American Elm??

[woodbooga]

Sell it as seasoned hardwood. If anyone wants specifics, provide them with a btu chart that shows how elm stacks up and let them make an informed decision.

The only time that I, as a maul-splitting woodburner, have turned down elm is when easier-splitting hardwoods are available at the same time at the same place.

 

[CentaurG2]

I think my biggest question is.....will people give me a hard time for selling it....I have about 5 cords I could sell....I know people like the good stuff (Oak, maple and cherry) never have any problems selling that....I just think if they see elm they are gonna start questioning it ya know?

In my area firewood is really hard to find. Winter has been worse than expected and most people have already burnt through a lot of wood. My phone just keeps ringing for firewood calls and we sold out back in Sept. If it is dry and ready to go you should have no trouble selling elm and I doubt anyone would even question it.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Elm is Primo firewood in some areas. Unfortunately my area is not one of them. When everybody else is running out or has been selling greenwood your well seasoned Elm should sell.

 

[Bowtie]

Elm is Primo firewood in some areas. Unfortunately my area is not one of them. When everybody else is running out or has been selling greenwood your well seasoned Elm should sell.

Yep. Hedge is king here, thats what everyone wants. Oak is big as well. Tell you the truth though, most people I have sold to wouldnt know the difference.

 

[outdoorlivin247]

Tell you the truth though, most people I have sold to wouldnt know the difference.

Amen..

 

[topofthehil]

elm has been good to me.

around here the elms don't get much larger than 10" - 15' in dia. before they die.
I let the elm trees run a cycle before I cut them for fire wood.
they get to a certain age/size and catch Dutch elm disease,
it takes a few years for them to die and for the bark to start falling off.
it takes another couple of years for the bark to completely fall off, but in the couple years it takes, I harvest mushrooms around the base of the tree where the bark drops.
I then cut down the tree down, drag it home and cut it to 30" lengths for feeding the Garn.
if it's over 10" in dia, I split it, but I wait until it's below zero. it splits a lot easier the colder it is.

 

[chainsawaddict]

around here the elms don't get much larger than 10" - 15' in dia. before they die.
I let the elm trees run a cycle before I cut them for fire wood.
they get to a certain age/size and catch Dutch elm disease,
it takes a few years for them to die and for the bark to start falling off.
it takes another couple of years for the bark to completely fall off, but in the couple years it takes, I harvest mushrooms around the base of the tree where the bark drops.
I then cut down the tree down, drag it home and cut it to 30" lengths for feeding the Garn.
if it's over 10" in dia, I split it, but I wait until it's below zero. it splits a lot easier the colder it is.

thats two mushroom posts. what kinds of mushrooms are you guys picking around elm trees? Morels?

 

[outdoorlivin247]

thats two mushroom posts. what kinds of mushrooms are you guys picking around elm trees? Morels?

Yep...yummie...

 

[CentaurG2]

around here the elms don't get much larger than 10" - 15' in dia. before they die.
I let the elm trees run a cycle before I cut them for fire wood.
they get to a certain age/size and catch Dutch elm disease,

Grandpa used to take apart huge elm trees that died from dutch elm disease using a powder wedge. The butts of these trees were given to him by municipalities after the disease had killed the trees. The powder wedge was made out of steel with ring barbs on the end you pounded into the log. You packed this thing full of black powder and hammered it into the end of a big butt. The trick as he told it to me was to backup the wedge with another butt of wood to keep the wedge from flying out. I still have the foolish thing somewhere in the house I should post a picture of it.

 

[outdoorlivin247]

Grandpa used to take apart huge elm trees that died from dutch elm disease using a powder wedge. The butts of these trees were given to him by municipalities after the disease had killed the trees. The powder wedge was made out of steel with ring barbs on the end you pounded into the log. You packed this thing full of black powder and hammered it into the end of a big butt. The trick as he told it to me was to backup the wedge with another butt of wood to keep the wedge from flying out. I still have the foolish thing somewhere in the house I should post a picture of it.

No you should give it to me...I would like to try that thing out...

 

[jcappe]

Grandpa used to take apart huge elm trees that died from dutch elm disease using a powder wedge. The butts of these trees were given to him by municipalities after the disease had killed the trees. The powder wedge was made out of steel with ring barbs on the end you pounded into the log. You packed this thing full of black powder and hammered it into the end of a big butt. The trick as he told it to me was to backup the wedge with another butt of wood to keep the wedge from flying out. I still have the foolish thing somewhere in the house I should post a picture of it.

Hmmm, now that sounds interesting. How about you post a video for us. LOL.

 

[WetBehindtheEar]

Tell you the truth though, most people I have sold to wouldnt know the difference.

I'm a rank amateur when it comes to stuff like this. I find it difficult to recognize wood species when it is split for firewood.

Show me rough cut lumber, though, and I am quite a bit better.

/soapbox on/

Here's a little thought for those who sell firewood.

Just because a customer can't tell the difference, doesn't mean they don't deserve to know whats in the load.

Its what gives the whole firewood industry a bad rap when sellers aren't totally up front with customers.

Even if the wood that went into the load was BETTER than what was advertized and agreed to, very often a customer will feel like something is fishy. (So it's not ALL oak... what OTHER woods are in that load?)

I'm not really in the market to buy but I see SO many ads for "cut, seasoned hardwood, NO SOFTWOODS! $100 a pickup truck load (whatever THAT is...)" and I just wonder how 'seasoned' the wood is and how much box elder and silver maple is in the mix.
/soapbox off/

I've read plenty of stories on this site about savvy customers setting ground rules - ("Is it REALLY seasoned?" "When you come and I test the wood with my moisture meter, will it say less than 20%?")

And suddenly the seller disappears... That doesn't do ANY good for the guys who are bustin' azzz day-in-and-day-out to provide high quality firewood for their communities and trying to make a little scratch out of the deal.

Sorry to be so preachy - I work in a field where success is HIGHLY dependent on customer service and to setting and MEETING customer expectations.