poplar scrouge

[FFDewey]

Scored two loads of wood this weekend from a new landlord. We are renting some pasture and cropland from him and he was clearing some fence rows and said I could take what I wanted. The first two loads I believe is poplar I know its not the best wood but it had been limbed so all I had to do was cut it to length. Only got a pic of the first load

 

[Wood Duck]

That looks like poplar to me. It might not be the best wood, but if it is easy, why not take it? It should burn great next winter if you can cut and split it soon.

 

[Woody Stover]

I could be wrong, but that doesn't look like Tulip Poplar to me...maybe some other type? Or some kind of Maple? Were there any leaves on it?

 

[bogydave]

Look like one of the poplars. (aspen or cottonwood)
Good shoulder season wood & dries fast.

Nice score to drive up next to it, cut & load

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I could be wrong, but that doesn't look like Tulip Poplar to me...maybe some other type? Or some kind of Maple? Were there any leaves on it?

Nope. Not tulip poplar. This is true popple!

 

[StihlHead]

I could be wrong, but that doesn't look like Tulip Poplar to me...maybe some other type? Or some kind of Maple? Were there any leaves on it?

Tulip or yellow poplar is actually not a poplar... it is in the magnolia family (Liriodendron tulipifera). The wood in the photo looks like typical poplar or cottonwood that grows around here, with the darker center wood.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

Never burned poplar, what's it like?

 

[StihlHead]

Referring to poplar, aspen and cottonwoods (the true poplars) they are related to willows. They are very light weight low density woods when dry. Here in the west, black cottonwood (AKA: Balsam poplar and California poplar) has a heat rating of about 16 MBTU/cord (about the same as tulip or yellow 'poplar'). Eastern poplar species are even lighter and more like 13 MBTU. I do not go after black cottonwood firewood any more. Its usually free on CL here, and you can get all you want. But the heating value is moderate to low, and it smells like cat pee when burned (at least it does to me). I much prefer light woods like alder, pine, cedar, etc. which all have a far more pleasing smoke smell than c-wood.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

Maybe that explains to odor when I burned some willow last year. It was something out of the ordinary from oak and maple odors that I'm used to. I brought it up here and found that it wasn't worth the time if I can get the hardwoods just as easily. Thanks

 

[FFDewey]

I know its not the best wood but in my effort to get ahead and the ease to get it I figured why not. Plus being its the first year renting from him didn't want to say no. Im glad I'm not the only one who thinks it smells like urine.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

You'll do fine with the popple. It works out quite nice in the spring or fall when long fires are not needed. You can even burn it during the daytime when you are there to add to the fire. Expect just a tad more ash from this wood but that should not be a concern. Once split, it dries really fast.

 

[StihlHead]

I know its not the best wood but in my effort to get ahead and the ease to get it I figured why not. Plus being its the first year renting from him didn't want to say no. Im glad I'm not the only one who thinks it smells like urine.

I can see where being PC is a good idea. There has been much debate on this site and others about the smell of burning c-wood and popple. Some people think its great stuff. I have had enough of the bad smell, and I have several cords of free cedar/cypress to burn during the shoulder seasons.

 

[Woody Stover]

in my effort to get ahead and the ease to get it I figured why not

Heck, yeah. Three winters since I've been trying to get ahead, and I'm still not where I want to be (plus a lot of Oak in the stacks that has to sit longer.) So I'm still grabbing soft Maple for it's drying speed, even though it's not high-output stuff.