Chestnut Coppice

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 09 Jun 2007, 21:20

I was just thinking of the minimum financial overheads, not the actual commitment if you see what I mean. I wasn't counting labour you can actually do yourself as a cost, just thinking of necessary externals.

Thanks Mike - you answered my question.

Tracy P · Post by **Tracy P** » 10 Jun 2007, 09:22

Hi Billhook

Your wind break stuff sounds interesting , have you read 'Secret life of trees'?
Its a cracking book!
In it, he talks about the importance of some wind, to encourage the trees to grow stronger and have deeper roots. Without some resistance you will get weak trees. I guess like people, adversity brings out the strength!

Our wood is fab though and is on a slight slope and there is very very little wind in the wood! - So hopefully, our trees will get the right amount.

Tracy
ps,read the book!

I love it

Post by **mikepepler** » 10 Jun 2007, 14:43

Andy Hunt wrote:I was just thinking of the minimum financial overheads, not the actual commitment if you see what I mean. I wasn't counting labour you can actually do yourself as a cost, just thinking of necessary externals.

Thanks Mike - you answered my question.

Ah, I see what you mean. I think the only overhead apart form insurance is tools, which after an initial outlay of a few hundred is just spare saw blades and sharpening stones. Of course, using a chainsaw adds more, and is probably required for any significant work, unless you have plenty of time and a desire to get fit! (we'll be starting out doing it by hand, but expect to opt for a chainsaw once we cut our first large coup).

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 10 Jun 2007, 21:50

Thanks Mike, I am mulling over the possibilities for getting a wood.

My problem is that I don't have a cash sum to spend on it so would have to borrow to buy it. Which goes against one of the main PO rules - get out of debt, not into it.

Plus the fact that I work full-time so I would only have a minimum amount of time to spend looking after a wood until our mortgage is paid off in about 7 years.

So I am mulling. But I don't think I am going to do it yet, I can't really afford it.

Post by **mikepepler** » 21 Jul 2007, 20:52

Well, we're now living down in Rye!

We've been to the wood a few times, and apart from some repairs being required to our makeshift shelter, everything was as we left it. We've started on a bit of work clearing some of the rides, and surveying the trees - we've so far found about 50 oaks, and we're only half way through! Our initial guess was that we had 40 oaks, so we were well off on that one!

We're writing a blog for friends to keep up to date on what we're doing in the wood, and Rye in general - check it out here:
http://peplers.blog.co.uk/

Post by **mikepepler** » 06 Aug 2007, 21:44

Visitors be warned - you may have to get your hands dirty! The evidence is here:
http://peplers.blog.co.uk/2007/08/06/vi ... rk~2766348

Jason (Bandidoz) dropped in for an hour and got busy helping us clear the rides...

If anyone else wants to visit, just give us a shout.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 07 Aug 2007, 10:06

Blimey - that looks a bit too much like hard work. You wouldn't catch me with a bow saw - the trusty chainsaw is my tool of choice.

(mind you, if you saw the pile of logs I have had to chop up for next winter you would understand!)

Nice seagull photos - 'specially the last one!

Post by **mikepepler** » 07 Aug 2007, 21:06

Andy Hunt wrote:Blimey - that looks a bit too much like hard work. You wouldn't catch me with a bow saw - the trusty chainsaw is my tool of choice.

(mind you, if you saw the pile of logs I have had to chop up for next winter you would understand!)

I'm going to go on a chainsaw training course in the near future, and then buy one and all the safety gear. It won't be for visitors to use though, unless they're qualified and have their own insurance - as soon as visitors start working in the wood they are counted as "employees". For hand tools we're not worried, though we may ask people to sign a disclaimer, or at least verbally acknowledge they understand all risks are their own - not decided on that one yet. I think the potential for injury with chainsaws is too high to have people work without insurance though...

Andy Hunt wrote:Nice seagull photos - 'specially the last one!

Cheers, I've taking the camera down to the nature reserve on nice evenings, there's quite a few opportunities for photos. Did you see the photo of the one on a car behind our house? That's the one that bit me on the nose!

Bandidoz · Post by **Bandidoz** » 10 Aug 2007, 15:59

It was a lot of fun to visit "Mike's Green Gym" and cut down my first tree. It was very tempting to go chopping indiscriminately

eatyourveg · Post by **eatyourveg** » 13 Aug 2007, 21:14

Is this the sort of thing you might find useful as a way of making a few quid from your wood?

www.thebestof.co.uk/okehampton/events/81464

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 13 Aug 2007, 23:20

greg wrote:Is this the sort of thing you might find useful as a way of making a few quid from your wood?

www.thebestof.co.uk/okehampton/events/81464

No this is what we need to be doing

www.eprida.com

eatyourveg · Post by **eatyourveg** » 13 Aug 2007, 23:52

Interesting, I have bookmarked the site to have a look later.

Post by **mikepepler** » 14 Aug 2007, 08:48

Charcoal making is certainly something I plan to have a go at. I will probably start by making a small kiln myself, and if it goes well, I would look at buying a big one, or having someone build me one. It's a longer term plan though - not something I'll do for a year or so.

Tracy P · Post by **Tracy P** » 24 Aug 2007, 19:14

huh,
Went down to the wood yesterday and found that someone had cut the ropes on our tool cover/ kitchen type thing and the whole thing fell over.
Went to the neighbouring wood to check on his bird hide and someone had cut his ropes too and his hide was down.
Very weird feeling and situation - as nothing else was touched. We kind of thought that if it was kids, they would have wrecked it all properly and had fun with our tools......
we went to see our friend who lives near the woods and walks her dog in there. She said she would tell her neigbourhood watch people.......she doesn't think it would be any dog walkers as they are old ladies mostly!

We have begun to put up a new shelter now though, bigger and stronger!
I think Mike is putting pictures on our blog as we speak....

Billhook · Post by **Billhook** » 25 Aug 2007, 09:11

Tracy -

I'm sorry to here of this stupidity -

Might I suggest getting all the record you can of the event

as evidence to be delivered to the planning cmte. some day in the future,

of the need for accomodation within the wood for a permanent watch to be kept over equipment and facilities.

There are such prats about - my neighbour had a fence cut, right next to a style, releasing ewes into 200 acres of conifer,

apparently to allow dogs through as part of the idiotic "right to roam."

Your event sounds more like a bigotry that woodlands should be devoid of human participation -

such cras stupidity is sadly common.

Hope you find a way to put a stop to such intrusions -

regards,

Bill