Silly season on CL. Is it just me?

[newstove]

So, is it just me, or is it silly season for firewood on CL? Is it only this area, or is this cropping up everywhere? It seems to have started in earnest in the past week or two...

I mean, well, I think the ads say it for themselves. ;-) These are just a few of the choice ones.

(broken link removed to http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/bar/1256497755.html)
(broken link removed to http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/zip/1255651729.html)
(broken link removed to http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/zip/1254875613.html) <-- This one is extra funny, I believe it is sarcastic, but still... ;-)
(broken link removed to http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/zip/1254597127.html)
(broken link removed to http://worcester.craigslist.org/grd/1244837860.html)
(broken link removed to http://worcester.craigslist.org/mat/1240008083.html)

 

[stee6043]

My favorites are the ones that mention how close they are to power lines. HA! .....no problem there, chief, I could drop that sucker in 50mph winds....the only problem is that if I hit that power line my electric chain saw may stop working....

 

[burntime]

The problem is one goof puts an add and the sheeple follow thinking thats the norm. They will find out in a week or two when nothing has happended, the phone has not rung, and the tree is still there. If you actually had most people work to produce a cord of firewood they would not be so foolish. Shhhh, don't tell them about the diamonds that form in the middle of the trees ;-)

 

[Backroads]

It's that time of year when everybody wants something for nothing I guess.

 

[Risser09]

"We would like someone struggling to make ends meet who could use the firewood."

translation...

"We need a poor, desperate underling to do our work because we are way too cheap and lazy to pay a local tree service to do the work properly."

 

[LLigetfa]

"We would like someone struggling to make ends meet who could use the firewood."

translation...

"We need a poor, desperate underling to do our work because we are way too cheap and lazy to pay a local tree service to do the work properly."

Not only poor and desperate but also experienced and insured! Now, what are the odds of finding someone like that?

 

[Backroads]

Not only poor and desperate but also experienced and insured! Now, what are the odds of finding someone like that?

In this economy...you never know.

 

[SlyFerret]

Sounds like most of the job posts you find online... all sorts of experience in a huge range of ares, higher education (advanced degrees even), etc... all for $10/hr.

-SF

 

[drdoct]

The great thing about CL is that you can throw out a line for free to see if anyone will bite. You never know what might happen if you don't try. Down here though no one will work for wood.

 

[smokinj]

heck I will work for wood!(hard wood close to home) But you want me to show insurance as well no problem 700.00 bucks a tree!

 

[TreePapa]

The ones I love around here are the homeowners trying to sell their tree trimmings. You can almost always do better buying from the actual firewood guys (Euc. goes for about $300 / cord here, pine about $150). These guys want $30 for a wheelbarrow load, almost certainly green

(broken link removed to http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/grd/1257167482.html)

or $60 for a "cord" that is almost certainly NOT a cord, still in rounds and prolly green

(broken link removed to http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/for/1256368212.html)

There were more like that, but they're gone. Amazingly, no "cut my trees for me" ads lately here; also very few actual firewood sellers. Still some actual freebees if you're lucky. None close enough to me, though - at least lately. Hope springs eternal, 'tho.

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[firefighterjake]

The ones I love around here are the homeowners trying to sell their tree trimmings. You can almost always do better buying from the actual firewood guys (Euc. goes for about $300 / cord here, pine about $150). These guys want $30 for a wheelbarrow load, almost certainly green

(broken link removed to http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/grd/1257167482.html)

or $60 for a "cord" that is almost certainly NOT a cord, still in rounds and prolly green

(broken link removed to http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/for/1256368212.html)

There were more like that, but they're gone. Amazingly, no "cut my trees for me" ads lately here; also very few actual firewood sellers. Still some actual freebees if you're lucky. None close enough to me, though - at least lately. Hope springs eternal, 'tho.

Peace,
- Sequoia

I loved that last one . . . I don't even think there is a quarter of a cord there . . . definitely not a full cord.

 

[mike1234]

30 for less wood than is on my lawn after a good wind?

 

[vdog]

Around here the power company is good about that, they would rather take a tree down now than when it is febuary and the ice is everywhere plus repairing the lines. My Dad had a Standing dead oak he wanted taken down beside some power lines, so who does he call!?!? So I call the power company and told them I just needed them to drop it I would clean it up. within the week it was down.

 

[PeteD]

Some of these are funny, others are par for the course.

I called on a similar one a few weeks ago in my town. Several mature trees, room to fall, remove all brush, wood as payment.

Two parties were already lined up to look at it. He put my name on the list and I never heard back. Around here, I do not think you need to pay to have any hardwood removed....

Pete

 

[newstove]

I placed an ad a while ago looking for prices for logs delivered.

So far, I've gotten 3 prices of $90/cord for log-length delivered, $100/cord for log-length delivered, and $100/cord for unsplit rounds (16-17" max length.)

The brain part of me says go for the $100/cord for the unsplit rounds. The lets-have-fun part of me says go for the $90/cord for the log-length just so I can play with my chainsaw. ;-) I know which will end up costing more after all is said and done, but it's a head vs. heart thing. ;-) ;-)

 

[CarbonNeutral]

I don't know if this is one of the original posted (as they've been deleted now), but this is my favorite that gets posted every week - quote marks are in original post:

FREE firewood and brush: FREE firewood...some of it is "standing," and some is "on the ground," with some nice, woody brush. Because of last winter's visit, I have a collection of trees and brush, of assorted tree species (hard, soft and medium densities), that is FREE to anyone who has the time and equipment to remove it ASAP. Access is easy, for anyone with a chain saw and a pickup truck. This is a nice opportunity to "get outdoor exercise," (without paying "fit center" fees), while saving up to $300 per cord....and there are several cords available.

I love the "get outdoor exercise" and "fit center" fees. As if anyone who is prepared to take this isn't aware of just how much work shifting wood is. Maybe the poster should cease being a "cheap bastard".

 

[Wood Duck]

I don't know if this is one of the original posted (as they've been deleted now), but this is my favorite that gets posted every week - quote marks are in original post:

FREE firewood and brush: FREE firewood...some of it is "standing," and some is "on the ground," with some nice, woody brush. Because of last winter's visit, I have a collection of trees and brush, of assorted tree species (hard, soft and medium densities), that is FREE to anyone who has the time and equipment to remove it ASAP. Access is easy, for anyone with a chain saw and a pickup truck. This is a nice opportunity to "get outdoor exercise," (without paying "fit center" fees), while saving up to $300 per cord....and there are several cords available.

I love the "get outdoor exercise" and "fit center" fees. As if anyone who is prepared to take this isn't aware of just how much work shifting wood is. Maybe the poster should cease being a "cheap bastard".

Maybe I am a "sucker" but this one doesn't sound too bad to me. If I can drive up to it, and the wood is on the ground or in a place I can fell it without powerlines or houses nearby, then it is about as good as it gets for me. I don't own much woodland, so I have to cut on other people's land. I don't even mind tossing the brush into a pile, although that wasn't mentioned here. Of course if the intent is that I have to remove all the brush, then it is a different story.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Oh no, I'm not saying it's a bad deal, it's just the phrasing that amuses me - the way of trying to fancy up what we know is hard (but good) work.