Been There, Done That: Tree Trimming
Story by Jon Stalnaker AKA The Studebaker Dude
We moved into our house in February of 2021. There is always plenty to do to make it feel like it is our house: interior decorating, furniture, pictures and anything to make it feel like OUR home.
Outside was the biggest challenge and has received most of our focus. We did a lot of hardscaping, creating walkways and flower beds and planting many colorful plants.
Much of that work was beyond our skills and abilities, so we have been working with professionals to achieve our vision. We have also repaired some trim issues and created a patio area to give us a place to sit outside and enjoy the yard.
Our backyard has two giant trees, and they needed trimming, so we called someone out to take care of that. They did an okay job and cleared out most of the dead wood that needed to be cut away, but they failed to get it all.
They had a huge truck that was too big to get the boom to both trees, so the job was not finished. Several years passed, and I kept looking for a tree guy who could do the job without damaging some of the concrete and stone wall work that we had built after they trimmed our trees.
I was looking for someone with a bigger boom that could reach the other side from the same place where the first guy had to park his truck.
Carlene and I were searching the internet for another tree service company with equipment that would work for our yard. She found a local guy named Jason who had just moved to Oklahoma after working on trees for a couple of decades in Missouri.
I saw his boom, and it was not like any I had seen before. It was a small track vehicle that was mostly boom. It had legs that swung out and steadied the unit while he was up in the trees doing his thing with his chainsaw.
It looked like a big bug but was small enough to maneuver in the yard without making a mess. I knew this was the right guy, and I called him to get an estimate.
He came by the house later the same day and came back two days later to get it done. His equipment looked brand new (because it was), and he did the job by himself. Jason was efficient and did an excellent job of cleaning up the debris that rained down from his work.
I was a little apprehensive to learn that he would be doing such a dangerous job without help, but watching him work made it look easy. He obviously knew what he was doing, and I was comfortable enough not to have my phone out to call 911.
He said he had other people who worked for him on big jobs, but this one was not that challenging for a pro. I tried to watch him work without getting in his way.
My other neighbor Darrell and I watched from his driveway. It was a fun show, and we were out of Jason’s way.
That was neighborhood drama at its finest. It is easy to entertain a couple of old retired guys like me and Darrell.
Hopefully, this tree-trimming job will last longer than the last one. To be fair, the last trim five years ago was unfinished, but this one was not.
Jason told me that the big tree was not the healthiest one he has seen, but it should be good for another 35 years. That is fine with me, as 35 years is probably more time than I have left…