Wood scrounge - right place at the right time

[hamslam42]

My wife and I were walking in a neighborhood by us, and we came across this pile. The house has been vacant and undergoing renovation for a while, and while I was pretty sure the owner didn't want this wood, I wanted to actually talk to them to get permission.
After doing some research online, I still wasn't able to find any contact info, so the next day I went by to try and talk to some of the neighbors and see if anybody knew how I could get in touch with the owner. When I got there, another truck was parked nearby and I thought the guys were also eyeing the wood, but it turns out they were the landscapers who work for the owner and they are the ones who cut it and stacked it. They said I could have it but only if I took it all (which I was planning on anyway). Took me two trips in my neighbor's small pickup. There are some smaller limbs and some wyes but also a lot of really nice rounds. It is mostly ash, with a little bit of what I believe is hackberry. I'm guessing there's about 1/2 a cord here. I've been inspired by others on these forums to try and get ahead so I'm working on it! I believe I already have enough stacked ash for next year, so I think this is 2017/2018 wood!

 

[rippinryno]

Your neighbor let you borrow his pickup for the haul? Good find! I've been lucky lately as our city landscape waste site has been having trees removed and they leave them out there ready to be hauled away. Most of the time they are not cut so I have to bring a saw, but for 3 miles each way it's worth the work.

 

[Applesister]

Barkless...hmm..
Well its ambitious of you to pursue the proper avenue of procurement. Your patience paid off.
Looks like an easy process too. Splitting I mean.
Can you post closeup pics of the outside of the rounds?
I would like to be able to spot possible EAB infestation. I live on the outer fringe of its migration.
Barkless Elm is usually elm bark beetles. And so with Ash.

 

[hamslam42]

Your neighbor let you borrow his pickup for the haul? Good find! I've been lucky lately as our city landscape waste site has been having trees removed and they leave them out there ready to be hauled away. Most of the time they are not cut so I have to bring a saw, but for 3 miles each way it's worth the work.

This pickup is the definition of an old beat-up pickup truck perfect for messy jobs like this. Holes in the floorboard, ripped off side-view mirror...this is a truck you can abuse!

Neighbors are great though...even if they had a shiny new truck they would probably still let me borrow it...and of course I help them out too.

It is definitely useful to have an old abusable pickup truck around...might be on my wish list someday...or a trailer.

 

[hamslam42]

I would like to be able to spot possible EAB infestation

I don't have any closeups, but I can tell you it is riddled with EAB infestation. It looks just like the pictures if you google images "emerald ash borer infested tree". That isn't a surprise in central Ohio though. Most of our ashes are dead already. EAB is in every county of Ohio now, and most of what I get to burn is ash...which is fine with me. Easy to split, dries quick, and burns just fine for me (EAB isn't a problem when it comes to burning). Not all of the pieces are barkless...but you're right...a lot were.

 

[TedyOH]

Wood that close to the road is considered fair game around here.... It screams " pull over and take me, I'm free"

 

[Wood Duck]

I find it is pretty common for professionals like the landscapers mentioned in the original post are happy to give away wood if it means they can have one less thing to hassle with. "You can have it if you take it all" seems to be a common answer to the question "can I have that wood?"

 

[baseroom]

Barkless...hmm..
Well its ambitious of you to pursue the proper avenue of procurement. Your patience paid off.
Looks like an easy process too. Splitting I mean.
Can you post closeup pics of the outside of the rounds?
I would like to be able to spot possible EAB infestation. I live on the outer fringe of its migration.
Barkless Elm is usually elm bark beetles. And so with Ash.

Applesister....I am over here in Chili NY western Suburb of Rochester. EAB is all over the place here! Trees are literally dying before my eyes. Very sad.

 

[sportbikerider78]

Applesister....I am over here in Chili NY western Suburb of Rochester. EAB is all over the place here! Trees are literally dying before my eyes. Very sad.

Interesting. It does not seem to be on my property at all. I have 8 wooded acres and zero dead standing trees. I have a healthy mix of ash, maple and oak.

 

[baseroom]

Interesting. It does not seem to be on my property at all. I have 8 wooded acres and zero dead standing trees. I have a healthy mix of ash, maple and oak.

My kids and grandkids live in Caz. Don't see it there yet. I believe it is moving west to east. Hope it stays away from you for a while.

 

[AmbDrvr253]

Nice scrounge. I've been slacking lately....Too much snow.

 

[hamslam42]

Wood that close to the road is considered fair game around here.... It screams " pull over and take me, I'm free"

I agree that it usually means it's fair game, I just hate to assume that. I feel much better if I can get some kind of permission. Unfortunately, that means sometimes I won't get the wood cause someone else will just swoop in and take it while I'm trying to get permission

 

[Pennsyltucky Chris]

A half cord of Ash = good scrounge

 

[FTG-05]

A half cord of Ash = good scrounge

Nah... I'm thinking that half cord of ash = "you suck!" award territory. Anyone else think this or am I out in left field?

 

[Beer Belly]

Nice find

 

[Old Red]

Interesting. It does not seem to be on my property at all. I have 8 wooded acres and zero dead standing trees. I have a healthy mix of ash, maple and oak.

You'll be seeing it. I have a place in Spafford, south of Skaneateles, and some of the ash are dying. Visited friends in Ohio a couple years ago; could not believe all the dead trees standing.

 

[Dobish]

i still have to unload my truck from the last time I filled it.... i need a better spot to dump the wood so i can process it... maybe I need a 3rd splitting block set up closer to the driveway...

 

[heavy hammer]

It's an awesome feeling to get ahold of a find like that all the work pretty much done. Just split and stack easy. Landscapers around my area have been doing more and more tree removals but very few want the wood. They take the tree down cut it up and you get to haul it away win win for everybody.