Processing Firewood

Definitely I would bring Miz Carol. Since she left Walmart about 5 yrs ago, she is my shadow. We have really enjoyed our time working together.

 

I help my brother with wood. He has around 60 acres of woods. He had it selectively logged 5 years ago. At that time we skidded the wood to openings in the woods, cut it there, and hauled to his processing area with our UTVs for splitting.
We also cut log length wood he gets from a logger friend. Brother gets a good rate from him and they trade work back and forth-brother owns a excavating business. That is all cut at the processing area.
We also "clean" up his woods every year by either cutting and hauling with the UTVs or skidding to a convenient spot-sometimes the processing area if the ground is froze hard and the wood stays clean.
Attached is a picture of the processing area.

 

I've done everything. I'd say the best thing to do if you don't have your own source to cut from is to make friends with some local tree guys. They'll give you a heads up when they're taking something down in the area and you'll just have to go over and load it up. Tell them what size rounds you prefer so it's cut into something that's manageable and can go right onto the splitter. Also let your family, friends and neighbors know you're looking for wood. 50% of my current wood pile is from 3 big mulberry trees taken down on neighbors on both sides of my property lol. It's nice to not have to go far to get it when it's all cut up and ready to move.

Also don't be afraid of pine. There's a lot of it in CL that gets passed over because of the bad rep pine gets for indoor burning. Pine dries pretty quickly and it'll give your hardwoods more time to season. I burnt 90% pine last winter since I was rebuilding my supply and wanted to give the hardwood (especially the oak) more time to season.

 

We get all our wood from tree services that bring me logs for my sawmill and the cull logs are the firewood i usually end up with a good amount because tree trimmers are not loggers and they send whatever they dont chip . Some loads the tree services call me to tell me what they have and I will pay for my log hauler to pick up Most of what I saw is black locust and ash some poplar mixed in
I do all processing here with a S-250 bobcat with a TM upside down splitter attachment I also have a homebuilt 30" hydraulic chainsaw mounted on loader the large logs 30" to 60" are cut with a 2100s homelite with a 50" bar

 

Since dad died in 2004 I've been maintaining their property and I have plenty of maple and pine to harvest from. Right now there's a lot of dead standing oak and storm downed oak that I just keep whittling away at whenever it is cool enough.
I helped a BIL with some dead standing oak a few miles down the road for a share. It actually worked rather well, but he died of cancer so those days are gone.

 

My son-in-law works for a land clearing company and for the last 4 years I was getting semi load of logs free for the asking. The boss must have smarten up. They now want $$$s for the logs. I will be harvesting wood from my own land now.

 

I have some farm land that has small patches of woods(2-3 acres) I’ll drive in with the 4 wheeler cut it down and then cut it into 6-12’ long logs depending on diameter. I’ll drag it out to the edge of the woods and then cut into splitting lengths. Then into the truck or trailer. Then home right to the splitter. I place the splitter right in front of where I’ll be stacking it. Minimal moving as I have no heavy equipment to move wood around

 

I'm lucky to have a neighbor who is part owner of a tree service. With out him I'd be scrounging. Have not got a load in almost 2 years. I'll be getting 1 this fall I hope. Some is bucked some is log length.


When they need work done to there big trucks. I get special pricing on parts and labor were I work. Seems to work out for both of us.

 

I cut on my own land when I need to, but haven't in a few years. My neighbors who have land give me a lot of wood/trees, I give them veggies. Good trade. I get most of my wood from the sides of the road that the tree trimmers drop along the power lines, NH is the most forested state in the country, so there is lots to get, but everybody and his brother is doing the same thing, so you gotta be fast or it is gone. Friends and coworkers know my quest so they clue me in to wood for the taking. The heavy ice and snow storms of the last few years have been great for wood down everywhere. Rowerwet has a great thread on all the wood he got that way. I have plenty of space to store logs, so I wait until the weather is cool enough to process. In the winter I can't usually find the wood until late March or early April when the snow melts to even find the logs. 2 years ago we got 8 feet of snow over the winter. I don't have a smart phone, and not on CL or FB. This is my only internet activity here at the FHC.

 

I agree 100%. I guess I worded that wrong. The problem with that is I'm not out all of that good stuff right now. Plus it's too dang hot for that.

 

I guess am still trying to find my system and what works best for me. Good to hear everyone's different setup thank you!

 

I buy 1 log length load every other year and get the rest from my property.
The Log length wood I cut to length and roll into bucket carry to splitter and split then it goes wright on the stack.
I modified my DHT splitter w/ log catcher on both sides of beam wood seldom hits the ground. The wood from my property gets trailered out. From trailer to splitter then stack. Last week I had some spruce rounds given to me I brought the splitter to the wood quartered the rounds to make it easier to handle. When I got home it went from truck to splitter again to stack.

 

Nice to be able to drive your truck and or trailer directly to the area where it's going to be split and stacked. Am forced to drive my dump cart around front, load her up and than around back. Dump cart isn't huge so depending on the load it's many many trips.