Tarrel wrote:They eat the bark?? Useful to know. The other option I'd considered, but sort of rejected, was increasing the deer population. However, their habit of fraying against the tree bark put me off. Having the goats eat it would be worse.
Another choice, which I know some Christmas tree plantations use, is Shropshire Sheep. Apparently they'll eat anything and are very hardy.
Oh yes, goats eat bark, but only really when out of choices! They will keep the place tidy as long as you rotate areas where they are permitted, and length of time spent there.
I like goats. There, I said it.
I think though for the best advice regarding goats this is the time for HWH to chip in, they have goats and woods and all seems to proceed in harmony.
"Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools". Douglas Bader.
Tarrel wrote:The other option I'd considered, but sort of rejected, was increasing the deer population. However, their habit of fraying against the tree bark put me off.
You could just consider the deer as a source of food... Most woodland owners/managers are frustrated by the ever-growing deer population and the damage they do to trees, so by controlling them you'd be doing everyone a favour.
I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker
Interesting conversation over the two days I was off in the woods. Welcome Tarrel, I have no idea what species Nobel fir is. Here the most popular commercial tree for Christmas trees /wreaths etc is the Balsam fir which is very disease and pest resistant and grows best on ground not suited for other varieties. It is also not desired for other commercial purposes so no one laments when you cut them down when only six feet high and ten years old.
The best weed control in a tree planting is to achieve a full canopy that shades the ground and starves the weeds out. Doing repetitive pruning of a cash crop as you are doing makes that unworkable. An annual or biannual brush hogging between the trees might be the best bet in your circumstances.
Be thankful that you don't have moose spending the winter in your fir stand reducing your Nobel firs to "Charlie Brown" Christmas trees.
I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker
Tarrel wrote:I recently bought a Bosch 36v lithium ion saw. Does 100 cuts on one charge, then takes one hour to recharge. Can recharge from the solar topped-up leisure battery in our cabin.
Only downside is it is only a 12 inch bar, but that's enough to get through our 30 year old Noble Firs.
So, no fuel needed to run it. Still needs chain oil though.
Stihl also make one. Saw it demo'd at IOG exhibition this year.
Tarrel.
This is interesting and might be in many of our futures.
Construction saws and blades are rated by the inch _foot ( throw in your metric conversion here ) meaning that a blade that can do 1000 inch-feet will make a cut one inch deep 1000 feet long or a 4 inch deep cut 250 feet long etc.
I suspect that the total inch-feet of that electric saw is still quite low compared to a gasoline powered chainsaw but there will come a time when the charged electric saw is better then any available alternative.
Hopefully this hasn't been just a neatly timed advert for Christmas decorations but you're interested in continuing discussions on PowerSwitch
Still you've got a very nice website and where would we bit without a bit of chrissy greenery? But I'd be very keen that you find a way to cultivate the trees without resorting to herbicides. It seems a shame that we have to poison the land just for the sake of wreaths.
No, definitely no ad. intended! It's just that there seemed to be quite a bit of interest in the trees so I thought the weblink would be the easiest way to convey the full picture. In fact, I thought quite hard before posting it, as it will ultimately become our "bolt hole" and I wasn't sure about splashing the location all over the internet.
Regarding the herbicides, yes I agree. Hence the thoughts about use of goats, etc. (I think the technical term is "targeted grazing"). Same goes for fertiliser. I'm just finishing a batch of commercial fertiliser that we bought a year or so back, and am then looking to move to a seaweed-based product. There is a company in Shetland that produces it, but the ultimate aim would be to produce our own, as we are in a coastal location.
Interesting conversation over the two days I was off in the woods. Welcome Tarrel, I have no idea what species Nobel fir is. Here the most popular commercial tree for Christmas trees /wreaths etc is the Balsam fir which is very disease and pest resistant and grows best on ground not suited for other varieties. It is also not desired for other commercial purposes so no one laments when you cut them down when only six feet high and ten years old. 
) meaning that a blade that can do 1000 inch-feet will make a cut one inch deep 1000 feet long or a 4 inch deep cut 250 feet long etc. 