WinonaRail's Wood Yard

Sunday I finished splitting some shorts and uglies for a customer that wanted an IBC tote full delivered. It's in the back of my truck ready to go. I messaged him yesterday to schedule the delivery and he backed out. To be fair, he said he had a death in the family, which I certainly understand. However, I wasn't in the mood to unload 1/4 cord of wood for free. I texted another customer that wanted some unseasoned shorts and he was up for this so he is meeting me to unload out of my truck into his in my driveway. Looks like it will work out and it saves him the delivery fee. This is my first cancellation and motivation to stick to pick ups only for new customers.

 

Cant blame you there. Folks think its easy for us.

I just posted an ad on CL for a half cord of nuggets/shorts the other day. (several cords of them hanging around!) Got a call this afternoon on it. I was surprised it wasnt a scammer. Told him this weekend, but tempted to leave work a tad early tomorrow and deliver it before he changes his mind or cant wait a few days.

 

I also think most people simply don't care how much work they impose on others. It's like there is no value on the time of other people. I'd say deliver today if the customer has cash in hand! Get those nuggets down the road! My customer wants a second load and I have one ready to show him. Hopefully he'll come back and get it.

 

I delivered it late this afternoon and by coincidence he was a couple houses from a regular customer that i just dropped a half cord for on Sunday. He was very pleased with them and wants another half cord in a couple weeks. Im glad to empty the bins. Hope he becomes a regular as its less than five miles.

 

Sounds like an ideal customer! Hopefully he'll become a regular for you.

My new customer came last night after work and I loaded his Ford Ranger just above the bed rails in the center. He was pleased as well. Just shy of a quarter cord. Then I get a message from another guy late last night wanting the same. Of course the tote is empty and I need to go back to the storage yard for more shorties, some of which will need to be split. So far this year I've moved 1.75 cords of shorts and uglies for $575. I don't get why anybody would sell full cords of "nice" firewood for $250 when I can get $300 for scraps.

 

That's great you can move them like that. Some areas have high price points...like the Nashville area...

 

Good point. Ive got a few cords of them hanging around. I know i have a couple sold to a regular already. One is 100% black locust, the other is over three years dried honey locust, black locust & sugar maple.

The tree guy across the street from my wood storage has a mountain of gnarly and ugly logs that i could easily get to cut should i ever get a market for them. I got $160 delivered which is the same as a normal split length half cord. Granted the nuggets are more work but heck a by product of wood production that you can sell.

 

I'm sure my totes of shorts wouldn't be acceptable in the McMansions of Nashville but the key is maximizing profitability no matter where we live. There are guys still selling truck loads of wood for $70-$100 (not as many as there used to be) in my area. I can make more money working at Burger King with zero investment and almost no risk of injury. I'm fortunate to have stumbled into some good niches for selling wood for a decent wage.

 

That's an interesting situation. If you're supply of premium BL ever dries up, maybe you can find another revenue source there?

 

With all the BL i scrounge i end up with lots of cut offs and nuggets. My 2023-24 BL harvest will start in about a month when frost kills off all the weeds and such roadside. I have several areas where i know of clean up wood long forgotten and left behind. Actually have a list!

Im trying to fill the void left by losing four regular customers last year. Amounted to 4+ cords.

 

I love that you have a list of secret stashes! Do you keep the list in a safe secured with armed guards? The BL is worth almost as much as gold!

 

No armed guard or safe, just in my notebook.

As im driving and i spot BL trees ill look for "clean up wood" basically logs left by whoever cleaned it up. One potential one is a blowover in the weeds next to a guys driveway. Easy pickens should i get the okay when i stop and ask. Once the frost kills off the weeds its BL game on.

How are sales Gary?

 

I truly admire your ambition! The only scores I keep track of are the logs laying in my wood yard waiting to be processed. I think I need to get after it!

 

Not really ambition...more of an obsession! Locust mania!

 

Sales have been REALLY slow this week. So far just one bundle. Fortunately I did get a present from a tree service. Pretty nice logs this time!

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Do you notice certain times of year bundle sales increase/fade?

Those are some sweet logs. With the outdoor Fall burning season my bundle sales were busy. Now with cold weather folks have started the indoor fire season which will wane quickly IME other than holidays. Bulk sales have been steady for me. Few regulars yet to call/take delivery. I filled the voids left by lost customers. One very close by too

 

Bundles are up and down for me. They definitely fall off in the winter but I still get a few fireplace burners that use them. Small loose stacks are my main sellers. A $20 stack and some kindling sold yesterday. Normally I go through 3-6 stacks a week.

Sounds like things are going well for you! Keep CSSing!!

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Thanks. My other work has been busier and with the loss of daylight it makes it tougher. Cutting a load today and have a half cord delivery close by.

If i was smart id abandon the wood and work more but i have too much fun in every aspect of it. You know how that goes.

You keep on CSSing as well and work safe.

 

This whole lack of daylight thing is annoying. Having a "regular" job like me makes it really hard because I work until 5:00 and it's dark by 5:30. I'm fortunate that most of my processing is close to my barn and I have plenty of lights. I don't cut after dark however.

How many deliveries do you average per month? How far do you go?

 

Never really kept tabs on an average. I did two half cords this weekend. Both are new repeats already this year. Both close by at two and four miles. My CL ad generated seven sales in a month trying to get rid of nuggets. Had a guy drive by storage on his bicycle. Stopped and asked if i sold wood. Delivered a 1/4 cord of cherry the next day.

Cold weather bundle season is here. Two of the five i sell to let me bring it as needed. The others call. 3 of the 5 are within 3/4 miles apart so convenient. Have the dry wood just need the time to put em together. I may use flash lights at storage.