Hi there I have just started collecting and splitting my own fire wood but I am not to sure where you guys get all your wood logs from. I have seen a big fallen down tree branch and I cut it up into smaller pieces and put it on the wood pile. That's not going to last me all winter can you just walk into a forest and chop down the trees? Or do you grow them and chop them down when they are fully grown? As I said before I am new to all of this so I would be delighted to hear from you all. Kind regards, Arlo
Welcome to FHC Arlo . Great opening question, lots of folks with lots of answers on the way. For me, I order grapple loads of wood and process them myself. I dont have the luxury of having acreage with a forest on it. I also cut wood on properties that we build houses on. I hire a proffessional to cut the lot and stack the logs and they chip the limbs and thats it. The last thing is occasional hoarding, folks that I know will call and have limbs or downed trees that need to be removed and I will come take them away.
Welcome Arlo, Most of us own land with trees, know someone that does, cut in the national forest with a cheap permit, get free wood from a tree trimming service company, buy logs by the semi full from a logging company, buy firewood or scrounge (keeping your eye out for free wood locally).
Welcome. I remember asking that very question when I started. Scrounging is where a lot of us get our wood. Let it be known to other people you know that you are interested in taking dead trees, large branches off their hands. I stay away from cutting trees down unless I feel VERY comfortable in taking them down myself. Old farm groves, tree dumps, neighbors and tree service left overs are where I get most of my wood. Good luck!
Welcome aboard Arlo. Glad to have another member from the UK. I'm lucky to be able to cut from my sister-in-law's woods. She's got about 6-7 acres of Oak and Maple, and I've been cutting there for a couple years now. I've also gotten a few cords cut, split, and delivered when we first moved here, then had a 10 cord load of Oak logs delivered....followed 1.5 years later by a 20 cord load of logs. I also cut from my own 8.5 acres, but most of what I've got is Spruce, White Pine, and Red Maple. Let it be known you'd like anything from neighbors and the word will spread. Contact tree service companies too, and perhaps they'd be willing to drop off stuff they'd otherwise rather not deal with.
I get all my wood from having permission to go cut. I don't normally take down healthy trees. Mostly cut dead trees or tops from logging. Also it's good to have people know you will cut up the wood if they have trees or limbs fall. Every little bit helps.
Bingo. I fill the back of my Jeep to bring home. I've gotten less at times, but it all adds up, and fast, if you keep at it.
Hello Arlo! As you may have seen already, every new member gets one heck of a welcome! Great folks, shared in-depth personal experiences, and some funny tales to boot... Wood is everyone's game here, but if you get in a pinch, or thinking differently for kindling- don't forget pallets! Just be careful if you decide to burn a pile of it in place of seasoned splits, pallet wood "logs"(main beams) and slats burn incredibly hot! Nice to know the reach of this forum stretches across the pond! papadave, you from somewhere over there too? Eric VW
hello Arlo...i see the enthusiasm is high thats a great start...we all start somewhere and this site is a great place to learn...read and absorb all you can..and above all else....safety first
Hey Arlo. If I remember correctly you have forestry personnel who do clearing in the larger state managed forests. And you can obtain a permit to remove the downed wood. Do not take this for gospel, but you might check into it.
Arlo, you can check your local Craigslist too. May people come by good finds for free wood there but often the good finds are buried in with ridiculous adds. People wanting to give away brush, calling it firewood, etc.
The smaller pond, that is! Welcome to FHC Arlo! I personally have land that I cut on that my family owns, and a neighbor to that land that has land I can cut trees on as well. I have yet to scrounge, but I'm working on a local neighbor that has a couple trees that need to come down as the utility company chopped the tops of this cluster off. I don't know how it works in the UK, but I can't imagine it would be any different. Here in the States, you have to get permission from the landowner. Do you have anything like Craigslist in the UK?
