Is this Ash too wet?

[ruserious2008]

Cutting up some ash that has been halfway on my property and half on my neighbors (landed on a stone wall) that I'm guessing has been down for several years and is somewhat "punky". I can't stick a screwdriver in it and whacking it with something is not as bad as hitting a pile of ice cream but the probes from my moisture meter sink right into it.
I thought OK its wet but it will dry out. Then today I brought home some ash that was felled last year and boy did it look different. Nice and white as opposed to the yellowish color of the older wet stuff. I split a few of each and got my moisture meter out and the newer stuff runs in the 22-26% range so its got some seasoning to do. The wet stuff pegs my meter out at 50% + and so I'm wondering if this wood is too far gone or will it be burnable when it dries out or should I give up on it?
Thanks

 

[weatherguy]

If your talking about the stuff that been down for several years its probably gone, I bought some wood from a guy once and he three a few punky pieces in the pile. It makes a mess and burns way to quickly, I ended up throwing it in the woods.

 

[ikessky]

Don't waste your time on the old punky stuff. It's too far gone. Concentrate your efforts on getting more of the good white ash bucked and split.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It sounds like that is too far gone and I would not waste time on it either. Remember that it takes no more time to cut good wood than it does to cut marginal wood. Yet, it seems odd that if this is ash, why is it punky? It seems the stone wall would keep it off the ground but even on the ground, ash will take many years to turn into punk. In fact, yesterday I spotted some ash that I had cut, I think about 4 years ago and I must have had a full load and just left some there and forgot about it. I'll go back and get a couple to see how it is and hopefully will let you know. But I'm betting the wood will be good even though it is on the ground and in a wet spot.

 

[smokinj]

Pic's Please?

 

[Flatbedford]

Remember that it takes no more time to cut good wood than it does to cut marginal wood.

Good advice.

 

[firefighterjake]

Sounds pretty punky . . . I have burned some punky wood before . . . but to be honest I have enough wood that I tend to leave the punky stuff in the woods rather than bring it home to process.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Here is some ash that has been laying in a wet spot, on the ground for a while. It was 3 years ago last October when we cut this tree. As you can see, some of the wet got inside but not much. None of the wood was wet inside; only on the outside. However, it also appears that it would have started turning punky very soon.