Our Woods
I posted recently about leaf burning and why I don’t think it’s such a great idea, even if it is allowed, but I was careful to mention that I’m not at all opposed to fires. Being a relative land baron out here on my almost rural four acres, I would have some major disposal issues if I could not burn prunings, deadfall, and other natural debris.
Just a little over half our property is wooded. You can see a neighbor’s house to the east of us in this picture, but if the leaves were still on the trees you wouldn’t know the house was there. The woods are a great screen from the traffic that goes by on our front road, which is a US Highway and the commuter route between Madison and the town of Jefferson, about 9 miles east of us.
I won’t earn any merit badges for forest management. I do minimal work in the woods, but I do have to take down any dangerous dead or dying trees, and the deadfall into the lawn area is significant. I’m also waging constant war against the forest as it encroaches into the yard and garden area, so there are always plenty of pruned branches to be disposed of.
- Burning with Boss
So several times a year we have small to large fires to dispose of the trees, branches, and prunings. It was cold and damp today and a good day for a small fire. I kept feeding the fire for about an hour while Boss the cat gave me a lot of help. Tomorrow or the next day, when the ashes are cold, I’ll shovel them up and mix them into the compost pile.