ugh, the annual firewood hunt RANT

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 11:50 am

Once again I'm late buying firewood. We go through 5 cords each winter. You'd think it was as easy as calling some firewood guy on kijiji, picking an ad , setting up a date for delivery and then handing over the cash. Ha!
Most kijiji ads suck, there's very little information given to make a decision so I have to email/phone back and forth (and good luck getting a response) to have questions answered- as simple as- Where do you deliver to?
Sadly it seems simpler getting a root canal. We've been scr%wed more often than not.No responses to messages (mostly I think because I've started to ask tough questions like how long the wood was seasoned, what the log size and length were, and the species BEFORE I accept delivery) We've had "seasoned" wood delivered ( as in, cut and split last night not this morning; a LOT of liars about "seasoned " wood) chunks so big we had to rent a splitter; we've had some kind of hardwood (species unknown, it's horrid!) that was delivered wet,takes two years to season, dries lighter than poplar and has zero heat output) We have had the same guy for the past 3 years, but he's getting harder and harder to get hold of, the wood is wetter and wetter and the price is jacked up higher and higher each year, so I'm looking around.
Oil is now cheaper than firewood in the Durham region,looks like $350-400 for each bush cord of unseasoned wood on a good day. Ugh. I get that the firewood guys want cash but schlepping around 2 grand in my purse makes me nervous.
No way am I going to resort to having a load of logs delivered either and renting a cut up guy- there's so much other stuff to do around here all I need is another project like that. But I might have to.
The only pleasant experience so far was Mike and Lori's firewood, but they don't deliver this far :-/
There's definitely the need for a GOOD firewood guy (or girl) in this area of the province. Great business opportunity for someone! Too bad I'm not 3 decades younger.
Might go back to just topping up the oil tank monthly, it's less hassle and costs a lot less lately.

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 12:12 pm

I am behind in getting firewood done here. I know the frustration. A few years ago I went to a mill and got a mini dump (6500) and got it full of cut off ash. Hate burning ash, it's messy and doesn't seem to create a lot of heat, but maybe you have a mill around you?
It's was very cheap also! A full mini dump full was $75

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 12:42 pm

Seems like there's not a tree within delivery of Cadmus.

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 1:02 pm

Ifs official, you need to buy your own tree lot

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 1:25 pm

Being a lumberjack was not on my bucket list!!!!
Maybe I'll just resort to burning my own fat.

Post by **Killerbunny** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 1:49 pm

One of our friends is a firewood guy up in Burks Falls. Ad gave price and everything. After he'd unloaded the Citiot said he wouldn't pay because there are lots of trees up there so it should be free. Fortunately his buddy was a local cop so he just called him up.

baronrenfrew · Post by **baronrenfrew** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 2:49 pm

Too bad you're so far from me. I cut two or three bucket loads (tractor bucket) per week (about a bush cord) for exercise and as forest management. I've got two acres of dead standing oak (avg tree 20 inch diameter), and our pasture is full of dead elm (which i do on cloudy days). I sell to neighbours as its the delivery that's a hassle for me. I can't get ahead of it.

Epona · Post by **Epona** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 5:55 pm

Have you looked to see if someone will deliver tree tops. Cheaper, but you do need the saw and splitter. Keeps you warm on those cold fall days getting it into sizable logs . :). I know this is no help, but here in Norfolk there are at least 2 folks in the "free" section of Kijiji looking for someone to come and remove smaller trees and wood. Maybe be lucky in Durham area in that section of kijiji.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 10:02 pm

Epona!!! EEwww I hate brush! Thankfully a good friend has a monster wood chipper.... but thanks I'll pass on tree tops.
Looking for wood already seasoned and split and if the firewood guy would stack it for me that would be perfect! Ha haa haven't found that one yet.
I've generally found the guys here won't unload their firewood until the (cash) $$ is handed over, I guess they have found out the hard way. What a crummy business this is, really! No trust on either side. And I kind of wonder when they charge HST on the load, don't give a receipt and want cash..... Surely the gov't s are getting their pound of flesh? Ha haaa.
KB that guy should have put each of those logs back in the truck, and then dumped the load on the guy's car. But really we aren't idiots, we're just looking for a really seasoned, real bush cords of decent hardwood (basswood doesn't count) at a fair price.
I think I may have found someone, we'll see how it goes.
Baron ! What, you won't deliver one cord at at a time to the GTA????

How come your oaks are dead? :-(

Post by **Killerbunny** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 5:33 am

Good luck Robbie.
It was a lot of wood and the guy only has one arm from a log splitting accident! You should see him shoot! He did get his money once the cop showed up.