Bee Ash

[Cowboy Billy]

Monday we had a big wind storm. I noticed a truck drive slowly past my place. Which I noticed since its 55mph in front of my house and most care are driving much faster than that. I see the truck stop then back into my drive. I walk to the window to see whats up as he pulls out. Then I look down the road and see its blocked by a big ash that blew over.

So I get my saw gassed up get into the big kubota and head down to get it off the road. The part on the road is still hinged on the tree 12 feet up. A guy from the county road commission was already there and had cut one lane open and was directing traffic. So I park infront of it and get out. Wow bee's were buzzing around my head and swarming around the tree. I thought at the time it was 36" across but when I went back the next day it had to be 44 to 50" across. And hollow for the 12 feet standing and full of honey comb and bees.

I talked to the road guy. And we decided it would be best not to cut anymore and just push it off the road with the tractor. So he stopped traffic and I pushed it off then back bladed all the broken branches off the road. And we both got out of there.

The next morning I see a semi dump with a rock box go by. So I go down to take some pictures and talk to the guys.

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Some of the bees and honeycomb in a broke off branch.

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I told them if they wanted they could dump anything without bees in my yard and save the county some money from dump fees and fuel hauling. He said they were driving a loader out from Adrian 20 miles away and when he got there show him where to dump it. He said they were going to cut it kinda big. And I replied saying not to bother cutting any smaller than you need to move it that way I can cut it to the size I want.

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I think my grapple bucket is great but this one is awesome

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So I ended up with a nice pile of ash hauled to my house for free and just a little time helping out.

BIlly

 

[thewoodlands]

That is a nice size tree Billy, that will make for some nice fires. Always big equipment in your pics, nice.

zap

 

[Cowboy Billy]

Thanks Zap I was glad to get it. Its nice to see that big stuff but running it costs a lot.

 

[jackatc1]

What happened, to the honey?

 

[jeff_t]

I got some honey out of a big hollow oak, but it was in the middle of the winter. Sweetest I've ever had. My kids got a kick out of it.

If that's a funny looking Volvo pulling that rock box, I used to drive it. My former employer sold it to LCRC. Actually, I think they bought it at the bank auction ....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Great pictures Billy. Great that you got the wood too. I hope you got some honeycomb or else got hold of someone who has bees.

 

[ScotO]

Yeah, Billy where did the honecomb end up? Thats what I'M talking about! Nice load of firewood, too!

 

[leaddog]

It's good that the wind took it down and someone didn't try with a saw. as big as it was and as hollow it could have given a big surprise to some one. I'm surprised that the bees made it as most wild bees don't make it with the disease these days.
And I know about how expensive it is to run that big stuff as I have a 120 cat ex, 4520asv , and a 175b 5yarder loader that I'm working with on my lake. Those big desiels can really drink that juice.
leaddog

 

[Cowboy Billy]

Hi Jackatc1.
Its still in and around the stump. When I drove by there were bees still buzzing around it.

Howdy Jeff
I didn't pay much attention to the tractor but I think it was yellow and it had a red rock box.

Hi Dennis
The tree wasn't on my property and I don't know them. So I wouldn't feel right giving it away or taking any. I would not have taken the tree without permission of the property owner. But since the county was just going to haul it away I was happy to get it from them.

Hi Scott
If I wasn't afraid of bees I would have ask the property owners for some. My brother came over two days ago chasing parts and fixing tractor and trying to find pars for obsolete planter.

Howdy Leaddog
No doubt about that! Iit would have been a bad situation!! I am in the same boat as far as diesel usage too. I used almost $4000 in fuel last year. I have a tank at the farm and if I buy at least 150 gallons of off road at a time I have been getting for .20 to .30 cents a gallon less than on road. But it seems to me they have really cheapened up the fuel. It seemed to me I am only getting half the work done for the same amount of fuel I was using two years ago. My brother and I bought a centrifuge and are going to clean our old motor oil and add it to the diesel to bring the btu content back up. With the new USLD fuel the processing takes out all the lubrication so I need oil added to the fuel to keep eating up my injector pumps.

Billy