First Osage Orange score!

[Bmore]

I was very lucky. I randomly stopped at a house that the power company had just cleared a tree to see if they wanted to keep the wood or would like it removed. Turned out that I knew the mans son. The guy doesn't heat much with wood, but has a bunch of Osage and cherry already on the ground. Today I got to have at it. Split about a chord of Black Cherry and a bunch of Osage. Haven't hauled any home yet, but I will be back tomorrow.

 

[spirilis]

Woot!

 

[7acres]

Good score! Get that stuff on your property!

 

[24vcummns98]

Awesome!

 

[MaintenanceMan]

A friend of mine has a long hedge row of osage that he's been clearing and burning up for a few years now. He's constantly bragging on how good it is.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Wait until you burn that Osage. Three years from now. Real hot , but seasoned it good. Good scrounge!

 

[Paulywalnut]

Wait until you burn that Osage. Three years from now. Real hot , but seasoned it good. Good scrounge!

 

[Bmore]

3 years to season? Wow! I'm not even one year ahead yet. Hope it dries a little faster. Thanks!

 

[Osage]

3 years to season? Wow! I'm not even one year ahead yet. Hope it dries a little faster. Thanks!

It will cure faster than that. I've had some green go in the upper 20's when split. Hedge does not contain as much water as other woods, that's why it doesn't change much in weight when cured.

 

[BamaScroungr]

It will cure faster than that. I've had some green go in the upper 20's when split. Hedge does not contain as much water as other woods, that's why it doesn't change much in weight when cured.

+1 In my experience, hedge is pretty dry before it's even been split

 

[Bmore]

Mine was all under 20%. The tree was standing dead. The average content was 17%. How low should I let it get before burning? Thanks

 

[Jags]

At 17% it is ready to burn. Anything south of 20 is prime stuff.

 

[mwhitnee]

That's a score worth being jealous about!

 

[warno]

Good score!

I myself will be burning alittle of the stuff this year as well. I did alot of cutting on a hedge row at work that yielded some very dry pieces ready to burn.

 

[Corey]

Wow. I don't think I've ever seen an 'orange that tall and straight! But bark looks spot on, so good score! Bake you down a good bed of coals and get a nice steak or some juicy burgers ready - you'll be in for a real treat. Sort of a subtle taste ...like oak, but different. No where near as 'up front' as hickory or mesquite.

...oh...just noticed you're in Baltimore...lol... what do you eat out there for protein? I don't know if lobsta, shrimp, clams, etc would have the same effect...though maybe so.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/food-and-fuel.80427/