Tree tops

[msherer]

I was given access to a friends 200 acres of land that was logged last year. Tree tops all over the place and a bunch of nice logs left that the logger didn't want. There's enough wood there to last me 3 lifetimes. Mostly ash, walnut and poplar. I can only cut there between January and April though (hunting and planting etc in between). My question is how long do you thing these tops will last before they start to decay where they won't be worth messing with?

 

[Firefighter938]

Poplar will be the first to go, then the ash, then the walnut. Walnut lasts a long time. I have the same situation, and have been harvesting there for a few years. It will remain good for a few years, but the sooner you get it the better.

 

[DougA]

Add to that, the close anything is to the ground, the faster it will rot. In my experience, ash and poplar will be OK in 3 years if above the ground, 1 year if on the ground. Walnut is double that.
Trouble is that above ground wood is so much easier to harvest. My advice is to cut all you can and stack it dry, then split whenever you have time.

 

[TheBigIron]

I was given access to a friends 200 acres of land that was logged last year. Tree tops all over the place and a bunch of nice logs left that the logger didn't want. There's enough wood there to last me 3 lifetimes. Mostly ash, walnut and poplar. I can only cut there between January and April though (hunting and planting etc in between). My question is how long do you thing these tops will last before they start to decay where they won't be worth messing with?

Where at in IL you located?

 

[heavy hammer]

I have harvested a lot of wood from various properties that have been logged. Stuff off the ground will last longer but you know that. If you have access to equipment stacking the lengths off the ground will help just clean up the log lengths of branches, put a couple on the ground one way the cross stack the others this will give you more time. Then you can cut and split when you have time.

 

[mitchell721]

Too add to the above. Idk what you cut your firewood down too but say 16 inch. I would cut to what you can handle say 4 ft then you get 3 logs out of each sets you up for future and allows you to move more. So cut them at that length. Stack them off ground and worry about cutting them down and splitting them after april

 

[drz1050]

My first step would be to try to consolidate/ get as many logs stacked and off the ground as possible. I'd do that before splitting anything. Then go back and work your way through the stacks at your leisure. Off the ground, they'll last indefinitely.

 

[Wood Duck]

I agree with the previous posts - I'd focus on moving logs until April, worry about cutting to stove length and splitting after that. I normally cut every little branch, but in this case I'd cut only the wood that is easiest to get.

 

[neverbilly]

If you cut the small diameter logs/limbs into, say, 4' sections, exactly how would you stack 4' pieces? Assume no big power equipment is available. What should the stacks look like?

 

[Fred Wright]

With that much wood available I wouldn't even touch the poplar. That is, unless you plan to sell it later. The ash would be my first priority then the walnut.

Agreed with the suggestion of making short logs and getting 'em off the ground. If you don't have the power equipment available to move logs you'll probably have to cut to stove length on site and truck it out by hand. If the logging paths aren't too pigged up a bucket loader and 4x4 truck would certainly make the job easier.

 

[DougA]

If you cut the small diameter logs/limbs into, say, 4' sections, exactly how would you stack 4' pieces? Assume no big power equipment is available. What should the stacks look like?

I've done that. Lay 3 pieces of poplar (junk) as large as you can handle spread every 3 ft., then lay your good lengths on top of that perpendicular. If you set everything between a few sturdy trees, you don't even need supports on the end of the pile.
Anything to heavy will have to be cut to whatever length your stove will take.

 

[drz1050]

A peavy/ cant hook moves logs quite well when heavy equipment isn't available.

 

[heavy hammer]

Like said earlier put the popular down on the ground in the mud etc. then stack the good stuff on top, the more the better.

 

[blacktail]

If you cut the small diameter logs/limbs into, say, 4' sections, exactly how would you stack 4' pieces? Assume no big power equipment is available. What should the stacks look like?

 

[Poindexter]

What they said. Everything you can get up off the ground before spring thaw will be fine. I would go ape on preserving what you can with minimal processing. After you have rescued all you can, then finish processing.

Putting poplar on the ground to protect the ash and walnut is brilliant, you should buy that man a beer.