Osage in East TN

[NC4TN]

After hearing you fellers talk about what good firewood Osage orange is, I came upon some recently here in east TN of all places......and I've got permission to cut it. I found it by spying a bunch of horseapples laying on the ground, which was the dead giveaway. Is it easy to split and how about drying time?
As dense as it's supposed to be, I imagine it takes awhile.

 

[dingeryote]

Congrats!!

No hedge to be found around here anymore LOL!!

Give it a good year to season like everything else, but it WILL do OK green if needed, as it is a low moisture content wood to start with.
It's just a shame not to wait, and take advantage of all the BTU's in there.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[crowbuster]

Nice score. Be carefull, she does burn hot!

 

[Constrictor]

Im cutting at a place now with almost unlimited free hedge! Got two cords worth today

 

[KsWoodsMan]

It's not bad for splitting by hand.

As for drying time , I've seen it go straight from the stump to the stove at 30-35% MC. It is one of those woods that takes longer to dry and worth the wait sitting on it for a year.

And YES , it does burn hoT !

 

[indiansprings]

Be careful about loading the stove with a full load of seasoned hedge, unless it is going to be attended. It burns very hot. I've seen customers warp the hell out of fireboxes on the old Ashley style wood stoves.
As stated it is a low moisture content wood and can be burned green, or with minimal drying time. Good luck, it is like a poor man's coal. It is tough on saws, chains and the guy running the saw if you mess with old dead well seasoned hedge. I personally hate to mess with it. All the limbs to deal with plus the thorns.

 

[MacLaren]

After hearing you fellers talk about what good firewood Osage orange is, I came upon some recently here in east TN of all places......and I've got permission to cut it. I found it by spying a bunch of horseapples laying on the ground, which was the dead giveaway. Is it easy to split and how about drying time?
As dense as it's supposed to be, I imagine it takes awhile.

I've been to Li' Chicago Tennessee a many a time......:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[dingeryote]

Im cutting at a place now with almost unlimited free hedge! Got two cords worth today

I don't get Jealous over too much anymore, but ya just tap danced all over one of the few things that will turn me green.:hmm3grin2orange:

Dang. Must be nice.

There isn't a lick of Hedge bigger than a boys thumb left around here.
Folks know what the stuff is good for, and get after it faster than it can grow.

If you want to keep that source, keep hushed about it.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[NC4TN]

I've been to Li' Chicago Tennessee a many a time......:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

I heah 'ye! And it is Little Chicago....police force and all!

 

[NC4TN]

I've been to Li' Chicago Tennessee a many a time......:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

And I've been to "Lee-cester" many times! HA-Ha! I'm actually a native Mitchell countian from near Bakersville. Still call it home. I miss NC bad too!

 

[MacLaren]

I heah 'ye! And it is Little Chicago....police force and all!

My Uncle was a Police Officer there from 1959-1963 (he passed away in '63) Funny thing was though, he and Steve Spurrier lived right across from one another. I believe Steve grew up on Wilson Ave. and Uncle Paul lived on Lamont? I cant hardly remember, Ill need to talk to my dad. I remember my dad tellin me how Uncle Paul would talk about this Spurrier kid and what a good athlete he was. Well, Steve Spurrier went on to win the Hiesman trophy as well as play in the NFL. Yup, I'll never forget "little Chicago".......

 

[Hedgerow]

Be careful about loading the stove with a full load of seasoned hedge, unless it is going to be attended. It burns very hot. I've seen customers warp the hell out of fireboxes on the old Ashley style wood stoves.
As stated it is a low moisture content wood and can be burned green, or with minimal drying time. Good luck, it is like a poor man's coal. It is tough on saws, chains and the guy running the saw if you mess with old dead well seasoned hedge. I personally hate to mess with it. All the limbs to deal with plus the thorns.

I like to think it keeps my blood supply fresh... It lets out some of the old, and I make a little new...
And so on... I like the term "Poor man's coal"... It IS the closest thing to burning coal I can find...
:big_smile:

 

[redoakneck]

Keep your chain sharp and your air filter clean!!!! I like stihl RMC for osage orange. Cut some at night and watch the sparks.


I also can get as much osage orange as I want on my buddies 36 acres, walnut, hickory, red cedar (good for a quick start)

I age the osage 1 year and can start it on fire with a small propane tank quickly. Nice stuff, does spark when poked hot. And the thorns are not fun but better than honey locust thorns.

Cut it green and you can see that milky sap pour out of the stump.

 

[NC4TN]

My Uncle was a Police Officer there from 1959-1963 (he passed away in '63) Funny thing was though, he and Steve Spurrier lived right across from one another. I believe Steve grew up on Wilson Ave. and Uncle Paul lived on Lamont? I cant hardly remember, Ill need to talk to my dad. I remember my dad tellin me how Uncle Paul would talk about this Spurrier kid and what a good athlete he was. Well, Steve Spurrier went on to win the Hiesman trophy as well as play in the NFL. Yup, I'll never forget "little Chicago".......

That's it. Small world isn't it.

 

[boilerwood]

GREAT FIREWOOD. I'm cutting some now too. The brush can be a real hassle if the trees are close together and it's pretty stringy to split if it's very big.

 

[Hedgerow]

GREAT FIREWOOD. I'm cutting some now too. The brush can be a real hassle if the trees are close together and it's pretty stringy to split if it's very big.

Like this??? :msp_sneaky:

 

[redoakneck]

Like this??? :msp_sneaky:

SWEEEEET!!!!! I can feel the heat from here!!!

 

[boilerwood]

Like this??? :msp_sneaky:

Yup. I started with some smaller ones, got about 8 big ones like that to clear from a buddies property. They're growing in sand and the roots won't hold any more so the trees are leaning at nearly a 45 degree angle. Gonna be a challenge.

 

[kykayaker27]

its great to burn, but eats the heck outta chains, and seasoned watch out:eek2:

 

[Hedgerow]

Yup. I started with some smaller ones, got about 8 big ones like that to clear from a buddies property. They're growing in sand and the roots won't hold any more so the trees are leaning at nearly a 45 degree angle. Gonna be a challenge.

I just assumed they all grew like that... :hmm3grin2orange: