WinonaRail's Wood Yard

Awesome account to get! First order? Will he buy from you again?

 

Dumb question. How small of limb wood have you used/sold? Looking at adding some apple to my future inventory and may have some smaller trees to harvest. I know I'm very limited to straight pieces for bundles as these are in an orchard. I've used 2-3 rounds in bundles and bags.

 

It's his second order (this year). Interestingly, he buys post oak and pecan by the face cord from Texas. He starts the smoke with those and then he finishes off with my wood. I need to talk to T.Jeff Veal about truckload orders!

Sent from my motorola edge plus 5G UW (2022) using Tapatalk

 

I'll split down to 3"-4" limb wood. I rarely use smaller unsplit limbs. I would probably make an exception apple.

Sent from my motorola edge plus 5G UW (2022) using Tapatalk

 

Finished up a tote of sugar maple today for next year's smoking wood. I have almost a cord split and stacked in inventory.

Sent from my motorola edge plus 5G UW (2022) using Tapatalk

 

Good deal on the sugar maple. Some nice splits.

How are sales? Nothing in the past week for me. One guy today was very interested in apple chunks, but I haven't reeled him in yet. I have the 60 bundle order ready for the new account. Just have to assemble his rack as I bought the 2x4's. Another regular texted for his usual 40 bundle order.


I have some three months old heartwood sugar maple that was cut from a big log that had been sitting for over a year. (June score) Close to being ready. Sadly it may end up mixed with regular bundle wood as I don't think I'll have enough dry for the Winter.

 

I understand what you're saying about having enough dry wood. I ALWAYS worry about that and usually just squeak by.

 

Since you asked about sales, here's a report. Much of July and early August were absolutely dismal due to extremely hot weather and rain on the other days. Sales have picked up considerably in the last 2 weeks. Many wouldn't consider these big numbers but I'd guess I've had some of the best numbers in the nation for a roadside stand. Here we go...

For the week of 8/25, I sold 26 regular bundles, 1 bag of maple 8" splits, 6 2'x2' loose stacks, 1 hickory loose stack, 1/8 cord of spruce campfire wood, 5 2'x4' stacks, 3 pack of mini bundles and 3 fire starters. With Labor Day being on Monday, those sales are included with last week: 10 regular bundles. 1 bag of honey locust 8" splits, 7 2'x2' loose stacks, oak loose stack, sugar maple loose stack, 1/8 cord of spruce campfire wood, 4 2'x4' stacks, 3 pack of mini bundles, 2 pack of kindling bags and a kindling bundle, in addition to the smoking wood delivery on Friday. That's a bit more than 3 cords in 2 weeks picked up by customers. I spent more time refilling the stand than producing firewood.

 

That's great, Gary.

 

Gotta keep up with the work ethic of those fine Georgia folks! And maybe start delivering to Nashville??

 

Two 20# bags of apple nuggets and three bundles of cherry sold tonight. Reeled in the guy from Sunday. He called and came right away. Will want to try other flavors in the future. Young kid new to smoking.

 

I forget, do you sell any type of kindling? The pro BBQ guy from last weekend mentioned it and he bought a couple bags of splitter shards for kindling. He said I should try doing that Filled a bag with just the scraps on the ground at the PA. Ill offer them to customers when they show up.

 

We're old and slow now.

 

Sounds like the perfect customer. I love when people ask me what they should buy and are open to suggestions.

Sent from my motorola edge plus 5G UW (2022) using Tapatalk

 

Yes I do. I usually end up with small limb wood that is too small for regular splits. I'll split them anyway and include longer splitter shards and bundle the whole thing about the same size as a regular campfire bundle. I stock those in my roadside stand. I also use smaller mesh bags that I buy on Amazon. I include about half a dozen small splits probably not more than 6 in long. That is another way to get rid of some of the shorts. I also throw in a few hands full of small splitter shards as well as some rolled up newspaper that they can use to start a fire. Those are in my roadside stand as well.

Sent from my motorola edge plus 5G UW (2022) using Tapatalk

 

I brought home a large load of logs from my new source today. I am using his trailer and he loaded it and pulled it to the top of his hill so I could hook up and go. This might be one of the best deals in firewood history. lol

Now I have a question for the FHC brain trust. My log provider wants to charge $25 per load. This would cover the cost of fuel and time. I feel the amount is absolutely fair. Here is my question.

I only have access to the logs that he does not want for himself. That means I will not get any oak, hickory, cherry, hard maple etc. I am totally fine with that as well. My dilemma is in how to efficiently get the logs off the trailer. After they are loaded, the only thing I can see to do is to unload everything by hand and then cut on the ground. This will significantly increase my labor and if the logs are sufficiently large, I may not be able to unload them at all.

I'm curious about the folks that typically haul logs home in trailers that are not dump trailers. How do you go about getting them unloaded without breaking your back etc?

Sent from my motorola edge plus 5G UW (2022) using Tapatalk

 

If your trailer is configured so it will work (no inside corners), wrap a chain around a couple of logs on the bottom and pull off with a tractor. Lacking a tractor, hook the chain to a sturdy tree (or other relatively immoveable object) and pull the trailer out from under the logs. You may still have to manhandle one or two stragglers but this will get most of them off.

 

^^^ works

 

[INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT]​

Thinking saving the shards will become standard SOP at the splitter for me.