SRC Willow

[Lost in the Wilderness]

Hello All

 

I’ve been asked to look at cutting some SRC willow. The area is not huge, but I can see it being very time consuming. The stools are carrying everything forms whips to 3“to 4“ stems. It looks very labour intensive cutting, transporting and logging up for a wood burning stove. I was looking at cutting all the growth off, then logging on site. The other possibility was to use trailer and grab to get the stems into the yard and, if I can find one locally, use a branch logger to process into a building for storage. A little concerned as to how much the Willow will mildew and/or sprout. Has anyone else gone down this route before? Or has any one got any recommendations.

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

[SbTVF]

How big is 'not huge'?

We had 10 acres of it. Tried doing some by hand and chipping and it took an all day to clear about a 50m strip.

Ended up getting a forage harvester in with special willow head. Took 6 hours.

Its utterly worthless as Firewood too. Where are you?

[David Lawrence 88]

I planted a little boggy patch with various willows including some ‘biomass’ strains

 

Small bits thru branch logger into bags I trim of brashly tips so it is time consuming probably ok to put them thru whole

makes great kindling with a firefighter 

 

larger bits in to logs

 

Wouldn’t want to just have willow in the woodshed but handy to get things going and cheer up the fire

 

if you were branch logging into bulk bags I think you would have to watch for mold

 

david

 

 

 

[Lost in the Wilderness]

Thanks for the responses. The area is only half an acre, in Cumbria, planted as potential fuel and as a biodiversity area. The customer also burns mainly softwood, so the Willow wouldn’t get lonely. Really just trying to get a feel for the easiest way to deal with it, whilst still making a shilling.

Edited November 3, 2020 by Lost in the Wilderness

[SbTVF]

In that case I'd probably fell it, and stack in piles full length til it dried and then branch log it.

[Mrblue5000]

I think it would dry quicker if cut to final stove size lengths and stacked on day 1, Agreed, it's not the best firewood, burns fast when it's dry.

[David Lawrence 88]

I have found Branch logging green is easier on the machine and the branches tend to cut cleanly

dry branches tend to shatter more leaving a lot of shards 

I have cut mine at about waist height aiming for mini pollards

easier to re harvest in 5? Years time

also rabbit proof and giving shoots a help to compete with vegetation

 

don’t really think there is any way of making it viable in £ terms for the fuel unless you have excellent access across the site (unlikely) 

 

perhaps client would like to help you with dragging and loping if he is an enthusiast 

 

the felling part is the least of it

 

i can send you a pic of my area just started on it yesterday if interested ?

david

 

 

[Lost in the Wilderness]

Thanks for the replies David, I’d worked out the felling is the easy bit. Any pictures of your “system” would be great. Green branch logging would seem to me to be best. Having seen video of dry material going through and shattering.