green heart

Some really great advice up there, by Mike Hill. I would add: A Mog is where you might go, once you've outgrown a serious Land-rover/tractor-using habit, rather than a transit habit? Transit with rear mud-tyres do take some beating.. Mogs can be lots of fun -and headaches too. I reckon ours is worth the same as when we bought it, ex German Authority, 20+ years ago (via a well known N Yorks specialist).. There are a few independent/travelling freelance Mog specialist fitters, that might be useful to you.. If we were busier, then personally I'd be looking at an older Fastrack myself -but only because my neighbours rate/use them, and the maim-dealer (and an additional good breaker, too) is a mile away, in South M/c. A 4WD Trantor would be fun too, but much like hens teeth!

@Dan Maynard The second (very lightly used/cheap as..) batch of mats we bought, were from what's now called Quattto products, just north of Penrith, Cumbria. Call 01768 864 977 -ask the boss, or have a look at similar-type businesses, nearer yourself, Dan ? Ours paid for themselves in the first year -lov'em. I'd not be too tempted to chop up the sheets into strips, personally -I'd be worried they -might- blow away, or start to 'walk' if we were turning, using the skid steer.. but each to their own choice/technique? If there's a cross-slope, you'd definitely peg them down, or want those heavy grippy 8'x4' ground protection mats.

@Mark Bolam Why does nobody on here not use/know about the 6'x4' cow mats?? -I think horse-botherers use them too. A 12mm thick cow mat weighs a fraction of the 6mm Stokboard -I can carry 3 cow mats at a time. Admittedly they aren't as indestructible as our other stokboard sheets, but so much easier to handle, and can happily carry a land-rover and trailer. Way cheaper too, especially if you can find some s/hand ones ! 🤔

I recently spoke with our local (NW England) Echo rep about a new pruning saw -and repeated the poor reputation reports of their (quite expensive) batteries . He said: Oh yes, we know, they weren't without issues.. 'We have just changed our battery manufacturer and ironed out some design issues too. The new batteries are much better, and less bothered by rain '. TaxusBaccata I've often found that speaking to the very helpful Technical director at F G Claymore (the Echo UK main agents), often helps sort out difficult tech issues.. give him a call?

While I don't think many of us (?!) would really disagree with your points, I would make one exception -in the case of the tiny 18v/40v battery tree pruning saws . Such as Makita UC029G, Milwaukee M18 Fuel, etc These now offer several significant advantages over 2strokes, for climbers carrying out light pruning operations: lower weight, smaller size, lower noise, less vibrations, no repeated pull starting, cheaper, no exhaust burns, etc They also make good chipper saws, and handy to keep in the van, workshop, garden etc for odd jobs. So, after a few decades of tree-bothering experience, I'm now a convert to those 'battery toys', thanks Gabriel !!

What Paddy says, above ! Let us know what you decide to do? And please make sure you have a very functional tracker/insurance cover on your chipper (and anything else of reasonable value), that you might leave there, overnight... I've noticed that when I am weighing up/anticipate a bad outcome -and still do something anyway, I'm often positively surprised by the result ( reverse psychology+planning = works well ! ). It's actually making me wonder again, about mounting an advertising sign, on our own rural roadside gateway.. We do have the (minor) benefits of a heavy steel vehicle barrier, plus gates adorned with razor wire, in addition to other er, more transient security measures... 🤫

Just like an unusually healthy, well-grown, dense, hawthorn hedge should do ! AND even better for nesting birds, small mamals and invertebrates. ALSO, highly resistant to straying livestock, humans and out-of-control cars, etc -I can report a Land-rover Discovery was impaled up on my (layed) roadside hedge, and was unable to get out, until my neighbour arrived with his chainsaw and massacred the hedge ! 🤨

Hmm.. I'm thinking more Staffordshire style -though I suppose that's as good as a Midland style to most. Thought Midlands tends to be much more thick or 'bushy' cow-proof style of laying ? Anyway, it's a -very- well laid hedge; I'd be proud to my name to the second length/photo. 👍

We adapted one of our home-made post punners, adding a return bracket, to stop half-round posts from twisting, while being driven. Quite good for holding any type of post though. Cost: just half an hour, with a stick welder!

At 61 I'm wanting/aiming to be climbing/pruning 3 days a week, in winter. But only when it's dry -in Manchester -call me fairweather ❄️ , and at the gym/yoga 2/3 times weekly.

Then give it a go, with the option to change your mind (without any penalty, either way) in say, 18 months time? Anticipate one or more break-ins and don't leave any power tools/valuables there overnight -it looks less secure than a cardboard box.. I think Mick's right, it does seem a high monthly rental cost -but then I'd imagine renting a couple of old back-street shipping containers might cost €400 a month, anyway ? We just bought three of them, including an office unit, 'temporarily' rather than rent them.. and that was 2 decades ago; they're still in daily use!

Goat willows do sometimes grow some surprisingly large burrs -like this small one. Keep an eye on it for a couple of years, if you know any wood turners/carvers, they love them !

Stuart, here's my thoughts: my own (UK experience only) is that any treework/forestry businesses that are unattached to a domestic residence, consistently tend to attract local unwanted night time 'visitors'.. regardless if they are alarmed. A second visit then follows, within 12 months, and so on. This can be surprisingly stressful and time consuming. Having a house (or occupied caravan/campervan by the work building) generally reduced those 'visitors' by 80-90+% Last negative: UK commercial rental contracts are like the Wild West, from a Tennant perspective 😳 Maybe things are different in France, tho ? So, I'd make an uneducated guess, that the welcome extra passing trade and enhanced publicity, from a busy location would outweigh the 'security issues/losses/ hassle ' ? -why not give it a try, with an 18 month 'get-out early' clause in your contract terms ?

Haha -yes ! -especially for you.. So, as you must have heard , the hero called Steve helped me find my missing post, earlier on.. nice to hear from you, fella. Long time no see -God høytid !

*Bump* So from a phone call with Makita UK yesterday, it would seem like the new 24m/s 40v Makita UC031G pruning saw (see Stere and Krams posts, above) should be on dealers shelves, before Easter 2026. However, if you can't wait, importing one directly from Japan was £1k -plus Import taxes, last time I looked! It seems the excellent 40v Makita UC029G pruning saws are now back in UK stock again, having sold out this summer. It's still my favourite small pruning saw, by a country mile. In other related news, I was fascinated to see the details of a new Echo 56v pruning saw DHS3006, boasting the (much improved) Mk2 battery pack, Echo's magical harness clip AND belt clip, an 8m/s chain speed, all weighing in at a meagre 1.1kg (plus battery). The motor power rating is a healthy 560W, and availability by March '26?. Quoted prices for battery, body and charger at £427- incl VAT I was told today. Although it costs more than most offerings, I suspect this might effectively grasp first place, in the Best performing small pruning saw section.. More details on the Echo website.