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Are you still using turf?

[Deleted User]

You can't move on the country by-roads, this time of year, without being stuck behind a Ford 4600 pulling a load of turf.

This year, for the first year since we got off Cromwell's boat, the Miltiades family have no turf. I will miss the turf this year, the sweet, damp smell of it in the house, and wafting up the lane. I'll miss the crumbly, craggy feeling of handling it, the great heat out of it, turf as a topic of conversation for visitors; turf mould for the garden beds. We will never find a use for all these empty 10,10,20 bags.

The Department and the EU habitats directive have finally closed-off the bog at home, it's strictly for the skylark, the grouse, and the meadow pipit, now. It's only fair I suppose, but it's sad to face into a winter with no turf.

Are you still bringing home the turf?

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Infernal Racket

I put in a wood pellet stove back in February. Best move ever. I hate turf ever since I was a kid being dragged to the bog. Midgets, cracked skin, turf mould in every crevice. Wont miss it even one little bit

[Deleted User]

Gerry G wrote: »

I put in a wood pellet stove back in February. Best move ever. I hate turf ever since I was a kid being dragged to the bog. Midgets, cracked skin, turf mould in every crevice. Wont miss it even one little bit

Light a fire when you're footing it. Keeps the midges away, and quite possibly a few of those dastardly midgets too.

kneemos

Gerry G wrote: »

I put in a wood pellet stove back in February. Best move ever. I hate turf ever since I was a kid being dragged to the bog. Midgets, cracked skin, turf mould in every crevice. Wont miss it even one little bit

The **** is turf mould.

Shlippery

kneemos wrote: »

The **** is turf mould.

The black dushty bits and pieces.

branie2

Dr_serious2

Yes

[Deleted User]

kneemos wrote: »

The **** is turf mould.

Sorry, I meant turf 'mowld'.

1o059k7ewrqj3n

Always loved the smell of a turf fire.

They need to make that a fragrance, along with freshly cut grass and petrol.

JohnnyFlash

My brother still takes turf from the family plot. I don’t take many bags, but I will head down there some weekend to make a few bottles of poitín with himself.

coolshannagh28

Steyr 556 wrote: »

Always loved the smell of a turf fire.

They need to make that a fragrance, along with freshly cut grass and petrol.

Its available actually in some gift stores as a lighted scent packaged in a miniature Irish cottage

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I used to enjoy the smell of a turf fire but there is just too much against it to continue burning it.

It is not an efficient source of heat by a long way. It is adding to pollution in it's burning and destroying a natural environment and natural carbon sink in it's harvesting. The only people I know who are enthusiastic about turf still, and who refuse to admit it is not an efficient fuel, are a few elderly neighbours who bum a few free or cheap loads locally every year.

Infernal Racket

Steyr 556 wrote: »

Always loved the smell of a turf fire.

They need to make that a fragrance, along with freshly cut grass and petrol.

Add permanent markers to that list

[Deleted User]

Graysen Chubby Spice wrote: »

It is not an efficient source of heat by a long way.

I hear this a lot, what's the exact science/ calculation behind it?

We spend less than a grand for a winter's supply of turf, at home. None of the rads work, so it's the only source of heat, apart from maybe one trailer load of timber (which goes in no time, and seems super inefficient).

I live in a smaller house, in Dublin, and my heating costs are a few hundred quid higher. And my house is better insulated. I'm curious as to the provenance of this fact. Perhaps I am your elderly neighbour.

FrancieBrady

Steyr 556 wrote: »

Always loved the smell of a turf fire.

They need to make that a fragrance, along with freshly cut grass and petrol.

My wife was doing an international craft fair and the guy on the stand beside her was selling little rectangles of marble along with some tiny pieces of turf. The idea being that you could place the turf on the marble and light it thus creating the smell of a turf fire.
He was cleaning up on orders from the US buyers and curiously the Japanese.

Jupiter Mulligan

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

I hear this a lot, what's the exact science/ calculation behind it?

https://www.seai.ie/resources/seai-statistics/conversion-factors/

whisky_galore

No, have moved on to other recreational drugs

Your Face

No, I only use coal that is delivered by a slatternly cockney child worker.
He wont see 20 but he's lovable and cheeky with it.

maxwell smart

Was in Connemara at the weekend and the amount of turf, bagged up and ready to go, along the side of the roads was amazing. Made me realise what a cynical and suspicious place where I live has become. You can't leave your bins out in the East of the country without someone nicking them

[Deleted User]

Jupiter Mulligan wrote: »

https://www.seai.ie/resources/seai-statistics/conversion-factors/

But turf is so much cheaper. Cost really should be considered when discussing efficiency.

Not wanting to split hairs, but that chart is really about efficacy, not efficiency.

You're literally comparing 1 tonne of turf to 1 tonne of oil, while ignoring cost -- a huge factor.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

I hear this a lot, what's the exact science/ calculation behind it?

We spend less than a grand for a winter's supply of turf, at home. None of the rads work, so it's the only source of heat, apart from maybe one trailer load of timber (which goes in no time, and seems super inefficient).

I live in a smaller house, in Dublin, and my heating costs are a few hundred quid higher. And my house is better insulated. I'm curious as to the provenance of this fact. Perhaps I am your elderly neighbour.

Not much more than a grand will heat every room in this house with coal and a back boiler, plus an oil fired boiler.

I used turf for many years and know I got less heat per £ than I do from any other source.

[Deleted User]

Graysen Chubby Spice wrote: »

I used turf for many years and know I got less heat per £ than I do from any other source.

Per tonne, yes. But per pound or euro?

You must have been buying very dear turf.

What were you paying for a plot?

Edgware

Our family have cut turf for over 200 years, even under the British landlords, so our E.U. landlords and the Green Party gob****es can piss off if they think we are going to stop now

Doctors room ghost

We are drawing out home this past 2 weeks.a mighty year for turf.
Hope to be finished Friday.
The bog is good for the soul and you would ate steel after a day in it.
Give me a week in the bog alone with the skylark singing and ye May keep yere crowded foreign holiday

glaswegian

I find it very cost efficient,E300 for 300 yards = 220 bags,more than enough to heat the living room stove for the year, E500 of kero for the rads,job done.

steves2

My family use turf from my fathers bog, he can still cut it but only a matter of time before it's stopped.

The smell of a turf fire is something from my childhood and even adulthood that I'll always love but God I'm glad I'll never have to empty out a fire in my house (no chimney, gas boiler).

I think it should be consigned to the past, our ancestors used to go around on donkey and cart but we gave that up didn't we?

Even just to protect the bogs and the wildlife. It doesn't have to be doom and gloom, theres good reasons to do it and should be supports to help reluctants to switch over.

Jupiter Mulligan

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

But turf is so much cheaper. Cost really should be considered when discussing efficiency.

Not wanting to split hairs, but that chart is really about efficacy, not efficiency.

You're literally comparing 1 tonne of turf to 1 tonne of oil, while ignoring cost -- a huge factor.

You asked for science, I gave you science!

Now you want to do a Moore Street haggle, but this heat pump man isn't going to play!

Jupiter Mulligan

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

We are drawing out home this past 2 weeks.a mighty year for turf.
Hope to be finished Friday.
The bog is good for the soul and you would ate steel after a day in it.
Give me a week in the bog alone with the skylark singing and ye May keep yere crowded foreign holiday

Pulling a sentimental curtain over the horsefly (cleg) bites that I know you get!

But there are few things as uplifting as hearing the lark's song in a lonely place.

Feisar

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Sorry, I meant turf 'mowld'.

Sorted

branie2

I went to the bog a few times as a kid to cut turf. Well, my father did the cutting.

Doctors room ghost

Jupiter Mulligan wrote: »

Pulling a sentimental curtain over the horsefly (cleg) bites that I know you get!

But there are few things as uplifting as hearing the lark's song in a lonely place.

A good shot of that Indian fly spray bottle the green one and they won’t be bothered with ya.
Indian jungle or something it’s called.
She’s good for the soul lads and lasses is the bog.
Recharges the batteries.
Fire the car up on the ditch and leave the phone in it.
Beautiful silence.only the sound of the turfs progress and nature to accompany you.
Ah yes.The bog is heaven.