Clearing scrub / briars / furze

Atilathehun

Lads, I have a few fields looking a bit neglected. Furze and briars creeping in from the clay ditches, and a few clusters of furze in the middle of the fields.
I'm thinking about clearing them away with a track machine in the next few weeks. Are there any regulations governing when and how do do this kind of work? I'm not in reps or any other environmental scheme.
I assume the hedge cutting window would not apply in my case, as I wont really be disturbing any hedges.

Birdnuts

Atilathehun wrote: »

Lads, I have a few fields looking a bit neglected. Furze and briars creeping in from the clay ditches, and a few clusters of furze in the middle of the fields.
I'm thinking about clearing them away with a track machine in the next few weeks. Are there any regulations governing when and how do do this kind of work? I'm not in reps or any other environmental scheme.
I assume the hedge cutting window would not apply in my case, as I wont really be disturbing any hedges.

AFAIK if there is birds nesting in them, then its an offence to disturb this type of vegetation

PS: Not being smart but why have you waited till now to go at this work??especcially given how fine the weather was back in January and Feb

Username John

Birdnuts wrote: »

AFAIK if there is birds nesting in them, then its an offence to disturb this type of vegetation

PS: Not being smart but why have you waited till now to go at this work??especcially given how fine the weather was back in January and Feb

Really?

I only did this lately - got a track machine in, cleared a bit of a field of mainly ferns, briars, furze, blackthorn. I was a bit late doing it Birdnuts, yer right.
My original plan was to do it earlier in the year, and leave it green up again with young briars, ferns, etc. Then spray them, when they're nice and green, get a good kill. But thats what I had my REPS money earmarked for, and that was late coming through... :mad:

I had a look this morning, and there isnt much coming up yet. But I might get away with it, if I dont spray for another 2 weeks or so.

Atilathehun

Birdnuts wrote: »

AFAIK if there is birds nesting in them, then its an offence to disturb this type of vegetation

PS: Not being smart but why have you waited till now to go at this work??especcially given how fine the weather was back in January and Feb

Mainly because I'm, busy, busy, busy. Part time farmer. My job is mad busy. Average 55 hours a week.
Getting around to all the things that need doing on the farm is a challenge. A lot that has to get done on the farm, has to happen late evenings, early mornings, Sunday mornings.

Fulltime farmer yourself, are you?

just do it

Atilathehun wrote: »

Mainly because I'm, busy, busy, busy. Part time farmer. My job is mad busy. Average 55 hours a week.
Getting around to all the things that need doing on the farm is a challenge. A lot that has to get done on the farm, has to happen late evenings, early mornings, Sunday mornings.

Fulltime farmer yourself, are you?

I feel your pain, and I suppose da missus and kids have to get a look in as well.

This week so far. Monday day off to do some farm work, finished at 10.30pm. Tuesday up at 5.30am to get some jobs done, then off to day job at 7.30, back home at 9pm. Wednesday - turning out similar to yesterday!!, unless of course I stop looking at boards.ie;)

Jack C

I'd say fire ahead. Sure don't they want to penalise you if you're claiming forage area that has been encroached by scrub. Anyway I don't think the birds like nesting in furze.

Birdnuts

Atilathehun wrote: »

.

Fulltime farmer yourself, are you?

Part Time too!!

Traonach

Jack C wrote: »

I'd say fire ahead. Sure don't they want to penalise you if you're claiming forage area that has been encroached by scrub. Anyway I don't think the birds like nesting in furze.

What about birds like linnet and Stonechat? And more importantly declinings birds such as Whitethroat and Yellowhammer which use furze for nesting. The widespread scrub removal will hit these birds hard:mad::mad::mad:

Jack C

Is the whitehroat and yellowhammer going to come to Atilathehuns' assistance when he's penalised for scrub encroaching on to his forage area.

Birdnuts

Jack C wrote: »

when he's penalised for scrub encroaching on to his forage area.

How do you know what the story is - in any case we could all give 2 fingers to the law on the basis it didn't suit us to do the right thing at the time:rolleyes:

johngalway

It would be helpful to constructive debate if people provide links to the relevant legislation to back up their arguments before jumping down each others throats.

kay 9

Ya can't bring a track machine in in Jan or Feb in most places that time of year or ya will do more damage than good the ground is so soft. Scraws everywhere and thats more work. Stack them, then burn them.

Birdnuts

kay 9 wrote: »

I always clear the scrub this time of year. Ya can't bring a track machine in in Jan or Feb in most places that time of year or ya will do more damage than good the ground is so soft. Scraws everywhere and thats more work. Stack them, then burn them.

It hasn't been the last few years - in any case whats stopping you doing it in August/September??

PS: As pointed by the mods before, you need to be aware that this forum is looked at by personel from the various depts so I suggest you desist from spouting your cavellier approach to such matters and generating bad PR for the farming community:mad:

Birdnuts

johngalway wrote: »

It would be helpful to constructive debate if people provide links to the relevant legislation to back up their arguments before jumping down each others throats.

According to this you need a special licence to interfer with the breeding place of a protected species

http://www.npws.ie/en/WildlifePlanningtheLaw/Licences/Interferewithbreedingplacesofanywildanimals/

kay 9

Fixed, I think I'm in the local on this forum sometimes:D I keep forgettig about prying and green eyes watching:rolleyes:

Atilathehun

FFS, I don't intend to go mad and clear every bush and briar on the land.
It's a 4 acre piece of 80 acres. There is a few whitethorn trees dotted around the field. I won't touch them. There is a few clusters of briars and furze, probably if all put together amounts to 10% of the two acres in question. OR 0.025% of my 80 acres:)
The stuff creeping in from the boundary wall which I will remove probably represents 10% of the total volume of cover on the wall.
I just want to stop nature taking 100% of my property up. I want to farm what I have, and leave nature to work away on the sides.
Calender farming, is for the birds .......... I mean birdsnuts:rolleyes:

Birdnuts

Atilathehun wrote: »

Calender farming, is for the birds .......... I mean birdsnuts:rolleyes:

Who mentioned Calendar farming - I merely pointed out that the fact that ground conditions over the last few months have been very good over the bulk of the country and a bit pre- planning keeps everyone happy

Birdnuts

kay 9 wrote: »

Fixed, I think I'm in the local on this forum sometimes:D I keep forgettig about prying and green eyes watching:rolleyes:

Its more about the vital marketing of Irish farm produce home and abroad and using a bit of cop on and common sense

5live

Birdnuts wrote: »

Its more about the vital marketing of Irish farm produce home and abroad and using a bit of cop on and common sense

A bit off topic birdnuts but can you explain to me why EU is paying us money to protect wildlife and build up habitat and then paying us to harm wildlife and destroy habitat? There is a very peculiar dichotomy there where we are forced to build up artifical habitat and destroy natural habitat. What is that about? Not looking for a fight, it just doesnt make sense to my simple mind

Birdnuts

5live wrote: »

A bit off topic birdnuts but can you explain to me why EU is paying us money to protect wildlife and build up habitat and then paying us to harm wildlife and destroy habitat? There is a very peculiar dichotomy there where we are forced to build up artifical habitat and destroy natural habitat. What is that about? Not looking for a fight, it just doesnt make sense to my simple mind

I totally agree, its insane and suggests a serious lack of joined up thinking at official level - there is an ongoing battle at EU level between big agri business on one hand and conservationists, protectors of traditional farming and rural communities etc. on the other. Of course the former has big bucks to spend on lobbying which makes things alot tougher for everyone else. And of course its vitally importent for keeping up family farm numbers and vibrant rural areas in Ireland that the latter win out. It is also the main basis on which Irish food is marketed around the world - we simply can't afford a race to the bottom against the likes of Brazil, US etc.

This is indeed a very relevant though complex topic and certainly deserves a thread of its own at some point:)

Atilathehun

Got the bit of clearing done on the scrub and briars. Driver did a nice tidy job.
What would be the best way to reseed this kind of ground now. There is a nice bit of loose soil left on top of the ground.
I was thinking of pulling a chain harrow on it to level it out a bit better and pick any morte stones and roots the harrow may bring up.
Afterwards shake the seed, lime and fertilizer on it then, and roll.
Question is should I give it one pass of the harrow to get a bit of cover on the seed before I roll? What do ye think?

Username John

Atilathehun wrote: »

Got the bit of clearing done on the scrub and briars. Driver did a nice tidy job.
What would be the best way to reseed this kind of ground now. There is a nice bit of loose soil left on top of the ground.
I was thinking of pulling a chain harrow on it to level it out a bit better and pick any morte stones and roots the harrow may bring up.
Afterwards shake the seed, lime and fertilizer on it then, and roll.
Question is should I give it one pass of the harrow to get a bit of cover on the seed before I roll? What do ye think?

I would have thought yer better off with a light harrow after putting in the grass seed. It wouldnt be a big job, and twould be a pity if some of it failed for the sake of a quick harrow.
BUT - I woudln't call myself an expert on it by any means, so am sure lots of other lads here would know a lot more.
Also - is it granulated lime yer putting out? Now, not sure why, but most of the times I see lads put out lime, then harrow, then seed & fertiliser, then harrow & roll.

On the bit of clearing I did I haev decided to leave it go til the Autumn. For a few different reasons
1) Leave the ferns & briars come up, and spray em in August. Get a good kill.
2) Takes the pressure off me for fencing it too, so should be able to do more of it myself over the summer, so less $$$ spent.
3) Should have a bit of stock sold by then, so be in better shape financially.

What do ye think? Madness to leave the weeds come again over the summer, after going to the trouble of clearing it...?

Atilathehun

Username John wrote: »

I would have thought yer better off with a light harrow after putting in the grass seed. It wouldnt be a big job, and twould be a pity if some of it failed for the sake of a quick harrow.
BUT - I woudln't call myself an expert on it by any means, so am sure lots of other lads here would know a lot more.
Also - is it granulated lime yer putting out? Now, not sure why, but most of the times I see lads put out lime, then harrow, then seed & fertiliser, then harrow & roll.

On the bit of clearing I did I haev decided to leave it go til the Autumn. For a few different reasons
1) Leave the ferns & briars come up, and spray em in August. Get a good kill.
2) Takes the pressure off me for fencing it too, so should be able to do more of it myself over the summer, so less $$$ spent.
3) Should have a bit of stock sold by then, so be in better shape financially.

What do ye think? Madness to leave the weeds come again over the summer, after going to the trouble of clearing it...?

I'm sure I will get briars and furze start to sprout of the ground over the summer, but I plan to spot spray once they are nicely above ground and green. Graze first and spot spray afterwards.
Think I will go with one pass with the harrow after seeding. Then roll a few times. Need to wait for a good dry week however, in order not to seal the ground with the roller.

cjpm

Lime, then harrow lightly, fertiliser, harrow again, pick stones + roots, set seeds, very light run of chain harrow. Roll.

Always harrow between lime and fertiliser as you don't want them coming into contact on top of the ground.

Username John

Atilathehun wrote: »

I'm sure I will get briars and furze start to sprout of the ground over the summer, but I plan to spot spray once they are nicely above ground and green. Graze first and spot spray afterwards.
Think I will go with one pass with the harrow after seeding. Then roll a few times. Need to wait for a good dry week however, in order not to seal the ground with the roller.

Am not trying to put you off now Atila, but are you sowing clover? If so, you might wanna check what you can spray with afterwards, that will kill what you want, and still be clover safe.

stereomatic

There's furze on rocky sloped land if I got the digger at them and then spread lime on the ground would that keep them at bay