permaculture

["mossmans" <mossmans@internode.on.net>]

You are better off with a scythe than a trimmer esp if you ring bark your
trees with it, firstly, the cost of both is about the same, but then you
have to get petrol, then you forgot the oil for the mix, and oh boy does
that string get caught up, run out, then starting it... give me secrets on
how to start a machine especially without arm muscles like TARZAN, then it
is noisy, heavy, smelly, etc

Also at Harmony Farm which is an organic orchard south of Sydney, the
volunteers place squares of weedmat with a slit into the centre to prevent
the grass growing.  This is pegged down with homemade giant hair clips using
fencing wire, so it is relatively cheap, and quick.

Get in contact with www.scytheconnection.com  as they have great scythes for
the job.  As permaculturalists we should be looking to low tech ideas that
will be sustainable into the future - I would appreciate any other low tech
solutions from the assembled multitude on this issue as I am trying to
develop a traditional tools presentation.

Sue

-----Original Message-----
From: permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Charles de
Matas
Sent: Saturday, 26 May 2007 3:51 AM
To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [permaculture] grass in orchards

Rich Blaha wrote <<<<<<<<<<<<<<In the meantime, a couple of
rounds with the string trimmer per year keeps the fire danger down...I'm
not too worried about the cosmetics of it.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I'm thinking of buying one of these string trimmers myself to help reduce 
risk of fire.  We had a prolonged dry season this year.  I had extensive 
fire damage on my property.  Most of the people in our permaculture group 
had fire damage to their property as well.  I am going to try many 
strategies to reduce fire risk (including velvet beans to try to smother the

grass) but maybe the strimmer will help as well.  I'd really like to get a 
scythe but I'm not keen right now to go through the problems of importing 
stuff.

Charles
Trinidad

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