Coppicing time again

It's that time of year again - firewood season. For years I've been doing all my coppicing with chainsaws, but I hate them! So this year I'm going to try hand-cutting. I'm going to send away for a Silky Zűbat saw and see how I get on with just that, axes and billhooks. I do most of my apple pruning with a Silky Gomtaro saw and that's an amazing saw. The Zűbat is a bigger version, so it should manage ash poles up to abut 9 inches diameter. Anything bigger, I'll use the axe.

Brave, Hardy lad. As I get older I try to make my life easier. My logging mostly consists of willow coppice. A chainsaw is a bit overkill on the 2-3 inch dia branches, so I use a chop saw. Other larger timber around the plot will get the chainsaw treatment. I could do with another pruning saw so I will have a look at these Silky range you suggested Sean. Cheers.

Well, I have gone through two coppicing sessions using just axe and the Silky Zubat saw and, I must say, the Zubat makes coppicing a real pleasure. It goes through 4-5 inch logs like cutting cheese. 2-3 inch branches it cuts like butter! No noise, no petrol fumes, no need for safety goggles, earphones, chaps, steel toecaps etc. No starting and restarting the chainsaw, no cursing when it won't start and no nagging apprehension of damaging yourself. It might take me twice as long to cut the winter firewood, but that suits fine as, with this way of working, there's nothing I'd rather be doing!

I like the look of those saws, on the xmas list perhaps. I use the chainsaw often as it gets the job done quick, but I can empathise with the pluses listed above. My coppicing has not yet started, once all the leaves are gone I will get stuck in. I am working on a hydraulic notion to shear 4 inch branches which will be quicker still. I watched a demonstration at a show and was impressed.

Coppicing finished for another year.  Just need to haul and stack the last lot of trees I cut today.

Edge of this year's cutting.

I have been doing a bit this week. I gave the Willow fedge a good trim yesterday. This forms one side of the apiary so it needed to be done before the Bees arrive. All I need to do today is chip the willow wands into mulch. Great weather for it all.

Here we are again! Started the coppicing today. I'm intending to cut on every fine day till I have enough cut. Still a few bushels of apples to pick though, and then a couple of days cider-making. It won't be a bumper year - poor crop - but it is what it is.

Made a start here. I may not have got many apples this year but the trees have not supprisingly put on alot of growth. I have got the willow field to crop this winter

I made a start on the cider-making today - tomorrow should finish it. Then full steam ahead in the ash coppice. My intention is to finish by the first of February, but the weather dictates - I don't mind the cold, but I hate working in the rain.

iI shall do the willow over Xmas. I made no cider this year. What fruit I had sold well at the mart but this will be the first winter without cider since moving to Ireland. I brought a bottle of that fizzy pop stuff made by Bulmers. Crap!!!! The last brew of nettle beer is just about finished so I had better see if I can get some malt and hops from somewhere.

Much the same here. With a paltry 50 gallons of cider this year I need to make something else. I have a good crop of beetroots and parsnips so maybe a big batch of red and white wine...