Sustainable Homesteading-More On Coppicing

In coppicing trees, the cut tree stump is know as the "stool".  The shoots that are harvested are known as rods, poles, or logs, depending on the size at time of harvest.  These shoots are harvested on a rotational cycle.  Want you want are shoots at various stages of growth throughout your woodland.  In other words,  you will want to have stools at different stages so that you can harvest rods, poles and logs at the same time, year after year. 

A rotational cycle typically might be every 7-8 years.  This depends on the type of tree and what the uses of the harvested wood are.  Obviously, the longer you let a coppiced tree grow, the larger the shoots will be.  For commercial use, it may be a 30 year cycle.

Here is a partial list of some tools and things made with coppiced lumber, or, trees:  ship planking, house lumber, pea and bean poles, firewood, charcoal, furniture, baskets, fencing, tool handles and broom sticks.  This is not exhaustive, to be sure.