Alder logs

[Tom11]

Completely agree with all the comments. Great for firewood and charcoal.

[Gray git]

Got almost a full wagon load last year and put off selling in on as logs till i had nothing els in the yard thinking that it was no good, tried some in my own stove and it burnt hot and clean so the rest got sold and no complaints from any clients.

[Martin Jenkins]

Thanks very much all, for all your comments.

 

I'm really encouraged - and yes it makes a lot of sense that dry wood of all types is really going to perform satisfactorily in an efficient wood burner (mine is a Dunsley Highlander 10 central heating boiler, currently sitting behind me on the carpet, awaiting installation).

 

Just as well as I coppiced all the stuff I cut down then! - i.e. I left the stumps with a clean highly slanted cut, rather than my otherwise messy wedge - jagged hinge - final cut that my amateur tree felling produces.

 

All I need now is to get a good wood drying area. Right now it's all under some fir trees, on the basis that it's generally keeping the head and feet dry, when rain comes straight down, with sides getting air, but the last few days of sideways misty rain has soaked the lot.

[fubidou]

You can use Alder for growing Shiitake mushrooms. You can get kits with little pieces of dowel impregnated with spores, you hammer them into the alder logs and then wait... probably quite a long time. I'd go home and come back later...

[Treewarrior]

Took down an alder tree last year.

 

Logged it and stored for 6 months, dry as a bone and burnt just like a dream. Cannot get enough of it. It's a great burner.

[Andy Collins]

As everyone else, had a glut of alder from a job a few years back, burns lovely when dried. Perhaps those who rubbished it to you were thinking you' give it away to them!

[Saw-sick Steve]

Agreed, terrific firewood, seasons quickly and grows straighter than a lot of coppice wood down 'ere, which makes it nice and easy to process.

Only drawback is the bog snorkelling involved in extracting it:laugh1:

[skyhuck]

That is really good to hear Mr Ed.

 

Are you suggesting that all those sites that rate firewood, and e.g. say "oak, ash, hazel are grade 4; alder is a grade 1 - and makes poor firewood" - are all perpetuating a myth?

.

 

All the timbers that are regarded as the best fire wood, are quick drying and once dry tend to stay dry.

 

Elm was always considered a poor fuel, But an Elm that dies from DED is dried by gravity and the wind and is some of the finest fuel you could find.

 

I think most people, both past and present, don't dry their timber correctly and so they only rate the stuff that will still burn even if not well seasoned.

 

Last winter I boiled my central heating system with Poplar, because it was DRY.

[Marko]

Alder is being promoted as a commercial firewood crop for land generally not fit for much else. Top wood fuel if dried as all have said previously. Proportedly grows as fast as willow but the best bit..... rabbits hate it.

 

For that reason alone I have tried it in amongst some newly planted basketmaking willow this year - most of the willow has been decimated by rabbits (deliberatly no guards to get it into a coppiced stool quickly) but the alder is standing proud at around 3 ft (planted this year as 2" saplings).

[Treeworld]

All this was Alder from a job I did for a client last year. All came from old windbreaks, was a cracking job and has left him and his family with a good stack. I did offer to purchase loads off him but he wanted it all. It is excellent firewood and as I think Mr Ed said it was used to make gunpowder in the old days, if you come across old woods near powder mills chances are there will be loads of Alder.