Peak Firewood?

[SunnyJim]

Do you use humanure on your trees contadino?

[contadino]

Do you use humanure on your trees contadino?

No, pelleted chicken poop.

[Pani Kova]

I expect Peak Firewood in north Leeds any day now. To take my terrace of 10 houses as an example, of the eight which are owner occupied (ie with people likely to consider investing in a stove), only one neighbour had a stove three years ago, three neighbours had one by last year and in the last three months, three more of us (including me as of yesterday) now have one. So that's 6 houses out of 8 or a whopping 75%!

When I asked the neighbour who had had the stove the longest where he got his wood, he said, 'there's loads of wood in the woods behind us.' Hmmm, I see a 'wood' turf war around the corner as various neighbours scout the woods late at night trying to grab the last remaining bits. Could turn 'Deliverence' very quickly.....

[snow hope]

I see trees in a whole different light now (since putting my stove in a couple of years back). I probably have enough seasoned wood stored now to last the winter, but to use SunnyJim's term I am in a 'resource grab' mode at the moment. Every tree I see, I scan it for suitability for firewood - the branches, the trunk, etc.

But I am also growing to really appreciate trees since I planted 5 fruit trees earlier this year. I have a mature Beech at the bottom of the garden and also a fair few Ash trees. I have 4 flowering Cherries, but I had to chop 2 down as they got silverleaf disease. I have a coupl of (pussy) willow trees and a coupl of maple trees as well as a variety of bushes. I have some Cypress Lleylandi which I am thinking of taking out and replacing with some trees. They are quite close to the side of my house - 8ft - and help keep me private from my neighbour - so I would need to plant trees with non-invasive roots and some decent cover - any suggestions welcome.

Hmm, just thought, I might put some Hazel in - I want trees that either give me firewood or fruit / nuts.

[kenneal - lagger]

Hmmm, I see a 'wood' turf war around the corner as various neighbours scout the woods late at night trying to grab the last remaining bits. Could turn 'Deliverence' very quickly.....

How about cooperating with each other? Get a trailer and go further afield together to build up a store.

[Catweazle]

Hmmm, I see a 'wood' turf war around the corner as various neighbours scout the woods late at night trying to grab the last remaining bits. Could turn 'Deliverence' very quickly.....

How about cooperating with each other? Get a trailer and go further afield together to build up a store.

Damn good idea. Find a farmer / woodland owner out in the boondocks with no transport and collect. A big car can tow a 3 1/2 ton braked trailer, worth doing between 4+ people.

[Pani Kova]

Catweazel, Kenneal, eek, I was joshing. My terrace is so blummin communal, we're all planning a terrace trip to Amsterdam next spring, we borrow each other's garden chairs and washing lines and regularly supply last minute ingredients like cornflour when someone has run out. I actually feel very fortunate to live on such an unusual terrace and have already figured that it's a good place to live in interesting times. (Neighbours include a retired civic engineer interested in renewables, an ecologist, an electrician, a health and safety expert, a nurse and a doctor so we should be able to deal with shelter, water, food and health!).

The path that runs between our yards and gardens would be offputting to a lot of people who like more privacy but it acts as an amazing artery of neighbourliness. It's fascinating how minor re-definitions of public / private / communal space can have such a significant effect on individual and group behaviour.

[Catweazle]

Catweazel, Kenneal, eek, I was joshing. My terrace is so blummin communal, we're all planning a terrace trip to Amsterdam next spring, we borrow each other's garden chairs and washing lines and regularly supply last minute ingredients like cornflour when someone has run out. I actually feel very fortunate to live on such an unusual terrace and have already figured that it's a good place to live in interesting times. (Neighbours include a retired civic engineer interested in renewables, an ecologist, an electrician, a health and safety expert, a nurse and a doctor so we should be able to deal with shelter, water, food and health!).

The path that runs between our yards and gardens would be offputting to a lot of people who like more privacy but it acts as an amazing artery of neighbourliness. It's fascinating how minor re-definitions of public / private / communal space can have such a significant effect on individual and group behaviour.

You sound as if you are in an ideal situation for a shared woodfired furnace. One big well insulated furnace in the middle of all your plots, hot water shared out to everyones heating systems. No draughty airbricks required in your houses and everyone can forage for firewood for the pile.

[Pani Kova]

Ee ba gum, not heard of that one before. Will google it and see what's involved. Maybe we could start having communal hot baths too. The ecologist is a bit of a dish.