TBN is the place for good ideas

[franklin2]

I used to have the same mindset and worried myself about a pile of brush sitting there, wondering how to use it, haul it away, or burn it. I don't want to burn it in my neighborhood, and taking it to the dump would take a 100 trips in a pickup and just fill up the landfill.

That's when it was suggested that I just leave it there, the birds and other wild life love it for shelter and use it as a hiding place. Sure enough, I see them going in and out of it all the time, and over the years it rots away by itself, and of course I just add to it every year and it stays roughly about the same size.

I do have it in a corner somewhat out of sight.

 

[OldMcDonald]

franklin, nice suggestion but the live olive trees give excellent homes to a huge number of birds - I like to see them. There is also a good range of ground wildlife. Add to that the fact that half Portugal is no longer looked after by its owners who now have city jobs and apartments, so there is no need for yet more habitat.

I prefer to compost beyond my domestic burning needs, and the chipper ideas, with added extra N will help to break down this high carbon material (and a lot of P and K too in the prunings) that should be returned to the land, not to mention the added organic material which the soil also needs. After all, this wood/leaves grew in my soil and not to put it back is mining my land of its minerals. Something I endeavour never to do.

I thank you all for your chipper responses, and I believe I can grind or hammer-mill the chips - now back to the end product - pelleting, or reformed small diameter (or square section) logs. Anybody done any work on these? I know they are available commercially, but importing from China or wherever is out of the question.

 

[jaotguy]

jaotguy, I have seen one used to chop leaves lying on a lawn and it worked well. I have not got my mind wrapped around feeding a static one.

mount it with the bottom now UP ( so the bottom bar is upwards , and the blades draw the leaves in to it )... put a wedge shaped funnel above it ... ( adjust feed angle to best feed the beast ) then remove one of the "rubber wheels" ( leave the rim as a pulley) and hook up a belt and motor to the empty rim ...

pellets / bricks / logs ... wet the cut up stock , add lots of wet newspaper ( glue ) or a bit of PVA glue ... get a plastic grid for making cement paving blocks ... fill with the mush, pack a bit , lift the grid and move on ... let them air dry then stack ....

logs ... stand an ABS 4" pipe ( upright ) with multiple small holes drilled in the sides ... mixture as above , pack in tube ... squeeze some of the moisture out ... push out the other end ... ( lift the tube while pushing the log out ) .. let dry ....

 

[OldMcDonald]

jaotguy, That is why I gave the thread the title "TBN is the place for good ideas". Thank you yet again. I do not buy newspapers, but I have a big stock of used paper feed sacks that are worth an experiment.