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... the sky is baby blue, and the just-unfurling leaves ...
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Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 20 6:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sounds as if fall has really started to happen with you then Jam Lady. It has been pretty warm here the last couple of days, but supposed to be cooler from now on. We had a reasonably strong breeze here yesterday, and looks the same today, so leaves starting to come down. Some autumn colours and the should be good this year if the wind stays down.

I was reading a report yesterday that the amount of burning on the West Coast was not dissimilar to some other years recently, but not sure if that is true. I know some of the trees need heat for their seeds to germinate, and they have very thick bark to withstand fires.

Had some friends in to help with felling on Monday, Tuesday was mainly bringing in several forwarder loads of the resulting felled trees, and yesterday husband and son spent the afternoon splitting the lengths of timber. One bit was too large to be picked up and placed on the splitter by the grab, so had to be split by hand, which took a lot of doing. I got probably the last sensible harvest from the blackberries in the wood and had a look round. The teenagers seem to be back at school and college now, so things seem to have settled down again I am glad to say.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 20 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yes the swimming is good! It has been segregated M/F, in the pool and at different times to the original. They have said that once the problems of the virus are over then swimming will revert to the normal times-3.30 till 400pm. Now it is 7.15pm till 8.00pm. This is a pain as it gets colder and coming out of a warm place into the cold I guess I will feel it when winter appears! There are new rules in place too. You must get there ready dressed for swimming and then take your outer coverings off and store all your kit in your bag then get into the water! after the swim you may then go into the changing room and have a shower and get into your clothes and go away. I am worried that this will when it gets colder and frosty that I may miss a few, and stay home in the warm!

Our winter has not begun to register here yet Jam Lady, so my fire wood production has slowed down as I am running out of storage space for the end product. I cleaned the saw shed out a few months ago so I have been able to stash a lot of raw wood ready for when I have room at the end of the line.

Our leaves up here, MR., are still stuck to the trees firmly. I will be having a few big trees felled in the near future. I have 4 oak trees to come down as they are about 50 ft. high and encroaching on my fields, along with a couple of beech and ash trees. None of these can be driven underneath with the tractor so the ground is reverting to scrub. I could well find myself in the "log trade" in a year's time. I may as well get into something now that I am retired. I would have to buy a tractor mounted splitter as I have misplaced my axe-ha ha as if I would do the job by hand!

I should be back tomorrow all being well-if I am spared we always said at home-but today's rules my well change in the library.

The chap at work still has not come up with my money so I will have to go and see him again. I will point out that from now on I will be charging him interest at 10%. I will no doubt have to threaten him with some form of penalty clause if he doesn't pay soon.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 20 9:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

"some form of penalty clause if he doesn't pay soon."

28 days notice of formal proceedings often does the job

if not formal proceedings ensue.
dont be nice and be effective if somebody has to be put back in order when they have refused to honour a deal.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Sep 18, 20 7:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Glad you are enjoying the swimming, but as you say, going out in the evening for it may not be so good once it gets colder.

If you are going to have the trees felled and sell them for firewood, be aware that the Domestic Solid Fuel Regulations will be in force for small (even casual producers like you) from May 2022. This means that if you are selling quantities of less than 2 cu m you will have to register, be annually audited (initially about £500 then over £359 pa) before you can sell one log. If you are selling in quantities of more than 2 cu m you just have to give the purchaser a bit of paper with government wording on it saying it should be stored for 2 years. Incorrect information as it happens, but then they live in offices and we live in the real world.

I agree with Dpack. If you don't get any joy from this man owing you the money, at least a solicitors letter or warning of proceedings in the small claims court might be worth while.

We are in the throes of firewood again, but still have orders for charcoal, so will have to try to do another firing next week as well as a number of log loads. I am doing log sacks so we have some ready, as one of our outlets is already selling them. Another may have pretty well given up as they have shut the site they sold from, but will need to enquire as they have retreated to a second site due to Covid 19.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 20 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I've had a new email from downsizer, which gave me a new number to log in to. However I reverted to the old one and it worked. I don't remember asking for a new one; and I definitely didn't need for a new one, so perhaps we should be on the lookout?

The trees I have for felling are well past the firewood status, dpack, and are all 6 to 10ft. diameter and between 200 and 300 years old. They are, as I see myself, old, and at a "harvestable state" and in the furniture status-I sit down a lot!

I am so surprised to still be selling kindling. The weather may be damp but it is very warm, must be newcomers, locals are hardy up to October November! I am also making planters mainly for a new "potential" girlfriend, who is a really good flower gardener and likes some of my "odd and different" planters.

I have been going out with a friend and his dog for walks-observing the rules of distance in a lovely wood, owned by Severn Trent Water. How good it is to get away from the lock up situation and chopping wood. Yesterday I went with my pal to Shrewsbury, were he had a test or so to see if his problems were to be operable, but it seems not, so he is happier. The hospital was solid with cars.

Got to go now-take care all.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 20 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

furniture seems a good plan

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Sep 23, 20 6:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

If they are good enough quality to mill, might be the best plan. If they are that big, they must be pretty old, so do they count as veterans or did they just grow fast? Did you mean diameter or circumference?

We are still getting some charcoal orders in, but they are slowing down quite a lot and are into the firewood season now. We fired the charcoal kiln yesterday, so another late night, and now finishing in the dark, and will open and bag when it has cooled and the weather allows. We have over 30 bags on order, and can almost certainly sell the rest.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Sep 24, 20 10:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I meant diameter, MR, circumference of the big oak I will try to measure today, but it is big and a ditch on one side so a welly day for that operation. there are 2 or 3 oaks and beech too and ash as a weed tree. Got to go times up!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Sep 25, 20 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Those are huge trees then. Do you really need to fell all of them or could you crown lift? They must be very old and will need specialist cutting as that is far too big for most chain saws. Sounds as if it could be a very old hedge line.

Husband and son have had to hand split some of the ash that was felled last week as it was too big to go on the mechanical splitter safely. I wasn't there, but one was apparently very resistant yesterday and needed splitting wedges and an axe to persuade it.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 20 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I picked my first ever bunch or ripe grapes yesterday. Every other year they have split and gone mouldy, but this year they seem to have worked. Not huge grapes, but rather sweet and nice. There are plenty more, so will be leaving them on the vine as long as possible and giving some away, as well as some for us. The quinces are also coming down. We have had rather strong north westerly winds the last few days, and a number have been blown down, so quince jelly, brandy and wine this year with any luck.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Sep 29, 20 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

You are right about the large trees, MR, they are huge and will get to their dying off time soon. I already have quite a lot of fallen trees due to wind damage nearly all on my boundary, so I will have to do something if only to keep other folks' livestock where they should be because fences are damaged. There are at least 6 down so the felling of the large trees is postponed. The cutting up of these fallen trees may need someone with more experience than me to deal with them using a winch-the Massey is not up to that sort of job. On the plus side we have some tree "fellers" who do a lot of logs and that may be a way of getting rid of them without jeopardising my life-(not so nimble as I was!). Local farmers don't mind the fences down as their sheep get extra free grazing.
Strange you say trouble with ash splitting as it is the timber I prefer most for cutting and burning. My ash are all slow grown so they tend to be straight grained. I split with an axe normally, or if big trees, wedges-'wedge and sledge' we call it here. My axe has done a runner and so I have been doing some for a couple of old ladies with a sledge which has a wedge shape on the other end to the hammering part and is good but not as good as the axe was-oh dear!
Our friends are still going up to see the waterfall in their droves and a neighbour who farms away from the site opened up a field to car park and made a lot of money, £5k in one day it was said! And still they come. Time's up See you all soon.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 20 6:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The main trunk and the branches aren't too bad for straight grain, but where branches come from the main stem is where I think they had a problem. The reason they had to use wedge and sledge is because the trunk is too large a diameter to fit on any of the equipment.

They managed to clear the bridle path so it is now passable, but we have someone coming in over the next couple of days to carry on, and son will help with the forwarder and perhaps some cutting. The tree hit another couple on the way down and there is one branch hanging over the bridle path that will need some climbing to remove, which the other people do and we don't. Both husband and son like to keep their feet on the ground, and I haven't climbed a tree for years, and don't use chainsaws either.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 20 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

climbing is fine, chainsaw and tree is fine(even awkward or at the larger end of medium are ok)

the two together is too daft for me

climbing with a bow saw or pull prune saw is fine when thinning or dismantling, adding an engine to the assorted risks is a step too far

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 20 6:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Quite a lot of the cutting done from the ground, but once that was cleared, they used the tree next door to get above the rest so if it moved they didn't get under it. Husband and I left son and the others to it while we delivered log sacks, so will go back today to see how much has been cleared.

Found the farm shop we delivered the log sacks to has gone 'packaging free' as far as possible, so can buy frozen and dry goods in own containers or plastic for frozen and paper for dry if wished. They will be getting a whole milk dispenser going by the weekend too. Bought some bar shampoo and a couple of other things while we were there, but may go back with containers for some of the frozen things.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 20 10:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I will have to get a professional in to deal with those trees not at ground level but those on the floor will be dealt with by me and a mate-who wants some logs for his home. I on the other hand will need to find a market for the excess. I had to buy some fencing posts to fill in the places where the trees have pulled the fences down. I don't know why I am here with all this work to do! I have to split a lot of my logs with a wedge and occasionally 2 wedges, but mine are nowhere near the size of yours, MR.
I recently bought an electric chainsaw for doing the branches and how useful; no wrenching the arms when starting-push button-and a spare battery so you don't have to leave anything hanging waiting for a recharge, win win! Those that are too big I will get a professional in to deal them.

I don't do heat at home except in winter, when I have hot water bottles, as I "dress up" in bed when it is cold and add an eiderdown and extra sleeping bag, leaving my nose outside for "fresh? air"! So I don't need my logs-so I guess it is a case of get 'em down, line 'em up, log 'em and flog 'em.

Another disaster today-my Massey 35x failed to start-first time ever in 20 odd years. Just a click so there is a bad connection, or a something has got a fault. My mechanical ability is nil, so off to mechanics' to ask for fitter to come, but he said to go home and try the big hammer treatment. Then I expect to have to go back to ask for the next step, with the broken thing in my hand! Then I remembered that the library was open as normal today so dropped in and they have given to me the full 2 hours! better than the original of 1 hour twice a week if I can book it in time!

I go swimming to our local school pool and it is reserved for over 60's on 2 evenings in the week, Tuesday and Thursday, starting at 7.15 You must book in the day before! (not this week for next week, too easy). So now I go to the village 4 days a week for 2 sessions swimming, and 2 booking ins! I said to the man give me a camping bed and I can stay overnight and save fuel, and act as a caretaker. 32 miles a week! Another problem is that I have to use a face mask in here, and as I breathe, my glasses steam up!

Not sure how all the problems are going nationally with this virus stuff. One thing is certain Boris is a 2 faced something or other. He is so rich in his own right, so why doesn't he retire and leave someone with competence in charge and disappear for good out, of the way. I will be writing to say, my vote, if he is GOC at the next election, I will be elsewhere for the first time ever.

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