It seems smart, when one has free fuel, to use it.  The free fuel here at Blue Rock Horses & Farm is wood.  With a wood stove in the  basement and fireplace on the main floor, this fuel is welcome heat.  The one thing not free about it though is gathering it.  Oh well, just another reason to be beckoned out-of-doors into beautiful fresh air and thoughts.

Moving out to this 14 acre farm last summer made two tools obviously necessary for this PFO.  First things first, a Z-trac John Deere mower was purchased.  Before the ink dried on that sales ticket, the baby chain saw arrived.  Every working farm around has a ‘farm boss’ chain saw or similar.  These are for the men to operate.  This PFO can hardly pick it up, much less start the engine and carry it!   That is why we brought the baby home. The blade is the smallest one made.  It truly looks like the toy ones the boys used to play with as kids—it’s just far more fun!

We brought the baby home!

A word of caution to all those PFO gals that think they may like one:  Know what you are doing before ever using one yourself.   I have spent hours watching my husband, mother (Yes!  Mom had her own), and other knowledgable operators working these machines.  Safety is the priority always on the farm.  There is little room for error with a chain saw.  One must be comfortable and educated to use it. Proper safety equipment must be worn.  But what fun it is once learned!

Soon to be a pile of firewood!

Also, do not be surprised at possibly getting a marriage proposal when purchasing your new baby.  Once the sales guy finds out you are purchasing this saw for yourself, he may just mention that he is available for marriage should your current one fail!

I have spent hours watching safe operators run them.

So here is a photo of the work ‘the baby’ and this PFO got done before the rains came this week.

A nice little start on the wood pile.  Before the rains came.