Good wood......

[WoodMann]

Hey folks. By good wood I mean hardwood, for a long burn. As you all know here in New Mexico we prety much have piñon (pinus edulis), pnderosa (pinus ponderosa), some birch and juniper/ cedar. Yeah- I know the lore of pine and creosote, but I have a sweeping regimen that I'm comfortable with. The first two woods listed are soft woods I understand, and quite honestly it's quite a challenge for me to get an honest all- niter with the piñon which we have abundantly. I've burned some cedar, but goes pretty quick.
After some diging around I stumbled on some bur oak (quercus macrocarpa) in the area. Is this some good hardwood that can get me thru the night? We've also had a recent cold snap, thought not long- thankfully it cause some alarm for me. If this bur oak is good stuff I'll be stoked, literally as I need native wood; trucking wood from other parts is a no no, though I have been tempted to bring over a couple arm loads................

 

[hareball]

Would you be able to bring wood across state lines if it were heated enough to kill insects?
I'm sure it would cost alot but if a cord last 2 seasons or more...

 

[WoodMann]

I guess it would be OK if it were heated to kill off insects, but proving that, and cost as you mentionged. I'd really like to have some hardwood in my stash................

 

[precaud]

That scrub oak is good stuff. I used to find lots of it, 4" to 8" diameter, up on Rowe Mesa. It would grow in small communities around rock outcroppings. I went up looking for it again in summer of '07 and nada.

It's not that much denser than pinon, BTW...

 

[tpikaart]

I cut lots of elm (siberian I think) to supplement the pinion and juniper. It's about the only hardwood I can regularly find to cut, and it does a decent job of burning all night. They seem to die regularly enough that I find 1 or 2 each year. We (gallup--cibola national forest) are allowed to cut oak (gambel oak or scrub oak is what we've always called it) on the forest permit as long as it's not more than 1/4 of a given load and as long it's cut before October 15. Next year I'll get some more as I've found some places with quite a bit of standing dead stuff. I think the trunks have to be 10" or less. I also took down some big Russian Olives this fall--haven't burned too much of that yet as it's still drying. What I've used in previous years burns well and quite long. Doesn't smell like Juniper though...

 

[WoodMann]

Looks like I'll hafta make my way out there again come summer, but it'll take a little longer. Took my mom and nephew to shiprock recently, went up 550 from Rio Rancho. Did triple digits most of the way, was a real treat, only trouble was that the governor is set at 106mph- gotta change that..........