Directional Tree Felling

      I was working at the cash register at the farm market one Saturday in high school when a woman walked in. Allison, my goofy older coworker, notices the woman’s shirt and croons, “Ohh! The Common Ground Country Fair!” And the woman, pleased that someone had noticed her new-not-washed-yet shirt, readily enthuses. The only piece of their description of the fair that I remember is that ‘nearly all the women were braless!”, to which the woman and Allison laughed mightily as though this outcome was the result of their personal conspiracy. Their explanation must have hit on several key buzzwords that appealed immensely to me at the time – ‘rural living’ ‘organic food’ “Mainers’ ‘camping hippies’- because the notion of this fair stuck, and has since crossed my mind variously as a thing I should do some day when I get a chance.

               90˚ notch on the left; flap extending most the way

         to the right; barely visible one-inch hinge

      Jump ahead a couple years, and I am working on a farm in Maine. The organization through which I found my apprenticeship is the same one that puts on the Common Ground Country Fair every year as their major fundraiser. All food organic, all crafts Maine-sourced, and all demonstrations promoting alternative lifestyles and a common ground for a variety of organizations and ethnic traditions, et cetera. A ‘celebration of rural living,’ the fair lives up to its stereotypes, while throwing in a bit of substance as well. There were the requisite dreadlocks and bare feet (last weekend of September), as well as Amish folk, farmers, and scores and scores of Mainers in their Maine finest: Bean boots, Carhartt pants, and flannel. All-organic/Maine-sourced food vendors, contra dances, and weed dating ('brush hands in the flower bed! make new friends!').

      The talks and demonstrations run the gamut from titillating to ridiculous: Mowing Techniques for European Scythes, Learn to Play the Spoons, Advanced Seed Saving, The Culture and Horticulture of Elderberries, How to do a Home Funeral. The first demonstration I attended was Directional Tree Felling Techniques w/ Chainsaw. Chosen from relatively few options in that early time slot, I picked this one for its location in the (intriguingly named) ‘low impact forestry area’ and the promise of chainsaw action. I arrive 30 seconds after 9, grab a hard hat from the pile, and hurry down the path into the woods.

notch; sawing the flap; studious would-be lumberjacks

      The enthusiastic, one-time primary school teacher running the demonstration wore a neon vest, a hard hat with ear protection, a whistle, and heavy pants and boots. He was still lecturing on safety: “chainsaw-resistant pants are not chainsaw-proof! They will only prevent a glancing touch by tangling in the saw. But get some! Ask for them for Christmas, Father’s Day, Arbor Day, whatever! They might save your life!” A bearded guy in a woolly poncho and an upright young man with his shirt tucked in nodded knowingly and jotted down notes.

successfully falling tree

Next, the tree felling. First cut a notch that spans almost the diameter of the tree. This tree is 15 inches, so we estimate that the notch should be a foot wide. The notch will be 90˚; the inner angle will form the ‘hinge.’ The hinge is of utmost importance in directional tree felling – like a door hinge, it will allow the tree to fall only one of two directions. The idea is the tree will fall toward the hinge, and neatly fall 90˚ to hit the ground before splitting on itself.

imperious teamster and horses

      Next, cut a ‘flap’ from the other side of the one-inch hinge toward the opposite side. The tree is now prepared, but stable. Adding plastic wedges to the opposite side encourages the tree to fall in the desired direction- toward the hinge. Then cut through the hinge! A balanced tree in breezeless woods may hold steadily. Tap the wedges lightly. Exhilaratingly, it rustles, and surprisingly gracefully, it falls. Right where you intended! Good job. The teamster and his horses ride in to take the tree away.