Sold Out

[Swamp Yankee]

This is a first,

Had 45+ cord of seasoned available for sale this year. Granted 30 cord went to regulars, but I've never been sold out with still a week to go in Sept. before. I have 11-1/2 cord left to deliver when truck gets out of the body shop and this heating season is history.

Still getting 4 or 5 inquiries a week, couple from as far away as the North Shore of MA. The supply of wood, green or seasoned, in Southern New England is just non-existent at this point. I know of several volume sellers that are no longer taking orders, and many of the less scrupulous dealers are taking orders left and right with no way to fill them.

Have a feeling there's a lot of people going to be awfully cold as they paddle up the creek this winter. They better get used to it or start looking at doing things differently because based on what I'm hearing, it's only going to get worse over the next couple years, not to mention expensive.

Take Care

 

[pennsywoodburnr]

Not much of a surprise really. For the past couple weeks on here I've been seeing threads on and off of bulk firewood sellers whos phones are ringing off the hook, and subsequently orders being filled, so you knew this was bound to happen. I feel bad for the people getting green wood dropped on their porch not knowing it's unusable. You're gonna have to start upping your production there Yankee to pick up the business next year of the people who got burned (literally!) this year by the other sellers.

 

[blacklocst]

"I have a potty mouth"

 

[Swamp Yankee]

You're gonna have to start upping your production there Yankee to pick up the business next year of the people who got burned (literally!) this year by the other sellers.

There in lies the rub.

Can't up production, even if I wanted to, without a good consistent and reliable source for treelength. Sales are not the issue, raw material supply is.

Besides, I've been wanting to get back to the 20 to 25 cord a year range and spend more time on the water or at the range.

Take Care

 

[lone wolf]

This is a first,

Had 45+ cord of seasoned available for sale this year. Granted 30 cord went to regulars, but I've never been sold out with still a week to go in Sept. before. I have 11-1/2 cord left to deliver when truck gets out of the body shop and this heating season is history.

Still getting 4 or 5 inquiries a week, couple from as far away as the North Shore of MA. The supply of wood, green or seasoned, in Southern New England is just non-existent at this point. I know of several volume sellers that are no longer taking orders, and many of the less scrupulous dealers are taking orders left and right with no way to fill them.

Have a feeling there's a lot of people going to be awfully cold as they paddle up the creek this winter. They better get used to it or start looking at doing things differently because based on what I'm hearing, it's only going to get worse over the next couple years, not to mention expensive.

Take Care

What does a cord go for in that area?

 

[Zeus103363]

sounds like its time to put in a kiln!


Thanks

 

[Swamp Yankee]

What does a cord go for in that area?

Varies, like everything else.

I sell to regulars, (at least 2 years of business), for $205 to $220 depending upon delivery distance. New customers $215 to $235, again, distance dependent. The major, legitimate dealers in the area, (guys that produce a few hundred cord off a processor), are $210 to $225 right now. There are still some 3 cord a year lumberjacks selling at $180 to $200 but they can have all the orders they want. They have no wood and are only making it easier for the real guys to raise prices when the hack's customers are looking at an empty spot by the garage where their 3 cord of winter's heat was supposed to be sitting. Worcester, MA area where I have a couple customers is approaching $250 to $275 a cord. Bet they're over $300 by January if they can get any wood.

sounds like its time to put in a kiln! Thanks

Why? You gotta have something to put in it, other than making it a garage for the skidsteer.

Take Care

 

[Jutt]

Varies, like everything else.

I sell to regulars, (at least 2 years of business), for $205 to $220 depending upon delivery distance. New customers $215 to $235, again, distance dependent. The major, legitimate dealers in the area, (guys that produce a few hundred cord off a processor), are $210 to $225 right now. There are still some 3 cord a year lumberjacks selling at $180 to $200 but they can have all the orders they want. They have no wood and are only making it easier for the real guys to raise prices when the hack's customers are looking at an empty spot by the garage where their 3 cord of winter's heat was supposed to be sitting. Worcester, MA area where I have a couple customers is approaching $250 to $275 a cord. Bet they're over $300 by January if they can get any wood.



Why? You gotta have something to put in it, other than making it a garage for the skidsteer.

Take Care

Congrats on a good year! Completely different market out here but a cord of lodgepole pine sells for $200. A cord of what folks call a "city mix" (Siberian Elm, Silver Maple, Green Ash, Cottonwood, Pine) sells for around $300. A cord of all locust, Scrub Oak, Pinon Pine or imported hickory, white/red oak ,etc. would sell for at least $400. Primary reason for the higher prices in this market is the lack of bulk supply (aside from beetle kill lodgepole).

 

[CWME]

A Lady who works for me is married to a logger who does firewood on the side. He has been having trouble getting enough logs from his own jobs to support his regulars. Not enough landowners are hiring out for cutting I guess. Stump prices are down so people are holding out for more $. Anyway, she told me that at least two firewood dealers have gone under this year alone due to no raw material.

 

[jcl]

Wood chips are worth more the logs most loggers are chipping good hardwood rather then selling logs one of my suppliers truck hasn't moved in 6 weeks everything. Being chipped

 

[jrider]

I have about 95 cords ready for sale and put my customers off until late September. As of now, I have close to 40 ordered and haven't heard from quite a few of my regulars. I belong to a couple community facebook groups and word took off like fire on a windy day with them. Also had a guy call who wanted 30 now and 80 later. Didn't even discuss how little he wanted to pay me. Congrats on selling out so early.

 

[zogger]

Well, that will be a nice chunka change, but you worked for it!

 

[spike60]

John;

How much of this do you feel could be due to things like that biomass plant near you and pellet factories and such exerting additional demand on wood supplies? Talked to a member in Vermont last night and he said that wood chip prices are up to $75 a ton this year vs $55 last year. Wood processors are sitting idle cause guys can't get log loads.

The full impact of this shortage is just beginning to be felt IMO. When we get into the heating season, it's really going to hit home to a lot of folks.

 

[zogger]

John;

How much of this do you feel could be due to things like that biomass plant near you and pellet factories and such exerting additional demand on wood supplies? Talked to a member in Vermont last night and he said that wood chip prices are up to $75 a ton this year vs $55 last year. Wood processors are sitting idle cause guys can't get log loads.

The full impact of this shortage is just beginning to be felt IMO. When we get into the heating season, it's really going to hit home to a lot of folks.

That is really going to hurt a lot of people, not being able to get wood. either cordwood will have to go up in price to compete with biomass/electricity so guys can get logs to make firewood or....there is no or.

hmmmm weirdo idea...I know wood in log form is sorta sucky and lotsa regs and restrictions to ship it far distances, but kiln dried isn't. How about a tractor/trailer that is a kiln on wheels, drying as it goes from say down here where there is plenty of wood, to up yonder by you folks? I don't ever recall reading about anything like that, but seems doable given enclosed trailers and plenty of diesel and waste engine heat from the tractor. Of course already split and stacked on banded pallets or in totes would be better.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

John;

How much of this do you feel could be due to things like that biomass plant near you and pellet factories and such exerting additional demand on wood supplies? Talked to a member in Vermont last night and he said that wood chip prices are up to $75 a ton this year vs $55 last year. Wood processors are sitting idle cause guys can't get log loads.

The full impact of this shortage is just beginning to be felt IMO. When we get into the heating season, it's really going to hit home to a lot of folks.

Bob

There's a whole lotta stuff going on in this area, and yes chips are playing a part in the firewood shortage. Three of the biggest logging companies in the area are all operating their own whole tree chippers. I got to see one guy's new huge Morbark, 32 inch I believe, in operation a few weeks ago when he had me slamming cull trees on a per diem basis to feed it. It does not take long at all to fill a trailer. Needless to say these three companies that used to truck and sell treelength are no longer doing so. We have two biomass boilers in the area, not including some new schools and other buildings that are taking chips as winter fuel. The 2 boilers combined, from what I've heard through the grapevine, are eating close to 2000 - 2500 tons of chips per day. That's a lot of firewood.

As I understand it, the one area the biomass is really helping out are the pulp and paper companies up north in Maine. With paper usage constantly dropping, the need for pulp logs is down. Forests are ready to be harvested so guess where the pulp is headed. You bet, a lot into biomass. The biggest issue I see is the BTU's produced per acre are really low in comparison to our area, one of the most productive oak stands in the Northeast. Hopefully using pulp wood will reduce some pressure on the hardwood supply.

As we all remember, last winter was exceptional in terms of fuel usage compared to previous years. A lot of people were in dining room set mode, so a lot of wood that really wasn't close to ready was pulled and sold as seasoned. Not saying it's right, just saying that's what happened. That wood has gone up in smoke so to speak, and was not available to purchase this Spring.

Hundreds maybe a few thousand homeowners decided they weren't going to run out again so they started buying treelength along with chainsaws and splitters. More power to them but it's put a dent in the supply chain for sure.

Other factors, we had a nasty, long, very long mud season. Nothing moved, as you're aware these guys make money on timber not firewood. They've been going hammer down all Spring and Summer just keeping the mills going. While prices are up, they're moving logs as fast as they can, trying to make up for lost income over the last few years.

I don't see it getting better soon. I've already got my order in, and hoping to take delivery by Thanksgiving for 6 to 7 grapple loads to process for the 2016-2017 season.

Take Care

 

[066blaster]

I have noticed this year the people that bought 1 face cord last year want 2 this year. Or if they bought a full cord last year they want 2 full this year. It is adding to the shortage issues. I'm thinking about not taking orders the next few weeks and then raising the price a little at that point to sell the rest. It's getting harder to find a steady supply of trees so I have to get what I can for what I got.

 

[lone wolf]

So is the consensus on here that it will be a cold winter and there will be a firewood shortage because I know I am down too. I wont be giving it away cheap that's for sure.

 

[stihly dan]

Why shouldn't you? If they wait this long, and the demand is so much higher the should pay more. Just like lawn mowers are cheaper in late fall than spring.

 

[066blaster]

I heard by me the papers mills are short of pulp wood because of the wet spring and summer crews couldn't haul wood out. So they are paying more for it now. It's easier for the loggers to sell to them then to deal with a bunch of firewood costumers.

 

[wudpirat]

Looks like I'll be burning pine the end of this year.
I have about three cord hardwood but that wont last much pass December.
But I do have about twenty cord pine, some dead , some still green.
All I can do is split it and hope it seasons.
The last couple cold nites, I've been burning uglies and chunks to knock off the chill.
Plan "B" is Kerosene, but @5.50 a gal, it could get expensive real quick.
My main wood gatherer is banged up with cracked ribs. be a couple weeks more healing.
Being 80, has slowed me down alot, just don't have the energy for the long haul. One day of work, two days rest.
All I ask of my boys is being me wood, I'll get it manufactured into firewood eventually.
I do have some wood stashed, but need help getting it home.

FREDM, Oxford, CT

Gettin' old ain't for sissies