One-Man Timber Burn - Do it without a Crew

One-Man Timber Burn - Do it without a Crew | Dream Farm w/ Bill Winke

Рет қаралды 23,800

3 ай бұрын

After being inspired by my last video, I set out to do a timber burn by myself - without any help. I ended up burning 20+ acres, and in the process I learned a lot about the process. I also learned that one person is really not enough. I will probably do solo burns again, but it requires a lot of prep work and patience. You have to be super patient and thorough when burning in your fire break. There is no margin for error because you are very limited in what you can patrol alone and how well you can contain something if it does sneak past your fire break. Itis much better to have at least a two person crew when burning.

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@joshcastle360 3 ай бұрын

The deer are going to love you for that! You should show us a comparison between the affect of your hard woods control burn after spring green up, VS the neighbors hardwoods section not burned with that drone shot.

@michaelohmann2856 3 ай бұрын

what he said!

@Pwrcritter 3 ай бұрын

And turkeys..

@PeanutButterRipple 3 ай бұрын

would love to see that too

@stevebostic9812 3 ай бұрын

Bill. “spotters” are an invaluable asset. It takes a lot of the worry away and gives your body a break. Don’t be shy to ask folks. Most people would say yes..they love a good fire! You get to be the “fire boss” too!😊

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I like the sound of that. This one was kind of spur of the moment. I woke up and looked at the forecast and decided to go for it. I learned a lot but one of the main things I learned was the value of having another set of eyes, hands and another leaf blower! I just ordered a second one. I appreciate the comment.

@AppalachianAsain 3 ай бұрын

Bill, I,m retiring from the military and headed back to the family homestead after 30 plus years. I plan to do many of the same chores your share on your channel. I appreciate you sharing “real” experiences improving your farm while talking about what you may do different next time. God Bless and wishing you and your daughter great success this hunting season 👍🏻🇺🇸

@natemihlbachler3511 3 ай бұрын

Something else I do is once I've got my black line at the top of a hill or on the downwind side I move a ways down the hill or into the wind and use the leaf blower to blow another break in and then relight it on the downhill or downwind side of the break. This way you can get multiple flame fronts moving down the hill or into the wind each in their own section to speed up a more thorough burn. And yes the prep work is everything........ Only so many days to burn and I don't expect my buddies to give up what they want to do to help me do what I want to do.

@jaredyoder4674 3 ай бұрын

Really enjoy your content Bill and have always had a lot of respect with how humble you are in sharing your vast knowledge!! Only those who have done any burns and chased a fire know that feeling of a very dry mouth and fast beating heart!!😂 God bless and keep on being a light for His kingdom!!

@danweaver5787 3 ай бұрын

Bill we burn every year. Usually it’s 3 of us. I wouldn’t want to try doing it alone. You can have a steady 3-4 mph breeze doing breaks with backing fire an a gust hits and it jumps. You hit the nail on the head about slow and methodical. The best part is lighting the upwind side and watching it rip through all the old dormant vegetation with flames shooting 15-20’ in the air haha Natives used burn methods to enhance habitat for hundreds of years. It activates the dormant seed bed of natural plants that have been snuffed out by invasive plants. It’s become a lost management tool. I think you’re gonna be very impressed by the fruits of your labor that you will do it annually. Would like to see a video of it about 4-6 weeks after green up. Thx for the video Dan

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

That is what my biologist friends are saying too. They would love to see a lot more burning in this area. It was jaw dropping though when I lit 100 years worth of dry leaves at the bottom of that slope and watched that blaze rip up the hill! I was shocked by how tall and hot that flame was! For sure I will have at least one other person helping me in the future. I had some very close calls that got across my break that I caught that could have been real trouble otherwise. I learned some lessons there and lost a few pounds of sweat running back and forth with the leaf blower. I will produce an update video on that area in a couple months. Have a great day.

@danweaver5787 3 ай бұрын

@@bill-winke haha Bill I got a good belly laugh there. I know exactly what you’re talking about. I learned the hard way myself. You live n learn I guess. Will be interesting to see the video after green up. Turkeys an deer will be all over that hillside. Dan

@patrickwolf4373 3 ай бұрын

Thanks again, Bill, for being such a great resource for myself and the rest of your many viewers. I also really appreciate you taking time, given your busy schedule, to respond. Thank you-Pat

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I appreciate the comment Patrick. Have a great day.

@Mark-oq5pf 3 ай бұрын

Well done Bill! That was awesome to watch

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

It was pretty awesome to see in person. Some guys from the US Fish & Wildlife crew were up cutting cedars on the steep slope on the other side from where I was burning and they came down the trail on their UTV at the same time I was lighting the lower edge. They watched for a while and were shocked too at how fast the fire ran up the hill. Years worth of dry leaves took to the flame as if they were gas soaked!

@mitchellgenz1373 3 ай бұрын

Great video Bill, eager to see how that helps your farm.

@dirtgreaseoutdoorpeace6637 3 ай бұрын

Nice job Bill. Your hard work will pay off.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

It will be interesting to follow this project. I have a ton of experience with TSI and what results but very little with fire and what results so it will be fun to update everyone in a month or so on what changed in this timber.

@joshwhitfordfishing2304 3 ай бұрын

It can only help your property! I look forward to seeing more great content as always 👍

@lonniechartrand 3 ай бұрын

Perfect timing with the snowfall!!!

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

That worked perfect.

@stevesly1285 3 ай бұрын

Very interesting bill enjoyed it. Hard work does pay off. The results will be surprising. Be safe out there.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Thanks Steve. I am looking forward to seeing what dies here and what comes in. I will show the update in a month or two. Have a great day.

@timjohn2810 3 ай бұрын

The areal views looks like you did a great job, well executed. Impressed. Thank you for sharing.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Thanks Tim. It sure was an interesting day. I was exhausted by the end but I did learn a bunch that I can apply to the next one. The first thing is: have some help! Have a great day.

@PeanutButterRipple 3 ай бұрын

what an opening shot and monologue! that face says it all. this episode was 🔥

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment PBR. Much appreciated.

@joshlaunius4832 3 ай бұрын

Bill, this is awesome content. I took classes and got certified for wild land firefighting in college, but have not practiced much until I moved to our family farm from Kansas City 3 years ago. I watch your show often and love seeing you intelligently burning timber on your own. Gives me confidence to continue and get (intelligently) more aggressive with my burning schedule! Please keep the content and progress coming. I’ve noticed significant habitat improvement on our property over the last several years, hope you see the same!

@olibadger9016 3 ай бұрын

Always enjoy following what you are up to on the farm. Having a burn is a lot of work. Looks like you did your homework in advance so all should be good. There is always work to be done on the farm. Take care.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

You are right about that. I am definitely learning about this burn aspect. As the experts told me, if you are in doubt as to whether it will work when you strike the first match, you have not done enough preparation. I do think having another person on the "team" would have really helped. Thanks for the comment. Have a great day.

@stevedenoyer5956 3 ай бұрын

Glad you dove right it, like that about you , you’re not afraid . I’m still hesitant but really want to try it. Starting small I think is key fir sure thanks Bill

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Yes, start small. My advantage that day was the conditions - no wind and snow forecast for that night. It was a great opportunity for my first burn. The thing I learned was the importance of patience when creating the "black line" burned area on the edges (the top in my case). You have to go really slow and make sure the fire is only moving into the burn area (downhill for me) before moving on and making the next section. The sections need to be small so you can control them easily. I got impatient and tried to make too big of a burn line toward the end and had the wind gust up the hill and push my fire across the fire break in two spots. I got them stopped, but not without a bit of panic. Having someone to help would have been a huge advantage at that point.

@justinkelley4984 3 ай бұрын

Nice job Bill! I am taking a prescribed fire class thru the NDA this summer in Michigan. I think it is a very useful tool that is underutilized because of fear and lack of education.

@showmetheheartland 3 ай бұрын

Prescribed fire is absolutely the biggest bang for the buck that you can get (habitat improvement wise). In addition, several smaller burns scattered around your property are better that one large burns anyway. Look into cost sharing on your burns. My last burn was entirely paid for by my state wildlife agency (4300 dollars worth). For that price you can hire a crew to burn your habitat, or do it yourself, hire a couple guys and pocket the rest for other improvements that may not be cost shared. That approach has worked well for me.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I will definitely do that next year. This year was kind of a spur of the moment thing. I woke up that morning, looked at the forecast and said, "I am going to burn today." But you are right, cost share is the way to go.

@showmetheheartland 3 ай бұрын

@@bill-winke in addition, also look into building permanent fire lines. They can be cost shared with the NRCS, but mine were paid for completely by my state wildlife agency. They greatly simply burning, but they also can function as access roads on or around the perimeter of your property as an added benefit.

@patrickwolf4373 3 ай бұрын

Great vid, Bill! Thanks for the educational component! You're right...20 acres is ALOT to burn (and worry about) for one person. 5 acre burn units are more suitable for one person, but even so, it's really nice to have another person (or persons) to help should anything go awry...that includes physical problems as well as fire issues. Will love to see another video in the later spring, after green-up occurs...

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Yes, Patrick, it was probably too big. Another person definitely would have helped, especially when making the initial fire break/black line on the top edge. Anytime the wind gusted, I had my hands full running back and forth putting out small fires that jumped my break. Once the fire burned a ways down the hill it was all good after that. I will definitely keep updating on what happens here. I still have the burn lower part (below the access road) of this same slope so I will do that in the next week or two also.

@scottschaeffer8920 3 ай бұрын

You’re on your way Bill! Firebreak prep prior to ignition would help; plus, the 1st one is different as you have more fuel from years of neglect. Stick with it, you’ll be rewarded. Good Job!

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment Scott. That is what the biologists said too, that it may be hard to burn every year in the woods because of a lack of leaves to carry the fire. Maybe every two to three years. Have a great day.

@BuckBush-kj6dp 3 ай бұрын

Wow. Impressive. Can't wait to see the results. I tell my client's that burns are the best and cheapest way to improve ALL wildlife habitat! Good job. Sure would be nice to have a bulldozer for fire breaks.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment. I definitely appreciate it. I will give an update in a month or so regarding what died during this fire and what is coming up in its place. Have a great day.

@guardianminifarm8005 3 ай бұрын

Very good plan & encouragement. But any extra help is a huge help and less physical and emotional stress. Controlled burns are the most stressful jobs I have undertaken in woodlands & wetlands management. If the fire escapes it is big trouble. I had a field catch fire a few years ago on a solo burn. I had to call my family who was a few miles & minutes away & the land owners son showed up also. We knocked it back in about 20 minutes. But brother was it stressful. Patience is imperative. Don't bite off more than 1 guy can chew. It can really bite you in the end.

@seanbalch7563 3 ай бұрын

I’ve job Bill. Love your can do and willing to try attitude!

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Thanks Sean. It was the perfect conditions to try a solo burn and I learned some really good lessons that I can apply to the next one. Have a great day.

@BeastsofBurdenPodcast 3 ай бұрын

The past two weeks here in Iowa have been good burn windows. Late Febuaray we had a lot of red flag days that was a No for me. I got a good timber burn in the other day and then burned my prairie last week. I'm getting amped to burn my timber. It's getting greener, but my biologist said "greener the burn the better the burn" meaning we should be able to let the cold season stuff come up light it on a low humid day and top kill it. We're burning big piles of cedars so that's the one factor that has me on pins and needles. Your burn looks great! Solo is tricky but I do a lot of solo burns. Everything has to be right to pull it off.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Thanks. I appreciate it and you are so right. I learned a lot about the process and the risks of solo burns and it can be done with a really good plan and patience. As soon as you get impatient, you create risk.

@travissmith-wz5nc 3 ай бұрын

I am a red baron deluxe guy. That's a great frozen pizza. 👌 strong work. Can't wait to see day after burn.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Thanks Travis. I will post an update video in a month, or so. I am a big fan of Lotsa Mottsa Four Meat pizza or Pothole Pizza Meat Sweats (Kwik Trip stores). Have a great day.

@collegeguy14 3 ай бұрын

I didn’t pay excellent attention to if you had thinned down the tree canopy where you had just burned before burning it. If it’s still a solid canopy of trees then you are not getting more sunlight to the forest floor. Thus the fire will not give you great improvements. They work in conjunction with each other. More light and fire equals excellent results. When you let that fire run up hill you can kill the uphill side of your trees. I know you did this in a cool and high humidity time frame which helped. Looking good sir best of luck. I have done it the same way numerous times and it is time consuming. But once you have some firebreaks that you can make repeatable with little to. Is work it gets super easy. Maybe that firebreak becomes a clover trail then just a quick blow cleans it for the next burn. Good luck

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I will do the TSI in this section next winter. I figured it would be really tough to carry a fire through the area I did the TSI in this past month because all the downed green trees would cause the fire to miss a lot of spots. I will burn that area and the area I will TSI in 2026 next winter. Good question and comment.

@chrisunruh6485 3 ай бұрын

The back burn is more valuable for grasslands and places with a lot of saplings you are trying to kill. A head fire in a grassland will leave quite a bit of dead grass under the burned grass. If you are trying to get rid of the trees and/or saplings a growing season fire tends to achieve that better. This fire will top kill most and they’ll re-sprout. It’s really awesome how God designed all this to work. An oak will handle a fire really well while the undesirables will die from it. I can’t wait to see the results. If you have any openings in the canopy it will have really awesome growth this year. I had beggar lice, Partridge pea, pokeweed, goldenrod, ragweed and wild lettuce all growing this past summer after a dormant season fire. Some places it was over 6 feet tall!! Really good deer season this year.

@usernamehere6061 3 ай бұрын

Bill you will want to get fire in your heaviest TSI units and goat prairie. The more sunlight getting through the canopy means the more results your fire will have. Burning in closed canopy timber does have value but the "wow" results come from heavily thinned units.

@turkeyhunter7617 3 ай бұрын

Sweet, good info 👍👍

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment. Have a great day.

@grinder881 3 ай бұрын

No need to respond, but I am rather impressed that you did it by yourself. Great work!

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

You really need help. That was one of my biggest takeaways. It is possible if you move slow enough and are really cautious but if the wind gusts up or changes directions you can get into bind if you are alone trying to manage the burn-in on those fire breaks. It would be super simple for two or three people, but pretty stressful for one to keep up with it all. Thanks for the comment.

@doneime875 3 ай бұрын

Nice! Congrats! One area we burned this year was on a hillside and had about 50 or so cedar trees that we cut down 2 years ago. That was awesome! You could hear the fire coming up the hill. Pretty incredible. Keep at it. You'll be amazed at how that burned area turns out this spring.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I have some spots like that but I am afraid to light them up. How high did they torch? My fear is catching nearby live cedars on fire and starting a canopy fire despite the fact that my experts tell me it won't happen.

@doneime875 3 ай бұрын

@@bill-winke flames didn't get super high, maybe 20 feet. The only time fire exceeded that was when it lit off the tops of live pine trees. A couple of those shot 100 feet or so high, but burned out in about 5 seconds. We had no trouble with canopy fire per se, just the occasional pine tree top.

@doneime875 3 ай бұрын

I should also add that we had about 100 yards of black all the way around it before we lit it off

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

@@doneime875 Good advice!

@ddz2049 3 ай бұрын

Good Job!

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Thanks. I appreciate the comment.

@michaelwilhelm562 3 ай бұрын

Good job. I would have been a nervous wreck burning that much i one time.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Once I got the top line in, I was fine. There were a few nervous moments along the top though when the wind gusted and there was just me to keep the fire from jumping the break. I made the mistake of assuming the wind would stay down and I moved too fast. I had a couple of breakouts on the top that I was able to catch and stop. But in the future, I will definitely go slower when making the top fire break (burning away - down - from the place where I blew the leaves out of the way).

@aw4088 3 ай бұрын

I saw in the video at the 6:15 mark you had a bald eagle fly in to its nest. Very cool to see 😊

@brianknoll6423 3 ай бұрын

good catch. just replayed it to that point, lower left corner

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

We have eagles there pretty much every year.

@Pwrcritter 3 ай бұрын

Observant u are..

@tjt1992 3 ай бұрын

Great job Bill! Congrats! Did Jordan give you a vote of confidence! LOL! Observing your over loaded quad, you may consider buying a side x side! I use mine more than any other piece of equipment on my 40 acre hobby farm.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

She wasn't there or I am sure she would have been frowning at me. I do need a side-by-side. Maybe someday. I keep hoping I can line up a sponsor for that category. I need to find someone at Polaris to talk with!

@davidwetenkamp1873 3 ай бұрын

Quad much more versatile, nimble in tight spaces… small trailer, much cheaper lol

@tjt1992 3 ай бұрын

@@davidwetenkamp1873 I have Quads to, they have their place

@danieljaeger9800 3 ай бұрын

Wherever you can use a lawnmower and set it as low the terrain allows you and buzz around the edges , it cleans up and acts like the leaf blower

@DawsonGore-gr4dj 3 ай бұрын

I can’t wait to see the videos of the results . Very curious to see if there will be any damaged standing timber . Not only did you do it but you did it by yourself lol

@frankspataro9714 3 ай бұрын

I couldnt imagine you lighting up that hillside of cut cedars that baby would be cooking everything in its path lol good luck bill

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Frank, it will have to be done at some point. Probably next winter. I think if I back the fire down into it from above it might not be quite as bad.

@dwbowhunterable 3 ай бұрын

If you burned in the area you did TSI, the response is going to be incredible. I do some one man burns but the best ones I had put in the breaks with the blower days before I did the burn. Doing it all in a day is too much. I can get way more done with way less stress when I have one or two others helping.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I will do the TSI next winter in this area. I wanted to burn it off now while the fire could get through it much easier. Next winter there will be tons of trees on the ground in this same area. I would have loved to have had one more person. That would have made this much more stress-free.

@lonniechartrand 3 ай бұрын

At the 3:00 mark you can do “strip burns” going down hill just a little ways and burn UP. This is better than going all the way to the bottom and running that fire UPHILL. This is when fire can get intense!

@stevedenoyer5956 3 ай бұрын

You could also go to the middle and burn up, then go to the bottom and do the same if you want to break it up even more. But if it’s slow moving not a big deal. Just other ideas if you do get a little more wind.

@ericluchtenburg2818 3 ай бұрын

Don't give up u won't notice a big difference after one burn but over time you will. I plant clover fire breaks and keep them mowed for a much less stressful burn.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

That is a good idea. This country is really rough and steep so I am not sure I can plant those breaks, but I will definitely look at it. even that line between me and the neighbor is very steep, almost too steep even for a four-wheeler to go up. I will definitely give that some thought. Thanks for the comment.

@davealatalo1955 3 ай бұрын

Congrats on the timber burn. If you are a morel mushroom hunter, pay close attention to that area here in a month or so. Often, a burned area will produce more mushrooms than it normally does following a burn. Also, downed logs burning themselves out for hours inside the burn zone are not a risk. But...standing trees, particularly if they are hollow, can become "chimneys" and burn for days, possibly sending embers, etc, into the sky. So, if you have any vertical stuff still burning, you may want to drop it so it is on the ground if it is near your firebreak.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I did see that Dave. I had a couple of trees that turned into chimneys. Fortunately, there was no wind and the snow that came that evening blanketed everything so there was no place for an ember to catch anything on fire. It was strange to see the fire coming out the top of a tree though. Creepy, really. I will definitely look for mushrooms in this area. Have a great day.

@marchhair01 3 ай бұрын

Jordan didn’t want to be named in the lawsuit!😂😂. I’ve burned several times by myself as well. Good stuff…. I’ve found that an ATV wand sprayer is even better than a leaf blower for putting out anything that might jump,your break.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Problem in this terrain is getting to those spots. Not much of what I was burning was approachable with the 4 wheeler so the backpack blower became defense number 1.

@clarkwheeler8764 3 ай бұрын

You know it’s habitat burning time when you come home smelling like thick smoke and covered in ashes. Looks like you did a decent job all by yourself. WTG

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Thanks Clark. I am sure I will do more in the future after seeing how this one responds. Have a great day.

@ronbonofiglio7654 3 ай бұрын

A few fire/flame spots at night while snowing would be a beautiful view.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

It was pretty impressive. I got up around 2:00 AM just to take a look and it was really kind of eerie to see that view up on the ridge above the buildings.

@alexpinnow6509 3 ай бұрын

Looked to be a very successful burn Bill, I bet the results will be positive! Can you add additional comment on if you had to get any permits or is IA pretty relaxed vs some other states that try to micromanage everything?

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Iowa is pretty relaxed. I have burned a few times on the southern Iowa farm too - two in switchgrass (burned by a local crew) and one small timber burn (a crew came in and did it as a demonstration). We never needed a permit. A lot of Iowa farmers burn every year - CRP fields, road ditches, grass waterways, etc. so it is common to see smoke in the air. Not many (very few) however, burn the timber. I think about the only ones burning timber in my area are the DNR and US Fish & Wildlife burning their bluff prairie projects.

@danthiesse5108 3 ай бұрын

Always need to bring some sort of food and drink on long day , that way you can keep a clear head and will have plenty of energy.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I did get a bit light headed a few times. It is kind of fun to tough stuff out, but it can be dangerous too. Have a great day.

@kokadjooutdoors620 3 ай бұрын

Could you seed edges with like millet or sorghum? Broadcast latter on. Get an upland mix or something get more desired species of plants

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Hard to say what will grow back there after the fire, but I am guessing there will be plenty of weeds and some native plants that come in around the edges. I need to see what comes up next naturally before I start to plant anything. Thanks for the comment.

@kokadjooutdoors620 3 ай бұрын

@@bill-winke usually raspberries for me 🤣 or short dense type of grass not sure on species

@mikemellon80 3 ай бұрын

makes me really want to try this.....but after selectively logging 2 years back, I'm worried those walnut tops might catch fire and never go out.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

They would burn for a long time, that is for sure. You might seek advice/support from the state DNR to see if they have anyone that knows how to manage around that. You can always use the leaf blower to make a small fire break around each dead tree or top, but that will take a really long time.

@williamauberry2429 3 ай бұрын

Very cool. Really impressive you were able to burn that amount of ground by yourself. Do you have anything written into your farm insurance policy that covers damage caused to your property or the neighbors from a controlled burn? Just curious if that is something you have knowledge about.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I don't think I do, but I should add it! Actually, it was a pretty timid fire for the most part. I had a couple anxious moments when the wind gusted up the hill on me toward the end of making my top fire break and pushed a flame across, but I was able to get it stopped.

@mec2k1 3 ай бұрын

I want to do this for my hunting properties. My state doesn't allow prescribed burns without a permit. Essentially the state is the only entity allowed to do prescribed burns.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Maybe you can get some program from the USDA/NRCS to pay for a crew to do it using a state permit. Those programs do exist. Good luck.

@stevedenoyer5956 3 ай бұрын

Can’t wait to see you video how it turned out in the woods, did it do what you wanted? Leave any fuel?

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

No, it burned everything so that is good. I looked at it today and all the bushes (multi-floral rose, Japanese Barberry, honeysuckle, prickly ash) all showed signs of trauma resulting from the fire boiling their stems. The only thing that didn't seem affected so far was the gooseberry. It will be interesting to see if that remains unphased or starts withering soon. I will produce an update soon.

@stevedenoyer5956 3 ай бұрын

excellent@@bill-winke

@xterraman04 3 ай бұрын

When I grow up I wanna be Bill Winke

@stevegermain1222 3 ай бұрын

Great job, Did you sneak out while jordan was on her run?

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I snuck up to the farm without Jordan! But for sure, I definitely could have used her as it was not dangerous, just a ton of walking (sometimes running) back and forth to keep the fire break under control. She would have been really good at that! Once the entire top was black and the fire was backing down the hill, it was pretty much smooth sailing.

@Whopperjunior69 3 ай бұрын

6:12 nice eagle nest on the left of the screen

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

That nest gets used just about every year. Good to see they are back. Thanks for the comment.

@scottp01270 3 ай бұрын

Bill is there any way that you could have plowed a fie line instead of using the leaf blower to speed it up some?

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Yes, I think so on the uphill side, but that would have destroyed an area where small trees were growing. The method I used was the most precise even though it was labor intensive.

@DanielAppelbaum 3 ай бұрын

Bill, I would suggest stressing the legal liability of setting fire. I am a member of a prescribed burn association and we stress having burn plans, correct size crews, and proper equipment to minimize liability and maximize safety. I understand wanting to make burning easy, but safety and protecting neighbors property need to be primary. We require people to take burn classes before they ever try a burn.

@justintanner7020 3 ай бұрын

Damnit man! Bill,what did ya do to yourself bud!? Looks like your face took a hellava hit? Hope you’re all good bud!!

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I am fine. Just got caught in some multi-floral rose when working the fire break. I sure hope the fire kills that stuff!

@justintanner7020 3 ай бұрын

@@bill-winke good deal! Well for your sake i hope so to Bill!! Hahah have a good one buddy!

@thomaswehr7822 3 ай бұрын

Can we please see the results of this burn?

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Yes, I will do an update episode in a month or so. Thanks for the comment.

@thomassykes6985 3 ай бұрын

Any idea when the last time the farm was burned?

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

I just asked the guy that used to run the cattle on there before I bought it and he thinks the last time it was burned was when the Indians were living there!

@michaelsears4164 3 ай бұрын

Where are your interns Bill ? You could really use them 💪 Mike

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

They are only for fall - no off-season interns. I sure needed some help on that one though. I just wanted to see if I could do it myself. I don't really want to do that again. Too much risk of being under-manned if the fire gets away somewhere.

@gsquared2394 3 ай бұрын

I assume that fire goes more quickly uphill because of the rising thermals?

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

The heat going up from the fire creates its own wind up the slope.

@gsquared2394 3 ай бұрын

That makes a lot of sense, thanks Bill. Great video

@robertfmccarthy2360 3 ай бұрын

😅 sweating just watching the video, be careful

@scottclark1168 3 ай бұрын

I dont have the kahonas for that,aint noway,way to stressful for me lol

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Like the experts say, if you are wondering whether it will stay in the planned area when you touch the flame to the ground, you haven't done enough preparation. I firmly believe that now. You can eliminate almost all risk by having really good fire-breaks and taking your time. Good luck.

@Schooloutdoors 3 ай бұрын

Did you get the fire department called on you?

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

Nope, lots of people burn in Iowa - mostly CRP, road ditches and grass waterways, but people are used to seeing smoke. Plus, there are very view inhabited homes near the farm. Probably no one paid much attention to it.

@keithbuesing6912 3 ай бұрын

Well if you were still on your old farm I could be there in 30 minutes to help.

@keithbuesing6912 3 ай бұрын

Where we can mow we use a rider mower lowest setting side discharge pushing debris away from the fire area. Another tool. Makes a nice break fairly fast.

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

That makes a ton of sense and that will definitely aid me in some of these spots. Thanks for the comment. Have a great day.

@michaelsears4164 3 ай бұрын

I live in Virginia. Know one wants to light it around here but the landowners and no help for them. To much Labilitie. Good job though. Not easy by yourself.

@richardclayton4091 3 ай бұрын

If you do more burns in the future, throw some meat on the smoker, get a 30 pack of beer and have a few buddies come out to help. Eat and drink after the burn, not during the burn. 😂

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

No, not during the burn. I agree there! That does sound like fun. Most people like to see stuff burn, as long as it is under control. There is something fascinating about that strange chemical reaction called fire. It is amazing that fire is actually a chemical reaction.

@chadmirandy1220 3 ай бұрын

No help?? Where’s that kid Ethan?

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

He is too busy dreaming big and trying to make a living selling land!

@chadmirandy1220 3 ай бұрын

@@bill-winke kids these days! SMH

@stanleybuck4195 3 ай бұрын

I don't get it. Why burn your woods down?

@dwbowhunterable 3 ай бұрын

He is not burning it down... He is burning the leaf litter and small brush. It is called a prescribed fire (aka controlled burn). It will control invasive species or undesired species. The large desired trees will remain healthy. This type of burn will prevent out of control forest fires like you see in CA. It will also really help the wildlife habitat. Native Americans burn vast swaths of North America to this effect before Europeans got here.

@Raised-Right 3 ай бұрын

Watch and learn

@dougharvey562 3 ай бұрын

Allows new growth and hopefully killing unwanted underbrush. When wildfires happen, the following few years brings in new, green plants.

@jbilly24 3 ай бұрын

Google is your friend.

@kokadjooutdoors620 3 ай бұрын

Still plenty of trees standing after the fire improving soil and undergrowth

@afeef745 3 ай бұрын

Curious how large is the area you burnt? This was very helpful as I don’t have anyone to help me either

@bill-winke 3 ай бұрын

It was around 20 to 22 acres, but it was probably too big for one person. The only problem with trying to burn a smaller piece would have been creating more fire breaks in the timber to split it in half. I think I am stuck burning that one as a single unit in the future. Ideally, you can get your burn areas down to a small size for a single person to manage. I have heard people say five acres is a good size and I can't disagree. Also, be sure you have bulletproof fire breaks before you start. That is the key. Good luck.