Lots of Talmage homesteads have windbreak rows and yard trees that went in decades ago. Some are still doing their job, but others are dead at the top, leaning toward a shop, or dropping limbs on the corral. Russian olive and tamarisk along the ditches add another layer, since they spread and choke out the water’s path.
We come out, look at each tree with you, and talk about what should go and what is worth saving. Then we cut it down safely, deal with the stump the way that fits your plans, and clean up. Grinding works for most yards, while pulling makes sense when you plan to build on that spot. You can keep firewood rounds if you like, and we haul off the rest so the yard is usable again.
We know how Talmage windbreaks, ditch trees, and corral trees age at this elevation, and what tends to fail first.
We bring saws, rigging, grinding equipment, and trucks for the job, so trees come down and leave in one trip.
If a tree is healthy and worth keeping, we'll say so, and we'll be straight about what pulling a stump involves.
We haul brush and chips away, fill stump holes, and stack any firewood rounds right where you ask.
Windbreak rows were planted on a lot of ranch places to slow the wind across the yard and keep snow from drifting against the house. Many of those trees are now well past their best years. At around 6,834 feet, trees grow slowly and take a beating from wind and cold, so a row can look fine from the road and still have dead tops, split trunks, or rot at the base. We look at each tree, not just the row, and tell you which ones are a real risk and which still have life in them. Taking out only the bad ones keeps most of the shelter you planted for.
A tree that leans over a shop roof, a hay barn, or a fence line takes more care than one standing in open ground. Before any cutting, we check a few things:
When there isn’t room to drop a tree whole, we bring it down in sections and lower pieces where they won’t hit anything. Trees growing into power lines need the utility involved, and we will tell you so up front instead of trying something unsafe.
Grinding takes the stump down below the surface and leaves roots in the ground to break down over time. It is quicker, leaves less of a hole, and works well in lawns and along fence lines. Pulling removes the stump and the main roots, which is the better choice when you plan to build, pour, or set a footing in that spot. Pulled stumps leave a hole we backfill and compact. If the stump sits where a new pad is going, we can roll it into a larger lot clearing job on the same parcel so the whole area is handled at once.
Stump grinding and pulling both go below grade, and buried lines can run closer to a tree than you would expect. Utah Blue Stakes needs to be called at least three business days before the work starts and no more than 14 calendar days ahead, and the ticket expires after 21 days. Whoever does the digging makes that call, so on our jobs we take care of it. Private lines, like a water line to a stock tank or power run out to a shop, often are not marked through Blue Stakes, so tell us where those run.
These two deserve their own mention because they behave differently than a yard tree. Both spread along ditches and wet ground, both sprout back from what is left, and Russian olive has thorns that make cleanup slow. We cut them close, grind or pull the stumps depending on how near they sit to the bank, and haul everything off. Expect some sprouting the next season. For stands that have taken over a long stretch of ditch, brush clearing along Talmage ditch banks may be the better place to start, with tree work saved for the bigger trunks.
When the cutting is done, the job isn’t finished until the site is cleaned up. If you burn wood, we can leave firewood rounds stacked where you want them. Limbs, brush, and chips get loaded and hauled away. Holes from pulled stumps get filled and leveled so they don’t turn into an ankle trap. Because we plan these trips out ahead, it helps to mention any other cleanup you have waiting, and if there is a pile of junk that needs to go, our debris hauling service in Talmage can take it on the same visit.
We look at each Talmage tree with you, check lean, nearby buildings, and lines, and talk through grinding or pulling.
Your written quote lists every tree and stump, hauling, firewood plans, and the trip we have scheduled for your area.
Our crew fells or sections each tree, grinds or pulls the stumps, and loads limbs and chips for hauling.
We walk the yard together, check that holes are filled and level, and confirm the wood is stacked where you wanted.
