Green wood scrounging question

[basswidow]

Was heading to a state park today that gives free passes to cut ground wood downed during last winters ice storm. Stopped by my construction site on the way to scrounge and was delited to see they'd cleared a new lot and made a massive pile of good logs for me (lady in the sales office says help yourself).

Problem is - this stuff was just cut. It's so green and heavy with sap. It feels like twice the work. Cherry and some other lighter color wood that looks like locust. I took 2 truck loads. One had bark that dripped sap that looked just like white paint. If I split this now - will it burn this winter? or am I gonna need it to wait for 10/11.

Should I pass on this and head for the state park where the downed wood will not be full of sap?

I hate to let the construction site sit because it won't last long. Another guy came by as I was cutting and eye balled things.

 

[northwinds]

A massive pile of logs for free? I'd scoop them right up. Think about them as a 18 month CD. It'll pay off
the winter after next.

 

[basswidow]

true but I still don't have wood laid up for this up and coming winter. Hence the reason I am scrounging dead stuff for a short season time.

I continue on them. If they aren't ready, they can wait till next go round. Any idea on the tree id with the white paint like sap? Had smooth gray bark. Wood was light.

 

[smokinj]

true but I still don't have wood laid up for this up and coming winter. Hence the reason I am scrounging dead stuff for a short season time.

I continue on them. If they aren't ready, they can wait till next go round. Any idea on the tree id with the white paint like sap? Had smooth gray bark. Wood was light.

some kind of pine

 

[Backwoods Savage]

basswidow, you mentioned cherry. For sure that should be ready come fall. Can't speak for the other though.

 

[Duetech]

4-5 inch splits with the cherry and stacked for ventilation same for the other stuff. If the other stuff is locust it's dripping sap like I have never heard. If it is some kind of pine 4 inch splits and good ventilation with walk space between the rows. However a load or two of downed stuff sounds good to have on hand. Some meteorologists are saying the winters are going to be colder for the next x-teen to twenty+ years. The "O" may find a way to tx state wood so anything you get now may well be an undeniable savings.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Split it small, stack it in the wind and sun and burn what ya got. It will dry more than you think. Maybe it's not ideal, 12 percent moisture content, but it'll burn. I'd bet the vast majority here are not 3 years out ahead in their wood drying efforts.

Matt and always hopes to have just a bit left over at the end of the year to start the winter off with super dry wood next year.

 

[gzecc]

Hey Bass were is this park? I am in NJ, could use some locust!
Glenn

 

[basswidow]

High Point State park at Rt 23. They will give you a flash pass to cut "down" wood FREE. 7 days a week. Problem is locating good stuff that is "vehicle" close. Most is off on trails. That's why I love the construction sites. They pile it all up nice and neat and the builder likes it - because it's less they have to pay to haul away. Although the guy who cuts it and piles it, maybe planning on processing it as firewood too, but with permission - I will get all I can.

The white paint sap is not pine. None of what I got was pine. Pine smells like pine. This is something different. Two more days of scrounging and I'll rent the splitter. Can't wait to tidy things up.

 

[gzecc]

Thank you, but thats too far. Up in the corner of the state.

 

[basswidow]

Your profile says NNJ - Sussex Co is Northern NJ! Where are you at?

For me, it's about 10 miles from my house, but the construction site is a mile. I don't feel I can drive past easy wood to go lookin for wood.

I appreciate the reply's. Maybe this stuff will be alright come winter after all.

 

[gzecc]

Northern nj is relative. I am in northern somerset county (bedminster) at route 78. I call it north central NJ. I didn't want to get anal and say north central.