Shortage of Firewood here in SE PA

[D&B Mack]

Was wondering if anyone else is seeing this in other regions. Been on the phone for the last few months trying to get some supply, but nothing. Very little residential construction work is apparently most of the cause. Prices for cords of bulk wood have now went on average from $150-$200 delivered to $200-$250 plus delivery. I can definitely see $350 by the end of October. Wood is being shipped in from NE and Central PA to supply the larger firewood sellers and they are paying up to a $1200 a load for oak poles which turn about 8 cords. Just crazy I tell you, CRAZY!!!:msp_ohmy:

 

[lone wolf]

I am seeing about a 50 percent drop in supply this year!

 

[s13rymos]

This is what ive been dreading... I got lucky last year and scored a land clearing project across the street from the business.. 7 acres full of nice sized hardwood.. after that is all gone i will be heading north to find wood if supply is dried up around here.. if i have to travel the price per cord will have to go up..

 

[avalancher]

We have the opposite problem here, too much firewood. With the tornado activity here in early spring, everyone and their uncle is planning on cashing in on it, and I am sure that firewood around here wont be worth half what it was last winter.If shipping didnt cost so much I would consider hauling it out of state to make a buck.

 

[ponyexpress976]

In the past I always had more than I could handle from just one tree service feeding me....he would drop it at my place just to get rid of it. Now Im relying on two additional companies and I have to go get it. People just aren't spending money on removals or maintenance for that matter.

 

[Cedar-Acres]

We have the opposite problem here, too much firewood. With the tornado activity here in early spring, everyone and their uncle is planning on cashing in on it, and I am sure that firewood around here wont be worth half what it was last winter.If shipping didnt cost so much I would consider hauling it out of state to make a buck.

You might consider processing and putting up a bunch in a nice dry location for 3 or 4 years in case your area develops a shortage like SE PA is experiencing. If all your storm damage has cleared out most of the older/weaker trees that would have provided firewood in the next few years you might well see a shortage develop.

 

[STLfirewood]

Try finding a couple guys yo supply you wood. Tell them you will take unsplit wood. Maybe you can get blocks like that. I have a supplier that is cutting splitting and stacking my dump trailers for $120 a cord. Right now with the dry weather I'm getting about 7 cords a week of regular wood and 2 cords of cook wood. It's hard to find loggers that will deliver logs to me for that price. I'm to far away from the mills and it would cost to much for fuel and time to bring it to me.

Scott

 

[Encore]

I usually get most of my wood from either the local city when they remove trees or a commercial company that works on powerlines. Lot of times they'll even drop the truckloads off at my house.

 

[Hoytster]

Was wondering if anyone else is seeing this in other regions. Been on the phone for the last few months trying to get some supply, but nothing. Very little residential construction work is apparently most of the cause. Prices for cords of bulk wood have now went on average from $150-$200 delivered to $200-$250 plus delivery. I can definitely see $350 by the end of October. Wood is being shipped in from NE and Central PA to supply the larger firewood sellers and they are paying up to a $1200 a load for oak poles which turn about 8 cords. Just crazy I tell you, CRAZY!!!:msp_ohmy:

I'm not sure what is going on around here, but it's been like that since the end of winter. I was running low in February and ordered two cords from my normal guy, and he never came or called me back. Fortunately I stumbled upon 25 acres of already fallen cherry and oak the next week and have been cutting that since. I know the ads on craigslist for split, delivered wood have been diminishing also.

One good thing, with the storms we had lately the "free firewood" craiglist ads have been pretty plentiful (and actually worthwile to go and cut).

Where in SE PA are you located? I have a couple numbers I could throw to you from Lebanon county that has local wood available now.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

NE CT had / has the perfect storm

For lack of wood supply that is. We have been hit with a triple whammy.

First logging has been down due to lack of demand or in other words the slow economy. Landowners that were even considering having their property logged are waiting because the price per board foot on the stump is so depressed.

Second we had a nasty snowfall this winter that kept everyone out of the woods from New Years on. Even if there was wood to cut nobody could get it out, let alone find the stuff already on the ground under 3 feet of snow.

Third, one of the worst and longest duration Mud Seasons in a while. This kept everybody out of the woods for some time even after the snow disappeared.

All this adds up to no tops, no cull logs, no tree length around. I talked to three suppliers about getting 3 loads of tree length and they all said the same thing, they're 2 or 3 months behind in deliveries, not because they're so busy, but because there is no wood supply.

I believe after Jan 1, especially if we have an early snowfall, seasoned hardwood will be pushing $250 to $275 per cord easy.

Take Care

 

[D&B Mack]

Where in SE PA are you located? I have a couple numbers I could throw to you from Lebanon county that has local wood available now.

Northern Montgomery County

 

[D&B Mack]

i will be heading north to find wood if supply is dried up around here.. if i have to travel the price per cord will have to go up..

I've been working somewhat in the Marcellus Shale area. Most of the pad sites I've been on, they have been running the entire trees through the chippers regardless of size or quality. The drilling companies don't want to wait for the clearing guys. Makes me want to .

 

[D&B Mack]

We have the opposite problem here, too much firewood. With the tornado activity here in early spring, everyone and their uncle is planning on cashing in on it, and I am sure that firewood around here wont be worth half what it was last winter.If shipping didnt cost so much I would consider hauling it out of state to make a buck.

I actually called a broker to inquire about shipping via rail from Western PA. We'll see how that pans out.

 

[Vortec-Z71]

What do you guys expect for prices in MA this year? I sold 10 cords for $250 delivered all day long last fall. I've got 25+ this year.

 

[zogger]

regional truck differences

NE CT had / has the perfect storm

For lack of wood supply that is. We have been hit with a triple whammy.

First logging has been down due to lack of demand or in other words the slow economy. Landowners that were even considering having their property logged are waiting because the price per board foot on the stump is so depressed.

Second we had a nasty snowfall this winter that kept everyone out of the woods from New Years on. Even if there was wood to cut nobody could get it out, let alone find the stuff already on the ground under 3 feet of snow.

Third, one of the worst and longest duration Mud Seasons in a while. This kept everybody out of the woods for some time even after the snow disappeared.

All this adds up to no tops, no cull logs, no tree length around. I talked to three suppliers about getting 3 loads of tree length and they all said the same thing, they're 2 or 3 months behind in deliveries, not because they're so busy, but because there is no wood supply.

I believe after Jan 1, especially if we have an early snowfall, seasoned hardwood will be pushing $250 to $275 per cord easy.

Take Care

You guys must have all trucks set up for snow and plowing. Tall skinny hard wheels...works for snow and plowing, sink in and get stuck in mud. Ya'all need some good ole boy trucks built for MUD. Think about it, you might be the onliest one able to get in early and get some wood! Guys cut year round here, and I jiss will not believe you get deeper mud....

And there is a diff between a truck modded for yankee snow and a southern mud truck. A real mud truck you need a step ladder to get in or you are good at climbing, and I ain't kidding either. If you can climb into the cab normal, it just won't go in deep mud.

 

[s13rymos]

I've been working somewhat in the Marcellus Shale area. Most of the pad sites I've been on, they have been running the entire trees through the chippers regardless of size or quality. The drilling companies don't want to wait for the clearing guys. Makes me want to .

Yup your not alone there... Unless the landowner gets the pad site logged out before hand all the trees meet the grinder.. Just think of all that good firewood

 

[Mowingman]

No shortage here. My supplier has about 30 cords of Oak and Pecan, all split/stacked and ready to load for $110.00/cord. I know another supplier that has probably 200 cords split/stacked and ready to load for $140/cord. Too bad all this is 1500 miles away from you guys up in the northeast.
Jeff

 

[D&B Mack]

Where in SE PA are you located? I have a couple numbers I could throw to you from Lebanon county that has local wood available now.

Shoot them on over, I could probably sell at least 100 cords in 8 hours with the guys (bulk firewood sellers) I've talked to in the past couple of days. Just confirmed, all western pa wood would have to be kiln dried, so that is out. Just got quoted $920 a load (which is 8 cords give or take) delivered from up north if I buy 10 loads. :bang: That's in log form. $115+/- then process, then wrap. Looks like the bundle price may be going up.

 

[tomtrees58]

yup its slow here to not to many removals i have 100 cords cut for this year but no wood coming in to big oaks coming this week i think that's it all my friends that do removals no work