I'm not sharing!

[stihly dan]

I have worked hard scrounging my wood. My plan is to get 10 years ahead because I want to. This winter apparently alot of people are running out of dry wood. I did sell 1 1/2 cords to a guy up the street for $150 and gave him 1/2 cord of dry willow also. It took him 4 weeks to get it all, I think he was burning it out of the back of his truck. During that time I got 4 cord split, and scrounged another 1 1/2 cord. This weekend I get a call asking if I'm going to be around because he wants to talk to me. I hate that. You are already talking, spill the beans. So he stops over saying he is out of dry wood again and would like to trade my 4 year seasoned oak for green oak in the summer. I did not want to let any of my wood go anyway, but thought I would be nice. But 2 cord isn't enough I guess. 1st if he couldn't get enough last year by more than 2 cord, what are the chances he can get the extra 2+ he needs and what he would owe me. 2nd, if it takes him 4 weeks to pick up wood he needs, I doubt he can deliver. So I tell him sorry I am not letting anymore go. I have to listen to him freak out about me being greedy and not sharing. Now tonight my wife tells me some people at her work are mad because I wont sell them dry wood, and nobody around is selling any. Enough is enough, if your going to be lazy it's not my responsibility. For now on my wood is my wood, get your own or be cold. Thanks for the vent, cause my wife sure doesn't understand.

 

[dave_dj1]

You came to the right place for understanding. I'm all for giving a hand up, not a hand out. I'm not super religious but I was all ways taught "god helps those who help themselves".
I couldn't sell my scrounged wood cuz the way I see it I have about $500 a cord in it and it's priceless to me.
dave

 

[aaron]

Ants and grasshoppers....

 

[GeeVee]

Ya ought not sell even one more stick again.

But I don't blame you.

 

[muddstopper]

I got a buddy that sells firewood. Last wk he came over and help me split my next winters wood. when we got done, we got to trading on a 365 huskey saw, so new the muffler doesnt even show signs of being hot. I made him an offer for the saw and we went back and forth for a little while and then he threw out the kicker. Said he would trade if i would let him throw a load of the wood we just split on his truck. Well, when I got through laughing, I started loading the saw back in his truck and he just stood there with his mouth open. Now he is selling pickup loads for $100 a pop and I know it, what in the world made him think I would sweeten the pot with a fulll load of wood. I did end up with the saw, but I didnt sweeten the pot with anything else.

 

[UpOnTheHill]

I don't blame you one bit. I try to not let other people's emergencies become my own, unless they are close friends or family of course. Last winter, we moved into our new place and I was short on wood. I had about a cord c/s/s that I moved with us, but it was campfire wood (was burning pellets before we moved). I was getting close to running out and was scrounging through the snow up in my new woods but it was tough to find dry wood. My good buddy, his wife and kids came over for Sunday dinner and he noticed. He offered to bring over a pickup load or 2 to get me through. I took him up on it and we did just fine. We are both the kind of people that pay others back plus some. I still owe him, but we agreed I'll go out with him for a full weekend and cut him wood where he cuts and that will be the payback. Probably this summer. You can usually tell if someone is genuine and is good for their word. Sounds like you made the right choice.

 

[zogger]

You're right, he isn't going to scrounge that extra, and even if he did, you wouldn't get it.

Stick to your plan, it will pay off.

I let some go this winter to folks who were out, most of it was years old unsplit I had to move anyway, making space for a shop/shed. I synmpathize this year for folks because there wasn't any propane around here, even guys running kerosene room heaters were having to go get freeking lamp oil for big bucks. So, some went out. This was wicked mean and nasty cold for around here. Everyone but me just slap ran out of dry wood.

I told them IF they want to get ahead for next winter and the winter after, AND want something of a deal, come back with some moolah, and I could load them up with fresh green cut, unsplit, random assorted species. But that's it. I hand load, unload, split, stack, so selling bulk seasoned split by the cord makes me...fifty cent an hour or something not into that....

 

[timbrjackrussel]

Thanks for the vent, cause my wife sure doesn't understand.

My wife understands, she works very hard in the bush and is always ready to help loading, splitting and stacking.
She helped get another 128cft. in the basement and put 128cft. on the trailer, tarped and ready to go in the basement next.
We also delivered dry maple to a senior couple who were burning broken skids. It was off of a very large tree and cut shorter than I normally use. Perfect for them. NC
I understand. Sometimes we would rather give it away.

 

[john taliaferro]

I told a person ok once for a pickup load he promised to bring me back 2 loads of nice oak .He got 4 cord of dry oak and dumped a fresh cut rotten hackberry . Three months latter he came to the door wanted to trade some more i told him to leave and not come back . He was in the news lately for grand theft think he got 5 .

 

[colson04]

It's all about boundaries. I have no problem helping a person in need, but when their 'need' becomes a frequent habit, I put down my foot. There is a distinct difference between helping someone in need and enabling a behavior issue.

 

[UpOnTheHill]

It's all about boundaries. I have no problem helping a person in need, but when their 'need' becomes a frequent habit, I put down my foot. There is a distinct difference between helping someone in need and enabling a behavior issue.

Like enabling CAD?

 

[brenndatomu]

How 'bout if you sell him the wood he wants for a lill more moola, say, $150-$200 per cord (you sold yours too cheap) with the agreement that if he does come up the green oak this summer that you will give him the money back? It will be dry as a popcorn fart by the time you need it anyways...

 

[cat-face timber]

i totally agree
the guy that needed the wood should have offered to go with you to help cut/load/split then maybe half the load with him
if he kicks in some gas money

 

[stihly dan]

How 'bout if you sell him the wood he wants for a lill more moola, say, $150-$200 per cord (you sold yours too cheap) with the agreement that if he does come up the green oak this summer that you will give him the money back? It will be dry as a popcorn fart by the time you need it anyways...

Wood costs more than that here. I purposely sold the wood cheap because he was in need. I thought I was being charitable. Like someone already said the amount of $$ is not worth the effort for my work. I really want 10 years, thats whats importent to me, not money. Also it's not just him, everyone seems to want my wood. If they worked 1/2 as hard they would not need it.

 

[Greenland South]

I am not an expert on weather and climate issues, however the wise amongst us had better prepare for what might be the new normal. The unwise might want to think about it as well. Get off the couch.

 

[Joesell]

Tell them your not in the firewood business and it takes a lot more work for you to process wood then some company. But since your such a nice guy, you'd be willing to part with some for 3 times the local rate.
He's only coming to you because you cut him a deal the first time.

 

[513yj]

the wise amongst us had better prepare for what might be the new normal.

I for one am going to prepare for the oOLD normal. This winter was like they were when I was a kid back in the 80's and early 90's. I got more wood stacked inside than last year and I'm glad I had time to tarp some off for next year because that is what I'm burning now.

 

[blades]

Yes we are approaching old normal , but mine is 50-60's era. we are almost 1/2 way there. Typically March and April would double the snow depth before spring melts, Didn't like those storms then still don't.

 

[Woody912]

I have worked hard scrounging my wood. My plan is to get 10 years ahead because I want to. This winter apparently alot of people are running out of dry wood. I did sell 1 1/2 cords to a guy up the street for $150 and gave him 1/2 cord of dry willow also. It took him 4 weeks to get it all, I think he was burning it out of the back of his truck. During that time I got 4 cord split, and scrounged another 1 1/2 cord. This weekend I get a call asking if I'm going to be around because he wants to talk to me. I hate that. You are already talking, spill the beans. So he stops over saying he is out of dry wood again and would like to trade my 4 year seasoned oak for green oak in the summer. I did not want to let any of my wood go anyway, but thought I would be nice. But 2 cord isn't enough I guess. 1st if he couldn't get enough last year by more than 2 cord, what are the chances he can get the extra 2+ he needs and what he would owe me. 2nd, if it takes him 4 weeks to pick up wood he needs, I doubt he can deliver. So I tell him sorry I am not letting anymore go. I have to listen to him freak out about me being greedy and not sharing. Now tonight my wife tells me some people at her work are mad because I wont sell them dry wood, and nobody around is selling any. Enough is enough, if your going to be lazy it's not my responsibility. For now on my wood is my wood, get your own or be cold. Thanks for the vent, cause my wife sure doesn't understand.

My position is that my selling price is $200/truckload and my buying price is $5, see if he wants do biz at that rate. You didn't adopt him

 

[NSMaple1]

I would offer to sell some, at a price that was fair for me.

If they don't want to buy - then they don't need it that bad, moochers will be weeded out, and end of story.

Even at a high price, dry wood is still way ahead of any other heating fuel costwise.