What would you do..?
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Anonymous Poster
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Burning is not too good for the environment, which is the most precious gift the good lord gave next to our life. )</font>
Nah, you don't look any more like a dope than me. I worried about burning, too, especially with the diesel (see my post above). However, the good Lord also gave us fire, but did not directly give us chippers...the Earth has survived a long time, despite fire. Fire is Nature's way of getting rid of the trash. I was really tempted to do a controlled burn of the whole 5 acres - it's done all the time, here in Florida. But, there were too many pepper trees (which the State has declared "noxious") too close to the oak, maple, pine and palm trees. Most of the Forestry guys love the environment (they have to, they sure don't get paid enough, otherwise), and they recommended burning.
I really would have preferred hauling away over all the methods, because the landscape debris section of the landfill is decomposing naturally and will contribute to the good earth. But, the expense was enormous - estimates ran into the thousands.
Nah, you don't look any more like a dope than me. I worried about burning, too, especially with the diesel (see my post above). However, the good Lord also gave us fire, but did not directly give us chippers...the Earth has survived a long time, despite fire. Fire is Nature's way of getting rid of the trash. I was really tempted to do a controlled burn of the whole 5 acres - it's done all the time, here in Florida. But, there were too many pepper trees (which the State has declared "noxious") too close to the oak, maple, pine and palm trees. Most of the Forestry guys love the environment (they have to, they sure don't get paid enough, otherwise), and they recommended burning.
I really would have preferred hauling away over all the methods, because the landscape debris section of the landfill is decomposing naturally and will contribute to the good earth. But, the expense was enormous - estimates ran into the thousands.
jlong
Bronze Member
I did just what you are looking at with about 3 acres. I used a Ford 1520 with FEL and rake mounted on the rear 3 pt hitch. I pushed the stuff onto a few piles scattered within the area to reduce on the distance needed to move the stuff. What I misssed with the FEL, I got with the rake (sometimes on the same pass). There was some repetition, but not that much. Then after clearing aroung those piles, used diesel to get rid of it all.
I also considered the chipper, but in retrospect, I realize that chipping it would have taken MUCH longer, with more effort than any mulch is worth.
I also considered the chipper, but in retrospect, I realize that chipping it would have taken MUCH longer, with more effort than any mulch is worth.
jlong
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thcri
Elite Member
OkeeDon,
You said you used 5 gallons of diesel to get your fire going. I had a pile that was about 20 x 30 and 12 feet high. I used about a gallon of diesel. I just put some paper under the brush area of my pile and that was all it took to get it going. If your pile is pretty wet I can see you would have to use 5 gallons or so. Your Ranger mentioning this is not a bad idea, of all the fuels out there it is pretty much one of the safest. It does burn slow. I even had some sitting outside in an open pan when it was ten or so below zero and I dropped a match in it and it just put the match out. But anytime we play with fire no matter how it is started there is danger involved.
murph
You said you used 5 gallons of diesel to get your fire going. I had a pile that was about 20 x 30 and 12 feet high. I used about a gallon of diesel. I just put some paper under the brush area of my pile and that was all it took to get it going. If your pile is pretty wet I can see you would have to use 5 gallons or so. Your Ranger mentioning this is not a bad idea, of all the fuels out there it is pretty much one of the safest. It does burn slow. I even had some sitting outside in an open pan when it was ten or so below zero and I dropped a match in it and it just put the match out. But anytime we play with fire no matter how it is started there is danger involved.
murph
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Burning is not too good for the environment, which is the most precious gift the good lord gave next to our life. )</font>
Many jurisdictions have restrictions on burning as well. In my State the burning season is Jan 15 to April 30 and brush only is allowed to be burned. This is why all that stuff has collected in my back yard for about 10 years!
Many jurisdictions have restrictions on burning as well. In my State the burning season is Jan 15 to April 30 and brush only is allowed to be burned. This is why all that stuff has collected in my back yard for about 10 years!
Anonymous Poster
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there are a lot of towns in Mass that aren't allowed to burn, even brush. Miss management and not watching while people snuck in truck tires etc, into brush piles. Not following up on times to be out, etc..
JDGREEN4ME
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We have a little over 5 acres on Seneca Lake. All wooded at this point. We want to clear an acre out for the house and leave the rest wooded. For our size job we figured that renting a chipper made the most sense. Going to use the mulch for the trails my wife has mapped out... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
John_Mc
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 'Why not just use a front end loader to push it all in a pile and burn it? "
I didn't have much luck pushing it with my FEL. I would loose most of it before I got to where I wanted it to burn.)</font>
A toothbar on your FEL works wonders when pushing brush, and it's a lot cheaper than a grapple. Still takes a bit of finesse to push with a toothbar, but it's easier than a bare bucket. Of course, your mileage may vary...
John Mc
I didn't have much luck pushing it with my FEL. I would loose most of it before I got to where I wanted it to burn.)</font>
A toothbar on your FEL works wonders when pushing brush, and it's a lot cheaper than a grapple. Still takes a bit of finesse to push with a toothbar, but it's easier than a bare bucket. Of course, your mileage may vary...
John Mc