Irish obsession with turf?

thestar

In comparison to coal there is a lot less heat out of it, doesn't last near as long and when labor, storage and transportation are taken into account I don't think it is cheap at all.

What's the big fascination with it?

Talib Fiasco

**Waits for TheBackwardsMan to preach**

Sheep Lover

Because turf grows in the bog beside me, coal doesn't

Chucken

Paging TheBackwardsMan to thread please!

Mint Sauce

Because it reminds me of home.

Triboro

thestar wrote: »

In comparison to coal there is a lot less heat out of it, doesn't last near as long and when labor, storage and transportation are taken into account I don't think it is cheap at all.

What's the big fascination with it?

Tradition I guess! Glad I have the stove full of it this evening anyway.

The Bould Rabbit

Turf smells nicer than coal.




EDIT : That's when its burning in the fire like. Lest anyone think I go around sniffing lumps and sods of the stuff.

muslimstudent

It is okay to get the fire going but coal is far superior to generate heat.

mad muffin

I pity the fools who have to shovel solid fuel in to their stoves every day.

I much prefer to fick a switch or set it on timer to come on before I wake up. :pac:

muslimstudent

mad muffin wrote: »

I pity the fools who have to shovel solid fuel in to their stoves every day.

I much prefer to fick a switch or set it on timer to come on before I wake up. :pac:

Me too but the wife prefers the ambiance that a fireplace creates.

WhiteWalls

muslimstudent wrote: »

Me too but the wife prefers the ambiance that a fireplace creates.

virtual fire?

Nodin

Sheep Lover wrote: »

Because turf grows in the bog beside me, coal doesn't

And you can bury people in a bog. Try doing that with a bag of coal.

heldel00

Because it cost us 250 euro and will fill our fire for the whole year with some left over for next year.
( I wasn't near a bog until I moved in with my husband two years ago. We always just had sticks. Oh god I miss sticks )

mad muffin

muslimstudent wrote: »

Me too but the wife prefers the ambiance that a fireplace creates.

So does my wife. So I told her if you want to use the fire place you maintain it. Soon put a stop to her wants.

Mister Vain

thestar wrote: »

What's the big fascination with it?

Michael Collins used it as a weapon.

Cantremember

Fire! Kill it with fire!

SEPT 23 1989

Potatoes wouldnt burn

kneemos

heldel00 wrote: »

Because it cost us 250 euro and will fill our fire for the whole year with some left over for next year.
( I wasn't near a bog until I moved in with my husband two years ago. We always just had sticks. Oh god I miss sticks )

You must be delighted to have some of last years turf left over?

WhiteWalls

heldel00 wrote: »

Because it cost us 250 euro and will fill our fire for the whole year with some left over for next year.
( I wasn't near a bog until I moved in with my husband two years ago. We always just had sticks. Oh god I miss sticks )

250euro of turf would not be enough for a year

Tin Foil Hat

Open fires are stupid yokes that make your house cold.

Mister Vain

Tin Foil Hat wrote: »

Open fires are stupid yokes that make your house cold.

Mine doesn't.

muslimstudent

Stoves are more efficient than open fires.

Sheep Lover

Tin Foil Hat wrote: »

Open fires are stupid yokes that make your house cold.

Try lighting it then

heldel00

WhiteWalls wrote: »

250euro of turf would not be enough for a year

Yes it is if our neighbour owns the bog

heldel00

kneemos wrote: »

You must be delighted to have some of last years turf left over?

Of course

The Backwards Man

WhiteWalls wrote: »

250euro of turf would not be enough for a year

More than enough, My stove is on 20 hours a day, heating 14 radiators and all the hot water you could want, and I wouldn't burn €200 in the year. I mostly burn good black sausage ones mind, hopper are a bit dearer and not as good value imo.

WhiteWalls

heldel00 wrote: »

Yes it is if our neighbour owns the bog

sorry I did my sums wrong, 50 yards?

The Backwards Man

kneemos wrote: »

You must be delighted to have some of last years turf left over?

I only started on last year's turf a fortnight ago.:)

Sh1tbag OToole

muslimstudent wrote: »

Stoves are more efficient than open fires.

Coal burns too hot for most stoves. So ya burn trees or turf in it instead

Chucken

jive_bunny wrote: »

i have a bog but i pay 50 euro per hopper to get it cut , add in about thirty hours work to turn , foot etc and its an incredibly time consuming exercise

Great exercise though

The Backwards Man

jive_bunny wrote: »

i have a bog but i pay 50 euro per hopper to get it cut , add in about thirty hours work to turn , foot etc and its an incredibly time consuming exercise

Time consuming me arse!

Where else would you want to be on a warm summer's evening? Lying in watching Eastenders and scratching your hole? In some beer garden with wasps and kids and drunken bores everywhere?

Turf give you fresh air, exercise and a oneness with nature that you won't get anywhere else, and you get to heat your house for next to nothing as a bonus.

I don't believe in God, but if I did, I'd get down on my knees and thank the bejaysus out of him for creating turf!

dmc17

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Time consuming me arse!

Where else would you want to be on a warm summer's evening? Lying in watching Eastenders and scratching your hole? In some beer garden with wasps and kids and drunken bores everywhere?

Turf give you fresh air, exercise and a oneness with nature that you won't get anywhere else, and you get to heat your house for next to nothing as a bonus.

I don't believe in God, but if I did, I'd get down on my knees and thank the bejaysus out of him for creating turf!

On a train bound for nowhere!

Cantremember

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I don't believe in God, but if I did, I'd get down on my knees and thank the bejaysus out of him for creating turf!

Turf you are and unto turf you shall return.

heldel00

WhiteWalls wrote: »

sorry I did my sums wrong, 50 yards?

???

AboutaWeekAgo

Can't bate a nice turf sandwich after a day in the bog!

WhiteWalls

heldel00 wrote: »

???

50 yards at 5e per yard for the man that cuts it?

Baggy Trousers

muslimstudent wrote: »

It is okay to get the fire going but coal is far superior to generate heat.

Good dry turf can give great heat in a stove and is dirt cheap if you save it yourself or buy in bulk. Also coal is filthy.
The best option really is turf + dry logs. The turf sustains the fire while the wood provides high heat.

cml387

I bring in turf for my aunt sometimes.

It struck me that it's just dried mud.

Yet deny men the right to cut turf and you'll have death threats and excrement in the mail.

Who would want to rule this country?

conorh91

jive_bunny wrote: »

turf is more expensive if you put any kind of value on time

Not if you have child labour available to you.

Cheap fuel AND cut down on your childcare costs.

csallmighty

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Turf give you fresh air, exercise and a oneness with nature that you won't get anywhere else, and you get to heat your house for next to nothing as a bonus.

Don't forget the cleggs and the midges.

Buona Fortuna

jive_bunny wrote: »

with the price of oil today , turf is more expensive if you put any kind of value on time

FYP.

Plus you can get it done weekends and in the long evenings. If the feckin midgets stay away its quite pleasant.

Wife has an uncle who goes to the bog and regularly takes all his clothes off - you gotta worry about that gene pool

boobar

I burn briquettes in a stove, living room is nice and toasty and we've cut our oil bill by 2/3.

However, I help a neighbour bring home his turf every year. Back breaking work, but I don't mind that. It's when we go to the pub and the turf tales are told, sweet jebus they like to talk about good dry black turf, laugh at the guy who always leaves it too late to draw the turf home, how such and such is not worth a sh1te on the bog, hasn't a clue how to foot turf and on and on and on.

boobar

cml387 wrote: »

I bring in turf for my aunt sometimes.

It struck me that it's just dried mud.

Yet deny men the right to cut turf and you'll have death threats and excrement in the mail.

Who would want to rule this country?

That's turf and we call it "in the post" over here

Connemara Farmer

thestar wrote: »

What's the big fascination with it?

It's traditional, if you own a bog then you can harvest your own fuel.

With laws now attempting to ban people cutting it it just becomes more important.

I prefer timber but like the idea of turf, and people cutting it!

Sh1tbag OToole

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

It's traditional, if you own a bog then you can harvest your own fuel.

With laws now attempting to ban people cutting it it just becomes more important.

I prefer timber but like the idea of turf, and people cutting it!

I like the yoke they use for cutting turf. Looks like a massive chainsaw that goes onto the back of a tractor. Looks way more daycent than an actual chainsaw

ewinslet

thestar wrote: »

In comparison to coal there is a lot less heat out of it, doesn't last near as long and when labor, storage and transportation are taken into account I don't think it is cheap at all.

What's the big fascination with it?

The fascination is that the whole bloody midlands is comprised of turf. The land is sh1te. Turf is their only livelihood.

conorh91

boobar wrote: »

However, I help a neighbour bring home his turf every year. Back breaking work, but I don't mind that. It's when we go to the pub and the turf tales are told, sweet jebus they like to talk about good dry black turf, laugh at the guy who always leaves it too late to draw the turf home, how such and such is not worth a sh1te on the bog, hasn't a clue how to foot turf and on and on and on.

Footing turf is very competitive. There is a culchie convention that you at least offer to help your bog-neighbour after footing your own load. Some people think that's altruism. No. That's total showboating.

And don't bet me started on those shirkers who buy their turf in by the fertilizer-bag.

Turf snobbery does be vicious.

ewinslet wrote: »

The fascination is that the whole bloody midlands is comprised of turf. The land is sh1te. Turf is their only livelihood.

jive_bunny wrote: »

the midlands has loads of great land

Want good land? Follow the Protestants. Loads of Protestants in the midlands. Q.E.D.

The Backwards Man

csallmighty wrote: »

Don't forget the cleggs and the midges.

As much a part of Irish fauna as you our I.

When they start it's time to head home though

Baggy Trousers

I just filled the basket of turf for today. Even looking at a big basket of nice turf makes me smile. I don't know what it is.

kneemos

Baggy Trousers wrote: »

I just filled the basket of turf for today. Even looking at a big basket of nice turf makes me smile. I don't know what it is.

Probably turf.Going by the evidence.

dmc17

kneemos wrote: »

Probably turf.Going by the evidence.

A big basket of nice turf, on closer inspection.