THE CEDAR EATER

Malcolm Beck

The Cedar Eater is a giant articulated loader with the bucket removed and replaced with a rotating drum with knives or hammers similar to mill used in big tub grinders.

It can roll up to any size tree and in a few minutes grind stump Limbs and all right down to ground level leaving a good mulch spread out over the area. It can be ground fine or left course depending on desire or need. A course grind is a good environment for native grasses to get re-established.

The blue berry cedar (ashi juniper) does not re-sprout making the cedar eater very effective as a control on these trees.

The mulch shades and cools the soil, keeping temperatures even. It breaks up falling raindrops and keeps a crust from forming. It holds water in place, preventing erosion. Mulch slows evaporation, keeping soil moist for long periods. The mulch encourages earthworm and microbial activity, enriches the soil and allows oxygen and rain penetration. All of this activity builds fertile soil where only barren caliches were before.

Cedar thicket can be turned into productive grazing land that traps water to fill the aquifers. The cedar eater does not disturb the topsoil as bulldozing does. However, in some locations bulldozing may be preferred or more economical.

The Cedar Eater mulch will last for many years before completely decomposing. Mulching is Nature's way of building and protecting topsoil and conserving water.