Some serious advice needed please chaps.

[Ashes_Firewood]

I'd go and see him face to face, same with the editor. Emails are obviously not getting anywhere so face to face is the only way forward there.

 

The guy clearly doesn't think you have a right to earn a living out of logs and should do it at cost price for him! Plonker. The bit that would annoy me the most is the large piece of text saying if anyone wants to inspect the logs and learn where they came from that they can!

[gensetsteve]

I'd go and see him face to face, same with the editor. Emails are obviously not getting anywhere so face to face is the only way forward there.

 

The guy clearly doesn't think you have a right to earn a living out of logs and should do it at cost price for him! Plonker. The bit that would annoy me the most is the large piece of text saying if anyone wants to inspect the logs and learn where they came from that they can!

 

I would imagine while they are inspecting the logs he will offer to do a load just for them especially since he has so much time on his hands. Anyone who spends 3 days and £150 on diesel dragging 10-20 tonnes of cord has to be an idiot.

[Crazy Cutter]

I would imagine while they are inspecting the logs he will offer to do a load just for them especially since he has so much time on his hands. Anyone who spends 3 days and £150 on diesel dragging 10-20 tonnes of cord has to be an idiot.

 

Thats where i'm going wrong Steve!

[elby]

How did this pan out Ben?

[Goaty]

Yes we'd like to know even if you just left it for now.

[New Forest DEAN]

New on here, but thought I'd pitch in. Just remember this forum is also public domain as well, much like the paper. Thus the guy is at liberty to use it to strengthen his 'argument' (it works both ways). So,

 

1. Lots of supportive and professional responses from arb', forestry and fuel specialists will help your argument.

 

2. Petty threats of violence most certainly will not and will be one part they will focus on. You will be guilty by association in any follow up report.

 

As someone who has recently been introduced to the vagaries of buying firewood, I can sympathise anyone in the same boat -'load', '1/2 load', 'cube', 'tonne', 'tonne-bag', '2 tonne tipper / trailer', 'cord' (8 or 10 foot?), 'round', 'rings', 'seasoned', 'unseasoned (but good for burning)', 'hardwood', 'mixed-hardwood', 'softwood', 'offcuts' ...........these are all terms that have been quoted to me. For a country obsessed with weights & measures (look at the head on my pint!), this doesn't sit well with the 'public'.

 

As an intelligent person (with a family history of farm, wood working etc), it didn't take me too much research to realise what the terms meant and how much they were being manipulated (fairly or unfairly) by log suppliers. My first delivery of a 'load' of 'seasoned', 'mixed hardwood' for £60 was 50% 2inches in diameter and fizzled when lit, spewing out water.

 

But, his article is about whether it is economical to heat with wood.. Thus, taking a pop at ONE DELIVERY is just bad research. Where is his comparison?

 

He wisely doesn't name you (avoiding libel - just how far is 'local'?), but like you say, you may get implicated. I agree that getting legal or snotty won't help (unless pushed further). Writing an advice column on how to buy firewood will help.

 

Hope it works out - DEAN.

[farmer_ben]

Thanks for the recent interest.

 

TBH I have put this on the back burner for the time being, I had a really apologetic email back from the editor who took responsibility for over looking the column and not proof reading it being publishing. I will be pursuing more advertising come the Autumn and will remind the editor of his reply closer to the time.

 

I have been too busy to worry about the chap who wrote it and I havent had any contact with him, several of my customers have contacted me who saw the article and offered support and gave their opinions of the chap who wrote it.

 

The chap I work with writes a monthly bit in the magazine and he has offered me the column for an Autumn edition on buying Firewood tips etc. Really looking forward to writing it. I think once the dust settled I realised having one plank complain from well over 200 individual customers I have had over past 3 yrs isnt to much to worry about. Going to up my game even more this coming season so he see's my truck roaring around even more often with a cracking load of logs on the back of it!

 

All the best chaps

[tree monkey]

you wont be alone advertising in the paper!slag you off get the sympathy vote off the readers then sell logs against you imo

[Mortimer Firewood]

Thanks for the recent interest.

 

TBH I have put this on the back burner for the time being, I had a really apologetic email back from the editor who took responsibility for over looking the column and not proof reading it being publishing. I will be pursuing more advertising come the Autumn and will remind the editor of his reply closer to the time.

 

I have been too busy to worry about the chap who wrote it and I havent had any contact with him, several of my customers have contacted me who saw the article and offered support and gave their opinions of the chap who wrote it.

 

The chap I work with writes a monthly bit in the magazine and he has offered me the column for an Autumn edition on buying Firewood tips etc. Really looking forward to writing it. I think once the dust settled I realised having one plank complain from well over 200 individual customers I have had over past 3 yrs isnt to much to worry about. Going to up my game even more this coming season so he see's my truck roaring around even more often with a cracking load of logs on the back of it!

 

All the best chaps

 

Let your product do the talking!