It's been horrible weather here on our smallholding in West Cork, Ireland. We have calves out in the field using the cowbox for a field shelter and we have calves inside the slatted house eating hay, calf crunch and drinking their milk replacer twice a day.
So what have we been up to down on the farm? Number one son came home with a pto driven saw horse. It's the best thing since sliced bread. The tractor (Ford 4600) turns the power take off and that turns two belts that makes the saw spin.
You would think it's winter wouldn't you? Shame it's only August.
Useful-looking saw bench, never seen that design before.
ReplyDeleteIt's not bad Cumbrian. Haven't tried it on any tree trunks yet. We go through tons of logs and firewood on our smallholding. I have a big pile from storm Darwin the other year. It needs chainsawing and splitting with the tractor log splitter. I just make a couple of wheelbarrows and do something else. Thanks!
DeleteWell Dave we up here agin the Slieve Blooms haven't been served up with any weather as per the likes of the West coast. Friday was middling warm and soft at times, Saturday was grand and warm, so to was Sunday and Monday until night was warmish until about 7 when the wind rose and heaved heavy rain upon us. Today was a warm day and soft now again, the night is dry with cloud.
ReplyDeleteI'll not buy fuel till Sept or middle of October as per last year.
Hi Heron. It rained all night here. I was worrying about my poor calves out in the field. They came running to me this morning for their beef nuts ration.
DeleteWe have the range lit every day now. So we always need lots of firewood. Thanks!
We need to be getting wood cut! We use two wood stoves to do most of our heating. I grew up with wood stove heat and I love it. We do have back up central heat but rarely use it. We have some wood cut and stacked for witner but we need to cut and stack more!
ReplyDeleteTwo wood stoves Texan? That's a lt of firewood. We have one in the front room for occasional use and a range in the kitchen that we use for cooking, hot water and to heat 7 radiators. I have lots to cut and stack. We just need it to stop raining. Thanks!
DeleteYes, we bought eight tons of trees from Coillte a month or so back, that consists of 100 approx.X 15ft long trees, diameters ranging from 6 inch to 30 inches, it all has to be chain sawed, but we have invested in a good log splitter which is a great help. We estimate we have a least two years wood there. A lot of hard work but we will saving over 3/4 of what we normally spend on delivered logs.
ReplyDeleteHi Anne. Sounds like a very good tree investment. We have 2 tractor log splitters. I hate using the chainsaws and they always seem to need sharpening on a Sunday when the shops are closed. We also buy turf from Kerry and we buy smokeless household coal in winter. The never ending chores of smallholding living.
DeleteWe have a spare blade Dave so don't have to wait to get the other one sharpened.
DeleteWe have 3 chainsaws and manage to blunt them at the same time. Hopefully the saw bench will make things easier with the tractor doing most of the work.
DeleteOur firewood for last winter is still stacked and un-used....because we never managed to get the Rayburn installed. However,......we may get it working this winter so we shall be using that firewood, which might inspire us to collect the fallen trees lying along our river bank so we can have wood for the following winter! No doubt that when this happens Lester will also start looking for better log cutting equipment because I don't think his chainsaw will be up for the job!
ReplyDeleteYou could always sell the fallen trees Vera. Look forward to seeing your Rayburn working. I never feel safe using the chainsaw. They are very dangerous. We will have to win the Lottery and employ a little man from the village to saw and chop them for us. Thanks!
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