Got more wood than I can shake a stick at

[fishki]

I might have lost the piles of hedge i posted about a while back, but a local farmer has around 600 acres of standing timber, told me I could cut whatever I wanted. I drove out and took a look yesterday afternoon, quite a variety of hedge, hackberry, ash, black walnut, pecan, some hickorys, oak, oak and more oak, alot of the trees I have no idea what they are.

Most of the oaks are tall and straight, anywhere from 12" to 24" trunks, no limbs for 20+ feet, perfect for me.

Also thinking I will mill some of the better trees, pecans, walnuts, some oaks if I can find the right species out there.

All in all, I'm a happy little camper right now

 

[Michael Sean]

I would certainly get some of those nice straight trees milled into lumber

 

[Soundchasm]

Holy crap, we have a 300 acre reserve next door,and it took me a couple of years to learn the trails. I can't imagine 600 acres of "Lewis & Clark". Heck the standing dead alone would be a lifetime supply, let alone what's on the ground.

Man, think of all the cool gear you'll be justified in buying to get that stuff out of there!! Hah!

Having had Hedge and Bur Oak, I'd stick with the Oak. It's so much more predictable and much safer to open the stove door!!

And that stringy Hackberry is a last resort for me.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Lucky dog!

 

[peakbagger]

I need to thin a bunch of diseased beech out of 83 acres, not my favorite wood as it bear to split by hand but expect a wood splitter is in my future.

 

[kennyp2339]

Did you ask this farmer is he had a brother?

 

[fishki]

Since I'm doing good on firewood for the next couple years now, I think I am going to go after mill worthy trees, then process the remains for firewood.
Except oak, going to keep stacking oak and possibly selling some off in a couple years. I can probably get top dollar for "seasoned" oak. But I really don't think many people around my area know or care what seasoned wood is. I'll even admit to my own ignorance that I had no clue till I started burning and joined up here

I also did not know there was so many species of oak out there, so I condensed a 175 page publication into a 12 page cheat sheet

A link if anyone wants a copy , http://bit.ly/2yGGGOV

 

[fishki]

Did you ask this farmer is he had a brother?

I have actually known this guy and his family for quite a few years now, just never thought to ask him about cutting down his trees.

 

[Soundchasm]

All the oak species are really something, aren't they? Thank you for the PDF!

As for selling premium wood, I think if you attach a premium price to it with a little bit of a "cork sniffing" description, buyers will find you. "I don't know what he's talking about, but it costs more so that's the one I want!" That firewood's got panache!!

 

[peakbagger]

In my area there is small premium market for "ski lodge wood" or "condo wood". There are a lot of rentals and weekend places and some have fireplaces as the guests expect them. The wood used is usually very uniform hardwood splits with tight bark and bone dry. They would like it dry enough that they could light a lot with match. They usually include some kiln dried hardwood cut offs from a sawmill to go with the logs.The folks who supply it are usually firms that supply campgrounds, they just set the good stuff aside and charge a premium to deliver it to a property manager.

I knew a few folks who were paid to stock a summer cottage that was only used a couple of times a year. They stocked the wood shed with nice clean dry wood and then stocked a wood box inside the house with kindling then small splits and then various sizes of wood up to full split size so that the stove could be started up quickly by the owner.

 

[NateB]

I would make sure that some of that lumber makes it back to the farmer, or some of the money you make gets to the farmer, because feelings get hurt quick when money is involved. That honey pot can dry up quick.

 

[kennyp2339]

I would make sure that some of that lumber makes it back to the farmer, or some of the money you make gets to the farmer, because feelings get hurt quick when money is involved. That honey pot can dry up quick.

So true, I consider myself a fairly generous person, I have a friend that I have helped out more times than I like to admit, I have always helped him with cutting and splitting, I've lent my splitter to him for a number of months, I gave him my hearth pad when we installed his stove because he couldn't afford a proper sized one. I ran into a great deal on a one seasoned used snowplow, the thing was practically brand new and I was looking for an upgrade so I bought it, rather than sell my old plow (which I could have easily gotten 1g for) I ended up giving it to him because he was looking for a plow and I figured it would be a real nice gesture.
Others have also been generous to him, my parents gave him there old lawn tractor, another mutual friend gave him a decent lawn tractor, my bud ended up selling the lawn tractors, he didn't even have the decency to offer any money collected to the people that gave him the tractors. I could see it was burning my one friend up inside, I also like clock work got a phone call in July to borrow my splitter, I had to say no this time since he's turning into an ungrateful person. I've been doing a million projects at my house and never once has my phone rang to ask if I needed help, it would have been nice to have a second set of hands during the woodshed build. So yes, when money starts getting thrown around people especially when they feel like there helping someone get a little offended.

 

[fishki]

I would make sure that some of that lumber makes it back to the farmer, or some of the money you make gets to the farmer, because feelings get hurt quick when money is involved. That honey pot can dry up quick.

Excellent point. And yes when/if I do sell some I will be offering him a percentage, wood, cash or both, doubtful he will accept it, but it will be offered.
I also plan on being very selective of what I take, don't plan on clear cutting it and leaving a mess. Just certain trees and piling up all the brush. He is doing me a big favor by letting me cut there. This pretty much has me set for years.

 

[johneh]

All I can say is GET A BIGGER STICK

 

[fishki]

Ok, I went and got a bigger stick

Found an entire grove of hackberrys on this property, some of the biggest I have found around here, picked this baby to cut down and opened up the area so the others could get some daylight.



Had to winch it out as it was around 100 ft down toward a creek bed. 4 hours to cut winch and load.



Now to get it all split and stacked.

 

[Soundchasm]

Man, that is impressive!! Just a small thought - have you split Hackberry before? I've been through two trees where every split had to be finished with a hatchet. Just my own experience - I won't turn it down, but I won't go get it first...

On another Hackberry note, my property borders a reserve. A Hackberry fell over on a trail. That thing was friggin' HUGE. I haven't gone over to try and measure it, but it has to be 5' diameter near the base. Based on one that almost fell at my house, they get too top heavy for the rootball. I'll try to get a photo for your amusement.

Hope this thread goes on for years!!

 

[kennyp2339]

I agree with soundchasm, this thread needs pics of every step taken, from cutting, splitting to stacking. Maybe even some milling.