Beech

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thewoodlands

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Aug 25, 2009
17,293
In The Woods
This is the place I have some Beech down (some good & some not) most likely I'll start on the Beech in September, also have some small hard maple down to the left out of the picture.




zap
 

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That looks like a great area no weeds....Beech you got love that stuff.
 
smokinjay said:
That looks like a great area no weeds....Beech you got love that stuff.


That area and up top does not have many weeds or berries so it's nice to work in, the area that I cut the basswood for kindling is nothing but berries. The deer are pounding them down.

zap
 
zapny said:
smokinjay said:
That looks like a great area no weeds....Beech you got love that stuff.


That area and up top does not have many weeds or berries so it's nice to work in, the area that I cut the basswood for kindling is nothing but berries. The deer are pounding them down.

zap

Are you replanting any?
 
smokinjay said:
zapny said:
smokinjay said:
That looks like a great area no weeds....Beech you got love that stuff.


That area and up top does not have many weeds or berries so it's nice to work in, the area that I cut the basswood for kindling is nothing but berries. The deer are pounding them down.

zap

Are you replanting any?

Replanting what?

zap
 
zapny said:
smokinjay said:
zapny said:
smokinjay said:
That looks like a great area no weeds....Beech you got love that stuff.


That area and up top does not have many weeds or berries so it's nice to work in, the area that I cut the basswood for kindling is nothing but berries. The deer are pounding them down.

zap

Are you replanting any?

Replanting what?

zap

tree's I have a good crop of black walnut this year.....I can get you 10-15 thats enough to get them populated, dont know how they would do in your area but there free! Good milling wood.
 
Beech are my favorite tree in the hardwood forests and in yards too I'd say. That smooth, silvery bark will nearly shine when the sun hits it and glow in the shade. The bright yellow autumn leaves hang on through all the wind & rain of fall into the winter when they're dried to a crispy brown and rustle in the faintest breeze while all other sounds of the forest are muffled by a blanket of snow. I just love that sound of a puff of wind through the Beech leaves in winter.
There are a few old ones on a street near my sister's that are ~4' across & each one will shade a big old house, 2 front yards & clear across to the other side of the street. When I get under one of those canopies it causes me to stop & think about all the changes that've taken place over the last century & that tree has just stood there budding out tender green leaves each spring, casting it's cool shade through summer, putting on a show of color each fall & then making music with every breath of wind through the long winter.
 
midwestcoast said:
Beech are my favorite tree in the hardwood forests and in yards too I'd say. That smooth, silvery bark will nearly shine when the sun hits it and glow in the shade. The bright yellow autumn leaves hang on through all the wind & rain of fall into the winter when they're dried to a crispy brown and rustle in the faintest breeze while all other sounds of the forest are muffled by a blanket of snow. I just love that sound of a puff of wind through the Beech leaves in winter.
There are a few old ones on a street near my sister's that are ~4' across & each one will shade a big old house, 2 front yards & clear across to the other side of the street. When I get under one of those canopies it causes me to stop & think about all the changes that've taken place over the last century & that tree has just stood there budding out tender green leaves each spring, casting it's cool shade through summer, putting on a show of color each fall & then making music with every breath of wind through the long winter.


4ft would be a monster beech biggest I cut was 32 and felt like 4ft.
 

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Yep, they're defenitely bigger than that one was. 4ft just a guess
 
How is beech for burning? My neighbor in VT wants to cut down some beech trees near his driveway and said I can have the wood.
 
Skier76 said:
How is beech for burning? My neighbor in VT wants to cut down some beech trees near his driveway and said I can have the wood.

Imo Its the best high btu's and season fast.
 
Skier76 said:
How is beech for burning? My neighbor in VT wants to cut down some beech trees near his driveway and said I can have the wood.


I'm looking forward to 2011-2012 heating season, I'll have at least 10 f/c of beech for burning. Most of our beech is on the side of a hill so it's usually a PITA to cut.

Like smokin said it's high btu's so it's great for smokin I mean burning.


zap
 
Thanks guys! You've been helpful with all my random questions lately.
 
the hardest wood that I ever tried to chop was some big old knotty beech - and i've split my share of sweet gum. that beech was crazy. we would just pound and pound on those blocks and the mauls would just bounce off. we finally tossed them down in the woods somewhere.


oh yeah, and midwestcoast - beech are one of my favorite trees as well - so beautiful. I prefer to enjoy them alive than heating my home - there is plenty of other wood for that.
 
Zap, I'm just wondering. That area looks low. Perhaps there might be some water standing in there soon? Like during the fall rainy period. If so, best to get it out now.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Zap, I'm just wondering. That area looks low. Perhaps there might be some water standing in there soon? Like during the fall rainy period. If so, best to get it out now.

It's actually a steep hill and hard working there. Sav the beech is to the left and this picture gives you an idea of how steep it is.

zap
 

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zapny said:
It's actually a steep hill and hard working there. Sav the beech is to the left and this picture gives you an idea of how steep it is.

Dunno Zap, that is begging for a tractor and a winch.
 
Those hills look like what I have to deal with pretty regularly in the hills of Pittsburgh. Hopefully you can get downhill from it with your ATV and roll the rounds down, up is a pain. I just cut some beech for the first time and I am really looking forward to burning it. It took me a long time to get a trail down to where it grows (and dies) on my property. According to Smokin it is the best, I can't wait to see, but will probably wait until next season for most of it.
 
Those hills look like what I have to deal with pretty regularly in the hills of Pittsburgh. Hopefully you can get downhill from it with your ATV and roll the rounds down, up is a pain. I just cut some beech for the first time and I am really looking forward to burning it. It took me a long time to get a trail down to where it grows (and dies) on my property. According to Smokin it is the best, I can't wait to see, but will probably wait until next season for most of it.
 
SolarAndWood said:
zapny said:
It's actually a steep hill and hard working there. Sav the beech is to the left and this picture gives you an idea of how steep it is.

Dunno Zap, that is begging for a tractor and a winch.


Yes it is, what size winch would you use?

zap
 
(broken link removed to http://burlington.craigslist.org/grd/1835216837.html) on a 40-50hp 4wd tractor. Limb the tree, winch it to the tractor on the roadway, skid it back to the ranch. Ideally done after the ground freezes but before the snow builds up.
 

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Beech is excellent hard wood. Dries well. Can split hard - stringy and wavy and tough as nails. We usually rent a splitter if we're into a lot of beech (and I like to swing an maul!).
Its usually very bumpy.
I'd never throw out hard wood. Yes, I've had my maul bounce, too. If I can stock-pile it and rent a splitter, it's worth it!
Happy burning.
 
maplewood said:
Beech is excellent hard wood. Dries well. Can split hard - stringy and wavy and tough as nails. We usually rent a splitter if we're into a lot of beech (and I like to swing an maul!).
Its usually very bumpy.
I'd never throw out hard wood. Yes, I've had my maul bounce, too. If I can stock-pile it and rent a splitter, it's worth it!
Happy burning.

I have 2-3 f/c of beech (not the best I bucked) that has to be burned this year then after that the good stuff for 2011-2012. So far out of all the wood we burned I like the hard maple the best.

This year we will have some ironwood that looks like it will be ready if August and September are dry.

zap
 
Skier76 said:
How is beech for burning? My neighbor in VT wants to cut down some beech trees near his driveway and said I can have the wood.

Take as much of it as you can . . . I love beech . . . good BTUs.
 
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