درباره این اپیزود
Looking for ways to be sustainable with wood waste, or want to get creative with your trees? Jay Judd from Davey's East Denver office joins us to share creative ways to transform trees and wood waste into one-of-a-kind keepsakes, furniture, decorative pieces, crafts and more.
To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.
To hear more from Jay Judd, please read/watch:
- Feeling the Heat: How to Protect Trees from Heat Stress
- Blue Spruce: Why it's Struggling & How to Help
- A Denver Arborist’s Journey to Protecting Urban Forests
- Expert advice on caring for trees during long summer days
Connect with Davey Tree on social media:
Twitter: @DaveyTree
Facebook: @DaveyTree
Instagram: @daveytree
YouTube: The Davey Tree Expert Company
LinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company
Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com.
Connect with us: podcasts@davey.com.
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ایالات متحده آمریکا
یادداشت ها را نشان دهید 🔗
00:00:00Welcome
00:00:56Tree crafts with Jay's kids
00:02:06Living tree patterns
00:02:54Stumps as pedestals and fairy gardens
00:05:28Cookies, cutting boards and walnut slabs
00:09:40Bike racks, pine cones and wood types
00:15:19Chainsaw milling time and safety
00:19:14Why carving bark hurts trees
00:21:10Share your ideas and subscribe!
رونوشت 🔗
WEBVTT
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Welcome to the Deby Tree Expert Company's podcast, Talking Trees.
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I'm your host, Doug Oester.
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Each week, our expert arborists share advice on seasonal tree care, how to make your trees thrive, arborists' favorite trees, and much, much more.
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Tune in every Thursday to learn more because here at the Talking Trees Podcast, we know trees are the answer.
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I'm joined again by Jay Judd.
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He is a district manager at the East Denver office of the Navy Tree Expert Company.
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We are talking about a very interesting topic today: creative uses for trees.
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Jay, welcome back to the show.
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It seems like we just talked recently, doesn't it?
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It does, Doug.
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Thanks for having me, and thanks for having me on to talk about something uh besides miserable trees in Denver and diseases and insects and drought and all that fun stuff.
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That seems to be all we talk about.
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So creative uses for trees.
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What's the first thing that comes to mind for you?
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Uh having kids, I'd say crafts.
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Um, you know, we live I live on a property where we do have trees and a bunch of different types of trees.
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Um, having uh a little five-year-old and eight-year-old, they're out there exploring a lot and picking things off trees, which inevitably turn into a pretty interesting crafts that I probably wouldn't have thought of.
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Um, you know, everything from uh just mixing them together in a pot of water to make a soup uh to bringing them in the house and painting things and doing prints with them.
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Yeah.
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Oh, that's so cool.
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Do they know their trees because of who their dad is?
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Do you show them what's what?
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They they do know their trees, or at least the trees on our property, yeah, yeah.
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And their diseases and their insects as well for those trees.
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And there's plenty of that to talk about.
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How about planting wise?
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When I was when I saw the topic, I was thinking, like, wow, is there like some kind of cool way to plant that's creative, like in uh uh some type of uh pattern or something?
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That's that's what I was thinking of.
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I I can't imagine that ever happening, except at some kind of art installation or uh uh public space somewhere.
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Yeah, there's ways to especially with ornamental trees, kind of work them on walls uh and and utilize them to kind of make a pattern uh on a patio wall.
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It takes a lot of trimming and a lot of attaching to make sure and redirecting to make sure the tree's going the way they want it to.
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And obviously a tree grows slow, so it takes many years, but I have seen that uh before, at least for a use of a living tree, uh art wise.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Well, a couple things that I do because I do have uh arborists here every six months cutting down my oak trees that have oak wilt, and I lose one or two a year, is I like to use the stumps as actually an area to put a garden container on top of.
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Uh I asked the guys, try and get it as flat as you can, and they abide, and then I put that container on top, and it's a good place for a sort of pedestal.
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Uh, so that's one thing I'm doing.
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Yeah, and I've I've had clients request uh flat but a little bit higher up so they could put a bird bath on.
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Um, one fun thing that I want to do at our house with a recent tree I cut down is um sort of uh leave the stump at a few feet, put a roof on it, and uh for the girls make a little fairy garden around it as if that was the house for the fairy garden.
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I thought that would be a fun one.
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That is really cool because I've got a fairy garden in my gar in my garden too for my grandkids.
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Uh and so it's fun.
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And and I've got a big stag there from a tree that was uh cut down and I left that there, and it has a big sign on it, it says fairy garden, and the fairy garden's underneath it, and actually in the top of the stag, it's high enough where I can put plants in flats so that the critters can't get them.
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And so there's a there's another creative use for for a tree that I didn't think of even before we started this.
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Explain what a stag is to people.
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I have no idea what a stag is.
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Okay, well my arborist calls a stag when I leave when I leave something bigger than a stump.
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Oh, interesting.
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And so I'm saving money when they have to cut down these trees, yeah, they can leave like seriously, 10, 15 feet, and have to worry, it's not gonna fall over or anything.
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So that's that must be just his term for it.
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Because I had never heard it before either.
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And so like I said, they cut down most of the tree, but that big part at the end they leave.
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And so I've got them all over the garden.
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Right.
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I actually want to put on that one big one where I got the plants, I actually want to put a big giant, like fairy statue on top of it.
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But I haven't I haven't found one yet.
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Uh now, right behind you on your bookshelf, it looks like you have some creative uses for trees right behind you.
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What is what is that stuff?
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I do, yeah.
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So cookies, uh, where you cut the um stem or a trunk into slivers.
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Um, I've got a pretty unique design on um the shelf behind me that I'm displaying.
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But I've used cookies, these slivers of trunk in different ways.
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Uh, we use them for centerpieces at my wedding.
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Um, I've made uh cut or coaster holders for my family with it uh for Christmas, just something to hand out.
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Um, with black walnut that I had cut down when I was in the field, I used to use a chainsaw uh mill to get planks, sand them down, cut them up, and would hand out for Christmas, of course, uh cutting boards that I use beeswax, rub beeswax into it after you've sanded them down.
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Um, and the same with using that same wood for um coffee tables, yeah.
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So you don't need to have you know a true milling machine or or something fancy, you know, a chainsaw can do it, and then a little bit of sanding.
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Is black walnut a a good wood to work with for that sort of thing?
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Is it a hard wood or a softer wood?
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How would you explain it?
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Yeah, no, black walnut is definitely uh uh extremely hard wood and a good wood for making furniture with.
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Yeah, yep.
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Is it beautiful?
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Beautiful, and once you get the beeswax or whatever you're using to sort of polish the wood, you get these really dark, dark red, almost streaked wood.
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Um, and then if you leave in that vascular, that live wood edge, you get a stark contrast of the white too.
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And then if you can even get the bark to stay on, that's even uh that's even cooler for a coffee table.
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That is important, and a cutting board.
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Everybody needs a cutting board, and to have one, you know, a custom-made cutting board, go through that like how many hours are we talking about when you cut when you get the slab together?
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Like, are you sanding it by hand, or do you have like a sanding machine or something that can help you get that sanded down to where you want it?
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Yeah, so um, what I use first is a chainsaw that leaves a lot of chatter marks.
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So you're looking at maybe quarter inch um, you know, deep divots in it that I run it through a planer first to kind of bring that down, and then just an electric sander.
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Yep.
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And then beeswax, huh?
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Yeah, yeah.
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I also made uh building blocks for my daughters when they were first born.
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Um, I just had so many scraps after these other projects that I cut them into triangles and squares, and then I figured, you know, to preserve the wood, something that if they put it in their mouth wouldn't make them sick, beeswax would be good.
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So I soaked them in beeswax.
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Yeah.
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Now that is such a special thing to make, but as the kids outgrow it, what do you do with it?
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Do you save it for uh down the road or do you pass them along?
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What do you do with something special like that, or do you put them up somewhere?
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Yeah, so um I've passed some of some along, some my wife definitely wanted to hold on to.
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Um, because it is like you said, it's unique and and yeah, I took some little canker areas and made some arches and stuff to add in the mix.
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So yeah, that's something you keep.
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So for people like me who don't have any skills with tools, uh give me some ideas.
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What can I what can I do creatively with uh with the trees that we haven't already talked about?
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I'm I don't like I don't use a chainsaw anymore, uh, because I after I've learned all the safety things that the Davy guys use, and I'm like, well, you know, for as often as I use a chainsaw, I'm not gonna get chaps, and I shouldn't use a chainsaw without the chaps, and so I'm not using a chainsaw anymore.
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Um, I am, you know, whatever's left when they're done, I try and make something out of it.
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Uh, but it sounds like you really know your way around uh some tools with the planer and the electric sander and then the beeswax.
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Yeah, yeah, and a couple more that need tools that are pretty fun that I've done in the past.
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Um my most favorite was um, I saw at this camp area we were at, they took a log, a tree that died and and fell over, and they cut slats in it and they used it for a bike rack.
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So people parked their bikes just on the log with just slats cut in.
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Again, you probably have to use a chainsaw to do that, but I thought that was pretty clever.
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I like that a lot.
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Sorry, it's why I throw that one in.
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I do have another one that you just reminded me of.
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I had a log up in my pawpaw orchard.
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Uh, pawpaws are a native tree on the east uh that makes like a tropical fruit.
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And I back in the day when I did use a chainsaw, I cut that one, cut some space in it, put some soil in it, some planting mix, and then I planted annual flowers, and I didn't tell my wife.
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And then I waited for her when she walked the dogs to go up the trail until she finally said, Did you see what happened up there in that tree?
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I'm like, What happened?
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And she's like, There's all these flowers.
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I said, The birds must have uh left seeds in there or something.
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So there is another one that I've done.
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So uh I can add that to my list of creative uses for trees.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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Um, you know, for when it comes to crafts, there's a couple pretty brilliant things.
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Some of these things I've done, these are things, some of this other stuff is what I've seen clients use.
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I think my favorite, very simple use for a part of a tree to help out a backyard was I had a client that got little mirrors and she glued them on pine cones, and she hung the pine cones from the trees and from other areas in her backyard to keep the birds away that were causing a problem for her garden underneath.
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I thought that was like really tasteful, kind of blended in, it was natural, but you still got that reflection.
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Well, now, Jay, you reminded me of another one where you take the pine cones and you put like a bird seed peanut butter mix on them and you hang them.
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And uh, especially for the big pine cones, that works good.
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And uh, there's another creative use for trees.
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I you're you're bringing back all these memories.
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Uh, you know, these are things I gotta do with my grandkids that I did with my kids.
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Anything else on your list that you were thinking about for uh creative uses of trees?
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Um, yeah, so I have a couple other uh ideas that I uh talked to my my daughters last night to see what they had to add, and I thought I'd maybe let you uh share the share these with you.
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Uh, my oldest said that um you could make a pine cone person uh using needles as the hair, using googly eyes for the eyes, and using bark for the feet, which I think we'll probably end up doing that this weekend, since it was a pretty clever idea.
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And that's a very clever idea.
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So when you when you propose this to them, how tell me how you pitched it to them?
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Yeah, so um at the dinner table, of course, um, I said, I'm talking to Doug.
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Doug's a nice guy that wants to have great ideas for me to share with everybody on what to do with parts of trees.
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Do you guys have any fun crafts?
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And uh they just started talking right away and uh spit out a bunch.
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That was that was my my most favorite of the uh the older one.
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The younger one, uh, who's only five, uh, she had a really clever one, which was something I never even thought about, but she was talking, it took me a minute to figure out what she was talking about.
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But essentially what she was describing was taking uh leaves in the fall, crushing them up so they're really small, drawing a landscape of a tree and maybe a sun, and then under the tree sprinkling that on glue.
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So it looked like the leaves coming off the tree that she had painted were you know the little crumbled pieces of true leaves underneath.
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I thought that was pretty creative for a five-year-old to think of mixed media like that.
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I think that's just amazing.
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And that's you know, as having someone as a five-year-old grandchild, I'm amazed at at how smart they are and uh what they can come up with conceptually.
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You know, and we I've I've seen also where people have taken the stump that's left over and as it's rotted away, turn that into a planter.
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That's another thing you could do.
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Uh I guess uh you're you're only uh it's your imagination that is the only thing that will hold you back.
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You've got to think about how you want to use that.
00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:27.440
And it's funny that uh, especially as for arborists, they're always making stuff out of the the trees, whatever it might be.
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You know what are what are the woods that are that are really good to use?
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You said black walnut.
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I guess maple would be one, right?
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Oak would be one, or or not?
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Yeah, oak.
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Yeah, oak is a harder wood.
00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:43.039
Um, that one I did a lot of work with.
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Um, you know, I've made uh quite a few things, uh, a countertop for a register at a small shop.
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Um, I use live veg oak wood for um using that same milling um with chainsaw that I told you about.
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Maple is okay, although that's a softer wood, it's gonna decay quicker.
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Um, also when you're sanding that down and cutting it, you're losing a lot more just because it is so soft or be.
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I mean, I don't know if this is official, but in my opinion, working with the different woods, I would almost compare it to working with almost a pine, how soft it is at least.
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Right, right.
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How is this something that you got into?
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Was it just uh an extension of being an arborist, or was this something you were into before that?
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Um exactly that it was it was an extension of being an arborist.
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I climbed for the first decade of my career, and I'm I was removing these large, beautiful trees that were dying, but still had a really good intact main stem, which um you we you called stag.
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We call that, or at least I call that a spar.
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So leaving the spar.
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Yeah, that's what we did.
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That's what we call that.
00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:57.360
So uh I think I think when you get uh east of the Mississippi, it's a stag.
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West Mississippi, it's a spar.
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Um, so yeah, you know, getting rid of these spars, just disposing of them um at sites where they're grinding them up to use the chip for other stuff.
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Um, you know, I realized I should see what I can do to maybe do some woodworking with this stuff, and um found a little chainsaw mill, which is a hundred dollars attached to a chainsaw and kind of went from there, sort of figuring it all out.
00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:27.600
Yeah.
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Well, plus you have the advantage of knowing all the safety stuff, having all the safety gear.
00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:47.360
You know, we should talk a little bit about that when we are when when we're talking about the stuff that you're doing, how important safety is in working with these, uh, just like the chainsaw and and and everything.
00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:52.080
When you're doing something like that, what are all the things that you're wearing for protection?
00:16:52.639 --> 00:17:01.679
Yeah, um, so with the chainsaw, you've mentioned chaps, obviously, hearing pro, some sort of hearing protection, um, uh safety glasses for anything that's coming back.
00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:05.119
And a helmet's important when you're using a chainsaw as well.
00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:22.240
Um, you know, I think when you're looking to get more crafty with a chainsaw, outside of just your general cut, uh, the chance for kickbacks there, especially if you're running with the grain as opposed to against the grain, um, and you're cutting through in different ways.
00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:35.839
You definitely want to have some skill set and some understanding of the chainsaw before you start just cutting into a piece of wood to make a bike rack or uh to start cutting for a tabletop or cutting board for your mom for Christmas.
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So um, yeah, there are dangers, especially with the chainsaw.
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Um, you have to be definitely um well versed in operating one before using it for crafts.
00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:54.160
And we do have to say that guys in general are pretty dumb, especially when they're young.
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Uh, because I I fit it right into that category.
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I should not have been using a chainsaw, I shouldn't have been.
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I didn't know what I was doing, but everybody else had a chainsaw, and I'm like, well, I guess if they got a chainsaw, thank goodness nothing happened.
00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:09.119
What's the favorite thing, most favorite thing you ever made?
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Um, so when I was talking about the scraps from the other um the other projects, and I was making those blocks, um, even making the blocks, I had even tinier scraps, and because this wood I had, because you have to dry this wood out too.
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So I would stack it and dry.
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I mean, this is a year process from when I cut the tree down to literal tabletop, right?
00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:56.720
So any scrap I had I salvaged, and what I did was started building a few of these little boxes by taking the small pieces, cutting them straight into perfect 90-degree angles, gluing them together, and then planing that to make it smooth, and making four walls and then a little top on top, and it made some really cool, unique.
00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:13.759
You know, you've got the the white live wood, and then you've got that brown um heartwood on those uh black walnut in in particular, and it made some really cool looking, unique uh boxes that uh were just made out of scraps, which was even more exciting than stuff you'd normally throw away, right?
00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:14.720
Oh, that's so cool.
00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:20.880
Now I want to talk about something creative that we shouldn't be doing that drives me crazy is when people carve in trees.
00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:21.680
Oh, yeah.
00:19:21.839 --> 00:19:23.519
You know, that really drives me nuts.
00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:30.400
I was actually on the West Coast and they had these really beautiful giant agavis, and people were carving in them.
00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:33.599
Here in the east, we have beech trees which have very soft bark.
00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:35.359
People are always carving in them.
00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:45.039
It's creative, but it's bad for the tree, and uh it's it's basically outdoor uh pre-graffiti, in my opinion.
00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:46.319
Yeah, yeah, I agree.
00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:53.680
Um, in the Rockies here, we have the infamous aspen stands, and again, aspens a very thin bark.
00:19:53.759 --> 00:20:02.640
Um, when you're walking those trails through those, there's a lot of cuts in the tree, and you know, these cuts can introduce uh insects and disease.
00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:07.440
You know how much we like to talk about insects and disease.
00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:10.640
All right, Jay, I'm gonna leave it right there.
00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:11.680
That's good stuff.
00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:17.599
Uh, I think that's just so uh wonderful that your kids came up with those suggestions.
00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:18.319
That's cool.
00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:19.599
Keep up the good work.
00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:25.279
I you know, I would love to see some pictures of some of your stuff uh uh that you've made.
00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:26.319
That's so cool.
00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:30.160
Uh and such a just a wonderful personalized gift.
00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:41.279
I've been given a cutting board before, and I've got that, I've had that cutting board for 20 years, and I ever every time I use it, I think of the guy who's like an expert wood worker who made it.
00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:44.720
Uh because I appreciate it because as I said, I don't have those skills.
00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:46.319
So good for you, buddy.
00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:47.359
I think that's awesome.
00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:50.799
And and it gives you a good follow-up gift for future Christmases.
00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:55.519
You just send over a little bottle of beeswax so they can condition the wood.
00:20:56.480 --> 00:20:57.200
Perfect.
00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:02.400
I think they should be able to send the cutting board back to you, and you should have to put the beeswax back.
00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:06.000
Okay, we'll catch you next time.
00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:07.519
Always great to talk to you.
00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:08.319
Absolutely.
00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:09.440
Thank you, Doug.
00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:14.079
What ways have you used a tree creatively?
00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:15.759
I would love to hear from you.
00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:18.079
There's a couple of different ways you can reach us.
00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:21.759
Just send us an email to podcast at Davy.com.
00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:26.880
That's P-O-D-C-A-S T-S at D-A-V-E-Y.com.
00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:31.440
You can also click the link at the end of our show notes to text us a fan mail message.
00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:34.160
It'd be interesting to hear some other projects.
00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:39.119
Now, tune in every Thursday to the Talking Trees Podcast from the Davy Tree Expert Company.
00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.640
I am your host, Doug Oester.
00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:44.319
As always, I'd love for you to subscribe to the podcast.
00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:49.359
And as always, we like to remind you on the Talking Trees Podcast.
00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:51.440
Trees are the answer.
00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:04.959
Welcome to the Deby Tree Expert Company's podcast, Talking Trees.
00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:06.480
I'm your host, Doug Oester.
00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:16.000
Each week, our expert arborists share advice on seasonal tree care, how to make your trees thrive, arborists' favorite trees, and much, much more.
00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:23.519
Tune in every Thursday to learn more because here at the Talking Trees Podcast, we know trees are the answer.
00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:25.920
I'm joined again by Jay Judd.
00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:30.239
He is a district manager at the East Denver office of the Navy Tree Expert Company.
00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:35.200
We are talking about a very interesting topic today: creative uses for trees.
00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:36.880
Jay, welcome back to the show.
00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.600
It seems like we just talked recently, doesn't it?
00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:41.119
It does, Doug.
00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:51.439
Thanks for having me, and thanks for having me on to talk about something uh besides miserable trees in Denver and diseases and insects and drought and all that fun stuff.
00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:53.759
That seems to be all we talk about.
00:00:54.719 --> 00:00:56.719
So creative uses for trees.
00:00:56.799 --> 00:00:59.280
What's the first thing that comes to mind for you?
00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:02.399
Uh having kids, I'd say crafts.
00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:09.760
Um, you know, we live I live on a property where we do have trees and a bunch of different types of trees.
00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:22.560
Um, having uh a little five-year-old and eight-year-old, they're out there exploring a lot and picking things off trees, which inevitably turn into a pretty interesting crafts that I probably wouldn't have thought of.
00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:35.439
Um, you know, everything from uh just mixing them together in a pot of water to make a soup uh to bringing them in the house and painting things and doing prints with them.
00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:36.319
Yeah.
00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:38.079
Oh, that's so cool.
00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:41.359
Do they know their trees because of who their dad is?
00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:44.000
Do you show them what's what?
00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:49.120
They they do know their trees, or at least the trees on our property, yeah, yeah.
00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:53.840
And their diseases and their insects as well for those trees.
00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:57.120
And there's plenty of that to talk about.
00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:00.560
How about planting wise?
00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:12.319
When I was when I saw the topic, I was thinking, like, wow, is there like some kind of cool way to plant that's creative, like in uh uh some type of uh pattern or something?
00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:14.560
That's that's what I was thinking of.
00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:22.000
I I can't imagine that ever happening, except at some kind of art installation or uh uh public space somewhere.
00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:34.080
Yeah, there's ways to especially with ornamental trees, kind of work them on walls uh and and utilize them to kind of make a pattern uh on a patio wall.
00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:41.280
It takes a lot of trimming and a lot of attaching to make sure and redirecting to make sure the tree's going the way they want it to.
00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:52.719
And obviously a tree grows slow, so it takes many years, but I have seen that uh before, at least for a use of a living tree, uh art wise.
00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:53.919
Yeah, yeah.
00:02:54.240 --> 00:03:11.520
Well, a couple things that I do because I do have uh arborists here every six months cutting down my oak trees that have oak wilt, and I lose one or two a year, is I like to use the stumps as actually an area to put a garden container on top of.
00:03:11.919 --> 00:03:23.840
Uh I asked the guys, try and get it as flat as you can, and they abide, and then I put that container on top, and it's a good place for a sort of pedestal.
00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:25.840
Uh, so that's one thing I'm doing.
00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:32.719
Yeah, and I've I've had clients request uh flat but a little bit higher up so they could put a bird bath on.
00:03:33.039 --> 00:03:52.319
Um, one fun thing that I want to do at our house with a recent tree I cut down is um sort of uh leave the stump at a few feet, put a roof on it, and uh for the girls make a little fairy garden around it as if that was the house for the fairy garden.
00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:53.759
I thought that would be a fun one.
00:03:54.080 --> 00:04:00.240
That is really cool because I've got a fairy garden in my gar in my garden too for my grandkids.
00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:02.639
Uh and so it's fun.
00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:22.959
And and I've got a big stag there from a tree that was uh cut down and I left that there, and it has a big sign on it, it says fairy garden, and the fairy garden's underneath it, and actually in the top of the stag, it's high enough where I can put plants in flats so that the critters can't get them.
00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:30.079
And so there's a there's another creative use for for a tree that I didn't think of even before we started this.
00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:32.959
Explain what a stag is to people.
00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:34.959
I have no idea what a stag is.
00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:42.639
Okay, well my arborist calls a stag when I leave when I leave something bigger than a stump.
00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:44.160
Oh, interesting.
00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:55.199
And so I'm saving money when they have to cut down these trees, yeah, they can leave like seriously, 10, 15 feet, and have to worry, it's not gonna fall over or anything.
00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:58.720
So that's that must be just his term for it.
00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:00.800
Because I had never heard it before either.
00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:07.120
And so like I said, they cut down most of the tree, but that big part at the end they leave.
00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:09.279
And so I've got them all over the garden.
00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:09.920
Right.
00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:17.120
I actually want to put on that one big one where I got the plants, I actually want to put a big giant, like fairy statue on top of it.
00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:19.600
But I haven't I haven't found one yet.
00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:26.079
Uh now, right behind you on your bookshelf, it looks like you have some creative uses for trees right behind you.
00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:27.680
What is what is that stuff?
00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:28.879
I do, yeah.
00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:35.199
So cookies, uh, where you cut the um stem or a trunk into slivers.
00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:42.879
Um, I've got a pretty unique design on um the shelf behind me that I'm displaying.
00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:47.199
But I've used cookies, these slivers of trunk in different ways.
00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:50.160
Uh, we use them for centerpieces at my wedding.
00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:59.120
Um, I've made uh cut or coaster holders for my family with it uh for Christmas, just something to hand out.
00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:20.800
Um, with black walnut that I had cut down when I was in the field, I used to use a chainsaw uh mill to get planks, sand them down, cut them up, and would hand out for Christmas, of course, uh cutting boards that I use beeswax, rub beeswax into it after you've sanded them down.
00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:27.360
Um, and the same with using that same wood for um coffee tables, yeah.
00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:38.240
So you don't need to have you know a true milling machine or or something fancy, you know, a chainsaw can do it, and then a little bit of sanding.
00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:41.839
Is black walnut a a good wood to work with for that sort of thing?
00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:43.839
Is it a hard wood or a softer wood?
00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:45.120
How would you explain it?
00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:51.920
Yeah, no, black walnut is definitely uh uh extremely hard wood and a good wood for making furniture with.
00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:53.279
Yeah, yep.
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Is it beautiful?
00:06:55.120 --> 00:07:07.360
Beautiful, and once you get the beeswax or whatever you're using to sort of polish the wood, you get these really dark, dark red, almost streaked wood.
00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:15.920
Um, and then if you leave in that vascular, that live wood edge, you get a stark contrast of the white too.
00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:22.319
And then if you can even get the bark to stay on, that's even uh that's even cooler for a coffee table.
00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:25.199
That is important, and a cutting board.
00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:34.639
Everybody needs a cutting board, and to have one, you know, a custom-made cutting board, go through that like how many hours are we talking about when you cut when you get the slab together?
00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:42.560
Like, are you sanding it by hand, or do you have like a sanding machine or something that can help you get that sanded down to where you want it?
00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:47.120
Yeah, so um, what I use first is a chainsaw that leaves a lot of chatter marks.
00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:58.079
So you're looking at maybe quarter inch um, you know, deep divots in it that I run it through a planer first to kind of bring that down, and then just an electric sander.
00:07:58.480 --> 00:07:59.120
Yep.
00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:01.360
And then beeswax, huh?
00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:02.399
Yeah, yeah.
00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:06.720
I also made uh building blocks for my daughters when they were first born.
00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:19.279
Um, I just had so many scraps after these other projects that I cut them into triangles and squares, and then I figured, you know, to preserve the wood, something that if they put it in their mouth wouldn't make them sick, beeswax would be good.
00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:21.519
So I soaked them in beeswax.
00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:22.319
Yeah.
00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:28.639
Now that is such a special thing to make, but as the kids outgrow it, what do you do with it?
00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:33.200
Do you save it for uh down the road or do you pass them along?
00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:36.639
What do you do with something special like that, or do you put them up somewhere?
00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:43.440
Yeah, so um I've passed some of some along, some my wife definitely wanted to hold on to.
00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:52.799
Um, because it is like you said, it's unique and and yeah, I took some little canker areas and made some arches and stuff to add in the mix.
00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:54.480
So yeah, that's something you keep.
00:08:54.799 --> 00:09:02.879
So for people like me who don't have any skills with tools, uh give me some ideas.
00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:08.240
What can I what can I do creatively with uh with the trees that we haven't already talked about?
00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:25.679
I'm I don't like I don't use a chainsaw anymore, uh, because I after I've learned all the safety things that the Davy guys use, and I'm like, well, you know, for as often as I use a chainsaw, I'm not gonna get chaps, and I shouldn't use a chainsaw without the chaps, and so I'm not using a chainsaw anymore.
00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:31.279
Um, I am, you know, whatever's left when they're done, I try and make something out of it.
00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:39.440
Uh, but it sounds like you really know your way around uh some tools with the planer and the electric sander and then the beeswax.
00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:44.960
Yeah, yeah, and a couple more that need tools that are pretty fun that I've done in the past.
00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:57.200
Um my most favorite was um, I saw at this camp area we were at, they took a log, a tree that died and and fell over, and they cut slats in it and they used it for a bike rack.
00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:01.600
So people parked their bikes just on the log with just slats cut in.
00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:04.879
Again, you probably have to use a chainsaw to do that, but I thought that was pretty clever.
00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:05.600
I like that a lot.
00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:07.759
Sorry, it's why I throw that one in.
00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:10.240
I do have another one that you just reminded me of.
00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:14.399
I had a log up in my pawpaw orchard.
00:10:14.559 --> 00:10:19.759
Uh, pawpaws are a native tree on the east uh that makes like a tropical fruit.
00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:32.639
And I back in the day when I did use a chainsaw, I cut that one, cut some space in it, put some soil in it, some planting mix, and then I planted annual flowers, and I didn't tell my wife.
00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:38.720
And then I waited for her when she walked the dogs to go up the trail until she finally said, Did you see what happened up there in that tree?
00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:40.480
I'm like, What happened?
00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:42.720
And she's like, There's all these flowers.
00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:47.279
I said, The birds must have uh left seeds in there or something.
00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:49.840
So there is another one that I've done.
00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:55.200
So uh I can add that to my list of creative uses for trees.
00:10:56.080 --> 00:10:57.759
Yeah, absolutely.
00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:02.320
Um, you know, for when it comes to crafts, there's a couple pretty brilliant things.
00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:08.320
Some of these things I've done, these are things, some of this other stuff is what I've seen clients use.
00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:28.240
I think my favorite, very simple use for a part of a tree to help out a backyard was I had a client that got little mirrors and she glued them on pine cones, and she hung the pine cones from the trees and from other areas in her backyard to keep the birds away that were causing a problem for her garden underneath.
00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:34.480
I thought that was like really tasteful, kind of blended in, it was natural, but you still got that reflection.
00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:44.159
Well, now, Jay, you reminded me of another one where you take the pine cones and you put like a bird seed peanut butter mix on them and you hang them.
00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:48.080
And uh, especially for the big pine cones, that works good.
00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:50.879
And uh, there's another creative use for trees.
00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:54.159
I you're you're bringing back all these memories.
00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:58.320
Uh, you know, these are things I gotta do with my grandkids that I did with my kids.
00:11:58.559 --> 00:12:03.519
Anything else on your list that you were thinking about for uh creative uses of trees?
00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:15.519
Um, yeah, so I have a couple other uh ideas that I uh talked to my my daughters last night to see what they had to add, and I thought I'd maybe let you uh share the share these with you.
00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:34.320
Uh, my oldest said that um you could make a pine cone person uh using needles as the hair, using googly eyes for the eyes, and using bark for the feet, which I think we'll probably end up doing that this weekend, since it was a pretty clever idea.
00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:36.799
And that's a very clever idea.
00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:41.840
So when you when you propose this to them, how tell me how you pitched it to them?
00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:48.559
Yeah, so um at the dinner table, of course, um, I said, I'm talking to Doug.
00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:56.240
Doug's a nice guy that wants to have great ideas for me to share with everybody on what to do with parts of trees.
00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:58.240
Do you guys have any fun crafts?
00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:02.639
And uh they just started talking right away and uh spit out a bunch.
00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:06.159
That was that was my my most favorite of the uh the older one.
00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:16.080
The younger one, uh, who's only five, uh, she had a really clever one, which was something I never even thought about, but she was talking, it took me a minute to figure out what she was talking about.
00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:31.759
But essentially what she was describing was taking uh leaves in the fall, crushing them up so they're really small, drawing a landscape of a tree and maybe a sun, and then under the tree sprinkling that on glue.
00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:39.200
So it looked like the leaves coming off the tree that she had painted were you know the little crumbled pieces of true leaves underneath.
00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:43.519
I thought that was pretty creative for a five-year-old to think of mixed media like that.
00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:45.279
I think that's just amazing.
00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:56.480
And that's you know, as having someone as a five-year-old grandchild, I'm amazed at at how smart they are and uh what they can come up with conceptually.
00:13:57.759 --> 00:14:06.159
You know, and we I've I've seen also where people have taken the stump that's left over and as it's rotted away, turn that into a planter.
00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:08.080
That's another thing you could do.
00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:15.919
Uh I guess uh you're you're only uh it's your imagination that is the only thing that will hold you back.
00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:18.399
You've got to think about how you want to use that.
00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:27.440
And it's funny that uh, especially as for arborists, they're always making stuff out of the the trees, whatever it might be.
00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:32.399
You know what are what are the woods that are that are really good to use?
00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:33.919
You said black walnut.
00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:36.159
I guess maple would be one, right?
00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:37.840
Oak would be one, or or not?
00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:38.720
Yeah, oak.
00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:40.879
Yeah, oak is a harder wood.
00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:43.039
Um, that one I did a lot of work with.
00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:50.320
Um, you know, I've made uh quite a few things, uh, a countertop for a register at a small shop.
00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:58.080
Um, I use live veg oak wood for um using that same milling um with chainsaw that I told you about.
00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:02.639
Maple is okay, although that's a softer wood, it's gonna decay quicker.
00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:08.559
Um, also when you're sanding that down and cutting it, you're losing a lot more just because it is so soft or be.
00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:17.200
I mean, I don't know if this is official, but in my opinion, working with the different woods, I would almost compare it to working with almost a pine, how soft it is at least.
00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:18.399
Right, right.
00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:21.039
How is this something that you got into?
00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:26.240
Was it just uh an extension of being an arborist, or was this something you were into before that?
00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:30.240
Um exactly that it was it was an extension of being an arborist.
00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:44.879
I climbed for the first decade of my career, and I'm I was removing these large, beautiful trees that were dying, but still had a really good intact main stem, which um you we you called stag.
00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:48.000
We call that, or at least I call that a spar.
00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:49.840
So leaving the spar.
00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:51.120
Yeah, that's what we did.
00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:52.399
That's what we call that.
00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:57.360
So uh I think I think when you get uh east of the Mississippi, it's a stag.
00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:59.840
West Mississippi, it's a spar.
00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:11.279
Um, so yeah, you know, getting rid of these spars, just disposing of them um at sites where they're grinding them up to use the chip for other stuff.
00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:26.799
Um, you know, I realized I should see what I can do to maybe do some woodworking with this stuff, and um found a little chainsaw mill, which is a hundred dollars attached to a chainsaw and kind of went from there, sort of figuring it all out.
00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:27.600
Yeah.
00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:34.559
Well, plus you have the advantage of knowing all the safety stuff, having all the safety gear.
00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:47.360
You know, we should talk a little bit about that when we are when when we're talking about the stuff that you're doing, how important safety is in working with these, uh, just like the chainsaw and and and everything.
00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:52.080
When you're doing something like that, what are all the things that you're wearing for protection?
00:16:52.639 --> 00:17:01.679
Yeah, um, so with the chainsaw, you've mentioned chaps, obviously, hearing pro, some sort of hearing protection, um, uh safety glasses for anything that's coming back.
00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:05.119
And a helmet's important when you're using a chainsaw as well.
00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:22.240
Um, you know, I think when you're looking to get more crafty with a chainsaw, outside of just your general cut, uh, the chance for kickbacks there, especially if you're running with the grain as opposed to against the grain, um, and you're cutting through in different ways.
00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:35.839
You definitely want to have some skill set and some understanding of the chainsaw before you start just cutting into a piece of wood to make a bike rack or uh to start cutting for a tabletop or cutting board for your mom for Christmas.
00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:39.359
So um, yeah, there are dangers, especially with the chainsaw.
00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:45.839
Um, you have to be definitely um well versed in operating one before using it for crafts.
00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:54.160
And we do have to say that guys in general are pretty dumb, especially when they're young.
00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:56.480
Uh, because I I fit it right into that category.
00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:59.039
I should not have been using a chainsaw, I shouldn't have been.
00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:05.519
I didn't know what I was doing, but everybody else had a chainsaw, and I'm like, well, I guess if they got a chainsaw, thank goodness nothing happened.
00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:09.119
What's the favorite thing, most favorite thing you ever made?
00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:24.319
Um, so when I was talking about the scraps from the other um the other projects, and I was making those blocks, um, even making the blocks, I had even tinier scraps, and because this wood I had, because you have to dry this wood out too.
00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:25.839
So I would stack it and dry.
00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:32.000
I mean, this is a year process from when I cut the tree down to literal tabletop, right?
00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:56.720
So any scrap I had I salvaged, and what I did was started building a few of these little boxes by taking the small pieces, cutting them straight into perfect 90-degree angles, gluing them together, and then planing that to make it smooth, and making four walls and then a little top on top, and it made some really cool, unique.
00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:13.759
You know, you've got the the white live wood, and then you've got that brown um heartwood on those uh black walnut in in particular, and it made some really cool looking, unique uh boxes that uh were just made out of scraps, which was even more exciting than stuff you'd normally throw away, right?
00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:14.720
Oh, that's so cool.
00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:20.880
Now I want to talk about something creative that we shouldn't be doing that drives me crazy is when people carve in trees.
00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:21.680
Oh, yeah.
00:19:21.839 --> 00:19:23.519
You know, that really drives me nuts.
00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:30.400
I was actually on the West Coast and they had these really beautiful giant agavis, and people were carving in them.
00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:33.599
Here in the east, we have beech trees which have very soft bark.
00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:35.359
People are always carving in them.
00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:45.039
It's creative, but it's bad for the tree, and uh it's it's basically outdoor uh pre-graffiti, in my opinion.
00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:46.319
Yeah, yeah, I agree.
00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:53.680
Um, in the Rockies here, we have the infamous aspen stands, and again, aspens a very thin bark.
00:19:53.759 --> 00:20:02.640
Um, when you're walking those trails through those, there's a lot of cuts in the tree, and you know, these cuts can introduce uh insects and disease.
00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:07.440
You know how much we like to talk about insects and disease.
00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:10.640
All right, Jay, I'm gonna leave it right there.
00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:11.680
That's good stuff.
00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:17.599
Uh, I think that's just so uh wonderful that your kids came up with those suggestions.
00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:18.319
That's cool.
00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:19.599
Keep up the good work.
00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:25.279
I you know, I would love to see some pictures of some of your stuff uh uh that you've made.
00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:26.319
That's so cool.
00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:30.160
Uh and such a just a wonderful personalized gift.
00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:41.279
I've been given a cutting board before, and I've got that, I've had that cutting board for 20 years, and I ever every time I use it, I think of the guy who's like an expert wood worker who made it.
00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:44.720
Uh because I appreciate it because as I said, I don't have those skills.
00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:46.319
So good for you, buddy.
00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:47.359
I think that's awesome.
00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:50.799
And and it gives you a good follow-up gift for future Christmases.
00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:55.519
You just send over a little bottle of beeswax so they can condition the wood.
00:20:56.480 --> 00:20:57.200
Perfect.
00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:02.400
I think they should be able to send the cutting board back to you, and you should have to put the beeswax back.
00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:06.000
Okay, we'll catch you next time.
00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:07.519
Always great to talk to you.
00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:08.319
Absolutely.
00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:09.440
Thank you, Doug.
00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:14.079
What ways have you used a tree creatively?
00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:15.759
I would love to hear from you.
00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:18.079
There's a couple of different ways you can reach us.
00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:21.759
Just send us an email to podcast at Davy.com.
00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:26.880
That's P-O-D-C-A-S T-S at D-A-V-E-Y.com.
00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:31.440
You can also click the link at the end of our show notes to text us a fan mail message.
00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:34.160
It'd be interesting to hear some other projects.
00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:39.119
Now, tune in every Thursday to the Talking Trees Podcast from the Davy Tree Expert Company.
00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.640
I am your host, Doug Oester.
00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:44.319
As always, I'd love for you to subscribe to the podcast.
00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:49.359
And as always, we like to remind you on the Talking Trees Podcast.
00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:51.440
Trees are the answer.
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