will we get turf this year ?

buffalobilly

we were just talking last night
about the turf cutting season
coming up wonder will we be
allowed to cut with the
restrictions at the
minute ?

The Nutty M

In the area around us there are 11 hoppers, 4 self propelled and 7 tractor drawn ones. None of them boys have gone out cutting yet.

I was talking to two of them over the past week and they seem to think they won't be going out. The late start was in part due to weather but with corona they were both saying that the laws are likely to be enforced,ie non farming activity. Whether they had got a heads up from the guards or not I don't know. It's definitely different times around here anyways.

Danzy

Saw the Guards visiting a neighbour yesterday. He repairs chainsaws,lawn mowers etc

Was fixing them still, not now

bogman_bass

This is an opportunity to kick the turf habit. God I don’t miss it!

Doctors room ghost

Surely it’s an essential service with people depending on fuel.
Just stay away from the lads cutting so to give them their space.as for saving and drawing home it’s the pure definition of social distancing with not a soul willing to help you and not a sinner in the bogs

tabby aspreme

As turf is a fuel, harvesting it should be considered an essential job, people are still delivering fuel

lakill Farm

cant see how a lad in a tractor with a turf hopper isn't as essential as a lad with a slurry tanker or equally following the social distancing guidance

air

The cost of heating oil has rarely been lower.
A great opportunity to use the money that would have been spent cutting turf to fill the oil tank instead.

Then go on and enjoy all the hours saved during the summer turning, footing, loading & unloading the turf.

Further time savings throughout next winter then not having to bring it in, bring out ashes or sweep a chimney.
Leave the turf where it belongs!

lakill Farm

air wrote: »

The cost of heating oil has rarely been lower.
A great opportunity to use the money that would have been spent cutting turf to fill the oil tank instead.

Then go on and enjoy all the hours saved during the summer turning, footing, loading & unloading the turf.

Further time savings throughout next winter then not having to bring it in, bring out ashes or sweep a chimney.
Leave the turf where it belongs!

Or buy some oil and some turf

Burning turf from 2016 here at the moment. serious stuff after a few years seasoning

dh1985

air wrote: »

The cost of heating oil has rarely been lower.
A great opportunity to use the money that would have been spent cutting turf to fill the oil tank instead.

Then go on and enjoy all the hours saved during the summer turning, footing, loading & unloading the turf.

Further time savings throughout next winter then not having to bring it in, bring out ashes or sweep a chimney.
Leave the turf where it belongs!

If the lockdown continues people might be glad to get out to the bog for a bit of normality instead of looking at four walls. Especially if home from work anyway. I would have thought cutting turf was as much an essential service as some of the places I see open under that banner. Early days yet anyway unless people are intended to go cutting with the slean!!

air

Each to their own, I can think of nicer ways to spend time.
I'm not sure anyone that cuts turf actually does the sums on the amount of time and money that goes into it vs the heat delivered.
Not to mention the environmental devastation.

For a similar cost to getting a few bins cut you can buy a lorry load of thinnings from Coillte delivered to your yard.
A lot less work, a far superior, cleaner fuel & a lot better for the environment.
You still get your fresh air and exercise cutting, chopping & stacking the wood albeit without the sore back if you have a good set up!

BarryD2

air wrote: »

The cost of heating oil has rarely been lower.
A great opportunity to use the money that would have been spent cutting turf to fill the oil tank instead.

Wait till the 'emergency budget' comes in

air

BarryD2 wrote: »

Wait till the 'emergency budget' comes in

Indeed, it's not in yet though so a good opportunity to stock up & leave the turf in the ground

If you're still bored after buying oil or chopping wood, add some extra insulation to the house.
It only needs to be installed once & keeps the house warm every year!

uck51js9zml2yt

air wrote: »

Each to their own, I can think of nicer ways to spend time.
I'm not sure anyone that cuts turf actually does the sums on the amount of time and money that goes into it vs the heat delivered.
Not to mention the environmental devastation.

For a similar cost to getting a few bins cut you can buy a lorry load of thinnings from Coillte delivered to your yard.
A lot less work, a far superior, cleaner fuel & a lot better for the environment.
You still get your fresh air and exercise cutting, chopping & stacking the wood albeit without the sore back if you have a good set up!

What does a load of thinning cost? What type of trees. Sales suspended.
https://www.coillte.ie/coillte-faqs/can-collect-wood-forest/

air

Willie Nervous Seaside wrote: »

What does a load of thinning cost? What type of trees

I'll have to come back to you when I confirm the details but I think it was around €300 for a truck load of softwood thinnings, likely Sitka Spruce or similar. Decent enough sized logs.
A friend of mine does it and has an efficient assembly line setup for chopping into logs, splitting & bagging.
He flies through the processing.

air

Willie Nervous Seaside wrote: »

https://www.coillte.ie/coillte-faqs/can-collect-wood-forest/

I'm not sure if that refers to finished firewood or what.
Thinnings will be constantly available as they're an unavoidable byproduct of forest management.
I'd be surprised if you couldn't get a delivery of logs at present.
As an aside the foreat owner gets almost nothing from the sale, the price they fetch only really covers the cost of extraction.

air

Spoke with him just now, he paid €380 for a single trailer load last year.

He has been impacted by that Coillte shutdown all right & hasn't found an alternative supplier yet.

dh1985

lakill Farm wrote: »

Or buy some oil and some turf

Burning turf from 2016 here at the moment. serious stuff after a few years seasoning

I'd say it's like burning coal. Unbelievable what a couple years seasoning does. Burning turf straight off the bog is a waste

the_pen_turner

dh1985 wrote: »

I'd say it's like burning coal. Unbelievable what a couple years seasoning does. Burning turf straight off the bog is a waste

My father is burning turf at the moment that is older than I am . I'm in.my early 30s . He had a leak in the back of the shed so we had to clear out that back bit . Total nightmare because its really awkward to get in there hence why it's still there.
It was cut with a slane and the stone turf is pure coal. Some great stories out of him about all the guys back then

Genghis Cant

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/turf-cutting-also-classed-an-essential-agricultural-activity/?utm_content=buffer045c3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Start greasing the sausage machines!

MfMan

Know of some local lads here who're cutting away. Turf will never be easier got than this year, think of all the idle young lads with nothing to do and no America to go to.

Homer jay

The Nutty M wrote: »

In the area around us there are 11 hoppers, 4 self propelled and 7 tractor drawn ones. None of them boys have gone out cutting yet.

I was talking to two of them over the past week and they seem to think they won't be going out. The late start was in part due to weather but with corona they were both saying that the laws are likely to be enforced,ie non farming activity. Whether they had got a heads up from the guards or not I don't know. It's definitely different times around here anyways.

I couldn’t understand how they could stop them from cutting turf, two people alone in the bog in separate machines working doing an essential job supplying a heat source for the winter when on the other hand in our town nearly every takeaway food outlet is open for business, tonite there was at least 15 cars queuing up outside a Chinese takeaway for food, surely these are not essential services.

Genghis Cant

MfMan wrote: »

Know of some local lads here who're cutting away. Turf will never be easier got than this year, think of all the idle young lads with nothing to do and no America to go to.

The more oil prices dip the less attractive turf gets.
Even around here in the middle of the bog most houses are duel fuel and turf is easily got, cheap oil will have most lads filling the tank.

BullBauld

http://www.michaelfitzmaurice.ie/clarity-secured-on-the-cutting-of-domestic-turf-fitzmaurice/

The Nutty M

Homer jay wrote: »

I couldn’t understand how they could stop them from cutting turf, two people alone in the bog in separate machines working doing an essential job supplying a heat source for the winter when on the other hand in our town nearly every takeaway food outlet is open for business, tonite there was at least 15 cars queuing up outside a Chinese takeaway for food, surely these are not essential services.

It was more the definition of an essential service. Turf cutting wasn't specifically mentioned hence where the confusion was. As BullBauld posted,the clarification has come.

Homer jay

The Nutty M wrote: »

It was more the definition of an essential service. Turf cutting wasn't specifically mentioned hence where the confusion was. As BullBauld posted,the clarification has come.

👍👍

Aravo

A lot of people will be looking forward to the turf this year. The solitude of it all away from everything, will be welcome.