Gray Henon

For those that like to nerd out on woodchips…

https://www.organicresearchcentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/WOOFS_TG2_Final.pdf

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Ted Perry wrote:

Gray Henon wrote:

Ted Perry wrote:tried pits yet? not noticed in posts. . .

Thanks for following along!

My burn spots are very shallow pits, maybe 6-8” deep.  Just enough to hold water when I am quenching.  Deeper pits may be slightly more efficient in terms of production, but would increase labor on burn/spreading days.  I’ve got plenty of material, but only so much labor,

I am still learning how to use this thing for replies and all- I have been fantasizing about an excavator to dig for dwelling and maybe pay for itself(heh).
Anyway, I wondered if setting up the pile of dirt dug out as a berm on one side for light or wind would alter equation in positive way(?)

When you have an excavator, everything looks like a hole, lol.  Wind affects the burn some, but not enough to bother fixing.  I’m a permie minimalist so the less equipment, the better, in my book.  If needed, I figure heavy equipment is a rent, not buy, type of thing.

Ted Perry wrote:tried pits yet? not noticed in posts. . .

Thanks for following along!

My burn spots are very shallow pits, maybe 6-8” deep.  Just enough to hold water when I am quenching.  Deeper pits may be slightly more efficient in terms of production, but would increase labor on burn/spreading days.  I’ve got plenty of material, but only so much labor,

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Still chipping away at it, solo.  90 gallons is about what I can get done between first light and when the sun hits the pile.  Don’t think I have hit the halfway mark yet.

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Temps have been in the 80’s but it has been incredibly humid, rain almost every day which is hindering progress.  Dug into the pile the sheep were bedding down on.  In addition to the manure, they also did a fair bit of crushing.  However, they also packed it down a good bit as well.  Between the packing and wet, it was quite heavy and more difficult to load/spread than usual.  Probably try to avoid letting them bed down on a pile in the future.

8/5/26

Helps me to imagine the corner post leaning from the fence tension, then place the diagonal wire so that can’t happen.

Watched a video a while back that would have been impossible for any mortal.  Another popular farm speaker said he got it done by only sleeping 3 hours a night, yeah, no thanks.  I’ve found it much easier to grow food than to pick/process/preserve/cook it.  Currently downsizing the operation as my adult children are fledging resulting in less labor and food requirements.  I’ve always said you are better off doing a few things well, than a lot of things half assed.  Currently have sheep, chickens, veg garden, potato patch, wood heat, the biochar operation, and all the perennials we have planted over the years.  Most of our preserving is done by freezing.  Plenty of work to keep me busy!

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One pile done!  Might hold off on the second one until cooler weather.  The sheep seem to enjoy laying on it in the meantime.  Concentrated charging and crushing, I like it!

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A coupleish loads left in the first pile…