As has been mentioned, "Huskee" and "Husquvarna" are not the same. Totally different companies and differing qualities of build. Huskee is, or at least was, a rebadged MTD mower. They may still be making it or they might have changed to a new contractor. Husquvarna is a much better quality and better built machine. Regardless, mowing over leaves should have nothing to do with the engine. The only time I've seen leaf debris kill an engine is when mice have created a nest from leaf debris by packing it between the cylinder heads and the engine cooling shroud. The cooling shroud is the thin sheet metal that surrounds the engine, it's designed to funnel air past the cylinder head to aid in cooling. The mice nests, made from built up of leaf matter, essentially eliminate the cooling air flow and instead insulate the cylinder head, leading to overheating. Enough about that. Of the ones you listed, I'd recommend the MacKissic. Not only can you rake the leaves on the ground right into the hopper, but the internal air movement actually helps to suck the leaves into the hopper, making it easier. You have a huge volume to shred. I have a mackissic 12PT1100, an updated but similar version of the one chas045 has. I have an old table the same height as the top of the hopper that I use as a feed table when doing volume work. The leaves get loaded from the "back" edge of the table top. Toss a bag up there and dump it out. There are raised sides on two sides of the table, about 6", to prevent matter from sliding off the sides. An operator with a hoe then pulls the leaves along the surface of the table and into the hopper, which is under the "front" edge of the table. It goes pretty easy, there's only one lifting of each bag. The nice thing about the 12pt1100, or any other 12PT model, is the hammermill section. It'll pulverize the leaf matter and reduce it more than any of the models you referenced, plus between the hammermill and the chipping function, it's much more versatile. You can shred dry leaves, then toss in a few green branches, it'll blend them nicely. If the hopper does clog with leaves, I just feed a whip of a branch down the hopper, the hammermill grabs it and pulls the leaves through, shredding everything and clearing the clog. You can get a used 12PT for around $500. You'll never need to worry about the hammers, shredding leaves will not dull them at all. When I've done a lot of dry/dead matter, I'll sometimes sprinkle a bit of high-nitrogen fertilizer into the hopper as I'm feeding the leaves. It'll give the composting a kick start. I'd recommend gas over electric just for location versatility. But you know your situation better, and sound reduction would indeed favor the electrics. Sounds like you'll be putting a lot of hours on your machine, watch the lubrication schedules.

yeh i find usually the best advice is to do all you prunning a couple or so times a year in blocks and go hire a shredder machine, then you maybe can do bigger branches and hire a chipper. keep in mind no matter how much you pay the common garden type shredder is exactly that a shredder with some chipping capabilities. some gardeners over here get a bloke in with a chipper and they get lots of stuff ready and then he does the big cutting, too easy realy. they get an added bonus he takes any unchippable stuff/or gen' rubbish to the tip free. and look at the action of the machine if you are going to buy, for me i like the models that will shred fibrous plants ie.,. gingers, bananas, palm fronds etc.,. flail type shredders won't. and last but not least don't buy from a discounter like all machinery at the end of the day you get what you pay for, go talk to a specilaist store. if you go the hire path you may be able to try different models and see which suits you best. the best thing about hiring is you don't have that machine sitting there doing nought most of the year, and servicing or break downs are not your care. len Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

Chandra I started mine last year. I bought a Worm Factory off Craigslist (the lady who was selling it had her bins outside and all her worms died). I couldn't find red wrigglers anywhere local (I called everywhere including bait shops) so I ordered online. It's chugging along. I get a nice little tray of rich worm compost about once monthly. I just take the bottom tray of finished compost out, dump it in the garden, then fill it (in this order, from the bottom up) with a layer of food scraps, a layer of brown fall leaves, a layer of shredded paper moistened and then wrung out, and two layers of damp newspaper. I then put that bin on top. It takes about 20 minutes per month to maintain. I hope eventually I will have so many worms that they will go through it more quickly and I can start rotating trays/adding food more frequently Jo

g'day dee & shelly, yes i meant the honda has the best durability and reliability!? recommendations about it from users that i ahve read. for me i ahd the b&s ic 5hp and as always the b&s did the job very well i had no problems with it but then with my background i do tend to know how to run a new motor in and use it within it's capabilities. the greenfield (and i can't help saying it is "damn fine machinery") will do all material fibrous or otherwise, you must all remember though these machines are only common garden type shredders they are not chippers, chipping is an added capacity that the user must know the limitations of the main variable whether branches are hardwood or softwood. if you require a chipper then you need to buy a chipper (about twice the price of a good shredder) and for the main us common garden type folk can't afford them and i don't realy think we need them. and a word to the wise it pretty much doesn't matter how much you spend on an electric model they always have been and always will be in the toy catagory in the average garden, and box models purchased from discounters come under the 'pig in a poke' catagory you get what you pay for, you want good machinery with after sales service/advice you go to a specialist. i don't want to talk anyone out of buying a good machine but for the main as i see it most gardeners could get by with just hiring a shredder as they need it, good hire companies have the greenfield's for hire, this way you don't have the capitol expenditure nor the servicing or maintenance to be concerned about. len Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page