With a laugh, Ed Reierson says he鈥檒l be happy when he鈥檚 able to retire.
In the meantime, the 82-year-old Silver Creek man takes some pleasure in felling trees.
On Monday morning, June 25, Reierson of Reierson Farms Ltd. was at a Salmon Arm residential property where he was hired to remove 23 鈥渄anger trees鈥� from the lot.
鈥淲e had two right there leaning over a power line 鈥� I had to push them over with a bobcat,鈥� said Reierson, noting the fallen trees weren鈥檛 the result of a recent wind storm.
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Aided by employee Tav Webster, the two had most of the trees, some of which were 100 feet or taller, down over the span of a few days. Most of the fallen foliage lay piled up on the front lawn, having dropped safely between the residence and the road.
Reierson says he does all the cutting from the ground, no climbing, while Webster does the limbing.
鈥淚 used to climb but I鈥檓 getting a little long in the tooth for that,鈥� laughs Reierson.
The two danger trees still standing on the property are down in minutes, with Reierson on the chainsaw and Webster driving in a wedge. Despite the wind, both trees come down away from the house, onto already fallen timber.
鈥淜nowing how to put these trees down where you want them, that鈥檚 probably the most challenging鈥�,鈥� said Reierson. 鈥淚鈥檝e been at it long enough that I can pretty well figure out most trees. And you know the old saying 鈥� a tree will fall three ways: your way, my way and the way it鈥檚 leaning.鈥�
Reierson said his family moved to the area in 1946 and he鈥檚 been here on and off ever since.
Asked if it鈥檚 unusual for a man of his age to be a tree faller, Reierson said, 鈥淚 think so. But I鈥檝e been running saw for 65 years so it kind of comes natural. And I鈥檓 addicted to the smell of fresh sawdust and the exhaust from the chainsaw 鈥� yeah, I鈥檓 addicted to those two things.鈥�
The fallen trees will be trucked back to Reierson鈥檚 mill where he鈥檒l turn some of the wood into lumber or log furniture. With the cedar, he鈥檒l do some live edge pieces for special orders.
lachlan@saobserver.net
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