Well... The local wood suppliers have caught on in western mass. I guess demand is up for wood and delivery costs keep going higher to due gas prices. I've been quoted between $200-300 / cord for hardwood by the common suppliers in western mass. I almost swallowed my phone. Luckily I found a farmer that can get me 3 green cords of oak for $130 bucked to 16" and split. These are crazy times!
Cord prices ... wow
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If you look around you can find reasonably priced wood. I got 7 cord of green oak for $140 a cord C/S/D
Seems to me some wood dealers are trying to catch folks who assume the cost of their cord wood will go up like the price of oil. There's a guy on craiglist in NH that in his post says a wood shortage is imminent. If you look around you can still find cord wood at a reasonable price. My per cord cost did not go up this year, but I had to switch to a new supplier. Fortunately, the wood he brought me was even nicer and a more generous cord than what I got last year.
Those were his exact words. He said "oil is up, everyone wants wood, I'm going to sell out soon, and all my costs are up. $200 a cord!" He did say that I could pay by credit card though... Ha! Each year there are fewer and fewer true New Englanders around.
I don't know about true New Englanders but check (broken link removed to http://westernmass.craigslist.org/zip/).
N.E. are frugal and there's always wood to scrounge if you don't mind a little effort.
Good luck from an old New Englander.
Ed
N.E. are frugal and there's always wood to scrounge if you don't mind a little effort.
Good luck from an old New Englander.
Ed
Yeah woods just another like any other commodity that's based on supply and demand. You may as well buy now cause the price will likely keep going up.
savageactor7 said:
Exactly. Welcome to the real world. Most of the loggers use diesel equipment at $4.35/pg and rising. Wood forwarders and processors are not cheap and loggers pay the same as we do for food etc. If they can't survive wood burners will have fewer places to get wood. And on and on.
Ed
BTU for BTU, apples to apples, cord hardwood at $500./cord beats fossil fuels except natural gas. Good calculator on hearthnet.
For those who have never harvested a cord of wood, get this:
1. Get you and gear to the tree. Cost= ??
2. Fell tree. Clear zone around tree. Cost ( including gear maintenance, PPE, mandatory training for pros --insurance) = ???
3. Buck and limb tree. Cost = ??
3A. Clear slash and brush.
4. Get butts (bucks) to landing zone or work area, load and unload. Cost= ??
5. Split butts. Cost= ??
If selling cord wood:
6. Load splits onto truck. Cost= ??
7. Drive to customer. Cost= ??
8. Unload wood. Get $$$$$.
For those who have never harvested a cord of wood, get this:
1. Get you and gear to the tree. Cost= ??
2. Fell tree. Clear zone around tree. Cost ( including gear maintenance, PPE, mandatory training for pros --insurance) = ???
3. Buck and limb tree. Cost = ??
3A. Clear slash and brush.
4. Get butts (bucks) to landing zone or work area, load and unload. Cost= ??
5. Split butts. Cost= ??
If selling cord wood:
6. Load splits onto truck. Cost= ??
7. Drive to customer. Cost= ??
8. Unload wood. Get $$$$$.
downeast said:
I agree with your thinking of the work in processing the wood. Lots of hidden costs which are never thought of. It just doesn't fall on the truck cut and ready for delivery.
Just cut 16+ face cords on a dead wood permit where I had to travel 50 miles round trip to get and cut it. Not much costs involved till you look at the cost of the trailor and other equipment necessary for the job.
Ordered 6 full cords of raw wood delivered to my door in a couple of weeks for $400.00. By the time all factors are figured including the time of getting the dead wood this is a very good price. I will be able to work on this evenings when I want and no traveling involved. With this and the dead wood I got my wood supply should be about 6 years in advance. From here on I can easily replenish one years supply each year on a dead wood permit.
I agree with the analysis above totally. I ship container loads of steel and aluminum all over the USA, and my costs have gone through the roof. I'm not too surprised about the cost of a cord, just due to the physical space it takes up. I can't move a load of ping pong balls in a 4x4x8 box around my state for $200. I'm just surprised about how quickly prices have gone up, since last season. As I said, crazy times.
I may stock up on a few cords and then work on some local trees on my property. My land is full of maples and oaks that are absolutely beautiful (I would hate cutting them for fuel) and ash trees that are falling apart at the seams. One of my ash trees that is getting removed soon has 4 trunks, each at least 14" in diameter, and stands about 35' tall. That should provide some good wood for next winter.
As for my comment about New Englanders, the thought of paying for wood with a credit card seems kind of sacrilegious. Then again, in todays economy where people are turning to cards just to meet monthly bills and buy groceries, accepting cards is probably a pretty good marketing tool for these guys. I wonder if there is a correlation between gas/fuel prices and new memberships signups for hearth.com
That would be pretty cool...
I may stock up on a few cords and then work on some local trees on my property. My land is full of maples and oaks that are absolutely beautiful (I would hate cutting them for fuel) and ash trees that are falling apart at the seams. One of my ash trees that is getting removed soon has 4 trunks, each at least 14" in diameter, and stands about 35' tall. That should provide some good wood for next winter.
As for my comment about New Englanders, the thought of paying for wood with a credit card seems kind of sacrilegious. Then again, in todays economy where people are turning to cards just to meet monthly bills and buy groceries, accepting cards is probably a pretty good marketing tool for these guys. I wonder if there is a correlation between gas/fuel prices and new memberships signups for hearth.com
That would be pretty cool...
If I may be so bold as to remind our forum members? There is no heat like wood heat. Unlike what we used to use,the cyclying on and off , where you were shivering one hour and sweating the next from the furnace-remember that? If you are running a stove or insert, you have a nice supply of continous heat that is easily adjustable. So, yes we can gripe about the price of csd going to 200 or 250,but keep in mind it is more-or-less continuous and far more comfortable, and yep. still a bargain.
And there is no doubt it will always be far less expensive than the alternatives (barring coal).. Besides, it will make ya live a little longer expending that energy,bucking,splitting, stacking,etc. ;-)
And there is no doubt it will always be far less expensive than the alternatives (barring coal).. Besides, it will make ya live a little longer expending that energy,bucking,splitting, stacking,etc. ;-)
Local family owned garden center
$195 cord oak split and delivered $8 delivery charge, less than 5 miles. No discount on multiple cord purchase. 6-15 miles delivery $15 delirery charge
Not too bad for oak split and delivered to my driveway, in my opinion. Probably go with them once I get a new car.
Got a nice load of elm last night. FREE
$195 cord oak split and delivered $8 delivery charge, less than 5 miles. No discount on multiple cord purchase. 6-15 miles delivery $15 delirery charge
Not too bad for oak split and delivered to my driveway, in my opinion. Probably go with them once I get a new car.
Got a nice load of elm last night. FREE
I've been burning (and cutting my own wood) wood since '77 and having a lot of work experience I can tell you there's no harder work than harvesting, cutting, and splitting wood.
That being said I make it easy on my self and I'm totally down with it but if I had to do it for a living...I wouldn't. Those guys that deliver and sell wood...deserve every penny they get for it. It's the hardest work you'll ever do...but it so rewarding in the winter time. I like it, it's a manly pursuit, but truthfully I may be mental...I dunno.
When I first moved out here I could buy wood for $15 a face cord...just say'en.
That being said I make it easy on my self and I'm totally down with it but if I had to do it for a living...I wouldn't. Those guys that deliver and sell wood...deserve every penny they get for it. It's the hardest work you'll ever do...but it so rewarding in the winter time. I like it, it's a manly pursuit, but truthfully I may be mental...I dunno.
When I first moved out here I could buy wood for $15 a face cord...just say'en.
savageactor7 said:
Amen brother. I wouldn't sell this stuff I lugged out of the woods, split and stacked for a grand a cord. But I am eying the guy down the road with a professional processing operation and if he is selling for $160 a cord again this year I am real tempted.
I started in '77 myself and the bones be getting old. That wood he sells is starting to look real nice.
Joseph said:
Your farmer is the key. Dealers are going to charge what the market will bear. Local guys with a woodlot who sell their extra to a few neibhros in the area are much less inclined to squeeze every last dollar they can out of you. That said, just the cost of operations has gone up significantly and I would expect to pay more as gas/diesel keeps going up. Still, I got several well-split cords in this spring for the same price I paid last fall, at least. (Yeah, it only took me once to get smart and understand I had to get my wood in the spring. Now I'm having *loads* of fun trying to stack the stuff on uneven ground without having it fall over sideways in a good wind or when one of the cats jumps up on it. With luck, I'll be finished by the time I have to bring it into my attached woodshed this fall...)
Joseph said:
Where the Heck do you live in western mass???
I gotta guess out by the ny line ...... call those people back and ask for green they are selling you seasoned prices!.. (which people do have)
i am in springfield area and seasoned is still around 185-200 but 300 is crazy i have called for green and its 130-150
but i am hearing this fall will be 200-225 at least...for seasoned
and who is the local farmer??? 130 i have some friends who would love that price.......
PM me you name(s) and number(s), and I'll give it to the guy dropping off my load in 2 weeks. I'm sure he would be happy for more customers.
iceman said:Joseph said:
Where the Heck do you live in western mass???
I gotta guess out by the ny line ...... call those people back and ask for green they are selling you seasoned prices!.. (which people do have)
i am in springfield area and seasoned is still around 185-200 but 300 is crazy i have called for green and its 130-150
but i am hearing this fall will be 200-225 at least...for seasoned
and who is the local farmer??? 130 i have some friends who would love that price.......
I got at least a cord combined of elm and oak in the past couple days. Easy pickings, one guy even helped me load. He paid to have the tree cut down and removed. They cut, shredded the branches, and took some small stuff, but left him with oak rounds 3 ft in diameter. He's pissed, so I offered to "help". My buddy has a Gas splitter and a truck, and this guy wants it gone.
Gave him my cell, he gave me his, and told him to give me till mon or tue to round up the troops. I also asked him to please let us help him and stop wheeling stuff to the curb. %-P
We'll take care of it!
Gave him my cell, he gave me his, and told him to give me till mon or tue to round up the troops. I also asked him to please let us help him and stop wheeling stuff to the curb. %-P
We'll take care of it!
Savageactor7 is absolutely right, wood cutting is difficult brutal work, hard on people and equipment. I'd add it's also among the most dangerous occupations there is. Anyone who thinks even $250-300 a cord for split, reasonably dry wood is too much needs to spend a day or two in the woods - preferably when its at least 80 and the mosquitos and blackflies are out in force. Second choice would be a windy January day with temperatures below 10 degrees. No more complaints about the price, I guarantee.
These prices are crazy. Here in upstate NY I am paying $60-$70 a face cord cut and split. we have lots of trees here and I am sure the cost of living is less but that is a big diference in prices.
Still $150 cord for oak here, but I bet the price will go up next fall. (broken link removed)
At those prices it's tempting for me to buy 3 cords and get myself 3 years ahead. But it seems that I always fall into a free scrounge pile or two during the summer. Right now I know where I can get 3 or 4 cords of free pine, but I'm spoiled and will hold out for good hardwood.
At those prices it's tempting for me to buy 3 cords and get myself 3 years ahead. But it seems that I always fall into a free scrounge pile or two during the summer. Right now I know where I can get 3 or 4 cords of free pine, but I'm spoiled and will hold out for good hardwood.
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