farmerboybill
ArboristSite Operative
Another post about the value of firewood got me thinking, but I didn't think my comments would help his thread, so I'll post them on their own.
I look at it like this -
I bought the farm August 2010. The winter of 2010 was bitterly cold here. The house was built in 1929 (big and not well insulated) and has a fuel oil furnace. It cost me over $2000 to buy fuel for the furnace. Last winter was milder, but fuel has gone up. I figure it would have cost me $2000 again.
Spring 2011, I found and bought an outdoor gasification furnace for $6500. $750 to install. 5 saws for $100 to $250 each ~$900. Splitter for $300. $100 for other toys (axe, maul, hookaroon, cant hook, etc - all used). So I got $8250 to $9000 into heating my own home. I can't really put the cost of tractors, trailers, etc on this list 'cause I would own them anyway. Heck, even the saws pry shouldn't be on here because they're needed for fencerow and field road maintenance, and would be owned even had I not bought the OWB.
The wood is free. I have 90 acres of woods and several miles of fencelines on 360 acres. Trees need to be cleared to improve pastures and fencelines. How do I calculate the cost of my labor and fuel in this work? Do I debit it from heating the house or from the farm for maintenance?
I don't sell firewood. Firewood sellers around here are crazy anyway. They'll sell a pickup load of split Oak (maybe 2/3 cord?) for $65-$80. I'm not putting that kind of work into that kind of money.
Basically, I think I'm getting maximum value outta my wood and I don't sell a single stick of it. The stove will pay for itself in 5 years and I'll be heating the house for "free" thereafter...
I look at it like this -
I bought the farm August 2010. The winter of 2010 was bitterly cold here. The house was built in 1929 (big and not well insulated) and has a fuel oil furnace. It cost me over $2000 to buy fuel for the furnace. Last winter was milder, but fuel has gone up. I figure it would have cost me $2000 again.
Spring 2011, I found and bought an outdoor gasification furnace for $6500. $750 to install. 5 saws for $100 to $250 each ~$900. Splitter for $300. $100 for other toys (axe, maul, hookaroon, cant hook, etc - all used). So I got $8250 to $9000 into heating my own home. I can't really put the cost of tractors, trailers, etc on this list 'cause I would own them anyway. Heck, even the saws pry shouldn't be on here because they're needed for fencerow and field road maintenance, and would be owned even had I not bought the OWB.
The wood is free. I have 90 acres of woods and several miles of fencelines on 360 acres. Trees need to be cleared to improve pastures and fencelines. How do I calculate the cost of my labor and fuel in this work? Do I debit it from heating the house or from the farm for maintenance?
I don't sell firewood. Firewood sellers around here are crazy anyway. They'll sell a pickup load of split Oak (maybe 2/3 cord?) for $65-$80. I'm not putting that kind of work into that kind of money.
Basically, I think I'm getting maximum value outta my wood and I don't sell a single stick of it. The stove will pay for itself in 5 years and I'll be heating the house for "free" thereafter...