Heading to the bog this morning to "foot" the rest of the turf. It's probably the best year we've had for it as we're in the middle of a heatwave no rain in about 6 weeks which is nearly unheard of for Ireland!! The Pete is forced out through a row of 6or 8 sod holes leaving it in rows around 90 yards long. It's left to dry on top and then footed which is like building a tower to allow it dry. Once fully dryed we load into tote bags on a trailer and bring home to unload with tractor and loader.
That looks like a lot of peat. Tell us more...is this a business for you, or is all that for your own consumption? How does the heating value of peat compare to wood?
It's a commercial bank of turf that the landowner cuts we buy from him and do the rest of the work ourselves. There's turf there for over a hundred households. It's great for heating in a stove or fireplace not quite the heat of timber but lasts a bit longer.
Nice that is a community effort, I hope the landowner gives you a fair price. They talk about peat smouldering, may yours dry up well this year!
It'll smoulder if it's still too damp shouldn't be a problem this year with the fine hot weather. It's been around 85 for the past week with a bit of wind. We keep turf for an extra year in the shed to make sure it's dry.
I’m looking at these pictures and have a bit of a time looking at it. Are these chunks a bit like a bale of straw in size for comparison?
Interesting stuff! Do you cover it to dry or let it sit out? Does rain have any negative affect on it if it's sitting out in it?
We're both using english, but I think our terminology is way off We have "peat moss" sold in compressed bags for soil improvement for plants, usually a veggie garden or flowers. Turf is what we call a lawn to a pasture or hayfield. I am interested in your post, just not sure about what the heck is going on. The pic of the rows, the scale (size) of the rows is not clear and how they are formed is also a mystery to me. They do look like a field of delicious chocolate brownies.
We have a place near here that sells peat...its kinda like a really rich top soil, it has a ton of organics in it...dunno if this would be the same or not?
I am now culturally enriched with my new knowledge of peat in Ireland! My wife is Irish and I have promised her to take her there next year or two. And she is good at stacking things......maybe I can show her hands on how the locals stay warm.
Peat in Ireland and in Scotland is cut from a bog, it is decomposed sphagnum moss maybe thousands of years old. On a few occasions in the UK and Ireland sacrificed humans from pre-history are found preserved in the peat.
Definitely wins the award for "strangest thing found in your fuel." Also, that person must have been aHEAD on their peat supply by quite a bit...
