Not too often I get to post a new thread on my own scrounges, but this weekend was a pretty decent one. Been holding off on collecting wood from two different locations because weather and assistance was not cooperative. Got 13-y.o. son away from his computer and his friends, managed to get two pallet loads of mixed butternut/box elder and two pallets of poplar, plus the stuff in the tractor bucket. The random pine in the background was already there. Each pair of pallets was a full load in my Ram 1500 bed. Probably about 3/4 of a cord of wood once split, but it was free for the work involved. Now the kicker is, I am obligated to get the rest of it from both places, which is at least another 2-3 truckloads of the poplar and another 8-10 (!) truckloads of the butternut and box elder. Plus most of it is big, 18-30" diameter, and I can't bring anything other than saws and brute labor. It was a lot of work and promises to be a lot more. A minimum of 6 cords of wood total, might be closer to 8. I keep telling myself that 'free is good'.
Well, free is good. But it does sound as if you have much work ahead of you. Hopefully you can get close to the wood. If not, I'd get a cart or wheelbarrow to help move it to the truck.
It would be nice to figure out an angle to get your kid(s) a little more motivated to help you. Maybe a dinner out with the family for pizza or a few bucks or something near and dear to their heart that wont cost you anything. Otherwise you might be doing a lot of noodling. At least you have a tractor to help which is a big plus. That's a lot of wood for sure!! Nice to have a little help.
Nice work - gotta make hay while the sun shines. Have you considered a set of ramps for the large rounds? Makes like much easier, and people will marvel at your super human strength seeing the size of the rounds in your truck.
The work may not always be enjoyable, something to be said when it’s all said and done and your admiring a job well done and the job satisfaction of taking care of the family.
Great score man That's one thing about some Craigslist scores, you have to know what you're getting into, If you to commit to it, you got to get at it and get it done. If you can't fully commit to it you have to walk away
The kid is usually pretty good about helping - he understands the value of heat and hot water. He's a Boy Scout anyway, and somewhat of a pyromaniac - so he enjoys fires and firewood and etc. It's just sometimes the screen time is more important especially since it's only allowed on Friday nights and Sundays. Now I just need to get my daughter (age 11) to be productive as well. She does not like bugs, dirt or hard work. In both cases, these logs are in the backyard of a friend, neither of whom burn wood. I can get my truck right up to the wood, so no need for extra equipment. Honestly, if I couldn't get right up to them, I probably wouldn't make the effort. I would love to get my tractor there, but no trailer and no way to transport (both locations are 10+/- miles from home). I don't mind noodling the big stuff anyway, although I wonder how much the neighbors appreciate it since I am collecting the wood from an urban residential neighborhood. I am going to save some of the butternut for carving - so it's not all BTU's.
