Mairin's Journal

Mairin, we sell a lot of chimineas in our place. But one customer told me that they give out an awful amount of smoke. Is this true? I have always wanted one, but not a smoky one.

Our chimnea doesn't give out much smoke and what little it does keeps the midges away on a summer evening. excellent way to recycle old paper Mairin, must try it

Great, Bramble, I might just get me one this year so. Yea Mairin, old newspapers have a habit of taking up an awful lot of space. You are putting them to great use.

You are making good use of the newspapers in two ways Mairin.No waste in any way.Well done.

how do you make your blocks.

Looks like a great way to recycle. Newspapers takes up most of our recycling bin.

Jacinta, it isn't the chiminea that makes the smoke but what is being burned in it. If you put in a load of coal, for example, you will get a shocking amount of smoke.   Sometimes, different timbers give off different amounts of smoke.  That's why I find the paper the best.

Milkchurns, I bought a log maker in Argos last summer for about E25.  Best money ever spent.  You might pick one up in B&Q, the Irish Independent Saturday magazine has one from time to time and at shows e.g.   I saw them being sold at the National Ploughing Championships last year.

Kitkat, I went looking for the log maker for exactly that reason.  I was sick to the back teeth having a green bin fill of old newspapers and not having the room for anything else.  Before I got it, I had made enquires about getting a second green bin which is a bit crazy as there are only 2 adults (and at that stage, 2 tots) in the house.

That's grand.

John, getting perfect compost is the ultimate goal for me.  The fact that I get to use the newspapers twice is excellent.   I aim to get 2 helping out of my composter every year - one for the summer baskets at the June bank holiday weekend and the second for the spring bulbs in mid-September.  The plan is that I don't have to buy in any compost either time which means more money for plants.