I'm Knot Kidding: It was a "Bring Your Own Chainsaw" Event

Over the last year, we have made tremendous friends with a few families here in Sullivan County. When it came time to take down an 80+ year-old pine tree that was literally overshadowing our front yard's and house's beauty, it was a group effort and our friends did not hesitate to rise to the challenge. Before you think that this was an impulsive decision, I will state for the record that we came to this decision based on a number of factors:

  1. The quote for removal by a professional tree service = $6,000 😱
  2. Removal of tree was not necessarily immediate BUT it would affect the amount of sun we would need for a future orchard
  3. The number of branches falling onto the driveway creating a muddy mess after every storm was annoying
  4. At least one or two of these branches were definitely widow or widower- makers that we were not taking the chance on
So, we put on our thinking caps and called on our friends with expertise: one is a structural engineer and the other has the larger power tools we would need. Equations were calculated, special apps were downloaded, special rulers were ordered, and plans were in place. We were missing a 30-inch chainsaw BUT our contractor came through and let us borrow his! 

The day arrived, the bagels were spread with cream cheese, and the sandwiches were ordered for lunch. We had the tools and the sustenance. Would we have the will? The short answer is YES and our friends ROCK. The amount of gratitude Matt and I have for them cannot be captured in a blog post. 

Lessons Learned/Reinforced:
  • Friends are amazing
  • Renting a chainsaw is near impossible
  • Don't buy a wood chipper, just rent it (no maintenance, no problem)
  • Wear your chainsaw protection
  • Keep a first aid kit nearby
large pine tree with people preparing to cut it down around it

A picture of the pine tree down on the ground

Cut up pieces of the pine tree trunk on the lawn






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