Ever since reading Sepp Holzer's Permaculture book I have been in love with the idea of building a hillbed ("Hügelbeet"). It's a very straight forward technique of building a garden bed where there was none previously, using old rotting wood as its basis and building up from there. In preparation to just such a thing at our current homesteading housesitting gig, I "stumbled" upon a mighty dead tree that was felled by nature. ![IMG_20241120_115107606.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoEr3WHNbf9xWkh7azXYzz5DzAZR3MWTMea8YiBbyeGNdRytSRUWkv7XwmN1Lztpwyr.jpg)
It is almost blocking the road to the only neighbors but they wiggled past it. Still, I could not ask for a more personal invite as to clear this thing off the dirt road. But how? That thing is huge and heavy! ![IMG_20241120_115103695.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/Eonm3VM6hWG9sx9JTEAe9YMUKj1VFx7HHoMC3JENZv4z9h4Yd8GGp7ucH4ULxRv4PhA.jpg)
It also has dreadlocks all over and around it. Incredible how they in turn have turned to wood. We can burn them in our stove and have been doing so for the past few days to get the fire started. ![IMG_20241120_115213601.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoCi5J6dHF2gjLRPhJFpXFonU3tpj1No8XEUd5TT8hPxbRFuKBwTiWwGqCKfRUC4dPa.jpg)
First to make sure the tree is fully uprooted. It would be super uncool to find out in the end that I have to fell it after all. But nope, some storm has done the work for me. Awesome! ![IMG_20241120_115331829.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoK6ryhRxC54RhPAH3CCj7QFyDbSHUgWtpxpcFYWrMZbdFPMpJvep5aKrKG168o3hkv.jpg)
Now for the dreads! ![IMG_20241120_115806408.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoCi2adtm8SYEkXuxLC6odL6ubrsKtQ5fMMPMdnrLKNvhQYUCPoJAPt2g529r1n1zmd.jpg)
Most are easy to rip apart, some require twisting or even handsawing. Just to get the tree more moveable without all the pokies sticking out. ![IMG_20241120_120111960.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/23tmL9gHi3VZX66guLxKCaohxg448Z38mmVgUGCL2g6C4VJBNXHMv5NbBgJBC3VPGKvdT.jpg)
Now get it down from there to street level. Maybe wiggle it back and forth so that you can play with its weight... Pulling that thing by hand is not going to happen! ![IMG_20241120_120116419.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/Eo8Tpw4W6aLc4HRbXd34vHSeVYVhpYkUEkb4mC5iHTTD4ynf6AaCZNavPCW2fjtznxL.jpg)
And it came down to street level! ![IMG_20241120_120249558.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/Eo8Tr1EkKZbDkVjVpBJkn9RiTn7bALEFQV43YN8vmrmgGwETCJx31mcux7UkxNXYqsy.jpg)
Rope. No matter what happens. Just use the orange plastic rope we hardly ever use and still drive around with us. ![IMG_20241120_120404436.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/Eoc8SnHsirHTLt8pD5tywXNpJTsLvETAGnn8y4iDvYKXZ6jajv2pY6WsVMYhoeU2KFE.jpg)
It looks feeble but I'll just double wrap it! Et voila! ![IMG_20241120_120625490.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoCidKXTZmpMJQwPvDPSgQWrNX5CS4BeTwFvtWWjjFYFfuSxVLBxGuA45D394oJUvzD.jpg)
Some knots later and it's all looking good! ![IMG_20241120_120835818.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/Eo8ToBvy5H72wYR2tNpUVY9zzuwYroozejbWsWCV4oEDCkfahW9ZkGtJ2R95fa7wMZu.jpg)
And now for the actual mastermind idea: Getting our trusted van to do the heavy forestry lifting work! There is a first time for everything! ![IMG_20241120_121657122.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoeEWSNdmfycwq5Ck6BR2GC54DxJ7WgJLhbNNAz8eUuMGbEfSBQnaoGqrJvo3dhgxEV.jpg)
Amateurish knots that are merely knot-look-alikes... ![IMG_20241120_122341752.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/23u697LjQo11KEhNgU2rnpciYu8hhom2HfMstoHcQEumDfrjyPmZXTkUbhH2JSVgr2EFX.jpg)
Ah, fair enough! ![IMG_20241120_121926034.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoiWDu6yNVBVhqQrAjd43ibg5RUnXNKJUtcK9V6LgEsVz4AqgcFTknJfApMzuEJeDqn.jpg)
OMFG it's working! Ahahahahaha! ![IMG_20241120_122042675.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoErXnpK6eRxCeFrGf46yqqj7ajGDHdhvBu6fd5GUWhCu9ZPCP62SJjmcDbPbQm3XUZ.jpg)
Dude what a success! Our van didn't even flinch. ![IMG_20241120_122047773.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/Eo4D3XVwdW43oZfisdbTy7iwuQ7vXsVX4uM79NLsHvRgBzHp9TEiRJW5WH7q3zXCUWT.jpg)
Now don't drag the thing too far. There is a good spot to move it down towards the garden from here. ![IMG_20241120_122158249.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoCibZLDPgbw62x4RQYPwJc2tdc5wwQ8mEYndG8gXerZu8wafxYrutoo4GNf4cHU4r9.jpg)
Like, move it DOWN THERE. Somehow... ![IMG_20241120_122201179.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoeFNuDdYv1osPG47YwsGiYvTsjeYhny96JmaZKTahsXfKHGqBKcyXfZMsY3rbNU68L.jpg)
Got the chainsaw to start taking it apart, noticed that is quite enough wordly forestry accomplishment for one day. There are other things to do and that tree will wait for me right here! Whoever says you need to call a professional for everything ahahaha. ![IMG_20241120_122635412.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoGxxVY73DfNaJU2Xj8V8sE4MGprHctDNrngdes3qXpVRN1jaFv5N8pSE2pQe5Fsnkr.jpg)
Well, maybe not right here. Move it to the side for those neighbor people. ![IMG_20241120_123203530.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/paradigmprospect/EoAbFCUBzZ9VbL3R1txRUi8mRjcsFMnMAp9CeVz3viaPR2CgqQVaQpyhTcgVcnmgcCG.jpg)
Serious wood chuck skills or beginner's luck? You decide!
_{*Img srcs:*}_{*all images by me*}
Thanks for stopping by <3

pulling

Experts