Do you share your wood?

[Rick]

I have been asked by 3 different people if I will let them have wood for this year. They have all gotten stoves or inserts and have no wood. I feel terrible about it but I didn't give them any. They see my wood pile and think I have more than enough to share. I have roughly 10 cord ready to split for next year and the year after, and roughly 3 cords of dry wood left for this year. That really isn't much, I know the people here understand that (you're my people). But to non-wood-burners, that seems like a mountain. There are people who are still selling it around here. But at over 200 a cord. I get my wood for free, either through my own toil, or from a friend who dumps wood from his tree-cutting business. But it isn't really free, again, I know you fine folks understand. It's like asking for oil out of my tanks. It's worse, I don't have the same connection to my oil. What would you do?

Rick

 

[DonCT]

Rick, where in CT?

 

[Eric Johnson]

What, give my precious wood to someone who might not appreciate it or treat it right? Never!

Seriously, I would politely explain that this is the wood I put up to heat my house this winter, and I really don't have any to spare. Sorry.

To me, firewood is just like money, only better.

 

[Nokoni]

I just got a new wood stove too. I was not sure how much wood I would need, bought one cord but now I'm getting a few more. Anyway, I don't think they should expect you to provide wood for them no matter how much you have or how much it costs. It is really just unfair of them to ask you and puts you in a bad position. If they offered to buy some from you that would be another story.

 

[DonCT]

I had originally read the post, thinking he was giving away wood. At first I was like "are you kidding me?" Giving away wood instead of selling it? I'm fortunate to have a friend who can "lend" me some wood if I need it, but trust me, he collects during the summer time!!

 

[SeanD]

I've given wood to my Mom and my son, although my son helped me split some wood so it is not exactly a gift. Might give a little to a friend for his Christmas day fire, but would not give a large amount to someone to heat their home unless it was an emergency. I think it is rude of them to ask, given the work that goes into turning a tree into firewood.

I know that people who don't burn or only burn casually think I am nuts for the amount of wood I have. This year I cut about 8 cords, but I have already burned 1 1/2 and expect to burn several more before spring.

Turn it around on them. Offer to sell them a cord. You'll either get some extra cash at Christmas or they will stop pestering you.

 

[Donna]

Rick,

That's a problem that I have had to deal with several times since I started wood burning. I have almost always said No, and given them the name of a wood dealer that I know has some wood left. I keep in touch with 3 major firewood guys, and am rarely more than a week out of date with how their supply is doing.
I have never had to deal with a person who is cold and unable to heat at all, with no back up furnace in their house, as this might be a hard call.

If pressed in a reasonable manner, by a reasonable person ie: someone who really did try to get wood and couldn't or ran out, or got a new stove and didn't have time to lay in a supply themselves, I will usually give them a blue Ikea bag full, which is enough for one cold day of burning.

The first year we had our stove, I wondered outloud, several times, that I could not imagine burning that mountain of wood. We all know how this turned out...I didn't have a stick left come April.

My good friend Mark has a brother-in-law who comes mooching every year, and has been caught short thru his generosity. Half way through March in Quebec and no wood left because you gave a cord away isn't a very good place to be.

For those of us who process some or all of our wood ourselves, it is very hard to part with the fruits of our labor. We know that that big stack is for 2 or 3 years hence.
Its hard not to come off like Scrooge, but I would say, unless the situation is dire, you will just have to say no.

Cheers,
Donna

 

[wg_bent]

Seems to me that you need to put a price on it. If someone were to offer me 500 bucks a cord, I'd be glad to share my wood.

How about this. Put up a sign (descretely on your wood where almost no one can see) that states the price of the wood.

Remember, almost everything is for sale...for the right price.

 

[Ray4852]

Wood is a lot of work. Why would you want to give it away? You are giving up a lot of your spare time so you can save a few dollars. These people think you got it for nothing. Tell them to get up off there lazy butts and provide for themselves. People today think the world owes them something. you can thank your brain dead liberals for this lazy way of thinking.

 

[Corey]

When we were without power for 3 days during last year's ice storm, I offered wood to a few of the neighbors to keep warm and also offered to let them come in my house, watch a little TV off of the inverter and warm up. The general consensus was "We're OK for now, but if it goes much longer..." It was kind of an emergency situation, so I had no problem with the neighbor helping neighbor bit.

But if an able bodied neighbor just came up and ask for free wood because they didn't have the foresight or will to go cut some for themselves...that would be a little different story.

Corey

 

[roac]

Do they know you got some or all of the unsplit wood for free? I assume you have little labor time invested in the unsplit free wood. Sell it to them for a reasonable fee based on labor currently invested. Are you still getting free wood? If so I see no risk in selling them some of this unsplit wood. Unfortunately they know like we know that you obtained some of this wood at little to no cost so obviously this is causing them to think that your windfall is their windfall. Tis the season...

p.s. Next time mum's the word

 

[Eric Johnson]

I'm a brain-dead liberal, but I'm still not giving away any of my wood.

 

[ERPARKER]

Being pretty much in an urban area, not too many folks around me heat with wood. One neighbor saw me walking around all the unsplit wood from some trees we had taken down and asked if he could buy some off me once it's split and seasoned. He just wants it for his fireplace, though, he's not heating with it. The only person who is getting any "free" wood is my friend who likes the exercise. He wanted to come over one weekend and split wood when we were out of town, but said he felt awkward. He's put in about 10 hours splitting so far, and also wants it just for his fireplaces, so he can take all he needs.

 

[Ray4852]

Once you start giving wood away they want it all the time. Never give it away. If you don’t want to use is anymore sell it for an reasonable price.

 

[BS-N]

Tell them neighbors to take a hike!

Then crack a beer and sit on top of your pile with a loaded rifle for a while.

 

[Jfigliuolo]

i MIGHT "Loan" wood IF I had enough. I'd give out a cord of seasoned wood for a cord of green in the spring... cut split and stacked.

 

[babalu87]

If they see the oil truck in your yard do they come running over and ask is you have any extra oil?
Seems pretty brazen IMHO to look at what you have piled up ready to go for this year and next and thinking they can grab some?????????????????

I know the game, my wife and I hemmed and hawed over buying a wood stove since we built the house.
Didnt want to lose the living space, chimneys are too expensive (brick, then I found stainless chimneys) ETC
Finally put one in this Fall and I am playing catch-up every weekend searching our property for dead standers that are dry enough to burn this year. A few more weekends and I can start on next years wood. Alot of work but its nice not having to worry about paying over $2/gallon for oil in February
The workout helipng take the pounds off too

 

[CountryBoy]

I wouldn't give any wood away, the vast majority of folks don't realize the work required to lay in a supply of wood for winter heating. I've always told my wife that the only thing I may covet of my neighbor's is his woodpile. Sometimes I do admit, that I occasionally get woodpile envy.

Just found this forum this morning, searching for doorway fans. Great place.

CB

 

[carpniels]

Oh, you want me to give you some of my wood for free??

Sure, and while you're at it, take my wife to the bedroom and have fun with her

OVER MY DEAD BODY, WILL I GIVE ANY WOOD AWAY.

carpniels

PS. Each cord of hardwood is 180 gallons of oil at $2.5/gallon is $450 so for $450 they can have a cord!!

 

[bruce56bb]

Each cord of hardwood is 180 gallons of oil at $2.5/gallon is $450 so for $450 they can have a cord!!
hmmm...i wonder(roughly) how many ccf of natural gas is in a cord?

 

[wg_bent]

Each cord of hardwood is 180 gallons of oil at $2.5/gallon is $450 so for $450 they can have a cord!!
hmmm...i wonder(roughly) how many ccf of natural gas is in a cord?

I said 500, come to think of it now, if using 2.5/gallon, $500 isn't enough. The value of my work to split a cord of wood is too low.
My work is worth $500/cord, so $950 total/cord I can be had easy, not cheap!

 

[DonCT]

I can be had easy, not cheap!

Now, that's a disturbing thought!!

 

[bruce]

put a cord on ebay! you never know, there was pellets for 450 a ton

 

[bruce]

sorry for the repeat ,,http://cgi.ebay.com/firewood-stove-...424808440QQcategoryZ38220QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

you never know

 

[adrpga498]

What, give my precious wood to someone who might not appreciate it or treat it right? Never!

Seriously, I would politely explain that this is the wood I put up to heat my house this winter, and I really don't have any to spare. Sorry.

To me, firewood is just like money, only better.

I agree with Eric, I feel if they didn't plan ahead for alternative heating it isn't my problem.