hedge in log form, how long to season?

A friend of mine had a hedge row pruned back from the edge of his field with an excavater. after asking him about it he said I could take all the downed wood I wanted. I went out to check how much was actually there, well the row of trees is at least a 1/4 mile long. They ripped a bunch of huge branches and a few good sized whole trees down with the excavater then shoved it all up against the trunks of what was left standing, and they did this down the length of the row.

I can't drag the pieces into the field for processing since the field has been planted already. This stuff was pulled down about 3-4 years ago, it's been in log form ever since.

Now for my question. I'm wondering if I get to this stuff in the fall, after harvest, how long will it be before I can burn it? It will be C\S\S after it gets home.

Hickorynut said:

I am not sure about the moisture(still would want a year on the bigger stuff I would think) but hedge gets harder to saw and split with age. And you can be assured there will be no rot. Whatever, I would jump on it at the first opportunity. So much wood goes to waste.......

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Ok. I plan to get at it as soon as the crops are out. It should be good to go for 2016/2017 winter then?

I couldn't agree more. This will be my first winter burning for my house. I grew up with a wood stove in mom and dads. But it seems like now I notice all the dead standing and downed trees just rotting everywhere.

Corey said:

Branches down 3-4 years, I'd think it would be ready now. Any chance you could sneak in, cut/split a log or two on site and see how they look, or probe with a moisture meter? That way you'd know for sure.

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No chance now. The field entrance is about 3/4 mile from the row. I don't want to drive through that much planted ground.

I'll get in there to check it this fall. I just didn't know if you guys would have had any idea on how well hedge seasons in log form.