Managing a Burn Pile

Mith said:
Make sure the customer NEVER finds that out! :D
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Ha!!! :mrgreen: I guess you are right about that Mith! Last year, I tended to be very cautious and selective in taking on jobs and clients. I starved. This coming year, it will be a "no holds barred" battle against the competition, the elements, the physical risks and doubts in my mind over the wisdom of certain dubious opportunities!

This year, the old Dougster is going for broke... 'cause that's exactly what he'll be if he is too selective again this coming season!!! :rolleyes:

Dougster :starbucks:
 
Doug, how far is it to the border from you?

Does the adjacent state have more liberal burn rules? (I can't believe I'm asking for a state more liberal than Mass:pat:)

Maybe you can find someone there to dispose of it or burn it for you.

Jim
 
Jim Slagle said:
Doug, how far is it to the border from you?

Does the adjacent state have more liberal burn rules? (I can't believe I'm asking for a state more liberal than Mass:pat:) Maybe you can find someone there to dispose of it or burn it for you.

Jim
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My tub grinder guy is in Rhode Island near the Connecticut line. His prices are very reasonable (compared to here in MA) but the ride down there takes forever. It is all slow, congested back roads and in the wrong direction from where these potential clients are located.

It is still very doable, but my time and fuel burned is gonna cost!!!

Dougster :starbucks:
 
I put all my stumps out back out of the way to die off on their own. You can bury them as long as they are not in a wetlands area. Heaven forbid that you disturb land near a wetland. The frogs and salamanders may not like it and they will file a complaint against you. Burning stumps and logs is illegal in Ma. as you mentioned. I think it even states a log over 3-4" as being illegal to burn. No building debris can be burned either. I use my tractor as my fire putter outer. That bucket can move and stomp a fire out pretty quickly. I have never had a supply of water on hand when I burn. I am too far away from the house. I've also learned to never leave the wife in charge of a fire while I go off to burn another pile. She lit the whole backyard on fire once just by not paying attention. I did give her credit for burning all the elaves in our backyard. It is also illegal to burn leaves here.
 
I've burned in ground stumps with Charcoal Briquettes but it takes a day or two at least. You have to drill or cross hatch the stump and then soak it with diesel for a few days in adavance. Then pile a big pile of charcoal briquettes on top and let them cook. You could tell someone you are having a pig roast or something.

I burned a pile of about 20 good size Douglas Fir stumps last year and it took about 3-4 days to burn them up to almost nothing.

I would recommend getting a dumpster dropped off and using the tractor to load the dumpster. Fires and excessive city regulations just don't mix.
 
JimR said:
I put all my stumps out back out of the way to die off on their own. You can bury them as long as they are not in a wetlands area. Heaven forbid that you disturb land near a wetland. The frogs and salamanders may not like it and they will file a complaint against you.
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So far, in every town I've sought permission, I was told I could not outright bury stumps. I can grind and I can loosen and cut-down/push over in place, but I cannot remove it from the ground and rebury it elsewhere on the property. :(

It could be because I was not the property owner wherein the rules and enforcement are still a little more gray in most towns. I guess I was lumped in with "contractors & developers" where there is a clear legal prohibition by the DEP. On the other hand, you are correct: Just hauling them out back to rot is still perfectly legal here provided your neighbors don't start to complain! :)
JimR said:
Burning stumps and logs is illegal in Ma. as you mentioned. I think it even states a log over 3-4" as being illegal to burn.
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More or less correct... but tell this to the property owners who don't want to pay for hauling and off-site disposal. :rolleyes: They seem to have their own definitions and measuring sticks. :(
JimR said:
No building debris can be burned either. I use my tractor as my fire putter outer. That bucket can move and stomp a fire out pretty quickly. I have never had a supply of water on hand when I burn. I am too far away from the house. I've also learned to never leave the wife in charge of a fire while I go off to burn another pile. She lit the whole backyard on fire once just by not paying attention. I did give her credit for burning all the elaves in our backyard. It is also illegal to burn leaves here.
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Welcome to the People's Republic of Taxachusetts! :D :tiphat:

Dougster :starbucks:
 
Use the diesel fuel ideas on the stumps. Also get a barn fan or simple leaf blower once it get going, pour the air to it, it will get the fire nice and hot and burn fairly quick.

There was a guy up in Wisconsin who decided to get rid of his old cabin. He lit the thing on fire and headed home to chicago. The DNR jsut happened to drive by and see it burning. The put it out and then proceeded to nail him for burning without a permitt, a bunch of releaseing toxins into the air tickets. He had to have a hasmat clean-up done. Cost him about 25,000 to get rid of that little 12X24 schack.
 
Hey Shin... thanks for the tip on the ashes... I have LOTS of ash from my wood stove and I could easily poor it on some stumps I want to go away...
 
shinnlinger said:
I slept on this little problem, and It sounds like hauling it away in your dump trailer is the most profesional option.

For you wanabe rednecks like myself I will share two homegrown howtoos to deal with stumps still in the ground.

Cut the tree/stump as close as possible to the ground and then put your wood stove (hardwood) ash on it. It has a very low Ph (basic) and will rot the stump away in two years time.

BUt if two years is too long(and I am sure it is) , you could make your own "stump grinder" out of a 3 pt carry all. Put a steel deck on it and mount a brush hog gear box to the plate much as it would be on a brush hog. THen, instead of a mower blade weld two circular steel plates (or more) together to build a beefed up rotating circle. Modify this steel circle to accept commercial stump grinder teeth (avaialble from Baileys etc)
an voila, your own redneck grinder.

NOw it aint as good as a commercial unit, but you could have a machine shop make you one for less than $1000 and if you scrounged around and did it yourself, much less.

To use it get it spinning in low range and slowly drive it back an forth over the stump lowering you 3pt a little with each pass.

Now that Im thinking Dougster, if you can rent a commercial stump grinder, you could use that to break up your "out of the ground" stumps also.
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Shinnlinger,:wave:
I like the ash idea.:thumb: But the redneck grinder would be no fun for me.:eek: I like digging in the dirt. :cool:
hugs, Brandi
 
wood ash is also good for toning down acidic soils - so long as there's no walnut ash in there. it's also decent ice melt if you don't mind the black mush it leaves behind.
 
I will second the ash in my acidic garden and third it on my icy driveway. Sure beats sliding on my tookas!

ANd you can make lye out of it to do your laundry!
 
Farm Show Vol 21 Issue 3 Page 37

Digging out big tree stumps is ordinarily a
job for a bull dozer or an expensive stump
grinder. Illinois farmer Sam Ellis came up
with a relatively easy and inexpensive way
to get rid of his big stumps. He burns them
out.
Ellis made a giant stump burner out of
an old fuel barrel. He cut out the bottom
and installed a flue in the top. He lights a
fire on the stump and then sets the burner in
place over the stump. The tank fits loosely
enough over the stump that air is drawn in
from all around the base of the tank, feeding
the fire. In a day or two, the stump is
burned down to a hole in the ground. You
can cut a hole in the side of the tank in order
to feed in fuel, if necessary.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Sam
Ellis, Rt. 2, Box 72, Chrisman, Ill. 61924​
(ph 217 666-3474).
 

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