permaculture

[Loren Davidson <loren@farwalker.com>]

At 12:59 PM 10/30/02 -0800, Lawrence F. London, Jr. wrote:

> Subject: Do you mind forwarding this one for me?
> Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 10:15:41 -0500
> From: Allan Balliett <igg@igg.com>
>
> I have to clear a lot of land a lot more often than I really would
> like to. This year I'm looking at redeeming a 1acre biodynamic garden
> that's been neglected and fallow for 3 years. (Viva le fertility!
> Viva le Gobo!!) and spruce up a neglected 3 acre rock outcropping
> pasture.
>
> I'm looking at getting a new brush cutter. After the recommendations
> in the recent whole earth, I'm looking at the Shindaiwa B450
> (45ccs/18lb unit), I'm wondering if I should save money and get the
> cheaper 35cc unit. More than that, I'm wondering what the rest of you
> are using.

I'm using a DR 8 HP brush mower.  It's self-propelled, has large wheels, 
and is good for anything up to about 1" in diameter.  It's made by Country 
Home Products.  I don't have the URL handy, but I'm sure Google has 
them.  I've been using it for about a half-dozen years and really enjoy 
it.  If I had it to do over again, I'd get a bigger one rather than a 
smaller one.  The DR mowers are built to be easily serviceable, but don't 
need much servicing - they're built out of heavy-gauge steel, etc.  The 
newer ones have balloon tires with some serious tread rather than the 
roughly 24" hard rubber tires of mine.

The main disadvantage I've found is with brush that overhangs toward me - 
it's challenging to get the brush mower in to where the trunks meet the 
ground.  Other than that, it's a highly-useful, time-saving tool.  I think 
it's worth the petrochemicals I need to keep it running.

In my adventures with power tools, I have seldom found any advantage in 
buying something smaller rather than larger.  When I do, I always end up 
needing the larger one for something, and sometimes find that having 
multiple sizes is really the best solution.  For example, I moved from an 
18" to a 20" chainsaw, with about 50% more power, and am much happier with 
it.  For small stuff I have a 14" electric chainsaw that works well.

I have 40 acres, 1-2 of which I'm actually doing something with.  On that 
1-2 acres I have various kinds of brush, scrub oak, poison oak, and 
blackberry, as well as grasses of various sorts.  Two passes a year at the 
right times keep the star thistle manageable and allow other things to 
succeed it.

Hope this helps,

Loren

Loren Davidson        Earth steward, healer, singer/songwriter
loren@farwalker.com   http://www.earthspring.org/loren/
AIM: loren334     ICQ: 65291610
Loren's music pages: http://www.lorendavidson.com
"I'm getting this image in my head of a little soybean running around 
screaming, 'People!  Tofu is made out of people!'" - Torg