Serious Wood

[Osage]

Just started on about 30 acres of Hedge. I'm guessing probably about 100 plus trees, some up to 48" in dia. That's enough wood to last me the rest of my life, which will probably be shorter sence Hedge does not let you go unpunished for messing with them.
Interestingly checked some splits for moisture content, showed 19%. Wood was not frozen. Have burned alot of Hedge over the years but never checked the moisture content.
Let the bloodletting begin.

 

[ewlsey]

Wow. That's a score. I've never seen hedge in large quantities. Around here it just grows in fence rows. 100 years ago they would plant them in rows and just staple the wire right to them. Others were planted to be harvested and made into posts. This is way before pressure treated posts.

My grandparents have a lot of fences with hedge posts. Putting staples in those was enough to try anyone's patience.

Split it while it's green. "Seasoned" hedge is more like metal than wood.

 

[English BoB]

I have never come across hedge, only heard it mention on this forum. What wood be a similar wood here in the northeast ?

bob

 

[Osage]

I have never come across hedge, only heard it mention on this forum. What wood be a similar wood here in the northeast ?

bob

I really don't know of any other wood that would be similar in your area. Mulberry is in the same family and has some of the same burning characteristics.

 

[Studdlygoof]

Wow. That's a score. I've never seen hedge in large quantities. Around here it just grows in fence rows. 100 years ago they would plant them in rows and just staple the wire right to them. Others were planted to be harvested and made into posts. This is way before pressure treated posts.

My grandparents have a lot of fences with hedge posts. Putting staples in those was enough to try anyone's patience.

Split it while it's green. "Seasoned" hedge is more like metal than wood.

I have a whole hedge row next to the house with a bunch of nasty bob wire sticking out the sides of every tree. Definitely wouldn't be fun to find that while you're cutting

 

[Lumber-Jack]

View attachment 152863
Interestingly checked some splits for moisture content, showed 19%. Wood was not frozen. Have burned alot of Hedge over the years but never checked the moisture content.
Let the bloodletting begin.

That is interesting, are these trees live or standing dead?

 

[Osage]

That is interesting, are these trees live or standing dead?

They are live. Questioned my meter so I tested some green mulberry that showed over 30%.
You here alot of talk about cutting Hedge green and going straight to the stove. I have never done this and it will be intresting in a year to see what it shows.
Weight wise there is not alot of difference between green and cured.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

They are live. Questioned my meter so I tested some green mulberry that showed over 30%.
You here alot of talk about cutting Hedge green and going straight to the stove. I have never done this and it will be intresting in a year to see what it shows.
Weight wise there is not alot of difference between green and cured.

I don't hear much about hedge around here, but we have beetle kill lodgepole pine (standing dead) which can also go straight into the stove. It's a real advantage to not have to worry about splitting it and storing it for a year or 3, especially when you live on a small lot like I do.
Still, that is strange that green wood could be <20 MC.

 

[Oldman47]

Still, that is strange that green wood could be <20 MC.

This time of year it may be alive but not much sap in it in Kansas. When cutting hard wood winter is best because there is no sap to deal with on most trees. It is very different to cutting doug fir or cedar.

 

[jeffesonm]

Hedge is the stuff with the monkey brains, correct? I see those now and then in NJ.

 

[Osage]

This time of year it may be alive but not much sap in it in Kansas. When cutting hard wood winter is best because there is no sap to deal with on most trees. It is very different to cutting doug fir or cedar.

Actually Hedge will have sap all winter long. It's just below bark and milky in color. It will stick to your bar, gloves or whatever else it comes in contact with.

 

[Osage]

To show how resilient Hedge is, this photo was taken in Joplin Missouri. This tree was centered by the EF5 Tornado that struck a couple of years back. Was reported to be the only thing left standing in that area.

 

[Oldman47]

I stand corrected.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

This time of year it may be alive but not much sap in it in Kansas. When cutting hard wood winter is best because there is no sap to deal with on most trees. It is very different to cutting doug fir or cedar.

Well, I'm not very familiar with cutting live softwood trees of any type. I've been heating with wood and cutting firewood for 30 + years, but I don't remember ever cutting a live softwood tree. Far too many dead standing trees here to bother with cutting live trees for firewood, and besides, our firewood permits only allow you to take standing dead or fallen trees. Even so, most of the standing dead softwoods (especially doug fir) hold on to their moisture content pretty good even after all the needles have fallen.
However, I topped the big maple (hardwood) tree in my front yard a few years ago. I cut it in late winter (before the sap started to run) and it still pegged my moisture meter as far as moisture content was concerned. It took a good couple seasons before it all got under 20% moisture content.

 

[Osage]

Hedge is the stuff with the monkey brains, correct? I see those now and then in NJ.

If your talking about Hedge apples, yes.

 

[D8Chumley]

30 acres of hedge? You suck lol. Better get a few more chains

 

[ewlsey]

30 acres of hedge?

He said 100 trees, so it can't be 30 acres of just Hedge. Still, 100 of any kind of tree would probably last me a lifetime. 100 Hedge trees is like having a coal mine.

 

[D8Chumley]

Re-read the original post. First sentence says 30 acres of hedge, around 100 trees. That's what he said. I agree with the rest of what you said

 

[ewlsey]

Re-read the original post. First sentence says 30 acres of hedge, around 100 trees. That's what he said. I agree with the rest of what you said

Kansas might be different than IL, but around here we have a lot more than 100 trees in 30 acres.

 

[D8Chumley]

Maybe the OP can clarify what he wrote

 

[Osage]

This is a small 30 acre pasture that has been neglected for 40 years or longer. There are other trees on it and a lot of brush. After walking through all of it I stopped counting the hedge at 75.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Wait! that's too many numbers I'm getting confused, lets make sure we got it straight.

It's 40 acres of pasture, that has been neglected for 75 years, with at least 30 trees that measure 48% MC and 19.4 " in diameter,, enough to last you a full year of your life.

Did I crunch all the numbers right?

 

[English BoB]

To show how resilient Hedge is, this photo was taken in Joplin Missouri. This tree was centered by the EF5 Tornado that struck a couple of years back. Was reported to be the only thing left standing in that area.View attachment 152881

Never seen a monster like that up here , thanks for the info.

Bob

 

[Osage]

Wait! that's too many numbers I'm getting confused, lets make sure we got it straight.

It's 40 acres of pasture, that has been neglected for 75 years, with at least 30 trees that measure 48% MC and 19.4 " in diameter,, enough to last you a full year of your life.

Did I crunch all the numbers right?

Apparently the 3 years you spent in the 3rd grade wasn't long enought

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Apparently the 3 years you spent in the 3rd grade wasn't long enought

Actually I was the teachers pet in grade 3, and my poor math skills weren't the real reason I kept repeating grade 3 .