Projects from Leo's Backyard

[Leo in N E Illinois]

A "non-bonsai" project dropped on the farm. High winds Mon-Tues, knocked a branch from the 250 to 350 year old oak next to the driveway. That is more tree than I can handle, the partners are taking care of it. They had to rent a 40 inch bar chainsaw. I know I'll be schlepping branches to the burn pile for the next year or two. The blue drum is a normal 55 gallon drum, to give you a sense of scale.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

This is why, no matter how pleasant the shade under this oak, I never parked my car under it. It had dropped a branch right after we bought the place in 2015, that clued me in on the problems with parking near an ancient oak. Its a lottery, only two branches have dropped in 5 years, but they were killers. Both times we were lucky, nobody was near it when it happened.

 

[Dav4]

A "non-bonsai" project dropped on the farm. High winds Mon-Tues, knocked a branch from the 250 to 350 year old oak next to the driveway. That is more tree than I can handle, the partners are taking care of it. They had to rent a 40 inch bar chainsaw. I know I'll be schlepping branches to the burn pile for the next year or two. The blue drum is a normal 55 gallon drum, to give you a sense of scale.

View attachment 311510

That's a lot of firewood...

 

[Traken]

Holy cow. I've seen that oak in person and that branch is massive. You're gonna need some really big wire to reshape what's left, Leo. haha

 

[LanceMac10]

Thankfully the trailer was spared!!

 

[MrFancyPlants]

That's a lot of firewood...

That’s not a lot of firewood, this is a lot of firewood:

 

[AlainK]

Courage !

In English, "chin up!", or smthg.

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Wow Leo. Beauty of an oak though! Some natural Shari now!!

 

[bonhe]

This is why, no matter how pleasant the shade under this oak, I never parked my car under it. It had dropped a branch right after we bought the place in 2015, that clued me in on the problems with parking near an ancient oak. Its a lottery, only two branches have dropped in 5 years, but they were killers. Both times we were lucky, nobody was near it when it happened.

It is no kidding at all! However, I still love oak tree.
Thụ Thoại

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Brad in GR and everyone,

This is the oak from 90 degrees (to the north) from where the branch photo was taken. Photo was taken in 2016, so the blue drums are now behind the oak. But it gives you an idea how massive this tree is. I'm guessing 250 to 350 years old, but I would not be surprised, if in the future it gets cut down, if it proved to be much older than 350 years old. 3 adults can not quite get their arms around the tree. It is very, very big. Might be a "champion" for diameter for a Quercus rubra.

***Note: we have absolutely no intention of cutting this tree down. I was merely posing the hypothetical. Once me and the partners paced off the distances to buildings we care about, be realized we can keep it, and will keep it, as it really adds to the "charm" of the entry to the farm.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

The "Boyz" got up to the farm, they are between 25 & 30, but compared to me, a heck of a lot younger and stronger. They made quick work out of the branch. It was ginormous, for a mere branch.



At least 24 inches in diameter, a good 8 feet away from the point it joined the trunk.

 

[Shima]

That’s not a lot of firewood, this is a lot of firewood:View attachment 311523

Must not rain much there.

 

[Mikecheck123]

@Brad in GR and everyone,
Might be a "champion" for diameter for a Quercus rubra.

Here's the Illinois champion stats. The columns are DBH (in.), circumference (feet), height (ft), spread (ft), and total points.

I think this is it: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.641...4!1sheT3Z5BItWvtq0pcbVj6ug!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

 

[AaronThomas]

That’s not a lot of firewood, this is a lot of firewood:

Bahahahhahaahha! And I thought burning 3 cords this winter in Tucson was a lot!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

View attachment 313198

Here's the Illinois champion stats. The columns are DBH (in.), circumference (feet), height (ft), spread (ft), and total points.

I think this is it: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.641...4!1sheT3Z5BItWvtq0pcbVj6ug!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

"Mine's bigger". LOL. Actually, your stats from IL may inspire me to get out there and measure my tree. Off the top of my head I'd guess my tree could beat the Illinois record. But when the neighbor sent me the first photo of the branch across the driveway, I guessed it was 40 inches in diameter. Obviously, my hand shows that it is closer to 24 inches diameter. So the tape measure will tell the story.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

You should check it Leo, what an honour to have a champion tree on your property! I have a champion groundhog under my shed but hes not nearly as impressive!

 

[Traken]

It really is an amazing tree in person. It's a shame that branch broke as it was really impressive, but yeah, that tree is huge. I wouldn't be surprised at all if it has a circumference of more than 13.6 feet. I wonder what the red oak champion for Michigan is.

 

[Traken]

Aha. Just looked it up. Here's the Michigan big tree register:

Michigan Big Tree Register -Updated 05-20-2024

docs.google.com

They list several red oaks, but the largest circumference on them is 272 inches or 690.88cm. That's a beefy tree. The notes on it are "22900 12 Mile Rd. Tree is beginning to break down with age."

 

[sorce]

That's too much wood for anything but an Anagama.
You bring the bricks, I'll bring the calloused hands!

Sorce

 

[Mikecheck123]

Aha. Just looked it up. Here's the Michigan big tree register:

Michigan Big Tree Register -Updated 05-20-2024

docs.google.com

They list several red oaks, but the largest circumference on them is 272 inches or 690.88cm. That's a beefy tree. The notes on it are "22900 12 Mile Rd. Tree is beginning to break down with age."

What an impressively messy compilation!