Wood Sales have been brisk..... but now I'm out of the good stuff.... Decisions...

[leftyscott]

I'm a small-time wood seller... just sold my 9th 1/3 cord of primo 2 year+ seasoned 20% moisture etc.

That wood is gone now. What I have left is mostly red oak seasoned for a year with moisture readings 28-30%. Trees were standing dead one year before I cut them down last year.

I'm still having people ask me for wood. When I tell them it's "only" seasoned for a year instead of 2, the response I received was that they usually cut in early fall to burn in winter

What would you do......... sell as "seasoned for only one year" burn at your own risk?

I see a lot of wood in my area being split and sold almost simultaneously.

I have another 3-4 cords of "saleable" wood.

 

[smokinj]

I would sell it as unseasoned 28-30 percent moisture content Oak! Be up front......

 

[eujamfh]

Be honest and explain your concerns....if they still want it, sell it. Even if they are not happy, they will be back since they will at least know you will tell them exactly what they are getting.

 

[lukem]

There's nothing wrong with selling that wood as long as you are clear about what you are selling.

 

[rdust]

Sell it as wood cut/split for a year since "seasoned" is different for us then most people and let the buyer determine the rest. Chances are it'll be the best wood most have ever burned.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

If that is what the folks want, they will buy it somewhere else if you won't sell it to them. Sell. Cut some more.

 

[mesuno]

Or keep it for next year and sell it fully seasoned for a higher price - you have put the effort into cutting and stacking it. No more effort involved leaving it for a year longer and selling it for a few more bucks per cord then.

 

[wood-fan-atic]

If all wood sellers were as honest as you - the world would be a better place! ;-) Just tell the truth - "1 year cut,stacked red oak, 28-30% MC". NO ONE could complain about that!

 

[quads]

When I've sold all that I have 'ready' to sell, I quit selling until next year. If I was wishing that I had more 'ready' to sell when I'm sold out, then I take that into consideration for the future stock.

 

[AngusMac]

Oak takes a long long time to season.
Sell it as top quality firewood, which it is, but let them know its only seasoned a year and needs more time than that (I dont know how long Oak needs, as its a tree that doesnt really grow in my part of the world, too much nasty wind and cool summers)

 

[moosetrek]

Sell it, disclose it, and let the buyer be happy. There a probably a lot of folks that have less picky stoves than many of ours, I bet it'll burn just fine in an old Fisher or wood furnace. Never know whay the buyer's going to put it in, unless they tell you.

 

[mtarbert]

I was comming home last week with a truck loaded with fresh cut and split Pin Oak. When I stopped at the local 7-11 I had three people who asked to buy my load. This stuff was dripping wet. I could have sold it Most people don't know what they are buying.

 

[bogydave]

I've never sold fire wood but if I did I would only sell wood that is ready to burn.
The way I see it, when people want wood, they plan to burn it.

If I ever have enough to sell, I'd want it to be ready to burn & build a reputation of only selling good wood. It may be a little more expensive but you get what you pay for.
Now if someone says, I'm buying it for next year, I'd have to think about it. Knowing I'm dealing with someone who know & understands the wood burning process.

As hard as it is to get 2 years ahead for myself, I don't see ever having enough to sell. But some day who knows?
8 cords/year X 3 = 24 cords. I'd be in heaven.
Now sell it :bug:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hang in there Bogydave, you'll get there. It does take a bit of time, but is worth it when you finally get there.

 

[moosetrek]

Or you can move out west. All of ours is nicely stacked vertically in the forest, dead and ready to burn. More cords than one could ever use... Course, it's only pine and the creosote will clog up your truck before you ever get it home.

 

[ecocavalier02]

im in the process of getting enough ahead and wanting to start selling. ive got a ton of work to do this year to do it, but i to want to be honest as i can. letting stuff season enough and not have some guy calling me up rippin me one. i know the feeling. around here people sell it green hardwood 150 a cord or you can get seasoned for 250. most likely the seaseoned for 250 is probably bout the same as the green wood. i dont want to be that guy.

 

[firefighterjake]

Sell and tell . . . sell it to them as unseasoned wood and tell them that generally it should be seasoned longer . . . if they want to buy it anyways let them . . . while I doubt many will buy it to season another year at least they and you will know you were forthright in dealing with them if there are any issues.

 

[Danno77]

I'm with others that you should "sell and tell" One piece of advice is to make sure you NEVER run completely out of seasoned stuff, and to tell the people that your wood is less than fully seasoned, and that they need to understand that you don't want them to think you sell unseasoned wood on a regular basis. tell them that they should see the difference a couple more years makes and then give them 2 stove/fireplace loads of good wood to help them "see the light".

Point being that you want them to come back next time, and they'll see that you are better than the guy down the road who just says "yep, it's seasoned for 9months and now it's ready to go." You may have the same wood as someone else at this point in the game, but you are still a better seller. let them know that.

 

[fyrwoodguy]

your doing a good job,leftyscott.....keep up the way you are and you'll have plenty to do!