Sales still above last year

Cold weather in Nashville has caused firewood demand to surge big time. Five deliveries yesterday and two schedule for today. Was loading my truck yesterday morning for two deliveries. Three more came in as I was loading, so I hooked up the trailer and kept on loading and loading. Was two hours late heading out, but my first three customers weren't going to be home so punctuality didn't matter. I loved hitting the road with four face cords. Saved a ton of $$ in diesel expense and driving time.

 

Cold weather does wonders for wood sales. Send some up here.

Just one half cord delivery for me this week, Regular who takes half cord at a time. Burns through two cords usually.

 

Made two 1/2 facecord deliveries on separate days (Monday&Tuesday). Each one cost me about $25 in diesel. I use to turn down small deliveries, but now I suck it up and deliver. Have found they become regular customers and then I can add their future 1/2 FC order onto another delivery and then this saves me fuel.

 

What is your average delivery distance timewise?Luckily this guy lives less than a mile away.

 

Things are picking up at the roadside stand. As I was finishing restocking for the day, a customer pulls up. Has a small BBQ operation in a town about 20 miles to the south. He wanted to see what I offered. He settled on a stack of mixed hardwood (about 1/4 of a face cord), a stack of cherry splits about half that size and a bag of sugar maple 8" splits. $80 in my pocket and no diesel used. I did help him load but most people just show up and take what they want, leaving cash behind. Last week was about the same.

 

All my Nashville and surrounding cities are in the 60-75 one-way range. I average around 21.5 mpg with my diesel truck. Have been paying $3.69 a gallon at my regular station lately. Have another 1/2 rick delivery today of hickory and cherry for a smoker. Have him scheduled for this afternoon so I am hoping I get another order this morning. I have about a dozen smoking customers and trying to get more since they typically purchase year round.

 

Those year rounders are nice. When i have older inventory thats not as pretty anymore ill sell 1/4 cords of firepit wood on CL.

 

Have my firewood inventory up to about 40 cords. Have doubled my sales year to date, so 70 cords by July the first is my goal. Just need to put in a lot of 12 hour days and keep my back healthy.

 

Good for you putting long days in like that firewooding. Some nice looking stacks there too.

I had a partial roll of synthetic felt and covered a stack with it the other day. Have you timed how long it lasts as a stack cover? Thanks for the tip.

 

Discovered the more you spend on diesel the more you haul in. I have delivered up to 90 miles one way quite a few times. I always try to slip in how far a drive it was for the customer’s delivery. Most of the time they give me a little extra for my fuel expense.

 

Still using stuff two years old. I use duck tape on both sides if I get a puncture to seal from leaks. Purchased another 125’ roll at Lowes yesterday for $69. My military discount covered the tax.

 

Had an almost half cord mulberry stack i topped off and covered with the felt. I have a small roofing project i need it for but will use the rest for stack covers. The 48" width is ideal as most of my stacks are 36" wide. Id really like to get runner roofing but too expensive. I have a call in to a commercial roofer i know for any old tear off rubber, but have yet to hear from him.

 

I am always looking for used metal roofing. Have found high winds turn it into a kite if you don’t have hundreds of pounds of weight on top of it.

 

Diesel is still $5.69 +/- a dime or two here, which is odd beacuse HHO is $3.32.

 

I’ve put about 20k miles on my diesel truck delivering firewood the past two years so I use GasBuddy.com to find the cheapest fuel. $3.54 to $4.29 is what I saw today on my deliveries. Big range! Regular gas was all within a dime everywhere.

 

I don’t really sweat fuel prices, my two facecord deliveries totaled $530 and cost me about $50 in diesel. Could have done both deliveries with my trailer for $35 in fuel, but my last customer lived on the other side of a two feet deep running creek with steep embankments, so two separate trips were required.

 

Today was one of the few times Mr Glock was at the ready since I knew I was going deep into banjo land. The dude ended up being a big ministry type that believed in living off the land. Gather his Benjamin’s and got the heck on the other side of the creek.

 

So, more about that delivery on the other side of Deliverance creek. When the dude placed his order he asked if I had 4 wheel drive since I would have to cross a shallow creek that he easily drives through in his mini van. 60 miles and :90 of driving I am staring into a two feet deep creek 30 yards wide with a little white water. Mini van my azzzz. So being an idiot and already committed to 120 miles of diesel out the exhaust, I shifted into 4 low, spoiled up the turbo and off I went. Nothing but blue sky through the windshield as I climbed the steep embankment on the other side. Before I committed, I knew coming back without the 1,500lbs in the bed might make me a little drifty. While unloading for the 'Man of the cloth', he asked me if I sell much firewood at "these high prices." I assured him I sell every stick I produce and frequently receive generous tips. I then went on to explain all the equipment I own to produce this firewood and all the fuel and time involved. I also mentioned I was only now getting paid for this wood that I cut, split, and stacked 22 months ago. Now I know why he contacted me. Nobody else would cross that creek.

 

Yeah but, will/would you do it again??

 

For sure. It was a solid rock creek bed and my truck easily crossed it. But it was a mystery crossing the first time. And I have no issues with people questioning my prices. I don't like paying $4 a dozen for eggs, but I don't complain to the person checking me out.