I know this is chump change for many of you, but even this much free oak is rare in the PNW. And just a two minute drive away! The owners kept all the small/medium rounds, but they let me cherry pick from the rest. Should be good for a week of heat in 2027.
Tomorrow’s free score is mystery wood, but it’s seasoned and I get the rack too and it’s EVEN CLOSER! I could walk there in five minutes. I’m still short for this winter, so I’m grabbing almost anything seasoned.
Those are some nice rounds. I still pick up pennies and small firewood scores. Some of the best wood I get is small scores. Dogwood, Hornbeam, Persimmon, Sourwood, Am Holly
Who you kiddin? Ill say it again Cash, you'd go out of your way (and do) for any firewood. Oak a rare one out there?
Ha ha!! Yep. I frequently travel for exotic firewood. Or even nice big rounds of good common stuff like Doug Fir. Oak is extremely rare here. I am able to find a fair amount of scrub oak up here. I got a heaping truck load of black oak in Denver a few years ago. It burned great. Oaks that are common for you, don’t like the altitude here. I wish they did!
I imagine there are a lot of burners there. Is there a lot of competition for wood especially free roadside stuff? What percentage of your firewood is cut from your own place?
EVERYONE up here burns wood. There is almost zero competition for Pine, Doug Fir, scrub Oak etc - because it’s literally everywhere. The competition for the city hardwoods is very stiff. I only travel to get it if the owner promises to hold it for me. I’d say 20% of my firewood comes from my property. My property is so fire mitigated, that I literally don’t have a single dead tree here right now. I’m on top of it.
I live in an area with a lot of oak. I don’t like cutting down live trees. Only windblown or deadfall. And most of that is ash, maple, cherry and locust. Sorta hoping for some oak to drop.
I just split the mystery wood. Owner said it’s been sitting there for 7+ years, on one of those adorable 4’ porch racks with the velcro covers. Maybe 20% of the rounds had been hit by termites, but it wasn’t bad so I think I’ll still keep that wood. Odds are the little jerks died off years ago. Not sure if I’ll split the oak soon or just admire the rounds until I rent a splitter again.
I don’t have a smoker yet, but I sure do love slow cooked pork and chicken. I’m sure I’ll eventually catch the meat smoking bug.
Free oak is Nice little wood get. Those splits will burn long and hot in the firebox on the coldest of nights.
