Anyone else having difficulties trying to secure log length loads of wood in the northeast? Seems to all be going to mills as pulp for pellets! It sounds like the prices are going to jump a bit for the wood burners. When to loggers generally resume cutting hardwood? Most loggers I've spoke with are still cutting softwood...at least until mud-season officially starts.
Log length firewood in demand?
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I noticed a few guys going up a bit on their prices for a cord of cut and split. There's a couple things at play here, in the past we had a few storms and there was wood everywhere, on top of that winters were normal or maybe even a bit above normal. This winter was brutal so everyone burned a cord or so more than usual. That all adds up to its a good year to raise prices if your in the wood business.
JP11
Minister of Fire
My neighbor happened to be getting his lot cut this year. I'm not due for another 5 years or so.. BUT...
since he was there, and his skidder is MUCH more capable, and much uglier than my tractor with winch...
I'm having him cut my swampiest and furthest land from the house. He's just leaving me tree length along side the driveway. I'm cutting to 7'6" lengths and piling it up for later work.
50 bucks a cord. Not bad. I think of it as 'risk management'
Many more chances for me to hurt myself, or damage the cab tractor. Not worth it. Told him to cut me 20 or 30 cord.
JP
since he was there, and his skidder is MUCH more capable, and much uglier than my tractor with winch...
I'm having him cut my swampiest and furthest land from the house. He's just leaving me tree length along side the driveway. I'm cutting to 7'6" lengths and piling it up for later work.
50 bucks a cord. Not bad. I think of it as 'risk management'
Many more chances for me to hurt myself, or damage the cab tractor. Not worth it. Told him to cut me 20 or 30 cord.
JP
Fierce demand for low grade pallet board material right now. Taking supply away from firewood .
Our firewood orders are usually pretty slow for March and first half of April then they pick back up right through December.
There's been a steady flow of orders this March so far. Raised prices 10% to cover fuel and labor. Demand will be good for 2 years now just due to depleted inventory and propane scare this winter.
Our firewood orders are usually pretty slow for March and first half of April then they pick back up right through December.
There's been a steady flow of orders this March so far. Raised prices 10% to cover fuel and labor. Demand will be good for 2 years now just due to depleted inventory and propane scare this winter.
Log length appears to be running $950 a load around here. I've read about people getting it for $100 a cord, but it looks like I'll be paying more than that. Cut and split was going for $200 green last year. I wonder if that will go up as well.
Also, I was told that I need to wait until after mud season before anyone can get me a load.
Edit: This is my first year trying to buy log length. I'm trying to finally get ahead 2 or 3 years so I never run out again. I have 3 cord stacked from the fall. I figure I burn about 5 cord a year so a grapple load should get me at least covered for the next two winters. Once again I won't have great firewood next year though. Stacked since the fall but its red oak so I know it won't be ready.
Also, I was told that I need to wait until after mud season before anyone can get me a load.
Edit: This is my first year trying to buy log length. I'm trying to finally get ahead 2 or 3 years so I never run out again. I have 3 cord stacked from the fall. I figure I burn about 5 cord a year so a grapple load should get me at least covered for the next two winters. Once again I won't have great firewood next year though. Stacked since the fall but its red oak so I know it won't be ready.
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The new biomass plant in Berlin NH is also sucking up low grade wood that might otherwise be available for firewood and they aren't even at full output yet. Figure 1600 tons of green wood a day. There were a lot of hospital and institutional biomass boilers going on line in the region this past winter and many tend to be fed a high quality woodchip that normally might be sold as firewood. I also expect the pellet plants will be cranking up based on last winters demand. I expect the market for low grade wood is really going to tighten up this year although the long winter is going to help loggers stay out in the woods a lot longer than prior years. Definitely a year to plan ahead.
The only thing that could help the situation (but hurt a lot of others) if there is another ice storm event where there is a lot of salvage cutting.
The only thing that could help the situation (but hurt a lot of others) if there is another ice storm event where there is a lot of salvage cutting.
infinitymike
Minister of Fire
Down here on the Island, they are paying to dump it, either in land fills or places that will turn it into mulch.
This is the second time I got a load from this guy.
The first time I was naive( back in 2011) and paid him $100 this time I realized that that are paying 4 times that to dump it so I just tipped the driver $20 this time.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/this-should-keep-me-busy.125836/
This is the second time I got a load from this guy.
The first time I was naive( back in 2011) and paid him $100 this time I realized that that are paying 4 times that to dump it so I just tipped the driver $20 this time.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/this-should-keep-me-busy.125836/
JP11
Minister of Fire
I think the pellet part is really going to play in. MANY people got caught short on pellets. More people will stock up, and stock up early. People got spoiled that you could always get a ton when you wanted it. They found out that wasn't a great plan this year.
JP
JP
infinitymike
Minister of Fire
There is probably only one good thing about living on this sinking island.... Abundance of supply.
I got 4x4x4 cribs of cut up pallet wood from a pallet manufacture over the summer to heat the DHW with.
I stopped taking them back in Oct because they don't last like cord wood.
Well the guy called me yesterday to tell me he had 3 cribs for me when ever I want to come and get them. He even gives me his pallet jack to unload them.
Like I said, there's not much more than that about this island that its good for.
JP11
Minister of Fire
I used to fly rich folks from the east river to east hampton.
I second your thought that the island isn't good for much.
Just not my cup of tea.
JP
I second your thought that the island isn't good for much.
Just not my cup of tea.
JP
I've been watching the central mass craigslist for log length. I don't have the space to unload a truck I just want to know what's fair to pay my neighbor for logs. He has 100 acres of woodland. The only posts I see are people selling cut and split firewood.
infinitymike
Minister of Fire
I used to fly rich folks from the east river to east hampton.
I second your thought that the island isn't good for much.
Just not my cup of tea.
JP
Not even my cup of coffee
But I have to work with what I got.
I'm working on the wife everyday to get outta here.
Maybe, just maybe when the kids get out of college. Or soon after.
My dream has always been to sell everything and get 40' diesel pusher and travel around the country till I die. Not tied to once place.
Haha. Definitely wasn't me you were flying.
paul bunion
Minister of Fire
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