Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[old CB]

As I understand it, the Amish can use motors for power, as long as the power does not propel a vehicle. (So I dunno how they can use a track hoe.) I've seen an Amish team of horses pulling a hay baler with a Wisconsin motor running the baler. That sort of thing.

My NY camp (St. Lawrence County, a few miles from Canada) was built by an Amish sawyer. When I first went to see my new camp I noticed that none of the nail heads showed a hammer stamp. They built the thing with nail guns. Nail guns powered by propane somehow. They also brought in a table saw run by a small gas engine. They hired an Englishman (their term for non-Amish) to haul the lumber from their mill to my campsite.

 

[Philbert]

Some folks will run a diesel engine, but not gasoline, since no electrical sparks are involved. Or battery, but not corded electric. Not my call to tell them what to do when it comes to religious beliefs, but interesting to see how people innovate within constraints or restrictions.

Philbert

 

[H-Ranch]

Well it's not much better than punky cottonwood, but took 3 loads of sasafras that was across the trail over to the wood stacks. The odd chunks and poles that are really dry will go in the OWB over the next couple of days.

 

[farmer steve]

I have a lot of contact with the Amish and Horse n Buggy Mennonites at the produce auction. A lot of things are done differently between the sects. Right down to button placement on the men's shirts and the color of the women's bonnets.. The one Mennonite elder I know told me when they went to using tractors they required steel wheels so they weren't used as a luxury to drive to town.

 

[farmer steve]

Well it's not much better than punky cottonwood, but took 3 loads of sasafras that was across the trail over to the wood stacks. The odd chunks and poles that are really dry will go in the OWB over the next couple of days.
View attachment 894832View attachment 894834View attachment 894835

Those hollow pieces are right up there with the HVBW. At least $25 each for flower planters on FB marketplace.

 

[svk]

It is indeed interesting to see what they consider taboo and what is acceptable. But as long as it works for them, that’s what matters.

I’ve seen many of them hauling either livestock or just large families on the road. Usually a whole, uncle mustache sized family with every kid 12-18 months apart and packed into a large van. Clean, well dressed in their homemade clothes, and respectful.

 

[H-Ranch]

Those hollow pieces are right up there with the HVBW. At least $25 each for flower planters on FB marketplace.

And here I've been burning them in the campfire ring for the kids and giving them away to friends for the same. Looks like me and the missus are going out for a good dinner!

And more still on the ground where I pulled the two trees down this morning.

 

[cantoo]

How do the Amish stack the logs?

We have a large population of Amish and Mennonite all around us. Their rules vary depending on the Elders decisions. We have recently had several groups split up due to the Elders wanting to keep to the old ways and the younger members wanting (having) to use more modern equipment to keep up with sky rocketing land prices. Due to land prices they are now moving to northern Ontario or the Western Provinces to buy land. We now have lots of Amish that are having multiple families that are not directly related living in one large house until they can afford a property of their own. Our Township Building rules can be kind of worked around by building new parts onto a house as long as it remains one building. So what we have is 3 or 4 families living in "one" house that is actually 3 or 4 houses all jointed together. Some have 6 or 8 wood stoves but many are now installing pulp burners and heating everything. Still have separate cooking stoves though. The Amish usually run at least one farm related business from each farm. Each farm usually has a market garden setup too.

 

[SS396driver]

Thanks for the reminder - I think the post about my highly valuable black walnut sap collection was lost in The Great AS Interweb Debacle v.03.2021. I'm up around 7 gallons of sap now so hoping that's enough to get a good size bottle of syrup. Many say it has a more earthy, nutty flavor than maple and like it as well or better. I don't have any sugar maples, but I have lots of walnut so I'm experimenting after reading about it.View attachment 894591

I'm sorry this post is not technically firewood related even though it is about highly valuable black walnut - I'll try to take it off line if it starts a tap/don't tap war.

Never done walnut . Not looking good for maple syrup having wild temp swings as of late . So I'm at roughly 30 gallons of sap hopefully it's high in sugar content . Last year was averaging 4 percent so it took about 27 gallons to make a gallon of syrup .

 

[SS396driver]

Well it's not much better than punky cottonwood, but took 3 loads of sasafras that was across the trail over to the wood stacks. The odd chunks and poles that are really dry will go in the OWB over the next couple of days.
View attachment 894832View attachment 894834View attachment 894835

I use it for smoking very nice aroma and taste

 

[Ryan A]

My favorite 2 saw combo depends on the job I need to do. For most trees, with lots of limbs that have to be cleared from a yard, the 261/462 combo is my favorite

That said, my ported 360 also screams, and I have 2 Hybrids and a 460, several 066/660 (OEM + Asian), and a ported 661.

There is also an early model MS880 with a fried top end in my shed that may become mine. Has a 41" 404 B+C and would be nice for milling.

Mike, I know you’re the resident Asian saw fan. I’ve got that G660 with the OEM 066 rotating assembly and jug currently getting ported. Chomping at the bit to get it back and hopefully I’ll be able to post in here about scrounged wood I cut with it.....

 

[svk]

Birch syrup is very good too. A lighter more complex taste than maple.

 

[svk]

We have a large population of Amish and Mennonite all around us. Their rules vary depending on the Elders decisions. We have recently had several groups split up due to the Elders wanting to keep to the old ways and the younger members wanting (having) to use more modern equipment to keep up with sky rocketing land prices. Due to land prices they are now moving to northern Ontario or the Western Provinces to buy land. We now have lots of Amish that are having multiple families that are not directly related living in one large house until they can afford a property of their own. Our Township Building rules can be kind of worked around by building new parts onto a house as long as it remains one building. So what we have is 3 or 4 families living in "one" house that is actually 3 or 4 houses all jointed together. Some have 6 or 8 wood stoves but many are now installing pulp burners and heating everything. Still have separate cooking stoves though. The Amish usually run at least one farm related business from each farm. Each farm usually has a market garden setup too.

I have to give credit to them and several minority groups (usually Asian and Hispanic) who will literally live on top of each other to be able to afford to get a new start.

IMO, a lot of folks who are multiple generations removed from subsistence have become too entitled and need to take a look at what others endure to have a piece of the dream.

 

[Ryan A]

Here in PA, the Amish are not opposed to engines, they often run engines to cool their milk houses, run the baler/knotter on harvest equipment, saw mills, wood working shops. Their aversion is a connection (via wire for electric or phones, but cell phones are ok), and by some extension I don't understand, rubber tires. So, here, where they run many of the logging operations, they are typically running tracked equipment, dozers, skidders, skid steers, even fellers and the grapple in the picture below. They of course do not drive log trucks, nor the flatbeds used to move their equipment from site to site.

If your looking for a log buyer, I’ve got a name of an Amish sawmill in Morgantown, Pa. Southern Berks Co. right on the border of Lancaster Co. and easy access off the PA turnpike. Good friend says he gets the best prices from him. I can pass along info if interested.

 

[muad]

To each their own, I’d take a ported 50 cc saw complemented by a 70 plus cc saw any day over any other two saw combo.

I chose my ported 254s over the 60cc Stihls I had, and even my 262xp. I'm thinking of selling the 262, as it just sits. 85-90% of what I cut can be done with the ole binford. When I need a longer bar, I grab the 461.

50/70cc plan is great, but I can't agree with just two saws... two is one, one is none and all. I like multiples of each, LOL.

I have several 254s now, so all I need to do is get another 70cc saw from this guy up north

Maybe I'll use some of them commie bucks we've got coming next week...

 

[muad]

Hay there pretty lady.....


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With Xtra Sausage I see.

 

[svk]

I chose my ported 254s over the 60cc Stihls I had, and even my 262xp. I'm thinking of selling the 262, as it just sits. 85-90% of what I cut can be done with the ole binford. When I need a longer bar, I grab the 461.

50/70cc plan is great, but I can't agree with just two saws... two is one, one is none and all. I like multiples of each, LOL.

I have several 254s now, so all I need to do is get another 70cc saw from this guy up north

Maybe I'll use some of them commie bucks we've got coming next week...

Talk to me if you decide to part with the 262.

 

[muad]

Talk to me if you decide to part with the 262.

Will keep that in mind.

This saw is stupid clean and has the KS P/C, HDA-87 carb, etc. I'm torn, because it's such a nice saw, but it just sits.

 

[muad]

No scrounging today, but I did help the FIL load and unload a trailer of firewood up to his house, as temps dropped here and it got a bit chilly. I haven't had a fire going in a week or so, but just got the stove warmed up a little bit ago.

Today's project was to replace what I thought was a bad water pump on the ole F350. Ended up being the timing chain cover gasket leaking. Pump seems fine, so that'll save me $102.

I'm also going to delete the stupid air pump, emissions BS while we have it apart. FIL said he takes the insides out, which basically turns them into a pulley.

 

[JustJeff]

The Amish guy that built my cabinets ran his shop on a diesel engine. The air compressor was a gas motor. We have 5 Amish sawmills on my road that I know of. One has a machine/welding shop. I asked about the electricity for the wire feed welders, he said they had a guy with a generator on a wagon. There are several different orders along with a smattering of old order Mennonites and modern Mennonites. I don't understand the reasons behind all of it and they seem guarded when you ask too many questions. For a while almost every farm sold in the area was bought by Amish but land prices have skyrocketed around here. Their church has been doing 2 generation mortgages and that's just not sustainable. I respect their way of life and the work ethic most of them seem to possess. Lots of Amish sawmills but not too many loggers. There's a few that log with horses but most of the logging around here is fellers, skidders and forwarders.

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