(Really) small farm waste stream

We have 3 city lots.  As I grew a lot of herbs, many of which are considered weeds, we have a lot of clean up in the spring.  In years past,  I have burned brush and spread ash.  But there is now a burn ban in the city because of "drought" (there are standing pools of water, my 250 gallon rain barrels are all full...).  We have tucked some of the brush away in the tree line of a neighboring abandoned lot.  It is too big and full of seeds to use in compost.  Any other suggestions?

Wait for the burn ban to be lifted then make biochar by quenching the burn pile with water when it gets down to coals.

Any chance you could run it through a chipper and turn it into mulch then set chickens loose on it for 6 or so months? My weed seeds are drastically reduced in my chicken run cold compost when I do that.

Are these annual herbs Cris or woody herbs like rosemary? I'm wondering if sticking them in the water barrels to make plant food is an option. That would drown the seeds and soften herbacious stalks, but would not work on more rigid stalks like sage and thyme.

I'm in an area that the EPA considers to be part of Chicago, and thanks to the ridiculously bad air quality 50 years ago I've spent way more time dealing with burning regulations than any sane person should.

Anyways, since you mentioned these were residential lots, do any of the areas offer curbside brush collection? If that's available, that would be my first choice.

Next, spend some time figuring out exactly what burning is banned.  Just doing a quick search, it looks like the ban applies from 6 am to 6 pm in Ohio. So, you may be able burn the brush, or "have a campfire", at night. Where I am open burning is banned, but cooking over an open fire is allowed, so I always have marshmallows when I'm burning. Making the fire in a fire ring also helps make it look like I'm "cooking" rather than burning brush.

Finally, if you burn don't be a jackass. If the police show up, there's a good chance they're there because someone complained about the smoke. My property has residential to the north and commercial to the west and south. That means I only burn when the wind will blow the smoke out over the empty field to the east.

Gray Henon wrote:Wait for the burn ban to be lifted then make biochar by quenching the burn pile with water when it gets down to coals.

I have made biochar using a pan like the ones they use on catering lines, but have not quenched a whole pile, that works?

Erin Cross wrote:Any chance you could run it through a chipper and turn it into mulch then set chickens loose on it for 6 or so months? My weed seeds are drastically reduced in my chicken run cold compost when I do that.

Chickens also not allowed.   Although one police officer stated that there was no one whose job it was to see if you had chickens.  😂

Nancy Reading wrote:Are these annual herbs Cris or woody herbs like rosemary? I'm wondering if sticking them in the water barrels to make plant food is an option. That would drown the seeds and soften herbacious stalks, but would not work on more rigid stalks like sage and thyme.

Woody, like mugwort and yellow dock and such.  Things I want to keep,  but don't really want more of.

John Wolfram wrote:
Anyways, since you mentioned these were residential lots, do any of the areas offer curbside brush collection? If that's available, that would be my first choice.

Next, spend some time figuring out exactly what burning is banned.  Just doing a quick search, it looks like the ban applies from 6 am to 6 pm in Ohio. So, you may be able burn the brush, or "have a campfire", at night. Where I am open burning is banned, but cooking over an open fire is allowed, so I always have marshmallows when I'm burning. Making the fire in a fire ring also helps make it look like I'm "cooking" rather than burning brush.

Finally, if you burn don't be a jackass. If the police show up, there's a good chance they're there because someone complained about the smoke. My property has residential to the north and commercial to the west and south. That means I only burn when the wind will blow the smoke out over the empty field to the east.

We try not to be jackasses.  😂   Am thinking of evening fires and "cooking".  But there is quite a bit too much for curbside pickup... and I would really rather use it somehow.

Gray Henon wrote:Wait for the burn ban to be lifted then make biochar by quenching the burn pile with water when it gets down to coals.

Ban only until 6 pm (why???), but it was 45 degrees, no rain and winds 2 mph!  Got all the elder burned and hopefully turned into biochar!

Cris Fellows wrote:

Erin Cross wrote:Any chance you could run it through a chipper and turn it into mulch then set chickens loose on it for 6 or so months? My weed seeds are drastically reduced in my chicken run cold compost when I do that.

Chickens also not allowed.   Although one police officer stated that there was no one whose job it was to see if you had chickens.  😂

Yikes, this place keeps sounding worse and worse! Maybe make a dead hedge with it and use it to create more edge in your garden. Wild birds will work this edge. It could double as a garden structure, you could even espalier to it or something like that. Each year, you could just top off the dead hedge with the 'new' dead stuff.

E Sager wrote:
Yikes, this place keeps sounding worse and worse! Maybe make a dead hedge with it and use it to create more edge in your garden. Wild birds will work this edge. It could double as a garden structure, you could even espalier to it or something like that. Each year, you could just top off the dead hedge with the 'new' dead stuff.

😂  Youngstown Ohio, in times past known as the colon of Ohio.  😂   But we have a lovely garden and rather like it here.  I could do as you suggest along the back,  but it is the city so anywhere else might attract more attention than I want.  Currently doing something like this in the neighboring lot so that foot traffic doesn't come through the trees per my adjacent neighbors suggestion.