Laurel Chippings

[Buzz]

Yep no problems with mixing it into your chip pile. Combined spaces and burning on an open fire are the only things to worry about tbh.

[Stephen Blair]

very interesting, never knew the cyanide stuff. love the marsipan smell though

[John Hancock]

I quite like the smell to be honest!!

 

So do I – Marzipan, yummy!!

[skyhuck]

Mine all ends up on the chip pile at the farm, never had a problem, as has been said it can be grazed without ill effects to stock so should not be a problem.

 

I don't put Yew or Rhododendron on the pile for bedding, as they are both poisonous too stock.

[White Noise]

So do I – Marzipan, yummy!!

 

That Marzipan / Almond smell is the Cyanide . Well its true isnt it . Happy Birthday OLD TIMER .

[Mesterh]

I quite like the smell to be honest!!

 

So do I – Marzipan, yummy!!

 

Yup me too

 

Dropped plenty off at horse paddocks, havent killed any that I know of

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Never come across it in Ponticum, but theres is a lot in laurel. You can smell the almonds scent when you chip it.

 

If its allowed to offgas in a pile for a few weeks, it will be fine to mix in with the rest of teh chip.

 

Yeah, almond smell indeed; mate reckons its arsenic not cyanide. Ever wondered why apple pips taste like it - same thing apparently...

 

Farm I tip at doesn't take laurel, yew or even laburnum I think ??? Gets mixed in with cow crap as usual...

Edited October 2, 2009 by TimberCutterDartmoor

[Tim Williams]

Its Rhododendron 'Ponticum' that has the cyanide problem, never come across it with Laurel. As mentioned above, livestock don't have a problem with it, our sheep love it!

 

laurel smells of almonds when cut that always gives a clue as to containing cyanide, the kernel inside the center of an apricot has a similar smell as they to contain cyano compounds. I could go into allsorts of A level chemistry stuff but simply if something smells of almond it contains cyannide or derivatives this does not however mean it is dangerous.

[Andy Collins]

A bit off track, but as a bit of a foodaholic, how do they remove the cyanide when making marzipan?

[PeteB]

Marzipan - yuck, hate the stuff. We just used to plonk ours on the pile. It got used for outdoor menages and all kinds and to my knowledge, nowt died from it. Most animals are alright with chips inc yew, they have to eat a fair pile of it for to give them the gripes. Goats etc aren't effected by much!