I live in a rural area in east TN and everyone I know either has no access to hickory or oak, or has some on their property but will neither allow me to have some or say it would be too much trouble to get to. The trees literally grow everywhere except on my 1.5 acres that primarily have pine, poplar, and a cedar tree. Do you guys order your sticks, split your own, or buy from people who cut and mix for firewood?
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The last wood (firewood) I got was from craigslist. -
For firewood for a stickburner? I get my stickburner wood from firewood folks, or cut my own from my yard or others' but you can't so that's a moot point.
Call around to firewood delivery places, even if they're kinda high priced it might still last you a good long while making it well worth it. For perspective- I ordered a face cord, which is a 4'x8' stack, only as deep as cut firewood, and this is also roughly the back of a full sized pickup full. One guy delivered it to me for $60 which I thought was crazy cheap considering I wasn't heating my home with it therefore it would last a long time. It lasts me 1-2 years depending on how much I use my stickburner, so you can see why this is such a good deal for me, I spend 5x in charcoal & pellets for my other cookers. The next time I needed some he was apparently out of business so I found another fella who sold me the same amount (pickup truck load, face cord) for $80 but I had to drive to his place 40 mins one way and load it myself. Still, well worth it to me. This is for seasoned oak/cherry/ash/maple mix, and this guy's was even better quality wood.
Of course your mileage may vary for how much it costs in your area and how much you need, etc.
For chunks I like using Fruitawoodchunks.com. If you intend to buy any from them I suggest using the "U Pick'em" option, you get more for less that way.Comment
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I get mine from trees.Comment
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I thought I was the resident smartass. DavidNorcross
But then someone from The Great State of Texas showed up.
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Craigslist for 'firewood' or the free section, sometimes. a homeowner just wants someone to haul it away. Keep a chain saw at the ready for a windstorm, after one you can usually find it quite easily.
As for me, I have nine acres of apple trees.Comment
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Huskee Well, sometimes I use apple, then other times I use apple. And when I'm really feeling daring, I use apple.
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Keep your eye on Craigslist and Offerup after windstorms and in spring when people are pruning.
I got a Tacoma bed full of cherry from a random person, some oak that fell in a windstorm, some alder from a snow storm. I also scored half a cord of white oak from a guy down the street, he had a ton of it at his dads property. All it took was a quick message to initiate the conversation.
Just be diligent with watching and you'll start to see opportunities (and get a feel for prices too).Comment
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You might want to also check with the local tree service places. They have to do something with the wood they haul away. Sometimes they just give it away or sell it on the side.Comment
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Since I don't use a stick burner anymore, I only need a relatively small amount of splits for open fire type cooking. Both ACE, Lowe's, Academy and HEB sell all of the B&B products including big bags of splits in hickory, oak, mesquite, apple, cherry and some others I can't think of. I pick up a big bag for about $12 and it lasts about 10 cooks or so.
Otherwise there are independents around town here that will sell you 1/4, 1/2 or full cords of wood. Usually hickory, oak and mesquite. Hard to find fruitwood but its out there.Comment
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OHurley88 , +1 to this! I have a stick burner and order the B&B online from Ace. They ship free to my store and usually deliver it for free also since I typically order more than $50 worth at a time. Great wood, but a bit expensive since I burn exclusively wood splits in my stick burner. I’m hoping to find a local "wood guy" here in Indiana now. -
RickyBobby I have a few suggestions for Central Indiana. I will PM you.
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craigslist... $100 gets me enough for a couple years delivered.Comment
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I bike around and keep an eye out for wood (logs) on Facebook Marketplace. And I split my own. I haven’t paid money for any wood. But it takes work!! And constant sourcing of wood. I have a decent stash now, so I’ll start looking for wood this summer so I have it for fall or winter.Comment
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Judging by the age of some of you fossils on here. You probably have not seen wood for the last 20 years
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Our place is literally covered with oak and pecan trees. I've not had to cut a tree down yet. I use what falls out of them throughout the year. I cut up what I can use and have one heck of a bon fire every spring when they lift the burn ban with what I can't use. When we get out to go to any of the local towns you'll see where the state road crew has trimmed a tree back and left the wood for who ever wants it. Ask your local highway dept if they do any thing like that.
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I tried the local guys for a while to get oak wood. I was constantly disappointed with inconsistent splits, rotten wood, and way too often it was way too green. For roughly the same price I can drive 50 miles away for almond, oak, walnut, cherry, apple, mesquite or hickory (ascending price in that order) for cord wood. I picked up a cord of oak today actually. Not necessarily cheap compared to a lot of places in the US still. $450 for a cord of oak.
kenrobin ofelles you guys may be interested as well living fairly close to the source.
The reason I make the drive to pick it up is that this company, Lazzari, sells primarily to restaurants with the primary purpose to cook with. Never green. Always consisten splits. Never a piece of light, rotten wood. Plus the mesquite lump charcoal they sell is top quality as well. They’ve been around since 1908 apparently.
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Red Man I used almond for a while because the splits are much smaller than the oak. It tends to have a bit more of a sour smoke flavor than my liking but always good in a pinch! Especially good for my pizza oven, where the temp is so high the smoke flavor is almost nonexistent.
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