Very typical of cherry. Look at the growth. Even if you let this live another 20 years I highly doubt it would make a saw log. Typical of cherry is that they don't grow straight. For firewood, I'd determine what size the trees are and what you might be able to save for saw logs. Perhaps the oak and hickory for firewood but I'd also cut some cherry and use that in spring and fall for firewood. Cherry burns good but don't hold fire too long so that makes it ideal for the sort of weather we've been having this fall.
As far as what to cut goes I like a mixture. I love oak for long burns but I go after cherry just as much. Cherry is my favorite wood to cut and split, and it smells great when burning. Last few years I went all out cutting locust and oak and now that is the majority of what I have to burn. It's nice having middle or lower btu woods in the stacks to mix in and for milder weather. In conclusion I would agree with Locust Post. Cut the trees that aren't your nice ones. None of those are bad firewood and all will do good heating your home.
Lots of good advice already posted about what trees to thin. Sometimes folks get the misconception that they are sitting on a goldmine with cherry or walnut trees. There has to be a nearby market for those trees to be valuable beyond firewood or pulpwood. That cherry is curvy and will never result in either a good saw or veneer log. Don't worry about eliminating them from your forest - they produce plenty of cherry fruits that birds will distribute everywhere
I have to respectively disagree with you. While some of the pin cherry shows the bark you describe, some of it doesn't. Those that don't have a rougher bark than a typical cherry. Almost flakey. Kinda like the one pictured. They also typically have pruning issues like the one pictured. What is it for sure? Well, my guess if a pin or fire cherry. God Bless
It really doesn't matter. It's a cherry tree of some form. We all agree on that. Gonna be useful for smoking or firewood. I love the smell of cherry, it's one of my favorites Typically it splits good and dries in <1 in my case
Cherry is an excellent soft mast producing tree. It's good to keep some in your wood lot if you like seeing some animals from time to time.
Yep, black, or wild cherry. It's decent wood, but hickory or oak have a lot more btu's and will burn longer. That's said, it burns nicely, and smells great while burning.
CoreyB If you have any friends who do wood turning, they may like some of the cherry, especially if the trees have burls on them. Turners do like burls and cherry makes some good looking burls
Only thing I'd add is if you ever plan on having livestock in the vacinity of cherry trees, be very careful. The leaves are very toxic when they are withering. Strong enough to kill a full grown horse if they eat them. That has prompted me to harvast any cherry tree within winds' distance of my pastures...Along with red maples, chinaberries, and most persimmons (fruit's seeds can mass in their stomachs). Owning livestock can influence what you cut.
