Re: My First SFG...Work in progress

**Kelejan** 3/25/2016, 12:40 pm

Welcome back, clm. Just been reading your thread from the beginning, that kind of reading is always interesting.

Being a cat as well as a dog lover, R.I.P. Furball.

On reading your last entry one thing made me cringe a little (sorry); the fact that you took out the tops of the trees and burned them. I had trees taken down a couple of years ago and had them chipped and laid on the ground. Did wonders for water retention and they are slowly decomposing into nice soil. Quite a number of us on this forum do the same thing.

clm2112 3/25/2016, 1:17 pm

No problem, I don't like to waste anything, but purchasing a chipper is not in the cards anytime soon.

I'm just happy to make as much use of the trees as I currently can (trunks under 18" in diameter are get cut and split for next years heating, over that are getting cut into lumber, with the milling waste going into the fuel pile.) There are 120 of them to deal with, so it may be two or three year before they are all gone.

**Kelejan** 3/25/2016, 2:01 pm

I know what you mean about a chipper, clm. I would love to have one as I have access to quite a lot of fallen branches etc that I can collect on my daily walks with my Jazz, but I cannot justify the expense.

Instead I collect the decayed wood that I can easily break up with my little three-tined bent fork and bring home in plastic grocery bags. But I do not have acres and acres to cover. If I did, then I would buy a chipper like a shot as a load of chipped wood costs about $40 if you cannot get it for free.

ralitaco 3/25/2016, 2:02 pm

clm2112 wrote:trunks under 18" in diameter

So that means there are plenty OVER 18" EGADS! The biggest one I dealt with was about 8 maybe 10". I'm gonna have to look at that picture again and see if there is a giant blue ox somewhere in the background

clm2112 3/25/2016, 2:23 pm

More like humming the Monty Python "Oh He's a Lumber-Jack and He's OK.." Wink

Biggest so far was 40" in diameter at the base. Most are in the 24" to 28" diameter range. Sad thing is can just about remember when they were only 3' tall and really did look like rows of little Christmas trees.

clm2112 3/25/2016, 2:35 pm

Kelejan wrote:If I did, then I would buy a chipper like a shot as a load of chipped wood costs about $40 if you cannot get it for free.

If there were a market for it, it would justify the chipper. I am just dealing with the pines at the moment, but there are a lot of trees I could dispose of to let the healthy ones spread out more. Out of 84 acres, about 2/3rds of it is covered in mixed trees (Cherry, Maple, Locust, Ash, Oak, and some Walnut.)

It was logged once about 35 years ago. I asked around, just to see if anyone was interested in taking the pines. No interest at all. They all want hardwoods and nothing else. That is the primary motive for purchasing the band-saw mill, to harvest the mature hardwood trees and clean up the forest a bit. For the moment I'm just dealing with the pines and the Ash trees that have succumbed to Emerald Ash Borers.

ralitaco 3/25/2016, 4:23 pm

CLM,
Thanks for introducing me to the Lumberjack song...I think. Monty Python came up with some weird stuff.

I don't know if I have ever seen a tree 40" across. I bet you will get a bunch of lumber out of it. Just think of all the SFG boxes you can make!

**AtlantaMarie** 3/26/2016, 8:01 am

Hi CLM. Glad to see you're back!

I'm sorry about Furball...!

**sanderson** 3/26/2016, 2:25 pm

I'm sorry about Furball. Shocked

I enjoy my little Furball in the yard. She even has a little designated litter box with leaves.

**sanderson** 3/26/2016, 2:31 pm

Stock photos - Really big tree, the California Sequoia Redwoods: My First SFG...Work in progress - Page 3 Redwoo10

My First SFG...Work in progress - Page 3 Redwoo11

ralitaco 3/26/2016, 9:06 pm

On my bucket list to see one day

**sanderson** 3/27/2016, 1:40 am

Well, then you will have to see Audrey and me!

ralitaco 3/27/2016, 8:46 am

Sounds like a plan

**Scorpio Rising** 3/27/2016, 9:43 am

Glad you are back on the forum, CLM, missed you over the winter! Sorry to hear about Furball. I have a dog, Z, and he is my garden buddy (well, my everything buddy really!).

Sounds like you are busy preparing for season 2, and getting ready to plant out some things! Good for you! It is that time, again!

Please consider posting over on the N&C Midwest thread, would love to hear from you there! We all experience similar conditions, weather, pests, etc.

My dad grew up in New Bethlehem, and I still have folks in that area. Beautiful country!

"I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK, I sleep all night and I work all day...." lol!

clm2112 10/14/2018, 8:36 am

Just popping in at the end of another season.

My SFG is still doing well. The frames are holding up, and I'm still growing salad greens in them. This winter is going to force a little major maintenance. I'm dealing with a bowed basement wall and have to dig up the foundation on the side of the house where the garden is located. This weekend's task is to dismantle the frames.

Come spring time, looks like I'll redesign the SFG setup. I'm still debating using the rather steep hillside on the south side of the house, making a series of steps & retaining walls to accommodate the SFG beds.

Chickens are still making use of the garden. They will have a real treat this afternoon when I shovel out the beds... they will be picking through the mix for goodies.

kygardener 10/23/2018, 6:11 pm

Went back and read this from the beginning. Enjoyed your pictures. Those are great boxes! You cannot buy anything that is built that well.

**Scorpio Rising** 10/23/2018, 7:34 pm

clm2112 wrote:Just popping in at the end of another season.

My SFG is still doing well. The frames are holding up, and I'm still growing salad greens in them. This winter is going to force a little major maintenance. I'm dealing with a bowed basement wall and have to dig up the foundation on the side of the house where the garden is located. This weekend's task is to dismantle the frames.

Come spring time, looks like I'll redesign the SFG setup. I'm still debating using the rather steep hillside on the south side of the house, making a series of steps & retaining walls to accommodate the SFG beds.

Chickens are still making use of the garden. They will have a real treat this afternoon when I shovel out the beds... they will be picking through the mix for goodies.

Hey! Welcome back again! cheers

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