Planning

I like your game plan. Oil prices here are still 2.50 per gallon, no real change over seven months. Pellet prices are still 310 / 340 ton (bag sale) for the pellets we burn, exactly the same pricing, w/ a $20 / ton discount for bulk ordering. Plan on burning more oil vs. pellets up until late October / November, then favoring pellets for the rest of the winter season. Two tons down, two more to go at this point. I may just pickup another ton now and skip the discount.

That's the plan here anyway. Wife will probably throw that out the window - we were talking about pellets this evening, she wanted to know when "we" were picking up the next load of pellets ("we" means me, LOL) I think I've created a pellet monster. That's ok, she's running the stove when I'm out of the house working, she does a better job cleaning the stove than I do at this point.

Her eyes widened when I told her the prices you guys are paying for oil, she said "no way". We'll never see those prices here: the adage "the price you pay for living in the woods" holds true w/ oil and propane in this area.

I think you (and everyone) should burn what makes the most financial sense to you. Keeping warm is what's most important.

Here, the gap between oil & pellet pricing isn't as wide. We'll probably pay a little more vs. last season to heat with pellets, but not a lot, less than $100 currently. That's ok, I will probably just bring a few more bag lunches to work vs. going out to eat, if needed. There's always ways to save, if needed.

Hope you and all enjoy the rest of your summer, gonna be busy here next couple of weeks - lots to do before the girls head back to college. (Have to remember to clean out the rest of the wood shed, before stuff freezes to the ground.. More pellets..)

Regards,
Robert

I'm also doing what your doing. Got 2 tons of blazers, a little more than you paid. Will pick up another ton of cheaper bb pellets if any decent ones show up. And been calling around to top off my oil tank, but holding off since my guy says its coming down more...

No, he won't guess, he's still at 2.09

Morning news of July job layoffs at a 4 year high sent the markets lower, way lower and inventory #s of crude while lower where still at healthy amount more than last year and outputs of refineries where up so gas fell even more this morning. I will probably get some fuel oil and dust off the old Jungers to keep the shop warm first part of September. Cleaned about 20 bushels of corn this AM and think I have forty more to go so would have 70-80 days of corn for burning on hand if I don't make the trip to the local elevator to buy any corn at $3.42 the morning.

Nows the time to put in that second oil tank I wanted, I will soon have 550gal (or 3yrs of oil) on my hands... moohahahaha, plus the emerald ash borer is making me plenty of free fire wood..moohahahaha.

Makes sense! You have to do what works for yourself. My plan is to incorporate some more wood burning into the scene here during the real cold snaps that hang for a few. I am still going to heat primarily with pellets though because my buy in prices are still low enough on getting tons. I am still looking into supplementing more corn too. If I can get a corn stash pinned down then I'll burn 50 / 50 there.

Go ahead a hit me with a hammer in the head but I feel like I want to bust some more wood. I must be nuts. The wood reality will set back in quickly though but I do intend to give the pellets a break if it gets nasty cold to save pellet usage. In all honesty 80% plus will be pellets or a pellet corn mix. It's just too easy and nice.

Just ordered 8 cords of mixed Ash delivered for my folks for $120 cord. No hitting the woods this year. Just a long evening stacking and covering.

Bioburner said:

Just ordered 8 cords of mixed Ash delivered for my folks for $120 cord. No hitting the woods this year. Just a long evening stacking and covering.

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Split? That's a good deal.

$120 is an awesome deal. For that price wood burning makes perfect sense. A cord of split wood around here goes for $200 plus. More like $250 and north of that. Sometimes I see it below $200 a cord for multi cord bulk discounts but that is seldom or during the summer.

Problem is its being fed into a 35 year old Queen Air fireplace that probably has a efficiency not over 40 percent. Had a chance at getting in a Harman pellet insert for $1200 two years ago

Yeah older stoves efficiency are not the best but you are still doing well. I'd replace the Lopi insert quickly if I could find a Harman insert for $1,200. I don't really use the Lopi anymore but it is in working order although it was an original slammer install meaning no liner attached.

Business around here is beginning to pick up slightly I've noticed because people are starting to think about the upcoming eating season although there is still some time. People are spoiled nowadays. AC off heat on and vice versa.