Shanty Boys

We've been out gathering cedar posts from the swamp, as you can see in this photo, taken with a Mossomatic 2002. The small amount of crusty snow we had for a while was ideal for skidding logs out of the wilderness. It was a nice activity to be doing this month while at the same time reading about the lumberjacks, or shanty boys, as lumberjacks used to be known.


That's me third from left.

You can see these guys were pretty skilled, moving so many logs using only pike poles and horse-power. But holiwah did they ever wipe out the white pines. This whole Northwoods region used to be dominated by them and now they are like occasional ornaments among the mixed hardwoods and other pines. After the great pines were exhausted, there were huge fires and then -because the young white pines were growing up all bushy together- they were vulnerable to moldy funk and many died or couldn't compete. And then the deersss. When winter food gets scarce they eat the needles if they can reach them.

So plant some white pines if you live in the Northwoods! Especially if you have a dog that keeps deer away. By the time you and your dog are done living where you are they'll be safely out of reach. You can get them at this link to the Marquette County Soil Conservation District.

The weather has changed now to slushy so the good logging days are likely done. I think we have enough poles now though to support most of the porch. So it's the end of the plumbing I'm back chasing.

Happy St. Paddy's Day!