5thelement

IMG_1359.mov The quality pollards that you see here are started young with a long term plan, rather than creating a UK style hat rack from a mature tree and calling it a pollard. There are many regional variations on style/form and species, some are created purely for Summer shade whilst enjoying an expresso. I’ve seen some stunning avenues of Lime, Plane and even Horse chestnut. They tend to leave trees to do their own thing also, rather than sanitising everything because of risk, I see street trees everyday here that would be condemned in the UK, they will still be here when I am gone. A couple of examples of free standing fruit trees trained on wire, and a new Fig planted last week, and a couple from down my street and around the village.

I drive a Defender here in France. I usually travel around an hour to most jobs, when I arrive the flat windscreen resembles a war zone/bloodbath that has to be squeegeed down before I can drive home. I drove from Deal to an RSPB reserve near Tunbridge Wells last September, that is from the Kent Coast, crossing the whole County into East Sussex, not a single blemish.

Has anyone had any experience using the telescopic Silky Hayauchi pole pruners? Looking at the 7m saw and shear combo for reduction work, pricy but hoping it should have the build quality to match.

Definitely not tree of heaven.

No buds resembling any Ash that I have come across and the bark is all wrong.

I took down a couple of trees yesterday, one of which I haven’t been able to fully ID. I priced it in Winter, reckoned on a Tilia and Acer from the bud formation. Arrived yesterday, Tilia correct but Acer looks a little like Negundo but isn’t, hard/white/heavy timber, no discernible smell, Cherry Laurel like bark, not Tree of Heaven, around 40’ tall, spreading habit rather than lapsed pollard. Location-SW France

It’s under 200 quid with a 5 year lifespan from purchase, that’s a massive difference over a new TM, who’s actually used a harness everyday and got 10 years out of it? Mine are usually shabby and rank after 3.

They sold out sharpish and had some pretty good reviews, especially at the price.

With the exception of HGV, I can’t think of any ex forces who I have encountered that had any qualifications worth squat in the outside world, certainly not chainsaw/forestry/arb related.

After Biblical rain on Friday, the weather has settled so today is bright and breezy. Just walked the dog down to the river to check out the flood levels and saw the first Swallows of the year.

It’s been the wettest Winter anyone can remember so far.

Wife’s recipe, not pasta but risotto. I find risotto the best thing in the world to cook, as I can open a bottle of wine even though the recipe only requires a splash, then finish the rest off whilst adding the stock ladle by ladle, good Parmesan is a must.

I would say it’s more like a larger 150 and lighter than a 200, my wrists certainly thank me for it, but I tend to get a back handled saw (550xp) up the tree asap nowadays.

I bought one as a back up saw, at under €400, it comes with a 3/8 picco bar/chain set up here, usually 1/4 pitch in the UK. It’s not a bad saw overall after a couple of tweaks, got it set up with a 1/4 pitch Panther bar and a set of skeleton metal dogs from Rob D.

Thanks for the bullshit update, but no one on here gives a flying f**k.