New Member - advice required

[Artimus]

Dear all

I am a new member. I am lucky? enough to have 25 acres of 60% hardwood 40% softwood, with road access.

Being unemployed, I would like to make a few bob from it without huge investment (I know Ill never make much)

The wood will have to be managed along Forestry commision guidelines.

Electricity and water is available. I have a late 90s Defender 110 pickup, chainsaw,and various other Stihl equipment.

Any ideas/advice will be much appreciated.

Obviously logs and kindling are an option, so advice on best configuration for a log splitter would be good - PTO on the defender? - Horizontal with diesel engine?

The wood is North Wiltshire.

Not too much sarcasm please!

[Tom10]

Fence it in and create a huge nudist camp.

 

Erect (excuse the pun) large shelters so the naturists can seek shelter, lay on food and drinks and have events, like karaoke and twister.

 

£20 per person per day (discounts for family visits)

 

Really though? Im not an expert on firewood production however that's a nice little block of woodland by the sounds of things and I'm sure you could make some money somehow - but I fear you may spend a long time working extremely hard before you see any come back, and of course if you seek / want full time employment in the interim it may put your plans on hold.

 

In terms of machinery I reckon you will need a small forwarder, a PTO driven log splitter for production, somewhere thief proof to store it to season, and of course buyers for the wood in the long term which may be difficult if your area is saturated with producers.

 

I reckon strike a deal with a woodland management / firewood production firm in your area so your work input is nil or small but you still get money.

 

Valuable input im sure.

[Rupe]

Get a forestry contractign company in to assess the timber value and do a deal with them, they do all the hard work and you get a % or the timber value which will probably be the same as your profit from firewood after loads of hardwork and hours.

 

In the meantime your free to go get a job so you are making money twice.

[DN22 Gardening]

sell the woodland to me

 

 

[Charlieh]

tbh without a lot more info on the woodland its difficult to give any advice, what tree species, what size timber, whats the topography like, whats the soils like, is it in any grant schemes, do you have felling licenses, has the woodland been well managed in the past etc etc.

 

I work doing woodland advice and consultancy and i looked at a block of 30acres earlier in the week that the people though they could make some income off but the timber is all firewood quality and its pretty thin anyway. I have advised them to try and get some grant funding on the woodland to help cover the costs of the felling, and to get themselves a quadbike and timber trailer also with some funding if possible. So they can get some out as and when but to be honest its only going to be maybe 10days per winters work for them felling and then maybe a month processing by hand, unless they hire a processor in. 25acres isnt going to keep you that busy for long really, if you were just doing odd days then that would be fine, but I have to say i agree with Rupe to an extent at getting the kit to get the timber out would probably eat significantly into your profits as would buying processing equipment. I know this isnt what many people want to hear when they seek advise on their woodlands but its the sad reality of woodland ownership. Getting the timber out with the landrover isnt really a long term solution either you will quickly get a bad back and fed up of loading and unloading it especially if your cutting every thing into rings in the woods.

 

The other options are dependant on species is looking at adding value to the products so above and beyond firewood, if you have timber you could convert into fencing products, either cleft or milled? local furniture makers if you have a few better quality oaks for example can yield a far higher income than the firewood will. Rustic furniture making along side the firewood so you could sell some at local shows etc. (I wont suggest charcoal as its a lot of work and selling it can be an issue unless you have an outlet that wants a regular known supply)

 

Anyway hopefully this isnt to negative and its given you some food for thought.

[Artimus]

Many thanks to all 5 of you?

Not used to this site yet, so I guess you will all get my reply?

All input is greatly appreciated and none of it daft. Even the Nudist idea would be possible, as its in a natural bowl and not overlooked.

ATB

Artimus

[Old Mill Tree Care]

What Rupe said.

 

Although you said its a natural bowl and not overlooked. Have a massive bonfire in the middle then market it as a UFO crash landing sight, open a cafe and B&B then the nutters will swarm in and give loads of dosh to you! Brilliant

[Pedroski]

With water and electric already there, I reckon your best bet to make income off the site is to use it as a camping area. Do a google for camp sites in the UK (there are plenty of web sites where you can find lists of camp sites and facilities) and you will see the prices that they charge per person or per tent.

 

People are going mad for camp sites that are fairly basic, often with just water, a loo and a shower block. These are things easy to provide with a small timber building. And you can earn off it nearly all year round. With 25 acres you have a good size area and you could also hire the site out to school, youth groups etc, with just basic facilities.

[treequip]

Recreation is the way to go, any sort of harvesting will see you out of timber in the foreseeable future.

 

I would seriously have a look at the campsite idea

 

You can do the planning research yourself, or you can get a planning consultant involved £££

[Minotaur]

The camping/camp site idea is the way to go, you could make a tidy living. Add in things like yurts, etc......

 

Also woodland adventure and bushcraft go down a treat, as does a clay oven where kids make and cook their own pizza, etc, etc, etc

 

pm me for info and links