Peaked Mountain - The Peaked Mountain Co-op

The Peaked Mountain Co-op

The Co-op emerged in the aftermath of the Peaked Mountain fire that burned over 200 acres (0.81 km2) in 1984. As the fire-fighters were struggling to get hoses, pumps, and other equipment up the steep logging trail, Roslyn Harrington suggested to her husband, that they, with the help of some neighbors, should create a better road system as a defense to future conflagrations. This proposal called into being the Peaked Mt Co-op, composed of Len Harrington, Dick Elliott, a neighbor and Peaked Mt. landowner, and Bernie Choiniere, Dick's nephew and local resident. Their goal was to build an adequate system of access roads. The members decided that they land should finance the costs of the system being built for its benefit.

With that in mind, they decided to cut the trees themselves. So they resolved to start a firewood business, using the proceeds from the sale of trees to make the roads to pay for hired equipment, and for equipment owned and used by the Co-op.

Each year the Peaked Mountain Co-op harvests 40 cords (145.0 m3) of firewood. Most of the wood is sold to steady customers largely in the outer suburbs of Boston. The firewood is harvested in the winter and cut into lengths of 4 feet (1.2 m), stacked for drying, and then cut into appropriate sizes for each customer. Several years ago, the Co-op harvested 131,000 board feet (310 m3) of saw timber. The trees mostly consist of oak, black birch, and red maple which are selectively cut with the intention of giving greater space to the remaining trees and thus improve their growth rate.

Another important project undertaken by the Co-op is the construction of the fire pond, located part way up the mountain. This project insures that should there ever be another fire on the mountain not only will the equipment be able ot get on site, but water will be at hand. In an area cleared for a logging yard, the Co-op recently started an orchard with apple and pear trees.