russian olive

[idahomousejockey]

Someone is selling russian olive for $50/cord. Anyone know the BTU's/cord? It seems kinda light and when I pay 12.50/cord+driving for lodge poll pine I don't know if it is worth it. I need something to mix in wit the pine though to burn overnight. Is it worth it?

 

[tpikaart]

Don't know the BTU's, but it's hard, long-burning wood. I scrounged and burned some last year. Only drawback is that it's not the best smelling wood out there, but when the stove is already hot it's not too bad.

 

[moosetrek]

I'm another pine burnin' Westerner, so can relate. We've had good luck with Siberian elm (I think?), some of the ranchers use it for shelter belts. If the russian olive works good, let me know we'll try it too. Otherwise, we just use bigger splits (or rounds) and try to keep it low. Some of the older lodgepole is pretty dense around the base, the spiral stuff seems to last longer. But $12.50 a cord plus gas is hard to beat, you get a free workout in nature's gym too.

 

[Wood Duck]

The Russian Olive around here is pretty dense, not light. Are you sure they know what kind of wood they're selling? If it is really Russian Olive and seems light, that suggests to me that it is dry and should burn well.

 

[billb3]

The two big russian olives (planted about 40 years ago "for the birds") I cut up was pretty darned heavy.
Biggest 'round' was about a foot across. Cut up in July.



Darned stuff is sprouting new growth stacked up. (It has been a little bit wet here in N.E. this Summer)

Never had any big enough to burn, but it is supposed to be considered hardwood.