Cut mature trees, or cut dead trees.

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Chuck Oppermann

Deere Dude
Joined
Jan 27, 2011
Messages
29
Reaction score
13
Location
Hohenwald, TN
I live in a hardwood area and know friends with some property I can get dead trees or downed mature trees. This involves taking the tractor and big trailer 4-7 miles to the site and haul back. Not much of a problem.

But on my property I have a big lawn with a 10 acre woods adjacent to it set on a hill that is full of mature oaks, hickories and whatever else grows in woods. It is fairly steep and difficult walking up the hill to get to these, but it can be done.. They would have to be cabled and dragged out downhill to my lawn.

I am a fireplace burned that uses maybe 3-4 cord a year.

Would I be better just get the easier downed solid trees or standing solid dead trees at my friends, or should I focus on the more difficult in navigating and in standing alive mature trees on my own land? Some trees on my property are 20" and larger diameter.

This is just for firewood, so I hate to ruin a perfectly good woods.
 
I quess it depends how much time you have too. If it's dead standing and down you wouldn't have much time in seasoning it either. If you're cutting live hard wood I'm sure you want it seasoned before you burn inside.
I agree with rwoods, take the free and help them by cleaning up their dead and down. And let your trees grow and maybe select cut some in the future.
 
I wouldn't mess with any good standing trees, unless I was actually logging it, fire wood or no.

Rule of thumb is 1 acre 1 true cord of firewood per year, just with dead/dying trees and what falls on the ground.

As for helping yer buddy cleanup, do it, any chance to help a friend, and its only 7 miles ya say, barely enough time catch yer breath before unloading. The added bonus is you can get loads of practice screwing up his dirt/trees before messing with yers.
 
I wouldn't mess with any good standing trees, unless I was actually logging it, fire wood or no.

Rule of thumb is 1 acre 1 true cord of firewood per year, just with dead/dying trees and what falls on the ground.

As for helping yer buddy cleanup, do it, any chance to help a friend, and its only 7 miles ya say, barely enough time catch yer breath before unloading. The added bonus is you can get loads of practice screwing up his dirt/trees before messing with yers.

^^^ solid post, good advice all around
 
I wouldn't mess with any good standing trees, unless I was actually logging it, fire wood or no.

Rule of thumb is 1 acre 1 true cord of firewood per year, just with dead/dying trees and what falls on the ground.

As for helping yer buddy cleanup, do it, any chance to help a friend, and its only 7 miles ya say, barely enough time catch yer breath before unloading. The added bonus is you can get loads of practice screwing up his dirt/trees before messing with yers.

This.

All Day Long.
 
I wouldn't give an answer until I actually saw your property.

What kind of trees are on it? What size? How many per acre? Has their growth slowed down? Can you get them on the ground without a hassle?
The latter is a personal thing. I've got a bit of land with bastard growth on it. I'd like to thin it. I can't thin it because the trees are limb locked, I have no equipment, and some of the land is very steep. I do not have enough volume to make it worth logging. That last bit is rather important.

Maybe you should do some research on FORESTRY. After all, it is a well established science, and many trees worth of research papers have been written on the topic.
 
I wouldn't give an answer until I actually saw your property.

Maybe you should do some research on FORESTRY. After all, it is a well established science, and many trees worth of research papers have been written on the topic.

Although I don't disagree with doing research where research is actually due, I don't understand why you think you have to be so and grumpy about everything you see on this site. I know, an "amateur" asked a question on YOUR board and all, but it sounds to me like he was just looking for some friendly advice.

To the OP @Chuck Oppermann - Sounds like you and your friend would both be better off cleaning up the downed and dead stuff first. He gets some help cleaning his woods up, and you get some pre-seasoned firewood. The good thing about live trees is they will stay nice and fresh until you have more time to start thinking through the process of taking down the right ones and making some good firewood, lumber, or whatever you want to make that day.
 
Although I don't disagree with doing research where research is actually due, I don't understand why you think you have to be so and grumpy about everything you see on this site. I know, an "amateur" asked a question on YOUR board and all, but it sounds to me like he was just looking for some friendly advice.

To the OP @Chuck Oppermann - Sounds like you and your friend would both be better off cleaning up the downed and dead stuff first. He gets some help cleaning his woods up, and you get some pre-seasoned firewood. The good thing about live trees is they will stay nice and fresh until you have more time to start thinking through the process of taking down the right ones and making some good firewood, lumber, or whatever you want to make that day.

Didn't take her as being grumpy at all, careful yes... but not grumpy.
 
Sounds like good advice all the way around.
#1 Use my buddies 60 acre woods as long as dead trees are fairly easy to get at. Practice on his trees.
#2 Cut his and my dead ones down when possible first, before live ones. I can get live ones anytime.
#3 I wouldn't have a logger come in because of the mess I would generally be left with.
#4 My trees would not be the easiest to drop. I, being an amateur, would cable the tree in the directing I wanted it to fall, and hope it doesn't get hung up.

I have never had a tree that wouldn't come down with enough cutting.

Thanks for the advice.
 
Although I don't disagree with doing research where research is actually due, I don't understand why you think you have to be so and grumpy about everything you see on this site. I know, an "amateur" asked a question on YOUR board and all, but it sounds to me like he was just looking for some friendly advice. .

Golly gee puppies and kittens and rainbows and lollipops. I was not grumpy until reading your accusation of being grumpy. I simply believe in people doing some research and reading genuine papers done by real scholars and experts instead of relying on an internet forum. I've decided to capitalize FORESTRY because that's what it is, and I'm proud to have studied and worked in the FORESTRY field. Besides, people who have worked in the part of FORESTRY that I ended up in are known to be grumpy. The job makes sane people grumpy. One is in the middle, trying to explain to a logger what an 'ologist has said the logger must do to keep from killing all the spotted slimy snails in the world even though the area has been logged several times before and the snails are still there and the world will not end. Yet the measures to "protect" the snails must be followed. Years of doing that tend to make one "grumpy" if that's what I am.

Perhaps you should not be so sensitive. Go smell some flowers and enjoy your life. Smoosh a few snails.
 
Although I don't disagree with doing research where research is actually due, I don't understand why you think you have to be so and grumpy about everything you see on this site. I know, an "amateur" asked a question on YOUR board and all, but it sounds to me like he was just looking for some friendly advice.

To the OP @Chuck Oppermann - Sounds like you and your friend would both be better off cleaning up the downed and dead stuff first. He gets some help cleaning his woods up, and you get some pre-seasoned firewood. The good thing about live trees is they will stay nice and fresh until you have more time to start thinking through the process of taking down the right ones and making some good firewood, lumber, or whatever you want to make that day.
slowp isn't grumpy, she is smart, educated, experienced, and precise. You simply don't understand the depth of her answer. Best you just slink away quietly.
 
Me & my dad have done some logging in your area. Hickman county has a lot of white & red oaks along with hickory. Yep the hills are rough but I would cut the dead as long as you can. Stay away from using the poplars unless your going for some logs. Check with the mills & maybe worth it. Those hardwoods there are awesome. We were mostly in the lyles area along with centerville. Got some great Deere too!
 
Sounds like good advice all the way around.
#1 Use my buddies 60 acre woods as long as dead trees are fairly easy to get at. Practice on his trees.
#2 Cut his and my dead ones down when possible first, before live ones. I can get live ones anytime.
#3 I wouldn't have a logger come in because of the mess I would generally be left with.
#4 My trees would not be the easiest to drop. I, being an amateur, would cable the tree in the directing I wanted it to fall, and hope it doesn't get hung up.

I have never had a tree that wouldn't come down with enough cutting.

Thanks for the advice.

If logged properly the mess should be manageable. Just make sure to spell out in a contract what you expect and when. Its common out here to at least stack the brush so the dirt has a fighting chance to grow more trees and make it a little easier to waltz through the bushes. We don't get to burn much anymore because of a bunch of whining morons known as pscaa... but stacking it isn't an issue, or hauling off
 

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