Timber! (In many senses of the word)

We have some very tall, old trees that are about past their usefulness.  The decision to hire some locals to cut and mill the trees was made.  We have been hearing chainsaws and the portable sawmill for weeks around here.
We also have a new skyline since so many tall trees are down now.
Last week some of the Cootz, Joshua and I went out to see some of the operation in action.  The mill wasn't going, but we saw stacks and stacks of cut lumber.  We also heard cow bells and a chainsaw.  We had to work our way into where they were working, but it was worth it!

Stacks of fresh lumber

It seems that the big trees are mostly cut on Sunday.  Then the main person works to cut the large trees into sections.  Then he uses his chainsaw to cut them into thirds or fourths.  He does an amazing job milling those pieces with only a chainsaw.  They look so straight and even pretty smooth!

Straight cuts with the chainsaw - making thirds or fourths

Then three men with a team of three cows and a donkey yoked together with chains, pull the cut sections to a pile where they will start milling again.

These guys didn't want us taking pictures, so we were trying to be discrete.  (So I didn't get good pictures!)

Three cows and a donkey pulling sections

Then then men pile the sections together

Then this last Sunday, the tallest trees closest to the shop were cut down.  These were located between many structures (the old farm house, the little house behind, the little round outbuilding, the "outhouse" (choo), and the garage/shop.
Jason used the JCB to move a piece of equipment, and then used it to help the trees fall a better direction than if they were just cut.  He also used it to move the big trees to a pile away from where they were falling.  It was amazing!  God really blessed us with a great piece of equipment.  It is used to make fire breaks, roads, fix roads, move trees, help fall trees, dig up stumps, dig the ditch for the dam, and many other things I don't even know about, I am sure!

The JCB lumberjack in action. Those other tall trees to the left of it are down now also.  That was the first of the day.

Soon our lumber supply will be good again, and these trees that were getting dangerous will be down.

This particular type of cypress gets hollow inside and rotten if you let them get to big.  These were already starting to be that way.

The darker areas are really soft and starting to rot as well as the center.

God helped us to get them cut just in time!  Also the tall pine trees that the monkeys hide in, are down.  YEAH!  That is a bonus for us!

Thank you for all the prayers and support!