My first post ever...what to do with all this slash?

ayerwood · November 30, 2012, 11:23:08 PM

I have been a long time "creeper" reading posts and getting my forestry, processing, milling, and humor education from this site. I am impressed by all the knowledge and willingness of others here to help out fellow wood rats in this industry. So, first off, thanks to all of you for such great information and to Jeff and others for putting and keeping this forum together in such a professional(and personal), informative, and fun manner.

To introduce myself a little bit, my family owns 80 acres in Western Washington. Although, we only have used the land in the past for recreation and the occasional firewood, we are currently removing red alder. This alder is mature(over mature with red heart) and in need of thinning and removal. My brothers and I have decided to do the logging in-house and it is done on a small scale.

So my question is this. On a piece of the property, we have removed all the alder in an approximately 5 acre area this past summer. Lots of slash remains. Other than the obvious choice of burning the slash piles, are there any interesting alternatives to using it for something "useful" on site. I haven't seen much online or here(maybe I missed it) and as of now, I may just let it lie where it is when I replant. It will feed the soil anyway. Thank you so much in advance.

WDH · November 30, 2012, 11:25:05 PM

Yes, it will feed the soil. That is natures way. Or you could cook with it ;D. That is natures way, too.

NWP · November 30, 2012, 11:39:00 PM

Welcome

thenorthman · December 01, 2012, 12:47:21 AM

There are rumors of a market for alder chips... so far to me they are just rumors.

Might be the best bet to just leave em be, or stack em up a bit to cut down on fire danger.

Even with the dark heart in em the mills will still buy them, they just won't pay as much. Don't know of any mills down where you are but there a several up here in Snohomish and Skagit counties, also Formark out of Tacoma/Everett both buy alder

Also as far as slash burning goes according to the "puget sound clean air authority" slash burning is a no no, not that they are a real government organization but they did get some ignorant laws passed, not that anybody cares least of all me...

islandlogger · December 01, 2012, 12:59:55 AM

I've had a lot of interest from smallish organic type farmers, they get REAL excited about Alder chips! Dont seem to mind paying a few bucks either!

Mooseherder · December 01, 2012, 01:07:15 AM

Good to know you ayerwood.
I saw they used it for smoking Salmon on the Alaska Frontier show.

thecfarm · December 01, 2012, 09:38:12 AM

ayerwood,welcome to the forum. If you don't remove the slash you could cut it up into 2-3 feet long pices so it will get on the ground and rot faster. Or that is what I do on my land. I only have a tractor and can't drive thorugh my slash. It's takes some time,but one tree at a time is not bad.

shelbycharger400 · December 01, 2012, 10:12:35 AM

5 acres isnt too bad. Rent or buy a chipper but not one of those $1000 cheapy's.
Sell it to a landscape place, firewood anything thats 2 in and bigger. Now with anything that is short pieces that are 10 in and bigger that dont make pallet grade consider making a small mill or buy one and sell it as shorts or hobby wood. Also consider the bowl / turner market. Alder is a truely nice wood to work with.
Someone on here might have a homebuilt mill that is close to you that can do the real short logs. Your a bit far to make it profitable to run here. :-\

ayerwood · December 01, 2012, 02:41:11 PM

Thanks to all for your thoughts. I will probably just make several piles and disperse the small stuff throughout and just let nature take its course. I am going to rent an excavator to remove some stumps, so I will also use it to pick through and save the larger slash pieces. I do have a Lucas 827, so I will be milling some stuff I had set aside already. I guess the best answer is what I was leaning toward anyway...feed the land. Thanks again.

SwampDonkey · December 01, 2012, 04:25:17 PM

Around here we just let slash lay where it fell and rot unless it's in the yard. Not much time is made of it. In 10 years it's all soil. I've thinned acres and acres on my land and that's exactly the philosophy. Just pick your feet up for the first few years. Foresters up here walk with a high step anyway. ;D :D

chickasawtimber · December 02, 2012, 12:30:57 AM

have similar problem with hickory on large scale....i am thinking smoking chips...see what they sell for? but is it possible for a little upstart to market them? would depend on quantity. I am going to be burning alot of tornado damaged woodland , knowing the carbon will feed the soil, I hope to chip many many tons of hickory for smoking mkt....and alder smoked salmon is sublime, like a hickory smoked pork roast,pulled and made into bbq.....sell to a salmon smoking outfit.....use some, leave some for the land......just my opinion, based on not much but opinion , not experience...

mad murdock · December 02, 2012, 03:31:23 AM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum ayerwood! Tell us a bit about your operation, you are logging in house? That is great! What are you yarding with? Is your tree farm on steep ground? Down here just a bit south of you, our family is on a small woodlands tree farm as well, like you we do our own logging, marketIng and woodlands management. Post some pics for us to see what you are up to, we likes pictures!

clww · December 02, 2012, 10:17:32 AM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, ayerwood.

thenorthman · December 02, 2012, 11:57:50 AM

Alder smoked anything is the bestest... problem with alder around here is it grows like a weed anywhere and everywhere so finding someone willing to pay for alder chips is kinda like finding someone to buy an expired lottery ticket, call up a few bbq shacks though never know could be just the ticket for them...

ayerwood · December 02, 2012, 12:51:41 PM

I will try to get some pics and more info up next week. I use a tractor(w/ FEL and forks) and Farmi winch for the operation. I also have the Lucas 827 with a slabber attachment. It's definitely small scale at this point. Also, how do I list my equipment under my posts like most people have? Is that in the profile account under "signature" or "personal text"?

thecfarm · December 02, 2012, 12:59:57 PM

signature is it.

park ranger · December 06, 2012, 01:37:44 AM

I'm from the Hood canal area (Brinnon) in Western Washington and let me tell you in a few years the stuff rots so fast you won't see it. I bring all the slash I can to the ground, not hanging up. A few wildlife piles are fine too, but don't let the scotchbroom, blackberrys or tansey start in.