Wood burning questions- apple and cherry?

[canadiangirl]

Our property was once part of an apple orchard, but has been taken over by forest and brush now. We are clearing out some areas ( mostly so we can get through to fence for next years goats) but in the process have to cut some trees that are in our way. It's mostly "junk" type wood but I hate wasting. The poplar we've put to one side and will burn next year. The other wood is wild cherry and a few apple trees. I seem to think that apple shouldn't be burnt but can't remember why and what about the cherry? Thanks Terri

[big rockpile]

Cherry will burn fine and I would sure get it out.

big rockpile

[tyusclan]

Cherry and apple are hardwoods, and both will burn fine when properly seasoned.

[RichieC]

Apple is excellent firewood.

[nebula5]

Not only is applewood good for burning, it smells wonderful when burning. Brings back memories of childhood for me.

[jross]

The one concern with apple or any fruit tree is the amount of pesticides used in the orchards. I really do not know what residual is in the wood, but if you can smell it, then you are breathing it. The last apple orchard here ( NJ) that was cleared for development had to send all the wood to a hazardous waste facility and they were not allowed to sell it. Keep in mind, here in New Jersey, the legislature believes anything the tree huggers tell them.

[georgec]

I personally would not burn any trees from an orchard. They spray heavily not only pesticides, but also fungacides, and various sprays for other problems. I just wouldn't want my family breathing the smoke from that stuff.

[Clifton73]

Wild cherry leaves when they turn in the fall will kill your animals. I'd burn cherry first. Not to mention cherry is really good burning wood. Almost light it with a match and burns really hot for quite a long time.

[tyusclan]

If the orchard is in the condition that she says, it's been so long since anything was sprayed on those trees it would be nearly impossibel for any pesticide residue to still be on there.

I wouldn't think twice about burning it.

If you're breathing smoke from the wood you're burning, you better fix your stove.

[canadiangirl]

Great more firewood! Yes this "orchard" has been over grown for a long time. It would be at least 12 years since the house was built (not by us) and probably many years before that since this has been productive land, judging from the size of the wood we are clearing. Some of the cherries are 8-10" trees.

[Rae Jean]

Burn It!

[fordson major]

you might look into milling some of the wood. there can be some high returns on apple and cherry! carvers are also another group that look for high value wood and they like the twisted, gnarled wood best! we burn trimmings and dead wood in our stoves, trees have not been sprayed in 40+ years though!

[Old John]

Originally Posted by tyusclan

Cherry and apple are hardwoods, and both will burn fine when properly seasoned.

They also make fine woods to use in your "Smoker Grill".
They make a lot milder smoke than Hickory.
Hickory is hard to beat. But, it's nice if you blend a bit of
Cherry or Apple wood in with it.
Have fun.

[whistler]

Both apple and cherry are far superiour firewood than poplar could ever hope to be.

Whistler

[Jim S.]

Boy, do I envy you. Apple and cherry are great high-BTU firewoods, but they are also excellent smoker woods. If you have a meat smoker, I highly suggest you try them!

[Oxankle]

I go along with the reccomendations for apple, but I do NOT like wild cherry for firewood, at least not the kind we have here.

I've seasoned cherry for as much as a year and still found that it makes lousy firewood in MY opinion. Of course I am comparing it to oak and black locust, but even so it is second-rate. In my opinion it does not start all that easily, and it burns hot but makes a lot of ash. Rather than flame up, mine turned into a red-hot log and just sits there. I quit using the stuff though I have a good many good-sized trees that ought to come out of the pasture. I'll find some woodworker that wants to cut up the logs.
Ox

[RedneckPete]

Apple is one of the best, cherry is a decent firewood, about the same as a soft maple or elm.

I'd burn them without a second thought. Save the apple for the long night burns and flare off the cherry during the day or whenever someone is around to feed the stove.

Pete

[daytrader]

Your apple wood should be bundled and sold in the local paper. The deer hunters will buy it.

The Cherry depends on if it is fruit or black. EITHER WAY do not heat you home with eather.
SELL THEM.

If you can not sell them I will.

I get 1800 for a cord of split 6 month seasoned apple (3 inch thinck by 10 inch long). The cherry is only 400 a cord for black and 675 a cord for red or fruit. BOTH are used for smoking meat. They are not heating woods.

I take the clipping from a local apple producer. THESE ARE SMALL many truck loads, just very small. Most gose to chipping to be bagged and sold for smoking wood on the retail market.

If you have thick apple wood. DO NOT SELL YOUR SELF SHORT! You can be the big man in a small market for a year.

To get an idea. MANY of the apple trees in the orchards in this area will be cut for wood this year. The fruit will not produce due to the low water. The wood is worth more then the years of fruit production.

[Scrounger]

MAN! I wish I wee closer! I'd love to have some of both for my wood shop. I've got 5-6 long "slabs" of both now, but "need" more.

[canadiangirl]

Thanks, I'll look into selling it, but I am in the land of apple orchards so I don't know what the market would be locally. This is one of the major apple producing areas in Eastern Canada so there is no shortage of apple wood or trimmings here.