SteveA
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Everything posted by SteveA
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Ditch Clearing ~ how do you do yours?
SteveA replied to SteveA's topic in Forestry and Woodland management
We have about 360m of ditch to clear which has good access from our meadow so we'll probably be hiring a mini-digger to do that stretch. The broadleaf woodland has a 100m stretch of ditch we need to tackle and this is not so easy to access. We haven't got a clear run along either side of the ditch; the occasional big tree in the way halts access for big vehicles and there is an ancient bund immediately adjacent the ditch. The bund zig-zags its way-through the woods helping to divert the natural flow of water..... which considering our increasingly less predictable climate should be a huge help to the trees.... but only if the ditch is open! I've been thinking about buying or hiring a small tracked carrier/ dumper to cart the humus around. Anyone here been using one? Here's a diagram of our ditch.... ...diagram via Twitter: @thewoodlandfarm: Working out our ditch clearing plan! http://t.co/JP8cekScW6 -
Ditch Clearing ~ how do you do yours?
SteveA replied to SteveA's topic in Forestry and Woodland management
That's good to consider, thankyou. I've never used a rutting spade before, is it alot easier than using a typical garden spade/ or shovel? Also wondering, are you transporting your humus away, or earthing up to the side of your ditches? -
We have ditch problems.... the problem is that it appears most of ours haven't been cleared since perhaps WW2, or earlier?! This has resulted in waterlogging issues, including tree roots getting washed out. The ditch areas range from not too squishy (easy to walk on) to extremely squishy (welly boot sucking material). The ditches have been left for so long that the bottom of the ditch is pretty much at normal ground level.... not sure I should be calling it a ditch?....it's more of a 'used to be a ditch'. Our plan is to dig out the ditches without using heavy equipment and transport the ditch humus into the meadow to be used for horticultural purposes. So we know what we want to achieve... and my question is: What do you use to dig your own woodland ditch?
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yes gransfors do make a drawknife.... looks like this: Also suggest using a shave horse!
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I just bought a new Gransfors froe from Ian at Lakeland Coppice Products in Cumbria....was the cheapest Gransfors froe I could find (including postage) and is nice to be able to support the great work they've been doing (keeping it real). The froe cost me £75.06 inc postage. note: their website looks old school and doesnt seem to work very well (i think they might be working on a web re-design)..... if you have a problem with their online shop try emailing Ian directly, or phone, or pigeon!
