Billy, when I was a wanker we cut spagnum moss out of the boreal forest swamps, way up north. We used a chainsaw with a 48 inch blade and cut blocks about 3 foot by 6 foot by 3 foot thick out of the spagnum swamps. Each block about 200 pounds and was carried out on a wooden stretcher type thing by two men.These blocks were like sponges,black tea would pour out of these blocks the whole time. We piled it up to dry in an area were a backhoe could get in. Man that was work, soaking wet in the sun all day and you had to wear canvas pants for protection, 90 plus degrees, horse flies chewin your head all the time and stinkin of old swamp.The buyer told us that the mosss on the bottom of the blocks were a couple hundred years old. The stuff wouldn't rot because of the acidity of the water and the lack of oxygen.
Any way enough of the past, we sold it to a tree nursery that grew the plants in plastic tubes filled with the moss. They were used in reforestation. Tree planting now that is another story, even tougher work depending on location but it was one of the best times of my life.
Hope it helps you out
guy