Free firewood!

CurtisWilliams · #1 08/12/05, 07:53 PM

During our scramble to come up with enough firewood for winter, someone gave me the best tip ever, when they suggested that we call the city maintenance dept and inquire what they do with trees they cut down. It turns out that the city has a wood dump of sorts where they keep the trees downed by storms, trees cut from right of ways, ect... We were told that we could take all we wanted. We cleaned out the van and gassed up the chainsaw, and headed south to the city yard. I was anticipating a pile we could pick thru and maybe get a few pieces of decent wood. I just about sh*t my pants when we arrived at the mountain of firewood that awaited us. I cant estimate how much wood there was, maybe thousands of cords. All different of kinds and sizes, from apple trees a few inches across to elm 30 inches diameter to behemoths I wouldnt be able to touch with my 20" saw. Maple, apple, elm, walnut, cedar, cottonwood, you name it, it was there. All free for the taking. We took four loads (estimated 4-6 cords) already, and will be back next week, and the week after, and the week after for as much as we can haul off before winter.

We heat solely with wood, and at $175 a cord, this bonanza just saved us a lot of headaches and money. If you have a town or city near you, look into this.

Cygnet · #2 08/12/05, 08:05 PM

In Arizona, most of the national forests allow firewood cutting with a permit. There's a huge problem with small dead trees that the loggers aren't interested in and are only good for firewood. We can generally cut a pickup truck load within 100 feet of where you park the pickup.

Last fall, a permit for 11 cords of juniper/oak was $25. A permit for unlimited ponderosa was FREE because ponderosa burns dirty.

Oh, and they don't care how you stack the logs. Including log cabin shaped. We asked.

Leva

Ken Scharabok · #3 08/12/05, 08:15 PM

Also check with local small sawmills. I am current hauling railroad tie end cut-offs. This afternoon I brought home enough on the tailgate to where the front of the Ranger was a bit light.

A place which makes pallets (as well as ties and such) has a pile about 100' long, 40' wide and perhaps 14' at the top center. Very reasonably price and they will dump in your vehicle/trailer if you want.

john in la · #4 08/12/05, 10:09 PM

We follow the logging crews.

You can get a lot of wood just from the tree tops and from trees that they are not wanting because it is not straight enough for a saw log or what ever.

Only problem is it is hard to get to a lot of times. Well off the beaten path.

tobo6 · #5 08/13/05, 01:33 AM

That's very cool, and after you get enough for yourself, I'd be grabbing up more to sell to everyone else. Nothing like putting away money for the holidays, lol. In a couple months all the city slickers will be rushing around trying to find wood for sale at the last minute.

Just an idea.

Ken Scharabok · #6 08/13/05, 04:46 AM

Sometimes at places like convenience stores you see split wood bundled in plastic wrap perhaps 12" rounding by 16" or so long. I once calculated the cost at about $700 per cord.

dscott7972 · #7 08/13/05, 05:15 AM

We have about 100+ acres to cut from on my Grandpa's adjoining property. However, there is a sawmill (they make wooden pallets) about 2 mi away and I get 10'-16' long pieces of the outer part of the tree (sometimes nearly all bark, sometimes 8" thick) and bring them home and cut them into smaller sizes. Alot of maple and oak, but I take the poplar also (actually tulip trees aren't poplar but we all call it that).

CurtisWilliams · #8 08/13/05, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mljjranch

That's very cool, and after you get enough for yourself, I'd be grabbing up more to sell to everyone else. Nothing like putting away money for the holidays, lol. In a couple months all the city slickers will be rushing around trying to find wood for sale at the last minute.

Just an idea.

Already on my to do list.

MaineFarmMom · #9 08/13/05, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john in la

We follow the logging crews.

You can get a lot of wood just from the tree tops and from trees that they are not wanting because it is not straight enough for a saw log or what ever.

Only problem is it is hard to get to a lot of times. Well off the beaten path.

We've gotten a lot of firewood this way. Be sure to get permission from the land owner.

Leay · #10 08/13/05, 12:44 PM

We are surrounded by a state forest and we allow the DNR to use an access road through our property. In return they leave all of the tops for us when they cut down trees. They even drag them up fairly close to our house! Free heating wood..cant beat that!
Leay

halfpint · #11 08/13/05, 03:37 PM

We got all of our firewood this year from a friend who is building a house - got about two cords and could have gotten more, but in Alabama we don't burn that much even using wood as our primary heat in the winter. He had to put in about 1000' of driveway which is why so many trees had to come out.