got a chainsaw and lots of trees

**monkeywrangler71** · 09-23-2011, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by sinopa27

I will replant for sure!! But not pine trees as I have so many of those already. I am thinking poplar trees grow fast.

I consider Poplar a weed, not a tree.

It makes poor fuel - low heat output and smells awful. Plus it sends up shoots all over the places and takes over your land.

**Russ** · 09-23-2011, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by monkeywrangler71

I consider Poplar a weed, not a tree.

Agreed!

In general (I am sure there are exceptions) the faster the tree grows, less BTUs it produces so the quality of firewood is related to the speed of growth of the tree.

Oak = good stuff
Poplar = not so much.

**low-1** · 09-23-2011, 10:05 AM

Yep, poplar is a softwood. It's only a rule of thumb that trees with leaves are hardwood, needles are softwood, not every tree fits that rule.

Best bet would be to start cutting and splitting for next year, and buy pre-seasoned wood for this year. Or, I know a lot of haulage and shipping companies around here usually end up with a lot of pallets and crating that they usually offer for free as firewood. If you can find something like that, you could use that for this season.

Or, it's entirely possible (more like probable) that your woodlot will have some already-dead trees that are still standing, or at least limbs, that are already dry and ready to burn. You might be able to find enough of these to carry you through this season. Even if they have fallen over, as long as they are not rotten, they will be fine.

**lparker** · 09-23-2011, 04:34 PM

There ARE hundreds (thousands?) of people successfully burning pine especially out West. It's best to burn pine when you are home/during the day and burn hardwood at night. You should still have pine cure/dry out for a year, have a smaller, hotter fire in your fireplace insert or stand-a-lone wood burner. Do NOT have a long horizontal run of stove pipe, and check/clean out any horizontal run and elbows frequently for any build-up of creosote and ash.

I wouldn't use a fireplace for anything other than a recreational fire. Using one for heat is a bad idea as the chimney sucks a whole lot of air out of the house which needs to be replaced by cold outside air.

**sinopa27** · 09-28-2011, 03:31 AM

looks like I am going to have to buy seasoned wood for this year and start on cutting wood for next year! Thanks!

**low-1** · 09-28-2011, 09:36 AM

Might be the best plan, but I would bet that you have a few cords worth of dead standing wood ready to burn this year.

BTW, I just finished cutting up a little more than a cord of wood for our firepit last night. All by hand. The town is cutting/clearing wood for a new park/campground down by the beach, and bucked up a bunch of trees into 8ft lengths. Nice jack pine and birch. I asked one of the town guys what was happening with it and he said feel free to load up your truck, so I did!

My chainsaw needs replacing, the bar oiler doesn't work, the recoil is broken (in two separate ways) and the carb is in need of a complete rebuild, so I decided I would take the opportunity to get a little exercise and grabbed the handsaw. Took a few nights worth of work, and I still have to split it (more of a workout), but cut up the last birch yesterday into 18" stove lengths.

I have to admit, I was a little proud when I looked at the woodpile after stacking the last stick, knowing that I didn't need no fancy motorized gadget to prepare my firewood. Used to have a neighbor who was in his late 80s, lived as a trapper his entire life. He spend most of every fall falling trees with an axe and chopping them into lengths for the back of the truck, then using a bucksaw to cut them into stove lengths. The old guy was in fantastic shape until the day he died, mostly because he wasn't afraid of a little hard work.

That said, a chainsaw is one of the homesteader's best friends, as long as it's taken care of. WAY easier and faster than doing it by hand. I'm just waiting to find a good second-hand one come up for sale. Cutting by hand sucks. lol.

**frugalfranny** · 09-28-2011, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by sinopa27

I am thinking poplar trees grow fast.

You might want to RETHINK this.............and READ about them.

Some idiot planted some on this property and they cost me nothing but money...............in all areas. YUK!!!

Quick burning wood............
they are prone to diseases............and while suffering with the disease they drop limbs in ANY WIND.....
they are prone to BUGS...........of all kinds. (earwigs love them!!)
as a tree goes................a short life span......then you are
taking some 70 foot (or higher) tree down before it falls and damages something...........and you are liable.
And yep................YEARS LATER...........I still find suckers!!

I was lucky ONLY in that once I had paid the $700 for them to fall them.............some guy did take them for burning and he knew what sort of wood it was, but didn't care. I can't tell you how many others said "no thanks" when I told them what it was..............AND IT WAS FREE!!