New England (MA, CT, ME, NH, VT, RI) Newton,NH Okanagan Gold $240/ton on Craigslist

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Got my 3 tons this morning. He got here about 11, pushed the pallets into the garage (garage is too low for my truck to go in, so I didn't expect his lift to go in. By 12:45 I had all 3 tons stacked at the back of the garage.

Real nice guy - and his lady is too.
 
Got my 3 tons this morning. He got here about 11, pushed the pallets into the garage (garage is too low for my truck to go in, so I didn't expect his lift to go in. By 12:45 I had all 3 tons stacked at the back of the garage.

Real nice guy - and his lady is too.

Mine were a little more work because I have to get them in the basement but the wife and son have a good system of getting them to me through the cellar window so I can stack them. Start to finish 20 minutes...
 
  • Like
Reactions: bogieb
Mine were a little more work because I have to get them in the basement but the wife and son have a good system of getting them to me through the cellar window so I can stack them. Start to finish 20 minutes...
Help is always nice to have! I took a short break between each ton so the muscles won't be sore tomorrow (hopefully). Also the top 3 rows took a while as I had to use a step ladder.

All%203%20tons%20okies%20stacked_zpswnpcprkx.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pete Zahria
Got my 3 tons this morning. He got here about 11, pushed the pallets into the garage (garage is too low for my truck to go in, so I didn't expect his lift to go in. By 12:45 I had all 3 tons stacked at the back of the garage.

Real nice guy - and his lady is too.
Time to update your signature.....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Harman Lover 007
ordered 4 tons of Okanagan golds this morning, he is coming tomorrow afternoon to deliver. Glad I happened to read this thread yesterday. Also gave his info to a couple people at work who burn pellets.

Sam
 
  • Like
Reactions: bogieb
ordered 4 tons of Okanagan golds this morning, he is coming tomorrow afternoon to deliver. Glad I happened to read this thread yesterday. Also gave his info to a couple people at work who burn pellets.

Sam
You'll be happy. Price is right and after you meet him you'll feel even better about it.
 
Yeah he said he wouldn't charge me a delivery fee cause I only live a few miles from him but I said I read his posts here, knew he was selling at cost or below and that I had no problem paying for delivery. $1000 for 4 tons delivered is a great price. Just up the road from me at East Coast Lumber these same pellets are $305/ton. Paid $1275 for the 4 tons delivered of Vermonts last fall. From all I read the Okie Golds are very similar.

Still have 2 tons left from the 4.5 I started the season with. Probably turning the stove off for most of this week with it being so mild. Looking at having at least a ton left if this kind of weather continues through April.

Sam
 
Just picked up two tons... Real nice guy - and honest! I wish him better luck next year. The "Price of Oil" has not allowed me to burn any pellets this year and I now have 6 tons squirreled away.
 
James showed up right on time, put the pellets right where I asked. We talked for a bit afterwards. Told him we like to support local businesses and if his prices are competitive with others, we'd definitely be doing business with him in the future.

Just glad we had the extra money available to buy these now. Nice feeling knowing we're set for next season.

Sam
 
Told him we like to support local businesses and if his prices are competitive with others, we'd definitely be doing business with him in the future.
If more people supported this local business trying to make a go of it
selling good stuff this season,
he would not have to be taking a hit on his inventory now..
Or even wondering about his future in pellets.

How many times here, do we see people say
"I wish we could get Blazers or Okie.. Or I wish we could get La Crete..."
When the small guys go out, your choices are limited to what the BBS
or large retailers offer you.
Which is usually not the same stuff that local guys do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bogieb
If more people supported this local business trying to make a go of it
selling good stuff this season,
he would not have to be taking a hit on his inventory now..
Or even wondering about his future in pellets.

How many times here, do we see people say
"I wish we could get Blazers or Okie.. Or I wish we could get La Crete..."
When the small guys go out, your choices are limited to what the BBS
or large retailers offer you.
Which is usually not the same stuff that local guys do.

To be fair, the original price point probably was not something I could sustain. I actually wrote someone a couple weeks ago that I was stocking up on $200/ton stuff (decent stuff IMO - and free delivery) but if someone came by with $259 better stuff, I would do what I could to get some. And, it had to be someone who could deliver for free. He effectively hit both price points (the price + delivery was under the $259/ton).

If delivery had been $100, I would not have gotten any (it would have taken the tonnage over my price point). If there was no delivery, I couldn't have gotten any. This is also why I don't buy local - no one delivers and wants $300+/ton - for stuff that IMO is no better, or barely better than the FSU's and Pres-to's that I've gotten at BBS for $60+/ton less and free delivery.
 
This is also why I don't buy local
Trust me..I get it..

I understand that the majority of people buy with the pocket book.
And the there is NOTHING wrong with that..
My point was... if you say you "want to buy local", then you have to be willing
to spend more, to make the claim.
If you say "I'll buy from you if you match BBS, with free delivery,
or for say 20 bucks more... of course you would... who wouldn't?
That's not the definition of "buying local"..

Please understand... I get it. We have friends and even my cousin, that buy GS from Lowes!
It's not a biggie. We still love 'em!!
And you must have noticed I have been telling people to stock up at the $199,
as they will not be there next season.. I have nothing against saving money.
I live it!
;)

Dan
 
  • Like
Reactions: bogieb
It's a funny thing. Certainly everyone wants a fair deal, including the guy selling. Some are willing to help out the small vendor, I'm one of those to an extent. One of the problems I had getting this started is that I am the new guy and pellet manufactures didn't want to sell to me. I made an offer to purchase in cash, Over $70,000, in pellets and was turned away. Last years shortage was that grave. Accordingly, I most likely paid more than my competition for inventory. I figured I could make up for that by sharpening the pencil a bit and providing a unique option for delivery. I don't know of anyone else who can double stack pallets, cross lawns and go through narrow doorways. But in the end for me I am doing this for money. If moving forward I can not get the math in my favor I'll stop. Otherwise it's an expensive hobby. I wasn't expecting to make a ton of money, between the truck, trailer and loader I'm about $90K deep, add in $70K+ for pellets and I think a profit of $40/ton delivered was fair. Certainly last year that would have been the best deal in town. The winds change and things happen, I'll react to whatever the current situation is. I might try to buy a couple of truckloads this year just to establish myself as a customer with the manufacturer and get the best price.
 
Trust me..I get it..

My point was... if you say you "want to buy local", then you have to be willing
to spend more, to make the claim.
If you say "I'll buy from you if you match BBS, with free delivery,
or for say 20 bucks more... of course you would... who wouldn't?
That's not the definition of "buying local"..

Dan

I actually bought local the previous two years from an independent (at $40 more per ton for a middling pellet - no choice, he only carried one kind), and no delivery. I prepaid for 3 tons each year (bought the rest from BBS). His advantage was he would hold product until the customer was ready to come get it. It wasn't inside storage and during the shortage the customer could only take 5 bags a week - if he had any. He is not open this year, so I didn't even have that option.

This year, the "local" guys are Aubuchon and Agway. These guys have more buying power than the independents, but still had $300/ton middling stuff, no delivery and no holding. There is also another hardware chain a couple of towns over that sells GS for way too much. Then there is the newly moved in TSC; At their store opening I bought 6 bags of pellets for <$5/bag and I was so unimpressed that I voluntarily spent more, and drove further for pellets at BBS. The next closest "local" is 20+ miles away, charges high prices for the one brand of pellets they carry, $100 delivery (at last check for my area) - and they get their pellets from a mill that is like 5 miles from them :rolleyes:.

I'm not asking for "locals" to match the $200/ton and free delivery that I just bought 4 tons for (obviously - since I paid more than that last weekend). I have shown in previous years that I didn't expect the local guy to match the $239 I was paying for FSU's at BBS even though his product was no better (actually, IMO worse). And seriously, I didn't expect apexpellet to come all the way out to my place, but was delighted he chose to. And I'm pretty sure that there are plenty of other people in my area in the same boat.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pete Zahria
James is not naïve (yes, I know he is reading this). He is well aware that those of us who purchased in the past week did so because his price point got to a level that us cheapskates were able to get a high quality pellet (Okies) for roughly what the BBS stores were selling for all this season. I told him when we talked on the phone that I'm not the type of guy to capitalize on someone's misfortune but in this case I was making an exception. ;) I'm just like the next guy who owns a Harman (James does too), it will burn ANYTHING so I'm not usually one to spend more than I have to on pellets. Having said that, depending on the price point next year and the fact that these Okies are WAY better than I anticipated, I'm likely to consider the good stuff again.
 
I might try to buy a couple of truckloads this year just to establish myself as a customer with the manufacturer and get the best price.
You should not have a problem doing that!! ;)

But to be honest with you, that "best price" you mentioned,
I think you will find is "the" price..
Be it 5 trucks, or 100...

This year, the "local" guys are Aubuchon and Agway. These guys have more buying power than the independents,
Minimal, if any.
Dan
 
  • Like
Reactions: bogieb
Status
Not open for further replies.