May Days in the Woods

Every so often, my friend Jim and I venture into his family's forest to search for distressed trees that could be turned into lumber.
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A Day in the Woods: • A Day in the Woods
Sawmill Day: • Sawmill Day
Curved Coffee Table: • Walnut Coffee Table

[@bobputman5947]

well i like these wood cutting days so much i have to watch this one again, and poor ole pancake had to stay behind in the truck....

[@mcremona]

Robert Putman Thanks Bob! Didn't want her to get smushed :)

[@SawDustMakerRJM]

Another good day in the woods. Thanks Matt!

[@mcremona]

Thank you!

[@whitewolf8758]

This reminds me of all the years my father and i would cut down many trees for the fireplace at home. We would cut up towards 18-24 cords of elm, oak and iron wood. Cutting them down and loading the truck was the easy part but splitting it all by hand was a workout and dad believed in manual splitting over hydraulic splitting for strength and exercise. Great memories!

[@mcremona]

whitewolf8758 That's a lot of wood! My dad split firewood by hand when I was a kid. Lots of great memories doing that with him

[@David-fv7zg]

Your dog popping his head out of the bed of your truck at 1:00 cracked me up. A few observations...1. The two of you really work well together, seems like you are in tune with what each other is doing and wants to do. Not a bad thing when doing what you are doing. 2. Jim is a master at that loader. 3. I think you could have dropped that cherry safely beside any house...:) You should hold a contest......SPEND A DAY IN THE WOODS WITH MATT AND JIM. I would sign up for that one! Thanks again for sharing, this was fantastic. Dave

[@mcremona]

Dave Pruitt That scene with Pancake worked out perfectly! After being out there working together a couple of times we really found our rhythm. Jim can do some really incredible things with that loader. Maybe but I probably shouldn't try haha! That would be one heck of a contest! Thanks Dave!

[@josh1804josh]

The videos of you and Jim logging are my favourite!

[@mcremona]

I think they're my favorite too!

[@finn127]

Matthew Cremona Looked like a real fun day! I can actually se myself working with this, tending a forrest, picking out trees just like you guys, milling and stuff. What a life that would heve been.

[@mcremona]

It's such a fun day. We need to do it more often...

[@locohombre79]

These get me SO pumped, I've just googled "woodland for sale"... Nope, I'll just keep living the lumberjack dream, vicariously, through you. Land is expensive here in Blighty. All the best, Martin

[@mcremona]

locohombre79 I didn't think woodlands would be cheap over there :)

[@stevecollins9450]

Another fantastic "in the woods" video, Matt! It looks like your getting pretty darn good at driving that Bobcat.

[@mcremona]

Steve Collins Thank you, Steve! It's one of those things that takes a bit of practice :)

[@patkarlsson]

Nice video of your day in the woods! Its nice to see the end results of the things you make and also the cutting of the trees!

[@mcremona]

patkarlsson Thank you! It's all part of the adventure :)

[@StoneandSonsWorkshop]

I enjoy these videos. It's like a tv show. Keep em comin.

[@mcremona]

Stone and Sons Workshop Thanks Shawn!

[@rhihodag9873]

You and Jim make a GREAT Team!

[@mcremona]

***** :) Thanks! I like to think so!

[@TheChrisPineWorkshop]

Great stuff Matt! these videos are just relaxing to watch! Chris

[@mcremona]

Chris Pine Thanks Chris!

[@Barrysworkshop]

I appreciate you sharing this video. Your approach to preserving the sustainability of the woods (e.g. leaving the small cherry saplings) is commendable. Also, your description of all the things you have to think about as you survey the scene are really fascinating. @10:45, that will keep you on your toes!

[@mcremona]

Thank you!!! Always be aware :)

[@matt_williams1015]

I could watch these types of videos all day!

[@mcremona]

Matt Williams Feel free to put it on repeat :)

[@Jay2525Jay]

This video reminds me of cutting firewood when with my Dad I was young we always cut in the winter. My Dad said more of the sap was down of the roots, as a results the wood would season quicker. I don't know if that was true or not but with the ground hard from the cold we wouldn't get stuck in the soil in the field the truck we had to drive across. I hope one of you use the pieces to small mill. You are both wonderful stewards of the forest. Thank you for sharing. No need to reply, just go out to the shop and make some sawdust.

[@mcremona]

Jared English Thanks Jared. That's a really great memory. I used to "help" my dad cut firewood when I was young. Wonderful memories.

[@Kris_at_WhiteOaksFarm]

Great Vid. I love the respect you have for the forest, while making a harvest. While I know the Bobcat is handy in tight places, I prefer my little Backhoe. It has a longer wheel base and isn't as prone to high angle tipping. Some of those shots of the Cat tipping made me queasy! I've got a 36 acre wood and have only begun to clean it up from storm damage and dead wood. Lots of fire wood, and some nice saw logs...

[@mcremona]

Kris Gasteiger Jim's been wanting to get a backhoe for a while now. and a dozer... haha! I'm starting to fall in love with heavy equipment as well.

[@MRrwmac]

I know you're enjoying the hard work and the feeling you get being out in the woods, environmentally conscience falling of trees for profit and/or your woodworking. Pancake is there but I don't remember seeing Lindsey in the woods videos much (in the past of course)?

[@mcremona]

MRrwmac Usually I go on the weekends and Lindsay watches Pancake while I'm done. These times I went during the week. I brought her with me so she wasn't all alone at home. I don't think Lindsay would enjoy being out in the woods too much. Maybe just for a walk. Thanks Mac!

[@nakamakai5553]

Seeing all the tender young ferns in the understory makes me yearn for spring! (after it's been -10F here this month...)

[@woodturningjohn]

I always like the day in the woods videos, reminds me of some forest service work I did back in CA. Except I had equipment much much bigger then a bobcat, with a D10 Cat a chainsaw was not needed LOL.

[@mcremona]

woodturningjohn hahaha!!! That works!

[@TheLittleGardenShedWorkshop]

Great video Matthew, Thanks for sharing, cheers Harry

[@mcremona]

Thanks Harry!

[@Unclebuddy01]

It appears you have lumber enough for a life-time of fine furniture building. Great video, thanks for sharing

[@mcremona]

Michael Trent I'm getting there :) Thanks Mike!

[@mmwoodstudio]

You guys had fun!

[@JerryPaulTreeCreations]

Seriously, you make me want to buy a mill! lol Great video! Thanks.

[@dennismoody8140]

Make a winch mount for the back of the bobcat and mount it on the bucket frame then mount a 9,000 LB winch there so you can set out a ways and winch the logs to you

[@adamliske]

Ohh how I miss the days of harvesting logs in Minnesota forests, I am relegated to collecting logs here and there when I can. One tip I picked up when trying to move large windfall pieces caught up in brush or big logs that the bobcat can't quite move out into the open is to chain them just a few feet away from the top of the bucket (just enough so the end of the log is off the ground when the bucket is just off the ground and curled out/down) and then use the tip of the bucket as a fulcrum and use the bucket hydraulics to push you back. It tends to be much more stable and gives you much more pushing force than four or two tires on loose wet soil. And if you have a set of forks, those are even better too.

[@mcremona]

Adam Liske That little bucket trick gets used a lot by us too. What I didn't get on camera was me dragging a 3000lb white oak out of a ravine. That took a lot of struggling. Thanks Adam!

[@adamliske]

Nice! I am sure that was a work out for the little bobcat. We were using the MN Nature Conservatory's big New Holland a few years back for clearing brush for replanting oak seedlings and I was felling oak trees that were between 80 and ~150 years old and I dropped a 65 foot ~3 foot diameter red oak into a swamp on accident. Needless to say it took a long time to get that one cleaned up, but I got it out after walking out on it and bucking the crown off and putting the forks on and prying it out basically. It is nice that you have the ability to not only harvest some nice select trees, but do a wonderful job of cleaning up damaged and rotting trees too.

[@colemcmillan4714]

Looks like good times, really enjoyed the video, thanks

[@mcremona]

Cole McMillan Thanks Cole! Always good times!

[@CMRWoodworks]

Looks like some good, fulfilling work. Good stuff.

[@mcremona]

CMR Woodworks | Chris McDowell It totally is! Thanks Chris!

[@NosillaWilla]

wish i had a hardwood forest to find some potential future lumber! Here in the redwood forest on the coast we get redwood, douglas fir, occasional pine, cedar and alder. Alder isn't a very pretty furniture wood. Wish I could find Cherry! One of my favorite woods.

[@gardnerphotographs]

Looks like a hoot! Got some nice timber out of it too

[@mcremona]

So much fun!

[@1954BJohn]

Cool Video - Thanks Matt!

[@mcremona]

1954BJohn Thank you!

[@bobputman5947]

you were right matt, a great video, a great day in the woods again and having some time to sow your oats....:)....thanks for the great video, have a great week.

[@mcremona]

Robert Putman Thank you Bob!

[@jakedog1976]

Jim has good taste in saws..:). I enjoy your logging vids , when I am cutting lumber for my shop I am looking for allot of the same trees. Nice to use it before it goes to waste.. I have also cut maple and let it sit for a couple years in the weather. I got some awesome spalted lumber.

[@mcremona]

Ross Hastings Nice! diy spalted lumber :)

[@WoodworkingDaddy]

Great video!

[@mcremona]

***** Thank you!!

[@Jimmy_in_Mexico]

I enjoyed this video a lot.

[@mcremona]

Jimmy in Mexico Thanks Jimmy!

[@TobyKennedy]

I love your life, Matt! I'm so jealous - the closest I ever got to this, was coppicing a small wood, over the course of a month, when I was about 14! I loved every second of it! Great video - really interesting. Thank you for taking the time to put it out. Toby

[@mcremona]

Thank you Toby! I'm pretty lucky!

[@tonywatson987]

Impressive fall on that butt-rot cherry! Well done! And what a great workhorse the BobCat is.

[@mcremona]

Tony Watson Thanks Tony! Sometimes it works out perfectly. That Bobcat is one hard working machine!

[@AndyLawsonawl]

I'm so jealous Matt! I'd love to be able to just pop to the forest and take care of it whilst gaining some nice wood. Sadly London doesn't offer such things. Keep up the good work.

[@mcremona]

***** You might be stuck with city trees then :) Thanks Andy!

[@Barthoization]

It's so quiet in that forest. Looking at the size of the trees, it's quite a big forest ?

[@andreawalker2535]

I know this was a long time ago, but some of those sapling cherry trees could be sacrificed so the others have a chance to grow, maybe.

[@jimrumsey8077]

I would love to have any area like this to get lumber from I enjoy cutting trees down just like you I love that you take the damage trees I did get some cerder tress from my grandparents but that is 7 hours away

[@mcremona]

Jim Rumsey It's pretty incredible to be able to do this. 7 hours is a bit of a trek :)

[@mcremona]

+barthoization it's pretty large. The property is a farm and it has about even amounts of field and forest.

[@farmkid9028]

Is that box that you put in the back of your truck steal

[@mcremona]

yes

[@farmkid9028]

+Matthew Cremona and did you make it

[@mcremona]

No, I found this one on craigslist

[@farmkid9028]

+Matthew Cremona can you find them in ottawa

[@AndrewBrowner]

jim is pretty aggressive with that machine... i like it!

[@mcremona]

me too :)

[@jamesluedtke9020]

sure are a lot of cherry trees in that woods. more than I'm used to seeing in Hennepin, Carver or Wright counties.

[@mcremona]

The parks in this part of Hennepin have about the same as this forest in Anoka County. Not sure why the concentration is so high

[@Bergalicious38]

♥

[@atamanatlas3098]

Great work Matt, looks like fun and a good days work. The scrub around there looks fairly dense, has the land owner or whoever controls the land there thought of thinning out some of the scrub so that some of the trees grow straight up and stronger? If so you reckon you could do a video of it? Choosing which tree remain and which ones get cleared?

[@mcremona]

Lex Rex Thanks Lex! It's always a good time! The land belongs to Jim's family and I haven't heard them speak about that. I suppose that sort of what we are doing. Not quite but it's better than nothing.

[@Wordsnwood]

Thanks, Matt, I enjoy these. It's easy to romanticize this sort of thing, but these videos show me clearly that there is a lot that goes into cutting trees, both a lot of work and a lot of training. Be Safe! ...art

[@mcremona]

wordsnwood Thanks Art! :)

[@anthonyferrin5785]

Buddy that is some amazing country, where are you?

[@mcremona]

+Anthony ferrin about 30 miles north of Minneapolis

[@tjweim5785]

Where does all the brush and left overs go? It doesn't look ( from some parts of the video) that you just leave them as the forest floor look quite nice. Chip or burn or bury?

[@JimCoogan_CoogansWorkshop]

I need one of those Bobcats :-)

[@mcremona]

They're so handy :)

[@walterrider9600]

thank you Mat. do you reseed or place saplings of the same type as you take ? seems like a good idea to do so . the bob cat was amazing to watch part gymnast i see.

[@mcremona]

There's already many saplings growing. Anything we remove just makes more space from them to grow. The bobcat is mostly gymnast haha

[@benjaminmorrison9098]

Really good video Matt, Do you ever get scared with those unpredictable trees?

[@mcremona]

Thank you! It's a bit scary but making sure I have a good escape route really helps

[@RobertHorton1975]

Looks like my idea of a good time. Where to I sign up?

[@RPC1231]

Lol, this was a ton of fun, Matt, thanks for another great, entertaining vid. But I've got to ask do all those falling trees and bucking bobcats making your poor, pregnant wife a little bit anxious for your safety?

[@mcremona]

Lol I don't think she's watched this video

[@DemasShopforEverything]

Looks like a fun time in the woods, makes me want to buy a chainsaw and just cut stuff, I got a patch of woods by my place maybe no one will notice the trees missing lol

[@mcremona]

I doubt anyone will notice :)

[@dpmeyer4867]

Fun

[@CaperCountry]

Enjoyed the video but too many dangerous things done in this video , you guys are lucky

[@stevemcentyre1570]

I see you have 3 saws. I thought you only had two. You are turning into a regular Paul Bunyan.

[@mcremona]

I the 3rd one was my first one. It doesn't see much use anymore but I figured I might as well start brining it just in case :)

[@colincampbell7923]

So first I need a CSM, now I need a Bobcat!! I might have to stop watching your videos haha!

[@mcremona]

Colin Campbell sorry ;)

[@joe5938]

What do you do with all the small stuff? Does Jim sell firewood?

[@mcremona]

David ODell We usually leave it out in the woods unless I take it for bowl blanks. Jim used to sell it for firewood but firewood prices are too low to make it worth the time.

[@bowyer10]

haha run!!

[@HeavyboxesDIYMaster]

I own a property with two large trees in the back. I guess a company can come out, cut it down, then cut it into slabs on site? Must be expensive?

[@mcremona]

Heavyboxes Usually they're separate companies. You can have a tree service drop the trees and someone else with a portable mill can come out and cut them into lumber for you. Rates on milling could be hourly or by board foot.

[@oliverwhyatt4975]

you guys are scary in the woods look up more often

[@southwestcustom]

You should start a fond for that poor and abused Bobcat. :)

[@mcremona]

Haha! That bobcat has been through a lot!

[@indecisive.m]

You've got a good deal going on here!

[@mcremona]

Mike PlaysBass I think so too :)

[@charleshanson9467]

It's a good thing you didn't go the Prometheus School of running away from things!

[@mcremona]

Charles Hanson lol!

[@tooljunkie555]

"Notice the cremona in his natural habitat." Haha that was a lot of trees that one u cut down was pretty big!

[@mcremona]

Hahaha!! That was on of the smaller ones :)

[@tooljunkie555]

Matthew Cremona​really? Looked super tall!! Ubhad a busy month of may. And doing yt Instagram, fb, google+ ur website, store, bassinet build vids, husband I think the list goes on and on..lol dude pat urself on the back bro!! Gettijg it all in b4 she comes?.;) hehe!

[@mcremona]

Joe Walters pat, pat, pat :)

[@tooljunkie555]

Matthew Cremona that was 3...just 1 pat..;) haha j.k. ...foreal u do a lot man idk how u keeo up wth everything. .u still donthe ask matts?

[@mcremona]

Joe Walters Yeah, I've just been busy. They take an entire day to produce. I have a few that I want to shoot. Hopefully I can shoot on this week.

[@lukakoprivica]

R2-D2?

[@rochat]

Those guys removing trees in residential areas must have one hell of an insurance policy. I haven't been able to keep up with all the videos lately and not sure if you mentioned it, but has this sort of work turned into your fulltime job or are you back doing the daily grind?

[@mcremona]

rochat I'm sure that is their largest expense. I am doing this full time now. I made the announcement in this shop update if you're interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mF6WhGWpnZWZnbM Thanks!

[@rochat]

Matthew Cremona Totally missed that one and good for you. A pretty exciting/scary year for you with going solo and the baby on the way! I'm sure you'll do great with the woodworking aspect and raising kids isn't as scary as I once thought.

[@mcremona]

rochat Thank you! It's a year full of life changes. I'm not scared of raising kids...yet...

[@pbsteelhead]

Matt is this n michigan

[@mcremona]

This is just outside Minneapolis

[@motzemog]

Would prefer going out into the woods and chainsawing then sitting here at my desk but alas

[@mcremona]

***** lol!!

[@joetracker]

Matt, is Jim's chainsaw a Jonsrud (spelling) If it is I may have a longer bar for him! My chainsaw was stolen, but I still have the longer bar...

[@mcremona]

Joe Bear Hey Joe, Yes, it's a Jonsered. That sucks!!! If you seriously want to send the bar, I'll happily pay shipping.

[@joetracker]

I could drive it up too... Im about 25 minutes south of you!

[@mcremona]

Joe Bear Sorry, I think you told me that at some point or maybe that was someone else lol Yeah, if you want to swing by sometime that would be great. Shoot me an email if you want to take a trip: [e-mail]

[@ot0m0t0]

Nice video and not a single annoying treehugger in the comments so far... lucky :)

[@mcremona]

Not yet :). Thanks!

[@ao235]

30 Matts agree, a well tuned chainsaw is the best solution for butt rot.

[@mcremona]

butt rot has been cured!

[@confiscator]

What the heck are you gonna do with all this dang wood?

[@DemasShopforEverything]

Probably make stuff, oh and probably sell some ;)

[@mcremona]

Mostly the latter

[@TheMetalButcher]

You're cutting a lot of trees nowadays. Ever considered getting a real mill? Maybe a cool old frick mill?

[@mcremona]

As much as I would like to have one, it still makes more sense financially to hire a sawyer :(

[@gravedigger1060]

so I know you take down tree and get wood from them. how much money do you have to pay your friend for the wood

[@mcremona]

gravedigger1060 I take home plenty of freebees on milling day. If I pull from our finished sellable lumber, I'll pay Jim the portion of the sale that he would have received if I sold the lumber to someone else.