Have To Look For New Source Of Firewood

big rockpile · #21 01/17/15, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by where I want to

For me too there is always the tension between being toasty warm, which is wonderful and needs the work of wood burning ,and being never quite warm because the amount of propane I would need to buy to get that would bankrupt me.

Ok we heated last Winter with Propane, used 900 gallons, kept the House at 80 degrees which seemed plenty warm. Wood keep it between 90-120 degrees, bit warm. This is just keeping a small fire going during the day.

My wife was talking about Locking in for 1,000 Gallons of Propane, right now $1.60 a Gallon.

big rockpile

brownegg · #22 01/18/15, 06:41 PM

Don't understand the protection part? Here a permit on government or state land only allows the cutting of dead or downed trees...you guys aren't just wacking what you want, are you?

Pokletu · #23 01/18/15, 06:56 PM

Hey Rockpile,

Of course there'd be retrofitting to do, but are you familiar with rocketstove heaters? A huge advantage they carry is that you burn just sticks, and they're super efficient. Some users actually grow small trees that can be copiced easily to grow their fuel.

Jolly · #24 01/18/15, 07:16 PM

Got a veneer mill anywhere near? The cores tend to make great firewood.

Know any tree trimmers? Park a 16 foot trailer up for them and they might drop you in some big limbs or even the logs off of an oak or something similar.

Know any guys with portable sawmills? If they cut any hardwood, they might let you have the slabs for free. Not the best, but they work.

am1too · #25 01/18/15, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokeEater2

Too bad you're not in my area. I've got a couple of giant white oaks that finally died after the beating they took in the ice storm.

I don't want them to go to waste but I'm having a heck of a time finding someone that wants them free if they cut them. Lots of folks would happily take them if I'd cut,split,haul and stack it for them though.

Or even pay them.

pips · #26 01/18/15, 10:01 PM

heres a easy answer look to the amish if one doesnt sell firewood they know one that does another option is to make bricketes look on utube they make out of sawdust paper leaves or whatever.

gila_dog · #27 01/19/15, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tamarackreg

They need to stop the cutting around here!

I used to heat off the National Forest but now they are in there cutting anything. Large patches of woods are leveled, places where no cutting was even allowed are getting hit hard.

I do everything I can to get pics and videos to the USFS Rangers and LEO's but most of it seems to be going on while I'm at work.

My proposal is to ban possession of a chain saw on USFS property. Dead and down firewood cutting would be done by hand.

It's the opposite here. There are so many pine and juniper trees growing on the hills that it makes the forest unhealthy. The USFS spends millions every year thinning it and doing controlled burns. Otherwise it gets so thick there's nothing but trees and dirt, nothing for wildlife or cattle to eat, and it catches on fire and burns everything up. There's some oak in the canyon bottoms, where if somebody doesn't harvest the dead and down, it will all wind up plugging up culverts under the highways the next time it floods. The USFS encourages sensible wood cutting and a two cord dead-and-down permit costs $20. There is also a lot of firewood to be had from private land if you know the people. Trees fallen on fences, threatening buildings, etc. It's a lot of hard work but I'm sure enjoying the fire in the woodstove tonight.

Homesteader1 · #28 01/19/15, 09:20 PM

Most mills are slabbing hard wood. Check to see if you have wood mill their and just buy a bundle of slabs. Start now and let them season. Your good to go.

reubenT · #29 01/19/15, 10:18 PM

some places are short and some buried in firewood. We're overloaded. The timber cutters just cut several million bd ft of timber from the land beside us, a few people are taking a few of the remnants but probably only a thousanth of one percent of what's out there. and I'm clearing some of my own land so have plenty. I'm going to try making biochar from some. The time and work factor is the limitation here.

Nimrod · #30 01/20/15, 03:43 PM

Forgot to note that I traded 3 laying hens for a bundle of pine slabs. Was about 3/4 of a cord. A bundle of oak slabs is about $25. I cut them into stove lengths and use them in the fall and spring for small fires.

I gleaned a couple of cords of popple off the state land north of me that was logged last winter. Same use as the slabs. Need to get more if they don't burn it this winter like they promised.

just_sawing · #31 01/20/15, 04:05 PM

I burn or give away wood from may to sept. Many a year I have burned a hundred rick to get rid of it. Come Sept I charge $20 for you to load as much as you want on a pick up. I would be happy to cut the wood for an exchange of labor just cleaning up the mill yard. No one has ever been interested.

big rockpile · #32 01/21/15, 04:53 PM

Well my Son came. We was talking over this Heat deal, I was telling him all the Firewood I seen was $150 a cord. He says he can get it much cheaper. Told him the Chainsaw is Junk, I have others. We can help cut Have To Look For New Source Of Firewood - Homesteading Questions

Have To Look For New Source Of Firewood - Homesteading Questions

Ok this I have heard before, it don't work. He says Dad you keep the house 90 degrees, you are not going to be able to afford Propane and keep it like this. Have To Look For New Source Of Firewood - Homesteading Questions

Good Point!

After he left me and my wife talked it over, we decided yes Propane will go up, Firewood can get up to an outrageous price and still be cheaper than Propane.

So going over see if we can cut some. Can cut it pretty Good Size and figure 28 inches, so won't take too long to get a load.

big rockpile