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[Buzzo]

Depends on the type of trees. Christmas trees are very bad for the soil (but good if you grow them on very, very poor soil, or on high ground) and most pine trees grow too quickly in this country to be of any use for timber. Ideally you don't want to grow any trees that will take less than 40-60 years to mature.

Of course that makes timber a very long term project. However, there will be a lot of thinning to be done over the years and depending on the type of wood the thinnings can provide an income.

If I had a farm of 100 acres or so to play around with I'd probably go for a mixed forest, including spanish chestnut, maple and other potentially crop bearing trees on about 50 or 60 acres. The rest I would use to keep some cattle, sheep, maybe goats and other animals that would provide milk and meat. I'd have an orchard, other fruit trees, a vegetable garden, some greenhouses and chickens and ducks (but not geese, geese are pricks). Basically, I'd aim for being as self sufficient as possible and hopefully being able to have enough over to make a bit of money that would allow me to pay any necessary bills and buy anything I couldn't provide for myself.

*swoon*

Dear Skiggler

Will you be my lifecoach?
Thanks,

Disgruntled Celtic Cub

 

[Squiggle]

It is amazing how quickly the new habitat fills up. The forestry my dad planted in open fields in County Carlow less than 10 years ago already has squirrels and a number of deer living in it. We can only guess that the deer made their way from an estate about 7 miles away as the can't have been hiding out anywhere nearby. It's so weird.

Deadly though!

 

[magicbastarder]

red or grey squirrels?

 

[Squiggle]

red or grey squirrels?

Both have been spotted, but I think we'd be happy to do without the grey ones. Dad reckons he will probably have to start tapping the maples to try and save them as the squirrels are pulling the bark off some of them to get at the syrup.

 

[billygannon]

Depends on the type of trees. Christmas trees are very bad for the soil (but good if you grow them on very, very poor soil, or on high ground) and most pine trees grow too quickly in this country to be of any use for timber. Ideally you don't want to grow any trees that will take less than 40-60 years to mature.

Of course that makes timber a very long term project. However, there will be a lot of thinning to be done over the years and depending on the type of wood the thinnings can provide an income.

If I had a farm of 100 acres or so to play around with I'd probably go for a mixed forest, including spanish chestnut, maple and other potentially crop bearing trees on about 50 or 60 acres. The rest I would use to keep some cattle, sheep, maybe goats and other animals that would provide milk and meat. I'd have an orchard, other fruit trees, a vegetable garden, some greenhouses and chickens and ducks (but not geese, geese are pricks). Basically, I'd aim for being as self sufficient as possible and hopefully being able to have enough over to make a bit of money that would allow me to pay any necessary bills and buy anything I couldn't provide for myself.

What's wrong with Geese? I happen to know some Canadian Geese who hang around my way who are very pleasant.
Ducks are fine, but I couldn't live with a crowd of Muscovy Ducks. It's nothing personal - it's just a lifestyle choice.

 

[Wobbler]

Both have been spotted, but I think we'd be happy to do without the grey ones. Dad reckons he will probably have to start tapping the maples to try and save them as the squirrels are pulling the bark off some of them to get at the syrup.

Those pesky squirrels.

 

[Squiggle]

What's wrong with Geese? I happen to know some Canadian Geese who hang around my way who are very pleasant.
Ducks are fine, but I couldn't live with a crowd of Muscovy Ducks. It's nothing personal - it's just a lifestyle choice.

As I said, Geese are pricks. They hang out in gangs, bully everyone and everything else and are the only creatures I know that will routinely attack even the person feeding them. I've seen 5 geese reduce the biggest dog I've ever set eyes on to a quivering, nervous wreck in a matter of weeks.

 

[Wobbler]

As I said, Geese are pricks. They hang out in gangs, bully everyone and everything else and are the only creatures I know that will routinely attack even the person feeding them. I've seen 5 geese reduce the biggest dog I've ever set eyes on to a quivering, nervous wreck in a matter of weeks.

Swans have that sort of attitude too. Bad animals.

 

[Squiggle]

Swans have that sort of attitude too. Bad animals.

Yeah, they're pricks too. But I wouldn't even consider keeping any of them as domestic animals, it's illegal to kill them so they would be useless. At least goose tastes nice

 

[Wobbler]

Yeah, they're pricks too. But I wouldn't even consider keeping any of them as domestic animals, it's illegal to kill them so they would be useless. At least goose tastes nice

I know, I just thought I'd mention another bird with attitude problems.

 

[RSJ]

So... How bout them hamburgers eh!

 

[billygannon]

As I said, Geese are pricks. They hang out in gangs, bully everyone and everything else and are the only creatures I know that will routinely attack even the person feeding them. I've seen 5 geese reduce the biggest dog I've ever set eyes on to a quivering, nervous wreck in a matter of weeks.

Geese are like the Welsh. They seem threatening in groups, but once you offer them melted cheese on toast and challenge them to a game of darts, they're putty in your hands.
My dog, Barry, has a pet goose called Gandhi. Gandhi often uses Barry as a horse.

 

[Squiggle]

Eh you're right, back on topic. You know who else are pricks?

Formerly militant vegetarians who go back to eating meat after abusing all their friends and family for decades about their evil meat eating ways.

Ex smokers who abuse all their friends and family, and even random strangers, for smoking.

 

[billygannon]

Swans have that sort of attitude too. Bad animals.

Black swans have great natural rhythm!

 

[RSJ]

Ex smokers who abuse all their friends and family, and even random strangers, for smoking.

I was one of those before i started smoking. Ten years later i quit and never gave anyone shit over smoking cos if i wasn't so scared of the auld death, i'd be smoking right now.

 

[Squiggle]

I was one of those before i started smoking. Ten years later i quit and never gave anyone shit over smoking cos if i wasn't so scared of the auld death, i'd be smoking right now.

Ah yeah, self-righteous non-smokers are a bit of a nightmare too, one of my brothers falls into that category.

 

[billygannon]

Eh you're right, back on topic. You know who else are pricks?

Formerly militant vegetarians who go back to eating meat after abusing all their friends and family for decades about their evil meat eating ways.

Ex smokers who abuse all their friends and family, and even random strangers, for smoking.

Former swans (i.e. the Children of Lir) are also pricks. They used to be alright, but now they're all in to wearing Abercrombie and Fitch and talking about the surf in remote beaches in Australia.

 

[magicbastarder]

Both have been spotted, but I think we'd be happy to do without the grey ones. Dad reckons he will probably have to start tapping the maples to try and save them as the squirrels are pulling the bark off some of them to get at the syrup.

eat the greys. they'll drive out the reds otherwise. and it's good that you spotted reds, they're much shyer than greys, and don't come down onto the ground nearly as much. so spotting one red tells you more than spotting a single grey.

 

[Squiggle]

eat the greys. they'll drive out the reds otherwise. and it's good that you spotted reds, they're much shyer than greys, and don't come down onto the ground nearly as much. so spotting one red tells you more than spotting a single grey.

I know. I suggested to my Dad that I'd lead a hunting party to eliminate the hated greys, but he has misplaced the firing pins of both shotguns.

 

[Mormon Nailer]

Swans have that sort of attitude too. Bad animals.

There was a story in the paper here last year that swans were disappearing form the Shannon, and people actually suspected that the Polish were eating them.