Growing willow to heat our home - hints?

[LogCabin]

Hi,

We are building a residential log cabin on our smallholding.

We are planning to install a woodchip boiler - and we can spare a few acres to grow willow.

Do we simply get stuck in - or are there grants etc we should be looking at first?

 

[renewablejohn]

Have a look on the Permies forum in the energy section for rocket stoves. There far more efficient then ordinary woodchip boilers so use far less wood. Also you dont need to invest in a wood chipper as a rocket stove will burn the whole whips cut with an axe and bundled for drying.

 

[Hanslope]

Not sure it will really work?

Sounds a nice idea to grow a couple of acres of willow to be self sufficient, but, would you be better off making a few acres of hay, selling it and buying in logs or woodchip?

 

[renewablejohn]

I would rather grow fruit bushes such as raspberries and blackcurrants rather than willow as you have a fruit income as well as an annual fuel supply from the prunings.

 

[Dave Applesquasher]

Land suitable for raspberries and land suitable for willow are very different places.

 

[renewablejohn]

Land suitable for raspberries and land suitable for willow are very different places.

Not on my farm. Both grown on ridges initially produced by a potato ridger the only difference is the wood ash applied to the raspberries which is not for the willow.

 

[Dave Applesquasher]

It would be an odd decision to grow willow on land suitable for raspberries.

 

[renewablejohn]

Not for power but basket making. Similar to these

http://www.wassledine.co.uk/willow.html

 

[LogCabin]

The land is great for willow - you need wellies and sometimes a periscope to cross it!

 

[Penmoel]

The land is great for willow - you need wellies and sometimes a periscope to cross it!

We have some of that ground

Where are you would help? If in Wales Glastir woodland scheme may help

Everybody should really give an indication of where they are