I guess ash does burn green...

[KJamesJR]

Went with a different wood supplier for this next cord of “seasoned” wood. Much better than the last guy. Of course, I had to pay a premium for the “seasoned winter blend”.

About 90% is ash he says. Looks like he wasn’t lying. He says it’s been in log form for about a year but should burn good cause it’s ash. Took a little longer to get it going from a cold start but again, he wasn’t lying. Tested a piece before I threw it in. Was about 21% but is burning hot and making nice chunky coals. This was a fresh off the truck frozen armful.

So yeah, ash will burn good mostly green. For some reason it smells minty too.

On a side note; this will be the absolute last time I buy firewood by the cord. It’s robbery.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Smells minty? Sure it’s not black birch?

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Ash doesn't smell minty.

 

[Woody5506]

Yeah, it will burn green....but have you ever burned it seasoned?

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Whatever it is 21% moisture content isn't bad at all, especially buying it this time of year. Most of the places I see around me that sell wood I can just tell by looking at it that it's nowhere near being ready to burn, some are just cutting it off log lengths now and splitting it and selling it and most likely saying "well we just cut it up but it's been down in log length for a few months".
I'm so glad and thankful that I cut my own and stack it way ahead of time, no worries that way.....

 

[zvholk]

If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the going rate for a cord of ash?

 

[bholler]

Whatever it is 21% moisture content isn't bad at all, especially buying it this time of year. Most of the places I see around me that sell wood I can just tell by looking at it that it's nowhere near being ready to burn, some are just cutting it off log lengths now and splitting it and selling it and most likely saying "well we just cut it up but it's been down in log length for a few months".
I'm so glad and thankful that I cut my own and stack it way ahead of time, no worries that way.....

If it really is 21%yes not bad but if it was frozen or not fresh face it isn't accurate.

 

[bholler]

If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the going rate for a cord of ash?

That will vary greatly by area here a cord of hardwood is 180 to 200 split.

 

[woodey]

That will vary greatly by area here a cord of hardwood is 180 to 200 split.

Close to the same here.

 

[KJamesJR]

If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the going rate for a cord of ash?

It was $395 from the processor I bought it from . It all seems to be around the 21% range. He cut it to the length I wanted and delivered it from about 20 miles away. Not that it really justifies the price but if it’s burning I guess it’s seasoned? There’s some sugar maple in the mix too but 95% of it is ash. I think I like ash.

 

[KJamesJR]

If it really is 21%yes not bad but if it was frozen or not fresh face it isn't accurate.

I split and tested a fresh side across the grain. The split was about room temp. So around 70 degrees f once warm that particular piece was still around 21%.

Only problem is the Oslo still likes sub 20% it seems. The stuff I had processed from my woods caught faster and burned longer/hotter with healthy secondaries. It was 18% - 19% after seasoning spring/summer. Sugar maple.

I will say this Ash is producing secondaries I haven’t seen in more than a month. Last cord I got (seems we’re averaging 1 cord/6 weeks burning 24/7) was really bad. Still taking a little extra air to get it started even being in the 21% range.

 

[KJamesJR]

Ash doesn't smell minty.

It does smell minty. Like the old doublemint gum. Or like the Simple Green cleaner. Best I can describe it.

 

[KJamesJR]

Here’s a second piece split and moisture test. Room temp. Burning in stove, coming to the end of the burn cycle.

 

[weatherguy]

That's ash for sure, 22% is not ideal but you can get away with it. For some reason wood in New Hampshire is expensive, you would think with all the woods that wood would be cheap.

 

[KJamesJR]

That's ash for sure, 22% is not ideal but you can get away with it. For some reason wood in New Hampshire is expensive, you would think with all the woods that wood would be cheap.

I think that’s the second or third time I’ve heard that statement about firewood in NH lol.

My goal for the rest of the winter is to C/S/S 6 cords from my woods for next winter and the winter after. If I have to buy again, it will be a grapple.

22% will burn but it takes a while getting there with the side door open. Once lit it burns nice.

 

[Todd67]

Ash is my absolute favorite firewood.

 

[weatherguy]

Ash is my absolute favorite firewood.

mine too, good bttu's and seasons quickly.

 

[Todd67]

Yep. Plus it splits easily and stacks tight. A rack full of split ash will last longer than a rack full of maple, just because of how tight it stacks. It leaves excellent coals after a 10-12 hour overnight burn in my baffled Fisher.

There is less air space between the splits. If maple split and stacked and nicely as ash, it would be a tie.

 

[Woody5506]

Yep. Plus it splits easily and stacks tight. A rack full of split ash will last longer than a rack full of maple, just because of how tight it stacks. It leaves excellent coals after a 10-12 hour overnight burn in my baffled Fisher.

There is less air space between the splits. If maple split and stacked and nicely as ash, it would be a tie.

Kinda depends where the tree grew. I've gotten ash from the woods that is perfect and stacks like you mention, but most of the ash I got when I started burning was yard trees that grew about as twisted up and gnarly as a lot of Norway Maple yard trees. I've also gotten maple that's grown very straight and stacks perfectly, but hardly ever from a yard tree.

 

[Todd67]

Kinda depends where the tree grew. I've gotten ash from the woods that is perfect and stacks like you mention, but most of the ash I got when I started burning was yard trees that grew about as twisted up and gnarly as a lot of Norway Maple yard trees. I've also gotten maple that's grown very straight and stacks perfectly, but hardly ever from a yard tree.

I agree. Around me, most of our maple grows all twisted, hence doesn't split or stack cleanly. I have had some straight maple trees that split like good ash trees, but they are few and far between around me. I remember splitting those maple trees because I remember asking, "why can't ALL maple split this easily?"

The ash around me is just the opposite. I almost never have a twisted ash tree, whether it's a young tree or old standing dead tree with a 20+" tree trunk.

 

[Chas0218]

Yup, I season my ash 1 year and burn it. Usually it is around 20% or less this year I was surprised to see it at 20% with all the rain we got. The trees I burn should be cut up for boards instead of firewood but nothing I can do about that. I burn about the same as you maybe a little more, but almost all Ash and wouldn't have it any other way. Ash is by far my favorite to burn because of the short seasoning it needs.

 

[KJamesJR]

I do notice it seems to burn down a little on the fast side for me. Could be because of the high moisture though. Taking longer to get the stove warm, wasting a lot of btus evaporating moisture. Splits are 50% charred before they ignite kind of thing.

I'm a little upset. Walked my property during the fall and only have ONE ash tree in a four acre space. I was thinking about propagating some of its seeds before taking it down. Which would mean waiting until next fall for it to drop seeds... which means no ash to burn next season. It has mothered some saplings in the surrounding area, but in a lot full of sugar maple, they wont do well. Supposed to be one of the faster growing hardwoods.

 

[Chas0218]

I do notice it seems to burn down a little on the fast side for me. Could be because of the high moisture though. Taking longer to get the stove warm, wasting a lot of btus evaporating moisture. Splits are 50% charred before they ignite kind of thing.

I'm a little upset. Walked my property during the fall and only have ONE ash tree in a four acre space. I was thinking about propagating some of its seeds before taking it down. Which would mean waiting until next fall for it to drop seeds... which means no ash to burn next season. It has mothered some saplings in the surrounding area, but in a lot full of sugar maple, they wont do well. Supposed to be one of the faster growing hardwoods.

My smaller splits are coals by the 6 hour mark I usually get good re-starts after 8 hours but the 10 hour mark takes quite a while. This is also with splits on the dryer side. Rounds with bark on seem to take longer as well.

 

[KJamesJR]

My smaller splits are coals by the 6 hour mark I usually get good re-starts after 8 hours but the 10 hour mark takes quite a while. This is also with splits on the dryer side. Rounds with bark on seem to take longer as well.

Yeah, mine have been coals by about the 3-4 hour mark. Sucks burning your first year but you live and learn.

 

[Chas0218]

Yeah, mine have been coals by about the 3-4 hour mark. Sucks burning your first year but you live and learn.

My first year in my new house I had about 3 cords of dry wood figured that would get me close. Well it got me through about 4 months starting in October. I had some dead standing cherry trees at my fathers that I have left until I needed last year. They were punky towards the bottom so I figured for sure they would have been dry well they were almost 30% and stacking next to the stove got them close. My first year had started off great up until Feb. when I started burning the Cherry, in hind sight I should have just opted for a pallet of the eco-bricks but at that time had no idea they were available. I was kicking around the idea of buying one of those stainless pellet holders and burning hardwood pellets but almost everyone said they were a waste of money. Reluctantly I just turned on the furnace and spent $300 on fuel oil in 1 & 1/2 months.

I have done so much reading on firewood and drying my wife thought I was obsessed until I showed her a few articles outlining the importance of dry wood. Not to mention her father kept telling her how he split all his firewood for the year only once and from then on dropped trees 2 years in advance and that was all I needed to do to get seasoned wood. I don't know how he only had 2 chimney fires with smoldering fires and unseasoned wood in the "25 years he had burned fire wood".