old school! I like it.

 

Cool . Hope all you had was tree damage.

 

That truck didn't squat but an inch or two with a full chip load!

 

It never touched the house thankfully...just the three trees. I think they served as a wind break for the house.

 

Can't tell from my phone, what kind of tree (was) that, Linden/Basswood maybe?

 

All three were Flowering Pear trees..non-fruit bearing at 25' high each. The fourth (not pictured) is a Cleveland Maple at 35' + , which was only slightly damaged. My neighbor's 200 year old oak was layed down, roots and all at about a 20' circumference around the trunk..... Like it was lifted out, roots and all and layed on it's side. Unbelievable.

 

Pear would be excellent in a smoker. Always tough to lose a tree, but save some of the chips!