Trying to round up some firewood in El Paso, TX. Need HELP!!!

[pyronut]

Hello everybody

I have been reading the post on this website for several months and taking in as much info as I can. I really enjoy all that is offered on this site. I am fairly new to wood stove burning, in fact this past winter was our first year heating our home with wood and we absolutely loved it. Our biggest problem this past winter was being able to get good seasoned wood at a decent price in our area. We are located in El Paso, TX and are trying to get at least 5 cords for the upcoming winter. We payed about 300.00 a cord for oak this past winter and about 250.00 for a mix of pine and juniper, which is a bit costly. Any help would be appreciated on finding some hardwoods at a better price in our area. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Wood Duck]

A lot of us scrounge our wood from the neighborhood. El Paso isn't exactly in the forest, but there are some trees and there probably aren't a whole lot of wood burners. There must be a tree service or two in town that cuts and trims trees, and maybe they can supply wood. If you know anybody who is having trees trimmed or removed, amaybe you can get the wood. Does the city have parks? Those trees occasionally need trimming. You get the idea.

if seasoning is the problem, buy your wood now. It should season completely in a summer in El Paso.

 

[pyronut]

Thanks.
I will be contacting some local tree trimming/removal companies today and see if I have any luck.

 

[Wood Duck]

Also ask your neighbors and keep your eyes open for tree trimmers working. If they are near your house it may be easier for them to give you the wood than to haul it somewhere. lots of us get free firewood that way.

 

[Remmy122]

Craigslist, I just got a nice score from there

Also keep an eye out for the electric company/city. We had bad wind storms monday/tuesday which has turned out to be about 1 1/2 cord of oak for me. Well see after its all split. They havent finished the tree yet either so I can always fill the gaps

 

[Mt Ski Bum]

hmmm... are there any Nation Forests near El Paso? The Forest Service offers firewood collection permits in most National Forests for a pretty cheap price ($5/cord up here in Montana, with 4 cord minimum).

I believe the BLM sometimes issues firewood permits also, if there's any forested BLM land around.

 

[BrotherBart]

Franklin Mountains State Park is just North of El Paso on the way to Las Cruces and the District Ranger offices in Texas issue firewood cutting permits for dead and downed wood. That park is huge.

 

[pyronut]

Franklin Mountains State Park is just North of El Paso on the way to Las Cruces and the District Ranger offices in Texas issue firewood cutting permits for dead and downed wood. That park is huge.

BrotherBart,

How do I go about getting a permit? This sounds like a great option. Sorry if i sound green, but this is all new to me. Thanks for everybodys ideas and help. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[Wood Duck]

I'd just call the park office and ask them. If they don't know what you're talking about, try the ranger station, maintenance guys, or somebody else associated with the park. I think firewood cutting is not the normal park business and sometimes park employees won't know about it if they are not directly connected to firewood. Their ignorance of firewood permits doesn't mean that firewood cutting isn't permitted.

 

[BrotherBart]

Here is a video of the park that will give you an idea of why finding trees for firewood around there could be a problem.

(broken link removed to http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/videos/state_park/big_bend_country/franklin_mountains.phtml)

A cactus burning stove would be more practical. :lol:

 

[billb3]

East Texas.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Just don't go south across that river looking for firewood or you are more likely to find firepower! Sounds bad down there.

 

[pyronut]

Here is a video of the park that will give you an idea of why finding trees for firewood around there could be a problem.

(broken link removed to http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/videos/state_park/big_bend_country/franklin_mountains.phtml)

A cactus burning stove would be more practical. :lol:

LOL A cactus stove would come in handy down here. It may be the next big thing.

 

[pyronut]

Just don't go south across that river looking for firewood or you are more likely to find firepower! Sounds bad down there.

That is very true, you do not step a foot across that border. It is not a good situation.

 

[Valtar]

You get used to it, wich is a bad thing.

Last season I burned pecan and eukalyptus, even some chinaberry. I got the pecan in logs from orchards a few hours from where I live, nurseries in Juarez sell firewood by the pound (kilo) but you are not allowed to take it across the border. I believe your best bet is craigslist, last year there were several offers for free firewood in El Paso. By the end of autumn there were several offering firewood for a premium.

Good luck.

 

[ruserious2008]

Network with anyone you know for starts! I recently scored about 4 cords cut and split 2 year seasoned hardwood from a neighbor of a friend who had some land cleared and decided he didn't want to bother to feed his woodstove anymore for $400! A cord seasoned like that would normally be $250-300.
And Craigslist is your friend
Below is the text of an add I posted in several places and I am now pretty much overwhelmed within a few weeks. Plenty of pallet offers (most hardwood) and one pallet score from a recycler that says he can feed me up to 12 tons ! a week of pallet slats! Way more than I can use but I love them. I used to take 4 or 5 of them (again mostly oak or red oak) and attached them with a nail gun to make a block that burns great. I just perfected a technique drilling a 3/8 hole in the board and whacking a 1/2 dowel into to to make the block so I don't have to drag a magnet thru the ashes to get the nails. I've got a guy I'm visiting this weekend that has a maple down and cut that is about 1/2 a cord and a huge barn that he knocked down that he is cutting up for me to haul away. My big score was someone with about 10 cords of pine recently cut. Lots of smaller scores but having a trailer and scavenging works and I'm having fun at it
Also think and plan ahead several years as you'll read here you really should be working now on your wood for 2013 and beyond. The trick is to catch up being a newbie like me. Sadly many of our ash trees are dead around here and between me and my neighbors I'm planning to take down about 5 cords worth this summer that should be all seasoned and ready to burn.
So.....on the trailer idea if you don't have one-Tractor Supply sells a 4x8 with just the frame and I got some pressure treated plywood and made the 4x8x4 "box for it with a backdoor that folds down as a ramp. I roll those big pieces of pine right up it. I think I finished that project for about $300
Anyway, here's my text for an ad- I release all copyright claims unless you live in my county!
Enjoy

Greetings,
If you have any kind of wood that I can burn (no press board, plywood etc.pine is fine from new construction, you tear down that old deck (not PT) , a wall, barn whatever I'll haul it away for free.
. I can even leave my 4x8x4 trailer with you to fill up and I'll come get it when you are done. Started using a woodstove to heat a small space this winter and REALLY like denying my oil guy my contribution to his boat payments so let me know. Also love pallets! Could regularly pick up pallets from your company as needed. Just reply to this post and I'll get back to you quickly.

 

[woodsmaster]

5 cord in texas ? What are you heating ?

 

[pyronut]

5 cord in texas ? What are you heating ?

I'm trying to get ahead of the game. Trying to get a few seasons worth of wood, instead of trying to round up wood every year. We are heating a single level home, approximately 3400 sq. feet. My wife likes the temp around 78 in the winter , so we end up using a little more wood than I would probably like. But if the wife isn't happy, than nobodys happy. ;-)