While Lloyd's suggestion is likely the quickest method of reducing that pile it certainly will be the most dangerous and not recommended! LOL I suggest using a chainsaw and making several swipes thru this material in an attempt to help it "fall down" into a pile that will eventually compost. Then you can use a pitchfork to move aside some material to inoculate the pile with nitrogenous things such as coffee grounds or perhaps even some seed meals. Definitely kitchen vegetable waste will help as well. Don't worry about the material being "too large for those wee bacteria to get their mouths around to digest" as that's not how bacteria work altho it makes an interesting picture in my mind!!! If the pile is kept moist and more "greens" added those bacteria will work on any size material. They need moisture tho which those large air spaces are preventing. It will still take longer than if you were trying to compost finer material but will eventually happen.

A suggestion for the OP. I have acres of trees and no chipper so have to be clever. I have begun to dig slight depressions into the ground, piling the slash in, covering with leaves. Whenever there's some compostables, I throw them in under the leaves. I began this a year ago, much of the branches have got brittle and are breaking down although not exactly composting. It's made nice little hills for the landscape without heavy equipment and moving great hunks of dirt. The leaves even out the appearance so they look no different than my sheet-composted gardens. Did I mention that I planted hydrangea in the two experimental hills? I just added more sticks and leaves to round the hills out last month but think that this weird plan is going to work. They've compacted nicely so shouldn't lose their shape.

SAUERKRAUT STUFFED HOT PEPPERS are a true Polish delicacy. While handling quantities of raw Hot Banana Peppers may require the use of rubber gloves, long sleeves, goggles and a bandanna for face protection (pepper burns are a serious business) the resulting stuffed hot peppers are not "HOT". The hotness of the peppers blends with the tartness of the sauerkraut, sauerkraut brine and a little garlic to create unique and unforgettable taste experience. If there is anything that brings back my fondest childhood memories of living next door to my paternal Polish grandparents, it's these stuffed peppers. My grandfather hardly ever ate a dinner without stuffed hot peppers. My grandparents had a very large garden. Nothing was wasted, they canned everything that wasn't eaten fresh. All the canned goods were stored in a large above ground root cellar that had saw dust walls over two feet thick. Inside that cellar, almost half a wall was dedicated to jars and jars of stuffed hot peppers. I have never seen a recipe for these in any canning cookbook. I have found a couple recipes on the INTERNET that were only somewhat close. They used commercial canned sauerkraut (totally unacceptable) and/or they cooked-up a boiling hot pickling brine to pour over peppers...all I can say is, yuk!!! soft and mushy is not a good thing for these peppers (let me know if you want these recipes). I think these recipes are the result of lawsuits and modern canning safety concerns. That's also why these peppers can't be found on any store shelf. Modern techniques result in mushy peppers, old techniques result in crisp peppers but with corroded jar lids (more on this later). Nether technique makes for a mass marketable product. With my grandparents method, there is no cooking, no boiling, no hot water baths used in making the stuffed peppers (glass jars and lids are sterilized in boiling water and leftover kraut can be canned). This method results in both a crisp pepper and a crisp kraut. While this method may not be the recommended way to do it nowadays, I have never had any spoilage or any other safety problems with this method. But again, even though my family has been doing it this way for over 100 years that I know of, I in no way recommend that you do it this way. Only up-to-date methods based on current research should be used in home canning. Reliable sources of up-to-date methods include the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and major manufacturers of home canning equipment. That being said...this is how my family makes SAUERKRAUT STUFFED HOT PEPPERS. THE RECIPES: There are two steps to making these peppers -- making the sauerkraut and then assembling the peppers. You need real homemade sauerkraut and the brine that results. Ingredients: cabbage, pickling salt, hot banana peppers, garlic cloves. the amounts depends on how much you want to make...the only critical measurement is the salt, you need 2.5% salt to cabbage by weight (2 oz salt for each 5 pounds of cabbage). GOOD OLD HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT Sauerkraut can be fermented in a nonmetal container like stone crocks, glass jars and bowls, and food-grade plastic containers. Non-food-grade plastic containers can be used only if they are lined with a food-grade plastic bag. Garbage bags or trash liners should never be used. 1 large crock Cabbage (enough to fill the crock) 2 oz pickling salt for each 5 pounds of cabbage The two ingredients provide the necessary brine... and bacteria (which are naturally present on cabbage leaves) will initiate the fermentation process. For making sauerkraut at home a 4 or 6 gallon stone jars are considered the best containers, a 5 gallon food-grade plastic bucket works just fine. Select only mature, sound heads of cabbage. After removing all decayed or dirty leaves, quarter the heads and slice off the core portion. For shredding, one of the hand shredding machines (mandolin) work great, although an ordinary slaw cutter or a large knife will do. In making sauerkraut, the fermentation is carried out in a brine made from the juice of the cabbage which is drawn out by the salt. One pound of salt for every 40 pounds of cabbage makes the proper strength of brine to produce the best results. The salt may be distributed as the cabbage is packed. The distribution of 2 ounces of salt with every 5 pounds of cabbage is probably the best way to get an even distribution. As each cabbage/salt level is added, the mixture must be tamped or "stomped" -with a wooden tamper - to release the cabbage's natural juices...and to mix the salt with the cabbage liquid in order to form a curing brine. When all the layers have been added and tamped, the container should be filled to within three or four inches of the top...and all the cabbage covered with brine. Then place a pressure plate (a wooden disk or dinner plate) on the mixture and weight it down with a weight heavy enough to cause the brine to come up. (Any cabbage that's not held under the brine will soon rot.) Top the crock with a clean cloth (to keep out insects and debris) and store the vessel for the fermentation period. Kraut will cure nicely on a warm back porch or in a cool basement...but the environment will influence the flavor of the finished product: A warm curing temperature will speed up the fermentation process, while a cooler area will result in a longer curing time. Short fermentation tends to produce "sweet" kraut...prolonged, cool pickling results in "tart" -really sour- sauerkraut. While your kraut's fermentation is progressing, inspect the crock every day or two and skim off any mold or scum that may form on the surface of the brine. Such layers are created by airborne, yeastlike bacteria that utilize the vital lactic acid as a source of food. While harmless in itself, the mold can lower the concentration of lactic acid below the point necessary for preservation. If the jar is kept at a temperature of about 86F., fermentation will start promptly and should be completed within 10 days. As the curing continues, bubbles will form and work in the brine. A cessation of this activity indicates that the pickling process has reached completion. At this point, you can serve up the first batch...then store the container in a much cooler place -such as a root cellar- to arrest further fermentation and keep your kraut tasty for the coming year...and/or preserve the kraut indefinitely by canning it. (Take care to fill the jars with additional brine when an insufficient amount remains from curing...then seal them, heat to boiling in a water bath, hold that temperature for 30 minutes, and re-tighten the lids.) Homemade kraut is always an adventure, because no two batches ever turn out exactly alike. In fact, if it's consistent flavor you want, you'd better stick to the store-bought variety. Moreover, there's no "best" method for preparing sauerkraut. The advice given here will get you started with your first batch, but you might want to try a little more (or less) salt in your second recipe...to get the tang that's exactly to your personal liking. Experiment with a crockful that's been warm-temperature cured, and then a cool one. SAUERKRAUT STUFFED HOT PEPPERS hot yellow banana peppers homemade sauerkraut and brine garlic cloves Sterilize jars and lids (wide mouth jars work best). Wash, cut tops off, and core out the peppers (* see note). Pack each pepper with as much sauerkraut as possible(use a wooden tamper). Put stuffed peppers into sterilized jars, packing tightly. Add 4-5 garlic cloves spread throughout each jar. Add sauerkraut brine over the peppers to within 1/2 half inch of the rims. Carefully wipe jar tops with a clean cloth. Put on the lids that have been kept in boiling water and put on a ring. Tighten rings but not overly tight (** see note). Place packed jars in some sort of water proof trays for storage (** see note) Let stand at least two to three weeks before eating. Unopened jars can be stored at room temp. Best when eaten cold, so refrigerate both before and after opening. *note: Cleaning hot peppers can result in injury from both direct and indirect contact with pepper juice and/or aerosols. Protect your skin, eyes and lungs. **note: Even though the fermentation process of the homemade sauerkraut may have appeared to reached completion in the crock, it almost always continues a little longer once it has been stuffed into the peppers and packed in jars. This sometimes results in a little leakage around the lids or rings. This leakage is acidic and will corrode the unprotected outside of the lids and rings. This is normal and even though it may not look very good it does no harm to the peppers inside the jars. The inside of the lids have a protective coating and do not corrode. Corroded rings can make opening the jar a little difficult. Once opened, I replace corroded lids and rings. Also, if too much fermentation occurs inside a jar and/or the ring is so tight that pressure builds up, the jars can break (that's why I store the jars in a waterproof tray). The moral of this story...don't rush your kraut. Let it ferment in the crock not the jar.

Thanks. sorry long. Last long post. Hope you like talking about ground covers. This isn't sand by the way. I think pachysandra, vinca minor, and English ivy are by far cheaper and easier to get as plugs vs the ones suggested but I have to call around if that option is perused by the homeowner after we talk. I've seen unmaintained pachysandra in NJ under maples and it wasn't bad. Saplings can be cut/pulled when reach about a foot tall. But I read others say they get thousands of saplings and that preen or corn meal gluten pre-emergent would be needed, neither of which is an option for this house. They only want organic but don't want to spend on corn meal gluten every year which can get pricy. But anyway, in full sun like we're talking, I read pachysandra will grow poorly or die if the soil conditions etc aren't great and without watering or fertilizer and mulch (you can mulch it at first but it will turn to soil in a few years but then you can sprinkle more mulch or bagged mulched grass/leave mowings etc after to keep the moisture in and not need to water as often). the same full sun situation goes for English ivy but I read it might do a bit better in full sun than pachysandra. I don't know the USDA zones those people are in though who claim this, could be hotter there and more likely to do poorly. With poor growth in full sun, weeds can take over easier, and it won't recuperate as easy from winter stress especially with lots of full un-mulched leaves falling into it which will happen at this house. I read Vinca aka vinca minor, aka vinca bowels aka periwinkle does good in full sun (and dense shade), and it's cheap. But I read it spreads like crazy underground and don't want it to take over the existing shrubs in front of the house or the neighbors' lawns. It's an invasive problem in the woods and stuff in parts of the country becoming a mono crop type problem. Although here's a picture of it next to grass and I see none in the grass but maybe they are killing it selectively with a broadleaf-only killer. http://www.onlineplantguide.com/Plant-Details/2771/ Pachysandra also spreads underground but I don't think I've ever seen it take over or even show up in a bordering lawn where no herbicides were used. This thread seems really incorrect: http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1917442/my-neighbor-planted-vinca-minor Basically someone was worried their neighbor's new vinca minor lawn would take over their perennials and shrub yard. I read vinca minor is a rhizome but Someone replied "Since vinca spreads by rooting along its stems, just pull up the plants that venture outside the bounds. It is far easier to deal with than aggressive groundcovers that spread by rhizomes or underground stolons like ivy, hypericum, gallium or lamiastrum". And they said just a stout river rock border would keep it contained, and that it doesn't self seed, which I'm not sure if it does or not. don't want thousands of these seeds blowing on the neighbors' laws and growing. I'm reading a lot of articles/people say you need roundup or lots of vinegar and digging etc to contain vinca. This homeowner doesn't want to use roundup or any chems but they are okay with vinegar. I wonder if they just need maybe a few $3 gallons of vinegar each year and a sprayer to contain about 300 feet of vinca minor edges. I read vinca is really tough though even against roundups. Home Guides has an article saying you can just use 3" landscaper plastic edging and it will stay contained. People on forums said it will grow up and over no mater how high the border is but said they just mow it back and it stays contained. Maybe just an electric weedwacker can be used to scalp the edges once a month by the homeowner. This person says they maintain the edges simply by mowing and it looks great. http://tallcloverfarm.com/1398/periwinkle-vinca-major-covers-a-lot-of-ground With grass, if someone doesn't want to water, I still suggest to water it at least a full year (with an inch all at once, once per week, rain included) because that will grow deep roots and make it less likely to get wiped out in a drought once they stop watering. But if it still dies it doesn't take much to slice seed grass again for decent results (won't look like they spent thousands on sod or did follow up slice seedings and aerations every couple years with just one slice seeding but it will be decent). I would give the same watering recommendation for groundcover, preferably more than a full year until the watering stops and also to water some in mid summer if hasn't rained. I think the homeowner's goal is equally: -to be environmental and not need water or fertilizer once established and not have mow or pay for mowing or need much maintenance, especially with machines/mowing - them just hand pulling/pruning once or twice a year is okay. -have a cool looking yard The back yard and side also they wanted groundcover, and adds like 5X more to the Sq footage, so I think either way they will have to mow because I doubt they'll splurge for doing the whole yard as groundcover (all but the front main area we've been discussing is shady though so pachysandra would do fine for the rest). Maybe I'll till the front this year, put 3" fresh free woodchips, plant vica and then next year or the one after, I'll till the back and sides and propagate the same vinca. they have a wooded area in the back so they have to make sure it doesn't take over the whole thing back there also. A good point: Meaning that in the back where there's woods, they should leave a good ten feet as lawn how it is now and prune it back there to not let it get into the wooded area "You mention that mowing seems to keep them controlled; I believe that to be true. It is when they are established next to, or in a woodland that they go crazy, choking out native plants of all sizes. I would humbly suggest that they should be used only in areas where their growth can be limited by mowing on all sides or contained by features such as pavement areas" http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2014/06/vinca-flower/ I think the only thing left I have to research is if it can get all weedy if not re-mulched every few years. It can I read but I have to see if there are certain situations that make this more prone to happening - I think a lot of these people might have just not used enough mulch to start while the vinca was establishing and ended up with dense patches or weeds. Weeds would be fine, just don't want the weeds to actually take over the vinca, like grow taller than it and look like 1.5 foot of weeds. so many people are like snobs against vinca. looks good to me http://www.lodi.watersavingplants.com/GardenWorks/Photos/396.jpg and is a win win for no watering or mowing or chems etc any input thanks again