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  • From: Art Petrzelka <art AT complum.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Wood chips for bedding?
  • Date: 19 Jan 2004 09:11:21 -0600

I will report my unsatisfactory attempts at chips.

I bought a larger model gas-powered wood chipper. You can feed branches
through a side hole, or dump clippings in the top. It has a large
flywheel to keep things moving. I think its about 6-8 hp.

While it sounds good, there is no easy way to capture the chips coming
out of the thing. I've tried tying burlap sacks on the outlet, directing
them into a wagon or tractor scoop. The thing just moves too much air to
allow for chip collection. Branches have to be about half the advertised
diameter to go through the thing. Crooked branches are a problem, and it
is difficult - and dangerous - to try to force something with side
branches through if it isn't cut into singles, so it is labor intensive.

Another failed attempt was to run a mixture of cobs and old hay through
a grinder-mixer. It sheared the pin. Apparently hay gums up the works
enough that there are special hay grinding machines available now.

I have not checked into whether or not a tree service would deliver
chips this far out from town (20-25 miles). I haven't checked to see
what a tree service would charge to chip up the pile of logs I have. I
haven't invested in a silage chopper and wagon for harvesting the grassy
areas that I don't yet use.

If I were serious about wood chips - and I could get real serious with
about 50 acres of timber - I would get a PTO model with a power feed
that could handle an 8" chunk, and run 4" branches through it. I could
raise enough mulberry and aspen to make it worth while.

Until then, I'm just piling logs, and plan to harvest the decayed
material in about ten years.

On Mon, 2004-01-19 at 08:04, Chris O'Byrne wrote:
> I've been thinking about buying a wood chipper to make my own bedding
> for my cattle next winter. I also thought I could run my compost through
> it to break things up better. Are wood chips just too big and sharp to
> use for bedding or are there chippers out there that can break things
> down pretty small. I could always scrounge up some sawdust at local
> mills, but I want to make my own. Is there a way to make sawdust without
> just cutting lumber, something similar to a wood chipper?
>
> Chris
--
Art Petrzelka
Amana, Iowa, USA





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