Firewood Logging

[Boondox]

Man, I envy you the oak firewood! It burns so well (hot and long), but on my entire property I have just one oak tree, and it's so perfectly shaped I prefer to leave it standing. But oak is the best firewood! I can practically feel the heat now! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Pete

 

[rancar]

<font color="blue">"...Don't hear me wrong, there are a lot of very honest log buyers out there, having to deal with the not-so-honest log buyers as well..."</font>

Thanks beenthere.....I'll follow up on the suggestions. The problem with those not-so-honest log buyers is they are very good at putting on honest looking faces.

I've had some loggers come up to my place. They talked a good talk and threw out what sounded like real good price quotes. If I didn't know better I would have contracted out with one or two of them from the get-go. Then, I talk with neighbors and others who know these guys and the real horror stories come out.

Here's one example....

One logger started quoting me what sounded like good prices on saw and veneer logs....said he would only cut what I approved. OK up to this point. Then, I ask him what kind of market there is for the slash, tree canopy and such. I'm thinking firewood and chipwood for the pulp mills. Some loggers will cut as much of this up as possible for the firewood and pulp markets and leave very little slash behind. This fella though says, "I'm not into the firewood market, but if I really pushed him on it he'd clean up the slash and give me $5/cord for the firewood. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Hah....$5????...I felt like I got kicked in the face when the market price in my neck of the woods has firewood going for $90/cord minimum. As a point of comparison, another logger was assuring me he works on a 50/50 split. OK, this sounds good. I would get $45 and he gets $45 as his profit. This quote came from one of the better loggers who has come up my way.....problem was with this guy he needed to cut up just about everything in the woods down to 9" diameter trees to make it economical for him to set up his operation whereas I was thinking selective cutting of mature timber.

So, the points you and Andy raise are good points. With me though.....I'm always asking new questions and it never surprises me when I'm learning new things about how different logging outfits operate. It's certainly an educational experience to say the least.

....Bob

 

[rancar]

<font color="blue">"...I envy you the oak firewood! It burns so well (hot and long),..."</font>

Can't argue this point Peter. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I'm clearing out hedgerows on my place and I'm harvesting some oak, in addition to cherry, hickory, and apple. All these make good firewood but my favorite is apple....burns a real long time during cold winter nights. What kind of wood do you burn in northern VT?

Now, the sole, solitary tree on my place. It's a hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis). It's a real nice mature tree that's a wonderful speciman tree. It's sad the little ones never make it. The deer chomp these up....think they're dessert. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

.....Bob

 

[beenthere]

Rancar
Keep in mind that for the logger to clean up your woods of tops and limbs, he will have to somehow be paid to do the work. What I suspect he is telling you is what that cost is to you for him doing that work. Sounds like he wants $85 a cord. It might be worth that to you to do it yourself, rather than have the logger do it. Others are saying that they will clean your woods, but will want to take everything down to a certain size of 9". If they can't make money in your woods, they just won't log in it. They must get paid for all the heavy equipment they need to do the logging. You don't want a logger in there that is losing money. He may be more trouble to you than anyone.

Some of the problems you want to avoid is a logger cutting trees you don't want cut. A good contract will spell all that out. Many a landowner has found trees cut that were not supposed to be (sometimes even over the line on the neighbors). But once the tree is cut, it is too late. Penalties and clear guidelines are important.

Good luck.

 

[Boondox]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What kind of wood do you burn in northern VT? )</font>
Mostly rock maple, but also ash, birch and beech. Nothing wrong with any of those woods, but oak burns so well it makes my teeth sweat!

Pete

 

[centell]

Just curious about the price of firewood. Say a half cord and a full cord. I have pecan and oak. Already split. I don't know asking price. I do have buyers. The smoke house people love this pecan wood to smoke their sasuage and other meats. Any suggestions what the asking prices would be.

 

[beenthere]

That depends on where you are at, and what your market place is like. You don't have anything in your profile, so cannot answer that question. Around here (midwest) a full cord of dry hardwood firewood is around $170, split. But take that same cord to Chicago, it probably is worth a lot more. Get back in the hills somewhere and it is probably a lot less. If you have buyers, sell to them at the rate they want to pay, and then decide if it is worth it to you. Seems fair to me. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[rancar]

Don't have any pecan on my place. Oak though is prevalent and I can buy green oak, split and delivered for $90/cord. Seasoned oak, split and delivered would cost me about $140. But, as beenthere said these prices go up in urban areas. Look in your local classifieds.....find out what others are asking......and use this as a benchmark to set your asking price.

....Bob

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I have about 60 acres of woodland,I have Red oak, white oak,white ash,hickory,maple.....been a hard winter,I have burnt a lot of wood...my favorite is Locust,hard stuff burns long time and puts out lots of heat.I like dragging the wood in with my JD 4400 and taking the 4 in 1 loader and stacking the logs in a pile and then later on I cut the wood up as I need it,use my CUB Cadet 33 ton splitter split the stuff throw it in my bucket as I split it and dump it in a pile.It sure makes it a lot easier to cut firewood when you have the right equipment to do the job,makes it easier on the back.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Around my area in Michigan, loggers cut timber and leave. They will not cut the tops. If you really want the mess cleaned up, find a commercial firewood cutter and GIVE them to him. He will be able to get it done quickly, but he has to be able to make money. He will also be providing you a service. I've seen plenty of people try to make a couple bucks on tops only to get nothing and still have a mess in thier woods. Plenty of people will make offers, but find out finishing the job is more than they bargained for. Remember, that wood will only have a commercial value for 2 years, so after that it becomes really hard to get rid of it.
Also, good timber is very high this year. Get bids before any sale, you'll probably double someone's first offer.