Harder and harder to find wood!!

[ckarotka]

I spent yesterday visiting known wood locations of large quantities of downed trees. I though maybe two of the six or seven I went to would produce. WRONG I ended up with Half a load of Locust. It was very disappointing for me as I had block of the day to wood gathering. Does anyone else notice that FREE wood is harder and harder to come by? All the stuff I couldn't get was not even for sale, the home owners were keeping it or giving it to family members.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That is a shame. Around here, there are tons and tons and tons of wood just going to waste because so few burn wood. Really makes one wonder when you drive down the roads and see all the dead stuff.

 

[raybonz]

That is a shame. Around here, there are tons and tons and tons of wood just going to waste because so few burn wood. Really makes one wonder when you drive down the roads and see all the dead stuff.

Come on Dennis there are tons and tons of wood on your property! LOL Nobody can burn it cuz you have it all lmao

Ray

 

[Clarkbar2311]

Whereabouts in MI Dennis...Down here near Toledo more people are burning than I've ever seen before.

 

[leaddog]

That is a shame. Around here, there are tons and tons and tons of wood just going to waste because so few burn wood. Really makes one wonder when you drive down the roads and see all the dead stuff.

Thats because everyone is moving out of here. I don't think we'll have to worry about them turning out the lights cause The elect co. will probably be the next to go bankrupt. Woods so cheap here cause every one is out of work and cutting wood trying to make a buck. I could have bought cut, split, maple this spring for $75 a cord, YES I said $75 a CORD. He had it and couldn't sell it and need the money fast. The DNR is happy cause they just had a bout 10,000 acres burn and came on the news and said how it was a good thing cause it burnt up all that dead stuff and released all those seeds for new grouth. Paper mill is gone from Muskegan, loggers are selling oak for firewood to try and pay payments, veneier maple and cherry is worth firewood prices. I'm sure glad I'm not in the logging industry right now.
leaddog

 

[Dune]

I see more and more stacks of firewood in yards around here. Still not hard to scrounge enough for the year, but I can see it coming. I plan to continue insulating to reduce the amount I need, and also become less depentdent on oak and use more and more pine.

 

[Jaugust124]

Ckarotka,
Have you tried hooking up with some of the local tree services. Some of these guys (not all) will often be glad to dump some logs at your property if your closer to the job site rather than hauling the wood to the landfill or wherever they have to dump it. A real nice guy who owns a tree service in my area has allowed me on to his property to take whatever I need. Some of these guys are so busy with tree work they don't really bother selling firewood or do it as an afterthought. It helps me out and it helps him out by clearing out some of his wood. Just a thought and maybe you already tried it. Just thought I'd mention it.
Good luck.

 

[ckarotka]

Ckarotka,
Have you tried hooking up with some of the local tree services. Some of these guys (not all) will often be glad to dump some logs at your property if your closer to the job site rather than hauling the wood to the landfill or wherever they have to dump it. A real nice guy who owns a tree service in my area has allowed me on to his property to take whatever I need. Some of these guys are so busy with tree work they don't really bother selling firewood or do it as an afterthought. It helps me out and it helps him out by clearing out some of his wood. Just a thought and maybe you already tried it. Just thought I'd mention it.
Good luck.

I've tried the local tree service thing, they either want an arm and leg for logs delivered or not interested, won't even return a call.
I'm sure it's out there but I can't find it!! I had a tree service quote me $110 a cord for wood delivered unsplit, when in criagslist I can buy it split for $100 a cord, easy answer there. Truth be told: I don't want to buy it!

 

[Dune]

Have you tried finding softwood?

 

[ckarotka]

Have you tried finding softwood?

Even the soft stuff is hard to get. A CL ad here that was funny, a guy had 4logs of pine he wanted to trade for a rifle!!

 

[LLigetfa]

I can buy it split for $100 a cord, easy answer there. Truth be told: I don't want to buy it!

Around here you need to be on a waiting list to buy wood. A neighbor down the road just took delivery of a 10 cord ($950) grapple load of logs on Saturday. Truck tore up his yard some. He tried to get his load delivered when the ground was still frozen but didn't get his order in early enough.

 

[woodsmaster]

Ckarotka,
Have you tried hooking up with some of the local tree services. Some of these guys (not all) will often be glad to dump some logs at your property if your closer to the job site rather than hauling the wood to the landfill or wherever they have to dump it. A real nice guy who owns a tree service in my area has allowed me on to his property to take whatever I need. Some of these guys are so busy with tree work they don't really bother selling firewood or do it as an afterthought. It helps me out and it helps him out by clearing out some of his wood. Just a thought and maybe you already tried it. Just thought I'd mention it.
Good luck.

Often with tree services you get huge notty logs that are difficult to handle, cut, and split. Also a lot of rotten wood and junk wood. Been there done that.

 

[wsorg]

Wow..$75 a cord for maple is cheap!

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Too bad you're not here in my part of PA; it's like I'm swimming in wood. There's so much wood available and so little time, and my body is screaming at me YOU'RE KILLING ME

Check out areas where they are buiding new homes (if there are any in your area) and ask the builders if you can take some wood-they're usually happy to get rid of it. Are there any compost/recycling centers in your area? There are several here that I get wood from. Keep looking, put out the word that you are looking for wood and I'm sure that you'll come up with some. Best of luck to ya...

 

[PA. Woodsman]

I see more and more stacks of firewood in yards around here. Still not hard to scrounge enough for the year, but I can see it coming. I plan to continue insulating to reduce the amount I need, and also become less depentdent on oak and use more and more pine.

Dune, what kind of wood are you using up there besides Oak? Years ago the wife and I were on vacation up there, and while on the Cape Cod Railroad train ride (that closed, didn't it?) I noticed some decent varieties of wood there, but the ladies at the Bow & Arrow Stove shop said that there mostly was "scrub" Oak around and some others; just interested in what you use.

We had some good times up there; it is so beautiful. We fondly remember the Captain's Chair restaurant that closed years ago...

 

[Dune]

White and red oak, hard and soft maple, cherry and other fruitwoods, apple, pear and peach, locust, there is birch and beech here, but I never seem to get either, something like finnish elm IIRC, poplar and a good variety of connifers such as pitch pine, eastern or white pine, spruces.

The Captains' Chair was in Chatham wasn't it?

I grew up in Chatham.

The tourist train from Hyannis to Sandwich is still running but has changed hands.

 

[chad101]

Whereabouts in MI Dennis...Down here near Toledo more people are burning than I've ever seen before.

Live just over the border in Erie, MI. If you see a CL ad for free wood, you better call them quick and be ready to jump in your truck ASAP!!

It goes real fast...also, some folks are doing tree service work for free just to collect the firewood.

I created a "Free Ash Firewood" ad on CL (without my phone # lol) just to see what I was up against. I had over 20 emails within 3 hours.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

White and red oak, hard and soft maple, cherry and other fruitwoods, apple, pear and peach, locust, there is birch and beech here, but I never seem to get either, something like finnish elm IIRC, poplar and a good variety of connifers such as pitch pine, eastern or white pine, spruces.

The Captains' Chair was in Chatham wasn't it?

I grew up in Chatham.

The tourist train from Hyannis to Sandwich is still running but has changed hands.

Wow, you actually have a good variety there!

Thanks for the info on the railroad; the Captain's Chair was in Hyannis, near the Anchor Inn and Tugboats restaurant. The last time that we were up there we saw it was turned into an apartment building; the owner's wife had passed away, and no one in the family wanted to carry on.

 

[Dune]

White and red oak, hard and soft maple, cherry and other fruitwoods, apple, pear and peach, locust, there is birch and beech here, but I never seem to get either, something like finnish elm IIRC, poplar and a good variety of connifers such as pitch pine, eastern or white pine, spruces.

The Captains' Chair was in Chatham wasn't it?

I grew up in Chatham.

The tourist train from Hyannis to Sandwich is still running but has changed hands.

Wow, you actually have a good variety there!

Thanks for the info on the railroad; the Captain's Chair was in Hyannis, near the Anchor Inn and Tugboats restaurant. The last time that we were up there we saw it was turned into an apartment building; the owner's wife had passed away, and no one in the family wanted to carry on.

Right, the one in Chatham was The Captains Table.

 

[andybaker]

Here in North West Ohio, there's more wood than we know what to do with. EAB should be coming your way soon and you'll then find out. As far as scrounging up stuff, I prefer that myself, I find it kind of fun. Network around and find some small local tree guys and talk with them. Don't intrude, time is money, but figure out if you can help them somehow and find a way in. I've done that with a couple tree guys and if I bug them too much I'll more wood than I know what to with. I also have another friend that works for the city now and if I ask he could probably tell me where to get some too. What I do for the tree guys is find out where they'll be, what kind of tree it is, and where they want me and I'm there. What they leave for me I take and make sure when I'm done that there is nothing left for tree guys to do so they're free to move on and not have to take time to come and pick up after me. I set a friend up with this guy once and my friend only took what he wanted and left the rest, the tree guy wasn't too happy when the home owner called him to come clean up what was left. He won't ever give him wood again. Also, I take the guys a couple dozen donuts, that seems to go over well with everyone. But, believe me, when EAB gets there you'll have more wood than you could burn in a life time, if it doesn't rot first.

 

[Gunks]

Ckarotka,
Have you tried hooking up with some of the local tree services. Some of these guys (not all) will often be glad to dump some logs at your property if your closer to the job site rather than hauling the wood to the landfill or wherever they have to dump it. A real nice guy who owns a tree service in my area has allowed me on to his property to take whatever I need. Some of these guys are so busy with tree work they don't really bother selling firewood or do it as an afterthought. It helps me out and it helps him out by clearing out some of his wood. Just a thought and maybe you already tried it. Just thought I'd mention it.
Good luck.

I wish I can find a tree service in my area as nice as the one you have.

 

[ckarotka]

Thanks guys for the words of encouragement. Since I posted I had one more deal fall through. A friends dad had a large maple in the back yard he wanted dropped. Said I could have it all. Well till I'm there cutting and loading I don't get excited anymore. The tree service quote was too high ($600) for him and I won't attempt to drop anything near houses etc. So I might get a large limb he says, again till I'm there.......

It seems to go in cycles around, around here a few years ago I did really well gathering.

Thanks again,
Charlie