Monday 6 October 2014

Will it fall?


This is the oak tree by the house.
It is leaning.
Should we lop off the right hand side branches,
which has already been done several times over the ages,
or should we let nature do whatever it intends to do with the tree,
which is probably to fall it over
slap bang onto the fence of the home field,
thereby rendering both tree and fence most thoroughly broken down.
Nature is to decide the fate of the oak tree,
that is what we have decided.

Meanwhile, things trundle along here.
I have finished harvesting the veg now,
mostly because I am done with the job, rather than having got all the ripe produce stored away for winter.
But nothing is wasted,
and the pigs are enjoying the provender.
They are also enjoying the milk from Lissie.
I still have no proper cheese storage area in the house,
so am not going to make any cheese until we get that sorted out.
Not to worry,
the pigs absolutely drool when they smell the bucket of milk coming their way.

Still have open doors here, but it is getting cooler.
Still have no wood burning Rayburn stove installed yet,
but we shall have sometime this winter.
It is our last winter without heating,
of that I am sure,
so I can remain patient,
and savour the anticipation of having a woodburning range sometime soon.

Meanwhile, 
I am off to bed.
It would seem that winter hibernation is fast coming upon me,
and as the days grow shorter,
so, too, does my energy seem to be diminishing.
ZZzzzzzzzzzzing along,
I go!
Vx

8 comments:

Ohiofarmgirl said...

it is tough. but good on you for doing what was needed.
*gives hugs*

Vera said...

OFG, you are a treasure! I deleted the part of the post to which you are referring, but I much appreciate your support. Vx

northsider said...

Hi Vera. If nature does decide to topple the oak tree. You will have lots of wood for DIY projects and lots of firewood for the stove.

Tim said...

As a tree person with forestry experience....
I would recommend a healthy trim up the right hand side...
and some off the top and left to give balance.
That will allow the tree to remain as valuable shelter for your livestock...
the only other alternative is to cut the tree back severely [ie: almost pollard it] and let it grow out again....
but you would lose the shade for at least ten years!!
But either would reduce the weight that the trunk is carrying...
we've a wonderful walnut that is on the side of the bief...
planted there by a four-year old lad some eighty years ago....
when his dad was the farmer...
we know, because he stopped by just after we arrived here permenantly and told us the tale.

That tree has always been falling Northwards, into the millstream...
and in correcting itself has gained a wonderful curve towards the South.
I took a picture just over three years ago of that tree...
with a rainbow of matching curvature!!
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/le-moulin-de-la-forge/5509418993/in/set-72157625466836694] if you want to take a look.

Diane said...

I still have lots of beans but the cold snap is slowing them up. Still waiting to bring in the butternuts and the pumpkins which are not really dry yet. Lots of beetroot ready and more on its way. Cabbages looking good and this year we have tried brussel sprouts as well. Now time to plant broad beans! The medlars will be ready any moment soon now it has cooled off. Does it ever really end :-)
Hope you get your heating in soon.

We have now discovered that our drainage runs uphill in places (all hidden underground). Had the fosse replaced and now this, the verandah is no more!!

Take care Diane

Diane said...

I still have lots of beans but the cold snap is slowing them up. Still waiting to bring in the butternuts and the pumpkins which are not really dry yet. Lots of beetroot ready and more on its way. Cabbages looking good and this year we have tried brussel sprouts as well. Now time to plant broad beans! The medlars will be ready any moment soon now it has cooled off. Does it ever really end :-)
Hope you get your heating in soon.

We have now discovered that our drainage runs uphill in places (all hidden underground). Had the fosse replaced and now this, the verandah is no more!!

Take care Diane

Vera said...

Northsider Dave, actually, yes, we sort of had thought of that too!

Tim, I think that the oak has been partially pollarded already, which is why we do not want to inflict any more damage to it! We had a lovely big walnut growing beside the Middle Barn, but it was making the wall crack badly, so it had to go. Always regret having to have that done. Loved the photo of your walnut tree and the rainbow. Fantastic!

Diane, we have closed down with the veg harvest now, but I do have an urge to plant a few winter veg but am trying not too! But it rained today, so tomorrow you just might find me planting a few bits and pieces in the veg plot!
Strooth, but what bad luck about the drainage. Hope it does not give you too much of a prob.

Tim said...

Vera, you wrote...
"the oak has been partially pollarded already"....
that may well have been the cause of the problem...
to pollard, everything is cut back to the trunk...
usually to a height of ten foot to stop cattle grazing the new shoots.
It is then allowed to grow back...
your tree just needs re-balancing...
the first option.
That should give it another century of life...
you'll be surprised at how far the roots of an oak go down.
Reducing the weight it is currently carrying will cause as much root growth as a pollard and it will be far stronger as a result.
That tree looks to me to have plenty of life left.
If you are worried about how far it has gone over, look for a picture you may well have taken when you purchased Labartere...
and take another from the same position...
preferably winter shots which will allow you to overlay them and see the difference.
Boney chancer!!