Had a couple big 'ol trees taken down today...

[ADK_XJ]

...yeah, yeah, yeah - they're pine. I'll CSS just like anything else and burn 'em in the barrel stove for maple sugar season next year. The rest of the wood in my stacks is all oak, cherry, ash and maple.

These pines were both rotting at the base due to a teradactyl size pileated wood pecker that's made his home in my wood lot and, unfortunately, they were both right by the house. I wasn't touching these myself so I called in the big guns.

 

[ADK_XJ]

And here's what I'm left with to clean up this weekend:

 

[Mag Craft]

That pine will burn just fine after you get it seasoned out. It actually works well for shoulder season wood because it burns hot and fast and is easier to get going. I know I will be going back up into the mountains again this year to get more pine.

 

[Seanm]

Nothing wrong with the pine. Like Mag Craft said it will be great for your shoulder season wood allowing you to save your better woods for when its colder. This alone makes it invaluable. Not sure what kind of pine you're dropping or if you are meaning coniferous but for me I'm burning lodgepole pine which I burn throughout the season during daytime and then switch to better btu wood for overnight. Cool pictures, thanks for sharing.

 

[DaveH]

Do you mind sharing the tree company? I have a couple big oaks hanging over the road and power lines that only a crane can get down. I've had no luck so far getting someone to give me a price. I'm about 45 mins south of you. I've got the same problem with wood peckers. They hit everything from dead pine to live red oak.

 

[jaoneill]

Do you mind sharing the tree company? I have a couple big oaks hanging over the road and power lines that only a crane can get down. I've had no luck so far getting someone to give me a price. I'm about 45 mins south of you. I've got the same problem with wood peckers. They hit everything from dead pine to live red oak.

Woodpeckers are a symptom; it's the ants that they are after that are what will ruin the tree....

 

[ADK_XJ]

Do you mind sharing the tree company? I have a couple big oaks hanging over the road and power lines that only a crane can get down. I've had no luck so far getting someone to give me a price. I'm about 45 mins south of you. I've got the same problem with wood peckers. They hit everything from dead pine to live red oak.

Sent you a "conversation" with the name. Good crew.

 

[ADK_XJ]

Woodpeckers are a symptom; it's the ants that they are after that are what will ruin the tree....

Interesting - so, he's still eating those ants in February?

 

[NordicSplitter]

Love Pine. 2 yrs seasoned and it burns just great.

 

[billb3]

.
These pines were both rotting at the base due to a teradactyl size pileated wood pecker that's made his home in my wood lot and, unfortunately, they were both right by the house.
.

the woodpecker was after the ants (or beetles) in the rotten wood. they will tear a tree apart to get them all. The ants came first.

I've watched a Flicker shred a dead standing grey birch to shreds going after the grubs in it.

wood peckers will drum to attract a mate and to establish territory. Often on hollow object to make themselves sound 'larger'.

Yellow-bellied sap suckers will make horizontal rows of holes just deep enough to make the sap flow to eat.




I like pine to get the stove back up to temp quick in the AM after the fire died down during the overnite.
One or two pine splits and one or two oak splits. Back in business right quick.

 

[firefighterjake]

(White) Pine is fine . . . perfect for burning in the Fall and Spring . . . and for kindling. Not something you want to split up small and then stuff in your firebox on a bed of hot coals in middle of January -- and then expect to go all night though.

For every species . . . there is a time and purpose.

 

[DaveH]

Love Pine. 2 yrs seasoned and it burns just great.

Is that 2 years C/S/S? I have a bunch on pine down in the woods for 2 years but I'm finally getting to them. Do you think they dry out enough if their split for the summer? or I''ll just add them to next years pile. I can't stand listening to that sawyer beetle chewing in my pile.

 

[Seanm]

Pine will only need one season to get to 20%. If you get to it right away it should be good to go this November. No need to split it small but I wouldnt leave it big either. Lodgepole pine is one of the trees thats in my stacks every year. Love the heat.

 

[NordicSplitter]

Is that 2 years C/S/S? I have a bunch on pine down in the woods for 2 years but I'm finally getting to them. Do you think they dry out enough if their split for the summer? or I''ll just add them to next years pile. I can't stand listening to that sawyer beetle chewing in my pile.

If you split and stack it in the wind..It could be ready this winter. Pine seasons quick once its c/s/s....I always have about 8 face cords of it on hand...

 

[Wood Duck]

Pileated Woodpeckers eat a lot of Carpenter Ants. The Ants are still there in the winter, and the woodpeckers know where to find them. If you cut an ant-infested tree during the winter you'll find the ants motionless, but alive.