Birch Stove Wood Mission

[jebatty]

I have a 3.3 acre tract of mixed birch, pine and oak which I want clear-cut so that it will regenerate into a healthy stand. It is isolated by wetland and a large tract of a neighbor's property, although I can access the tract via a narrow land bridge which is too narrow for logging equipment.. Most of the wood is not very good and no logger is showing any interest. Because of the wetland, the tract would be winter access only for a logger. So, given that birch stumpage is going only for about $10/cord locally, and the loggers show little interest, I've decided to clear cut this myself.

First cutting the birch, 98" logs which will make 6-16" stove wood pieces per stick. I can cut about 6-10 trees/day, and then haul out the logs about 1/2 mile to an open area for processing. 4-6 hours/day of this is tiring work, but the birch I can sell for stove wood to local buyers, cut, split and seasoned, buyer to pickup. Birch should re-sprout profusely.

Next will be the pine. Some good saw logs to be set aside to saw next spring, a few to leave as seed trees, and the rest will be stove wood for my Tarm gasification boiler. Few people want to burn pine, I think it's great so long as it is well seasoned. Pine is just about all I burn. Last will be the oak, gnarly and heavily limbed trees. Many of these I'll probably leave as seed trees for new oak growth.

 

[BoiledOver]

Now that sounds like a great winter chore. Plenty of soup and sandwich. Round here we carry what's called a pasty, easy hand held lunch in the woods.

Truck and trailer? One of the neighbors loaded his old Chevy heaping full without thinking of the added weight coming back over that one frozen spot. We had two jeeps with one anchored to a good sized cherry and the other in line and both winches working. Dragging lines and rerigging but we got it clear out. He said that was more work than the lumbering part. LOL

 

[jebatty]

Winter chore, yes, until the snow gets too deep to get into the woods! With fall temps in the 40-50's, pure shirt sleeve work out in the woods which is the place where I like to be.

I'll post some pictures. The main "tools" are: Husq 372XP chainsaw, Pug 6 x 4 cargo ATV, Kubota 34 hp 4 wd with pallet forks for lifting logs and rear ballast, lifting/skidding tongs for the tractor, skidding chain, and a 4-wheel log trailer that can be pulled by the Pug or Kubota. Plus wedges, full chainsaw protection gear, and a hand tongs to aid in moving/lifting smaller logs.

 

[jebatty]

A few pictures of where I'm cutting and of the equipment that makes this possible.

 

[Knots]

Well, you certainly own the right equipment already. Might as well make it pay for itself. All that hard work will keep you out of trouble too...

 

[Wood Duck]

You might have to some the acorns around to get a good stand of oak. The easiest thing to do is go out now, while the acorns are on the ground and fresh, and collect buckets, then toss them around the woods where there aren't any oaks. You might get a seedling for every 20 acorns, but the effort to toss 20 acorns is a lot less than planting a seedling.