Recycling the trees is ongoing. When a tree is blown down or keels over from weakness or disease it must be removed from the field. Depending on the number, this can result in a sizeable biomass. The dead wood can be chipped into mulch and lighter branches shredded. The mulch can be used by a nursery or converted into compost, a soil enhancement or placed on our dirt road to help control dust.

Sometimes the fallen tree is sectioned and sawn into firewood to be sold in the city. This requires a layer for distribution and marketing and we are not in that business so we give this wood away.  In previous years, wood chips were marketable to cogeneration factories. Assuming that the California Air Resources Board allows, a final option would be to burn the aftermath onsite. If we do burn could the Biochar byproduct be incorporated as a soil enhancer?

A command decision must be made soon.  Recycle for the benefit of the land? or convert it to airborne Carbon? I know our collective conscience says to be Green but keep in mind that there is a bottom line cost. The chipping process is costly and there would be the added expense of applying it to the soil on the orchard floor.