January mornings on the St. Johns floodplain come in cold and white, with fog lying over Mullet Lake until nine. Irish Brothers Tree Service saves the heavy pruning for that season, when the hardwoods are bare enough to show every crossing limb and rubbing branch. Their ground runs from the river landings back up the sand roads into Geneva — trimming oaks off the eaves, taking out pines that came in too thick along a fence line. Removals are staged so the truck never has to cross soft pasture twice. When a blow has been through the river bottom, they open the way out first and get to the yard after.