# Size of a Sustainable Woodlot?



## timfromohio (Aug 11, 2009)

Any of you folks out there heat with wood harvested solely from your own property?  If so, what size is your woodlot?  How many acres of decent mixed hardwood would be required to sustainably provide fuel to heat a home - say 4 to 5 cords a year?  I'm sure there is a range depending on type/mix of trees, average age of trees, etc - I'm just interested in ballpark size - is it a few acres or 20 acres?


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## stee6043 (Aug 11, 2009)

I'd say this will be quite a bit more than "a few" acres.  I cut my wood on a family lot that is 150 acres.  No worries of running out.  My brother-in-law rarely cuts on his own property which is 10 acres because he doesn't want to thin the woods too much.  If I had to guess I'd want to be in the 20-40 acre range if you want it to stay big and healthy.  But maybe you could get by on 10 acres if it was dense and full grown???  Others will surely comment...


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## Flatbedford (Aug 11, 2009)

I think I read somewhere that a 10 acre lot can heat a home sustainably. I didn't think sustainably was a word, but spell check thinks so. I don't remember the details such as climate, home size, or what you burn it in. But I do know that the article lead me to believe that 10 acre wood lot would work for my 1800 sqft 3 bed house with a single wood stove.


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## SolarAndWood (Aug 11, 2009)

Cornell says that a well managed woodlot produces between a face cord and a cord per acre per year.


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## BrotherBart (Aug 11, 2009)

This place has four and a half acres of woods and I have been heating with wood from it for 25 years. When I was burning five to six cords a year I supplemented with a tree or two from the adjoining woods but since I now burn three and change a year it all comes off of our place. And it isn't looking like I will be turning it into a parking lot in my lifetime.


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## Wet1 (Aug 11, 2009)

I'd also say about 5+ acres.


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## Jags (Aug 11, 2009)

7 acres of established hardwoods will provide the average home (4-5 cords) of wood from non-living or undesirable trees without touching the healthy/desirable ones sustainably.

I read that somewhere but can't for the life of me remember where.  It did stick into a few of the remaining brain cells though. %-P


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## Flatbedford (Aug 11, 2009)

Jags,
That sounds almost exactly what I remembered. Maybe we both read it here. I just added a few acres for safety.


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## northwinds (Aug 11, 2009)

I've read 5 acres. I've got 12 acres of mature woods, and I'm still working at clearing out the dead and fallen
ones.


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## savageactor7 (Aug 11, 2009)

tim we have 25 acres and have cut 20 cords since the mid 70's. Now with a newer EPA  stove we require half that or less. I'm thinking 8 acres of woods should do ya fine for 5 cord. Back then DEC told us to harvest the dead trees, biggest trees, junk trees. So we've done that and to look around you wouldn't think we cut any trees here at all.  

I wouldn't say we have hard wood in comparison to what I read here. Our hardest wood is elm...which I really don't like to dick with but since it's dead I deal with it. Then we have ash and maple ...also we burn a lot of poplar, cotton wood and willow which is junk wood but if you keep is separate works out wonderful...you just don't want to go to bed with that in the stove cause it won't last long.  But all things considered junk wood holds up better in the newer stoves. We burn everything cause it's an easy take being in the back yard and all.


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## Bigg_Redd (Aug 12, 2009)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> Any of you folks out there heat with wood harvested solely from your own property?  If so, what size is your woodlot?  How many acres of decent mixed hardwood would be required to sustainably provide fuel to heat a home - say 4 to 5 cords a year?  I'm sure there is a range depending on type/mix of trees, average age of trees, etc - I'm just interested in ballpark size - is it a few acres or 20 acres?



On average (this varies some from region to region) - one can take 1 cord of firewood per acre without reducing overall biomass.  So if you burn 5 cord per year, you need 5 (or so) acres.


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## quads (Aug 12, 2009)

Wet1 said:
			
		

> I'd also say about 5+ acres.


I agree.

I cut my wood on about 500 acres.  After you get your piles built up and are a few years ahead, then I think you could cut every year from 5+ heavily wooded acres and maintain your seasoned supply indefinitely.


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## jj3500 (Aug 12, 2009)

My house is on a seven acre parcel.  However, the adjacent lot on the other three sides is considered water shed property.  No more building there and I am always in there riding and felling.  
This will be my second season of burning...so far so good.


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## DiscoInferno (Aug 12, 2009)

So far our 4.5 acres is providing about 2 cords a year in just dead or down trees, and that's not including a fairly impenetrable rear acre.  However, trees grow a lot slower in da UP than in say Virginia, and these woods haven't been managed in a long time if ever.  I think to sustain 3-4 cords per year long term we'd have to really start actively managing the woods.


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## maplewood (Aug 12, 2009)

My father and grandfather always said 25 acres would heat a family.  But they burned a lot of wood in ineffecient stoves in ineffecient homes.
You guys have me thinking about my choice of wood, too.  I buy red or white maple or better (tree length - I cut it and split it), but you are 
right that the new stoves can handle the softer wood.
I live on 6 acres, and my sister next door (who burns propane) has another 6.  But the 12 acres is almost all softwood:  spruce and fir.  Some
maple and white birch.
So - I've got 17 cord of hardwood put up now, and hope that my new gasser boiler will only burn 8 cord or so.  I have a cord of softwood ready
for it - to experiment how well it burns.  If it does well, I may be able to stop buying hardwood, and just manange the 12 acres I have around
me.  What a savings that would be!
Thanks, Tim.  You've really got me thinking with your question!  Do you have access to some land now, or are you looking to buy a piece to get
a sustainalbe supply of your own wood?  Do you want only hardwood, or can you take a mix of hard and soft?
Happy burning!


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## timfromohio (Aug 12, 2009)

Thanks for all of the replies.  We currently have just under 2 acres with no trees suitable for firewood.  I scrounge ...  In the future, we'd like to get a larger piece of property which would include a woodlot from which we could harvest our own firewood, but I had no idea how much woodland would be required - thanks for all of the information 

maplewood - I'd prefer hardwood, although I suppose I could take a mix.  Currently we use a PE insert and a Napolean 1150p to heat our home and I used scrounged hardwood (readily available in NE Ohio).  I should be able to mix in some softwood, but have never tried burning softwood in either insert/stove.


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## peakbagger (Aug 12, 2009)

One thing to consider is if the lot has been managed in the past. Inevitably if there has been natural regeneration without management, there are a lot more trees that a managed woodlot would have. If you manage for future harvesting of high grade logs, typically, at least 2/3rds of the existing trees should go. Eventually you will end up with the "state park look" which is well spaced large trees without a lot of understory and a dense canopy. The reason to manage for high grade logs is that if you have the right mature trees (hardwoods), one or two of them can be worth far more than a couple of cords of wood. By taking your time clearing out the low grade trees over a period of years, this is "bonus" wood that would not count towards the sustainable rate of the wood land. It will also improve the looks and access to the land.  Its very impressive over the long run to see how well the canopy fills in from a few healthy trees where clumps of trees formerly stood.


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## GeeWizMan (Aug 12, 2009)

We have 7 acres, have been heating with wood for 14 years, and use 2 wood stoves.  From mid-November to March something, one of the stoves is kept going 24/7 while the other stove is used daily but allowed to go out during the daytime.  The 7 acres consists of mature oak and hickory varying in size from 12 inch to 40 inch diameters at the base.  There are some other species in the woods like cherry, maple, and a few ash left but, most are oak and hickory.  In the 14 years I have been harvesting wood from our property I have felled a living tree only one time which was a little too close to the house and leaning the wrong way.  Every year when I walk through the trails in the woods, after I have removed all the dead wood, I wonder if any more trees will give up their life so we can stay warm in the winter.  So far, every spring there is just enough trees that die to sustain us and as far as we can tell the woods remains healthy.  In addition to harvesting dead would every year we transplant living samplings to places where they will be able to make it but, the biggest one of those is only 2 inches in diameter and won't be ready for the stove for 50 to 100 years at which time someone else will have to take care of the woods.


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 12, 2009)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> Thanks for all of the replies.  We currently have just under 2 acres with no trees suitable for firewood.  I scrounge ...  In the future, we'd like to get a larger piece of property which would include a woodlot from which we could harvest our own firewood, but I had no idea how much woodland would be required - thanks for all of the information
> 
> *maplewood - I'd prefer hardwood*, although I suppose I could take a mix.  Currently we use a PE insert and a Napolean 1150p to heat our home and I used scrounged hardwood (readily available in NE Ohio).  I should be able to mix in some softwood, but have never tried burning softwood in either insert/stove.



Maple is hardwood.

It definitely depends upon the ground as to how much woods it would take. For example, someone who has wood on high sandy ground won't get as much wood as someone who has his wood in the low lands, especially river bottom lands. 

On average, I'd hate to have less than 7-10 acres.


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## timfromohio (Aug 12, 2009)

Backwoods Savage - yes, I do know that maple is hardwood.  I was replying to another poster, "maplewood".  

Seems like 10 acres would be a minimum, but more would be better!  

What would be really nice would be a woodlot large enough to supply firewood sustainably as well as contain enough mature sugar maple trees to tap for syrup  I'd have my firewood and eat my syrup too ...


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 12, 2009)

Now you are talking!


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## Bigg_Redd (Aug 12, 2009)

maplewood said:
			
		

> My father and grandfather always said 25 acres would heat a family.  But they burned a lot of wood in ineffecient stoves in ineffecient homes.
> You guys have me thinking about my choice of wood, too.  I buy red or white maple or better (tree length - I cut it and split it), but you are
> right that the new stoves can handle the softer wood.
> I live on 6 acres, and my sister next door (who burns propane) has another 6.  But the 12 acres is almost all softwood:  spruce and fir.  Some
> ...



You have 12 wooded acres and you're still buying wood?


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## SolarAndWood (Aug 12, 2009)

Bigg_Redd said:
			
		

> You have 12 wooded acres and you're still buying wood?



I'm amazed how much softwood I pick up from people who burn wood.  Scratch head, keep mouth shut, nod when they talk about using it for campfires and load up the trailer.


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## PunKid8888 (Aug 12, 2009)

peakbagger said:
			
		

> One thing to consider is if the lot has been managed in the past. Inevitably if there has been natural regeneration without management, there are a lot more trees that a managed woodlot would have. If you manage for future harvesting of high grade logs, typically, at least 2/3rds of the existing trees should go. Eventually you will end up with the "state park look" which is well spaced large trees without a lot of understory and a dense canopy. The reason to manage for high grade logs is that if you have the right mature trees (hardwoods), one or two of them can be worth far more than a couple of cords of wood. By taking your time clearing out the low grade trees over a period of years, this is "bonus" wood that would not count towards the sustainable rate of the wood land. It will also improve the looks and access to the land.  Its very impressive over the long run to see how well the canopy fills in from a few healthy trees where clumps of trees formerly stood.



I am currently planning on doing this to my little 1.1 acre lot.  I really only have half an arce  or less as woods but its such a mixture of old and new growth trees, and lots of dead standing trees that did not make it tall enough to get enough light.  I plan on marking all the dead trees, then come in during the fall when its cooler and fell them.  Maybe next year I will start removing some of the smaller saplings that are clustered together.  My other problem is young and mid growth trees all along the property line.  two problems with them is they are all with in 6 feet of the house, and all technically on my neighbors property.  So I need to figure out a plan of attack for those.


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## maplewood (Aug 13, 2009)

SolarAndWood said:
			
		

> Bigg_Redd said:
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Yes, I've passed over a lot of fir, spruce, pine and poplar.  My land is about 90%+ of this softwood.  Only a little maple (I hear this is hardwood...a back woods savage told me so) and some small white birch we call water birch.  The reason I've walked past this over the years is that it doesn't have the BTU density to last overnight, and leave a bed of coals for the morning.  You can argue in favour of softwood all you want, but I've never had a 7 hour burn out of it.  Maybe with my new Econoburn I'll be pleasantly surprised!  I'm definitely going to try it.

I do burn a little softwood either in the infamous "shoulder seasons" or during the daytime, when I can tend the fire more frequently.


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## SolarAndWood (Aug 13, 2009)

maplewood said:
			
		

> Maybe with my new Econoburn I'll be pleasantly surprised!



Storage will let you take full advantage of all the softwood on your land.  You'll never worry about an overnight fire and never buy wood again.


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 13, 2009)

maplewood said:
			
		

> SolarAndWood said:
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And your wife said you have a hard head too! lol


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## timfromohio (Aug 13, 2009)

Hey Backwoods Savage - where in Michigan are you?  We are heading up near Traverse City for a vacation - looks like a very pretty area (not Traverse City - the surrounding countryside).


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## SolarAndWood (Aug 13, 2009)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> We are heading up near Traverse City for a vacation - looks like a very pretty area (not Traverse City



If you are into sampling local microbrews, I highly recommend the two that are right in downtown Traverse City.


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## timfromohio (Aug 13, 2009)

SolarAndWood - sock it to me  I do enjoy microbrews and would not at all mind your recommendations.  We plan on driving through Traverse City to head up to Old Mission for a day - might have to hit one of those microbreweries on the way home.  Thanks for the recommendations.

Being in Syracuse I'll bet you're close to some good breweries - they are probably too large to be microbreweries, but I usually pick up the summer variety packs from Saranac and JW Dundee.  Aren't they in your neck of the woods?


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## SolarAndWood (Aug 13, 2009)

I forgot what the names of them are, but they are right on the main drag past the four corners if you are coming from the East along the lake.  Big old stone building on the right as I recall.  Food is good as well.

Saranac is just down the road in the old Matt's brewery in Utica.  Dundee is from the old Genny brewery in Rochester.  Middle Ages and Empire are here in Syracuse.  My wife is a big Ithaca Apricot Wheat fan.  I go more the IPA route.


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## timfromohio (Aug 13, 2009)

How about the Mackinaw Brewing Company and/or RightBrain Brewery?  I found those listed online.

Perhaps I should have added an addendum to my post - minimum size of a woodlot for sustainability coupled with minimum acceptable proximity to suitable brewery for post harvesting libations ...

Up here in NEOhio we the the Great Lakes Brewery which I've never been to - had the beer many times as its readily available locally.  Just never made the trip up there to the brewery itself.


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## SolarAndWood (Aug 13, 2009)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> How about the Mackinaw Brewing Company and/or RightBrain Brewery?  I found those listed online.



Both were good...the place I was thinking of is 

www.northpeak.net


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## timfromohio (Aug 13, 2009)

SolarAndWood - thanks for the link.  We will definetly stop there - menu looks a bit better than Mackinaw Brewing Co. and it looks as though there is an Irish Pub associated with NorthPeak.  All this talk is making me thirsty ....

I'm assuming that the Ithaca Apricot Wheat comes out of a brewer in Ithaca - the finger lakes is one region I've never been to but would love to go.  It looks beautiful and a good brewery in the area would add yet another reason to visit.  Maybe that will be our trip next summer.


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## SolarAndWood (Aug 13, 2009)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> I'm assuming that the Ithaca Apricot Wheat comes out of a brewer in Ithaca - the finger lakes is one region I've never been to but would love to go.  It looks beautiful and a good brewery in the area would add yet another reason to visit.  Maybe that will be our trip next summer.



You guessed it and it looks like you can get it in Ohio now...

http://www.ithacabeer.com/news.html?newsID=163

Ithaca is beautiful in the summer...boating, biking, hiking, music


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 14, 2009)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> Hey Backwoods Savage - where in Michigan are you?  We are heading up near Traverse City for a vacation - looks like a very pretty area (not Traverse City - the surrounding countryside).




Tim, we are a long ways from Traverse City. We are 35 miles SW of Saginaw or 55 miles N and a little east of Lansing. 

The TC area is beautiful indeed. Sadly the cherry festival is over with but that still won't hurt them. It is one of those areas where you can drive around much of it and just enjoy the beauty. Be sure to take a drive up in the little finger (M-37) and also be sure to take in the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes west of TC. The drive up to Northport is also good as is the area around Maple City and Cedar. Just try to imagine what this area looks like in September and October. Fantastic does not do it justice. Beautiful doesn't even describe it. All the maple trees in color with hills and valleys.... I could go on and on about the area but won't. Just enjoy it. Take lots of pictures. Pray for good weather.


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## DiscoInferno (Aug 14, 2009)

Small world, I'm at my parents' place at Crystal Lake this week for my sister's wedding, just drove through TC this evening.  (Crystal is about 30 miles west of TC.)  The festival may be over but it looks like there are still cherries available.  Blueberries also, and peaches should be ripe soon I think.

It is a really nice area, I spent all my childhood summers here.  You can canoe the Platte or the Betsie rivers, or boat almost anywhere.  Do the dune climb and the scenic drive at Sleeping Bear, both offer awesome views.  Try to find your way to the Lake Michigan shore for a sunset.  And for the more adventurous, you can take a boat from Leland to the Manitou Islands for camping or a day hike.


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## timfromohio (Aug 14, 2009)

Backwoods Savage and DiscoInferno - thanks for the suggestions.  We will be staying around Bellaire and are planning to drive up M-37 to see Old Mission and also a drive over the Sleeping Bear Dunes.  The pictures I've seen of the area look beautiful and I'm certain that they don't do justice to what the area really looks like in person.  Several people have asked why we're going to Michigan for vacation (half of them are Ohio State fans - we're not originally from Ohio and I don't watch football, so don't care one way or another with the whole OSU/Michigan rivalry although I do write "go Michigan" around work on the dry erase boards when no one is looking when I get sick of hearing about OSU...) but the area looks great.  Calm, not crowded, good scenery, etc.  My kind of place!


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## Dune (Aug 15, 2009)

Here in southern New England, two cords per acre is what the oldtimers figured when determining woodlot size. Bear in mind that I said here in southern New England.


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## gerry100 (Aug 16, 2009)

I think 10 acres is probably a good number.

But- there are a lot of variables-

What is the mix of ages of trees, and when was it last harvested for wood etc.  Obviously, if you have 50plus acres it replenishes faster than an individual will cut and burn it.

I have about 5 acres of woods that was pasture and treeline 60 years ago and has naturally overgrown wih a mixture of pine and various hardwoods.

I think about 3 cords a year is doable form my land if one is smart about it.

My lot is hilly and some of the wood is just too much work to get to and move. 

Remember, getting the wood out of the woods is very hard work, even if you have the right equipment.


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## northwinds (Aug 16, 2009)

gerry100 said:
			
		

> My lot is hilly and some of the wood is just too much work to get to and move.
> 
> Remember, getting the wood out of the woods is very hard work, even if you have the right equipment.



That's the killer for me too.  I've got steep hills and deep ravines that really make me do a cost benefit analysis
when deciding what wood to go for.  I hate to see some of the fallen wood rot, but I'm not going to kill myself to
get it out with a wheelbarrow.


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## wendell (Aug 16, 2009)

I learned my lesson with that this year. Got a storm downed oak off CL and almost turned it down but thought it would be fun to burn some oak instead of always burning elm.

Big mistake! To get it up the ravine it was in, I ended up buying a kid's plastic sled and bringing up a half round at a time. Hopefully, the hardest work I will ever do for free wood.    :shut:


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## waynek (Aug 16, 2009)

What is the correct size of a sustainable woodlot? My answer is...one size does not fit all. In fact what my grandfather and father thought was a sufficient size wood lot does not apply today. I am the fifth generation to utilize the Southern Wisconsin woodlot which is a mesic mixed hardwood/softwood 20 acre forest. This particular piece of real estate was a pre-european settlement Oak savanna then sprouted into brush understory madeup of prickly ash, hickory, bur and white oak when the fires stopped. This understory was grubbed out and cleared for pasture. Even though the acreage was pastured there was oak and hickory re-generation and over time evolved into a respectable woodlot.

In the beginning this acreage did not supply enough firewood to supply the cooking and heating needs of the farmstead, therefore My ancestor purchased 80 acres of heavily wooded Wisconsin River bottom. Overtime the woodlot provided not only firewood requirements but fence posts as well. Later, the woodlot provided a cash crop...sawlogs of white and red oak and walnut. This cash crop used to pay the property taxes. Overtime other wood species populated the woodlot...black cherry, hawthorn, red and rock elm, black, green and white ash...etc. When the Dutch Elm disease entered the valley the amount of available firewood increased two-fold.

A few years back we decided not to pasture the woodlot anymore and manage it as Oak Woodland (fuel and sawlogs).  Oak wilt entered the valley and we began losing some trees thereby firewood opportunities went up again. In addition, the sawlog market for oak and walnut went in the tank, therefore the oak is more valuable for firewood than sawlogs. What logs we can not use for our specific fuel needs is now sold to a neighborhood firewood business. The woodlot is now paying the property taxes again.

The European Ash Borer has not entered the valley yet, therefore there is no increase in the amount of dead trees for firewood.
Invasive species such as wild garlic mustard are on the landscape and the word is it can effect the root system of some tree species. In addition, to this condition the local deer herd is inhibiting the regeneration of certain tree species, in my case the oaks. All this makes it uncertain as to the amount of fuel produced in the future at this woodlot and goes to my point about one size does not fit all.  There is an ebb and flow of fuel production in this woodlot and I am certain others can attest to theirs. There are too many factors (light, soil, disease, climate, etc.) effecting the ability of a woodlot to produce fuel to put a specific acre number to it.
jackpine


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## timfromohio (Aug 17, 2009)

You guys got us back on track (away from beer talk) and back to some issues I had not considered.  I was not taking into account the effect that disease might have on a lot.  Further, since I scrounge the wood I get is usually readily accessible - I had not thought of terrain and the associated difficulty of getting at the wood and then getting it back out.  Excellent points to consider.  As another side point - Jackpine, I admire the fact that you're the 5th generation using the same land.  That's rare nowadays.


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## waynek (Aug 17, 2009)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> You guys got us back on track (away from beer talk) and back to some issues I had not considered.  I was not taking into account the effect that disease might have on a lot.  Further, since I scrounge the wood I get is usually readily accessible - I had not thought of terrain and the associated difficulty of getting at the wood and then getting it back out.  Excellent points to consider.  As another side point - Jackpine, I admire the fact that you're the 5th generation using the same land.  That's rare nowadays.



Thank you, Tim from Ohio...our family has been in this southern Wisconsin valley since 1844. One branch of the family left in 1890s. The story goes...they got tired of farming three sides of the farm.
Jackpine


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## BucksCoBernie (Aug 17, 2009)

great & interesting story jackpine. Does your family still own the 100 total acres?


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## quads (Aug 17, 2009)

jackpine said:
			
		

> I am the fifth generation to utilize the Southern Wisconsin woodlot which is a mesic mixed hardwood/softwood 20 acre forest.


That's great Jackpine!  I don't meet too many other people that have worked the same land for that long.  5th generation here too.


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## timfromohio (Aug 17, 2009)

I would like to keep the thread going on woodlot size, but other sub-topics keep popping up that are very interesting ... Jackpine and quads - how has the mix of what you guys do with the land changed over the generations?  What do you farm now?


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## waynek (Aug 17, 2009)

BucksCoBernie said:
			
		

> great & interesting story jackpine. Does your family still own the 100 total acres?



The 80 acres of Wisconsin River bottom land was sold to the State of Wisconsin several years ago when the state developed the Lower Wisconsin Riverway - a 92 mile stretch of the river. When I say sold...I really mean a forced sale. This 80 was not part of the original homestead, which was 110 acres rather it was located 1 1/2 miles away.

The 20 acre woodlot I refer to in this thread is part of the original 110 acres.

Thank you and best regards,
Jackpine


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## waynek (Aug 17, 2009)

quads said:
			
		

> jackpine said:
> 
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> 
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It is always gratifying to learn there are other 5th generation land owners out there.
Thank you and best regards,
Jackpine


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## waynek (Aug 17, 2009)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> I would like to keep the thread going on woodlot size, but other sub-topics keep popping up that are very interesting ... Jackpine and quads - how has the mix of what you guys do with the land changed over the generations?  What do you farm now?



The 1844 homestead grew to 360 acres. It started as subsistance farm with 1 or 2 milk cows, chickens and hogs. By the 1870s, wheat was the main source of income. Plant disease and insects halted that income boom. A dairy barn was built in 1896 and milk sold for butter and cheese production became the major income. In 1968, my dad and I decided we could make more money hauling livestock and freight. Currently all the crop land is rented out and I raise some beef for our own family consumption. In addition, I buy open holstein heifers and run a bull with them and resell them. Oh, and we always keep a couple of hayburners on the place.

To sum it up the homestead has evolved into a hobby farm.

Thank you and best regards,
Jackpine


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## quads (Aug 17, 2009)

timfromohio said:
			
		

> ... Jackpine and quads - how has the mix of what you guys do with the land changed over the generations?  What do you farm now?


We're still the same type of farm as it was long ago (dairy).  The cows markings and coloration today still look much the same as old pictures I've seen.  The only big difference with the farm is the trees are bigger.  Back then it was prairie/grassland and very few trees.  The land is still used basically the same as it always was, but since there are bigger trees now some of it is occasionally harvested for pulpwood.  Also, not so much of it is used for pasture.  We bring more feed to the cows now instead of letting the cows graze more for themselves.  Only about 15 acres are pasture, whereas in the old days everything that wasn't a field was pasture.


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## jdscj8 (Aug 20, 2009)

we have 1500 acres total that we clean out fence lines all the time and use. but our 60 acre timber is were we get most of our wood from, our family has been cuttin out of there for 160 years and it never gets thin. right now i have 2 brothers and 4 cousins plus me cuttin out here every year. thats all we use is wood every year. i go through 6 cords a year my self.


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## Henz (Aug 20, 2009)

jdscj8, that is awesome! Any good whitetail hunting out there  I ahve 50 acres and just cut out alot of the mature white pines and some hemlock. trying to stimulate the hardwood growth. those white pines were choking out the growth due to lack of sun hitting the ground. I have decent mixed hardwoods throughout, btu I am guessing that they are really gonna start growing faster now with some sunlight. this will be the first year that I ahve taken 100% of my wood off of my property. I have about 6-7 cord cut/split and stacked back in april


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## jdscj8 (Aug 20, 2009)

the deer are out of contol around here we have a major river and 2 cricks that most would call rivers going through our land. we loose alot of corn every year to them, so we get permits every year to clear as many deer out as we can usually up to 25 deer a day for 3 days. lots of fun cause we don't like them much.  50 acres should keep ya busy for a while.


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## timfromohio (Aug 20, 2009)

jdscj8 - 160 years from the same piece of land is awesome.  Another benefit of a large woodlot - harvesting deer.  Firewood, maple syrup, venison ...  I'm sure the list will grow.


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