Dang... This kid talked to his dad, who said not to waste his time with the tree of heaven... Father knows best. Just as well. During my last trip to the score, the landlord came up to me pointing at all the brush piles around his yard, "if you want to take all that while you're here..." Ahhhh I see. Cigarette hanging out of his mouth, almost burned down to the filter. He reminds me of so many landlords I've dealt with in the past.
WHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAT! Is hell freezing over??? How did you get cured of locust mania? However you did dont tell me please!
I think I'm going to end up with the rest of the locust from there. Probably one more heaping load left. The kid had his mind made up about the TOH, I mentioned the BL but he started explaining about some oak and black birch on the other side of town he's been working... It's all good.
Waddaya think Brad? We dress up in safety orange and hit that place? Have the rest of those locust down and loaded before they know what’s happening. It’s for everyone’s safety!! There will be medals and a parade,,,promise.
One more small load for the cause. There’s *probably* 2 more there, likely 3 once I get all the long dead stuff on the ground. I saw some Japanese Knotweed sprouts there yesterday so I better get a move on over there and finish the score before the hillside becomes a thick bamboo forest.
Hahaha. That comment comes from a bit of reality. My girlfriend who lives about 45 minutes away and thinks this firewood fascination is a tad crazy gives me a call. “There’s a whole pile of logs on the road near where I’m working”. Of course at that distance it’s gonna have to be Black Locust or I’m not going LOL But it’s near buZZsaw BRAD s neighborhood so I shot him a message to see if he’s interested. Still back in the day when he only traveled five miles or so for a score. Anyway they finally disappeared and I get another call. She’s a little sad they’re gone because every morning when driving by she’d say “Wooooood” to that pile of logs. She doesn’t mess with firewood but we are compatible in all 30 points of disfunction.
Curiosity got the best of me tonight. I just had to know, how bad is green American Elm to split? It’s sat in the round for 3 months now, with plenty of checking on the ends. I grabbed one round and went for it. Smooth as the standing dead stuff I got back in March. I then brought out the entire pile of rounds and went for it. Wouldn’t you know, every round after that first one just tore and shredded. I got through it though and oddly enough I’m still looking forward to getting more later this year
Thats interesting. I wouldnt have guessed that. I personally wouldnt have touched it with a ten foot axe. Did you have Wheaties for breakfast or something? The elm cut a year ago thats 1/4 mile down the street from me is still there. buzz-saw and i cut a couple trailer loads for him and maybe a PU full still to be had. Goldilocks size too. I drive by it all the time and now with a hydro at my disposal im gonna take it eventually. Problem is its all overgrown now. If i remember most of the wood is off the ground too. Maybe September/October and sell later this Winter if its dry enough. Some was dead barkless.
It was working the splitter hard on the crotch pieces. Very weird stuff. Soft but super tough. It’s not like oak where once it gives it just springs apart. Have to drive the wedge to the end with elm, that’s for sure. I’m liking all the stringers on the splits. Something about built in kindling that appeals to my lazy side I’d go for that elm if I were you! With hydraulics there’s a whole world of wood waiting at your discretion.
I agree. This past winter was my first experience with it and I only had enough for one stove load. The day I used it I went out Christmas shopping and when I came home many hours later it was still going, with a nice bed of coals cranking out the heat. I see why (some) people take all they come across. I’m a believer
Speaking of Elm... this morning I was busy cutting down a massive tangle of grapevines on the edge of my property. They were draped over and choking a few trees, and overhanging my chicken coop so they had to go. Lo and behold I found a small American Elm (about 8 feet tall) under the mass of vines. Kind of a cool thing to find, since I haven’t seen another one anywhere else in my neighborhood. This one has a lean to it but now that it’s not being choked out I’m sure in a couple years it’ll start growing more vertically. I’m looking forward to having another nice shade tree in this part of the yard.
Oh, …. You say that now, but elms aint the greatest yard tree, although it can provide lots of shade for you if you live long enough.
Why not? Slow grower? I know they live on borrowed time, and that Dutch Elm Disease gets them eventually.
