I guess the grass is always greener in the next paddock, but I must admit I envy the choices most of you have. Here is NZ there's essentially one softwood - pinus radiata (Monterey pine), usually just called "pine", and there's one affordable hardwood - "gum" aka eucalyptus. Gum covers a lot of different varieties with different characteristics - but people can seldom tell you what sort of gum they have so it's pot luck. Apart from those two I've only ever had: some oak (a hatchback load, not even one cube), which was lovely to split when it was green and impossible when I let a few rounds dry; one memorable 3 cubes of "sheoak" (casuarina), which was absolutely marvellous - I've watched out for it ever since but never seen any more come up in my area; and one mystery tree, which the owner couldn't identify (it blew over in a storm). One visitor who inspected my stacks thought it might be black wattle, another guessed mulberry - it's all gone now, so we'll never know, but it did burn long and hot. Anything more exotic that pine or gum is usually from someone's garden. There are numerous native hardwood trees but they are generally very expensive and, due to their aromatic qualities, often diverted to either smoking or to native Maori ground ovens, called hangis. Most adult native trees are protected and there's a lot of bureaucracy involved in cutting them down. Still, pine (despite the chimney sweep's objections) is good kindling if properly seasoned, and gum is a fine hardwood very resistant to rot and mould in the stacks. So I should count myself lucky to have both.
I've never had locust. It would be nice to try some. I'd also like to get some wood from a monkey puzzle tree, just so I could say I'm burning monkey.
If you’re interested in trying some I’ve got a couple logs or splits you could have. I’ve got loads, happy to share.
Where did you live in Adams County....I'm familiar with everything you are talkin about.....where do live now?
We have plenty of good hardwoods to burn for heat so I see no need to lust for anything else. Mostly oak, ash, locust, and maple get fed to the stove plus any excess hickory and cherry. So far I have found all hardwoods that have beer seasoned will burn and produce heat. If I want a longer burn I grab higher density heavy splits, and don’t worry about species. For the most part, dry mass = BTUs. Most hickory and apple goes to the smoker, sometimes with oak maple or cherry and the occasional imported mesquite. If I was going to wish for another wood to be available locally, it would be alder to use in the smoker for fish. In the smoker I am after flavor more than BTU’s so species matters.
Do you know a Tony Fetters? I have been lookin for orchards that are being pushed over but havin a hard time time findin any. I did service work on appliances n alot of growers walk in coolers for 20 years.....found a new job in 2000 n lost all my connections plus as much as I used to travel I had a good chance to see who was pushin trees over.....do you know of any at the moment??
I think there's a typo there. You probably meant to write "... all hardwoods that have been beer seasoned ..." I must admit I would never have thought of doing that. How long do you soak the splits in beer before stacking?
It would explain why when alcoholics go into rehab for a long time they are said to be "drying out". Obviously an analogy to the New York seasoning method.
