permaculture

[Rick Valley <bamboogrove@cmug.com>]

Title: Re: [permaculture] clearing land

> Where are you? What species of alder?
>
> I"m moving my farm to land that was logged about ten years ago and now is
> covered mainly with alders 8 to 10' feet tall 7 inches or less in diameter.
>
> I'm wondering what would be the best way to clear the land.  Several ideas
> have been proped to me.  1.  use a cat with tines on the front similar to a
> subsoiler to push the trees over then use an exavator to pile them up then
> chip the trees.
> Works with a drum chipper. $$$$  How many acres are you planning to clear?
>
>  2.  Use an excavator to pull the trees up and pile then
> chip. 
> Same deal because of the soil on 'em,
>
>  3.  Cut trees with a chain saw then let lie to decompose or chip.
> Not fun cutting with a chainsaw at ankle height. Can you afford a forestry-type brush cutter w/a chainsaw-tooth disc blade and full harness? A "Swede axe" brush axe is a good manual method. Haglaf and Sandvik made 'em. You def. want to take them out while in leaf, make stacks "butts in one direction". Then they can be safely chipped with a regular chipper, no roots, no dirt, no rocks.
>
> I would love to hear any ideas or comments.  Does anyone know how long small
> alders would take to break down?  
> a few months in compost conditions; or you can feed them to stock, fresh or "haystacked" And they are excellent in hugelkultur beds.
>
> Are there any drawbacks to subsoiling?
> Alders tend to grow on ravaged soil. Is good to re-ravage?  Then all the land will grow is weeds and alders, unless you put alot of inputs in.
>
> I'm interested in mainting as much of the exsisting soil structure as
> possible.
> This is good. Alder roots do amazing things.
>
> Every place in the world alders grow, they have been an important part of traditional agriculture.
>
> -Rick
> Benton Co. Oregon "Go Beavers"