This fall Ross was able to do some milling of logs that he got last winter. This is something he has always wanted to do. He enjoyed learning more about milling and we will enjoy the wood for projects, that is if Ross ever has time for the projects as he has so many interests and not enough time! :)
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| Peeling the bark off the logs. |
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| Getting the log set on the mill. |
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| All set! |
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| Cutting the cant into lumber. |
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| A close up of the blade. |
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| Stickering the lumber. |
Shortly after Ross started milling, Mackenzie and Marina's class went on a field trip to learn about milling lumber since they had been studying about different types of trees in Science class. The husband of Mackenzie's teacher was milling just down the street from us. Our kids call him Grandpa Phil because that is a sign of respect in the village for your elders. When I first met Phil I thought he looked like a mountain man, but now he kind of reminds me of Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty!
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| Vallie watching the classes as they sit on all the logs, waiting to be milled. |
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| Vallie, checking out all the logs. |
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| The classes and their teachers looking on as Phil gets started. |
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| Plug your ears! |
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| Ready, set mill! |
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| Marina and her classmates watching on. |
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| Phil packing a slab over to the pile after milling the top rounded layer off. |
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| Watching Phil as he talks about milling. |
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| The kids watching Phil use the peavey tool to turn the log so he can mill the rounded slabs off the other sides. |
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| Mackenzie and her classmates playing with the sawdust |
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| The Field Trippers in front of a shed Phil is building out of the lumber he has milled. |
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| The log cabin that Phil and Mrs. Koontz built out of logs and lumber they milled themselves! |
We love the fact that Mackenzie's teacher lives just down the road from us. We also love the fact that the girls can take interesting field trips like this. Their teachers can say, "Oh we are learning about trees so lets go learn about milling lumber from my husband who is currently using the mill!" These are the types of field trips that most larger town kids would never get to experience. Thanks for the great field trip Mackenzie and Marina's Teachers and Phil!