Advice please

[oakland firewood]

Right chaps last year I took on some woodland management part time to make a bit of money on the side through fire wood and timber in the round to a local furniture maker,I've done it a full year now and have done pretty well considering I started from scratch. Ive sold around 90 loads so far at a cube a load and I'm still going..... The farmer has offered me all the woodlands to manage full time and I'm thinking of going in with my dad,the advice I need is weather people think that it could be something We could both make a living out of full time. Open question I know but any advice or help would be appreciated. There isn't anyone local that sells decent fire wood, I did no advertising at all this year it was all word of mouth! The woods have huge amounts of timber as they haven't been managed for around 30-40 years but my machinery is limited to a tractor and splitter a few saws and a low loader for when I need to shift timber for furniture. Anyone's thoughts are appreciated!

[SamWhiting12]

How big the woodland for starters? And are you paying the farmer for taking out the wood?

 

As someone said on another thread, you need to be producing over 800 tons of wood for you to make a decent living, with the 2 of you working your looking at producing 1600 tons a year.

[oakland firewood]

Quantity isn't a problem as it's there in several big woods. Well say minimum first year a hundred loads and my loads exactly are 1.25m3 I suppose they must be getting on for a tone obviously depending on variety of wood.... Agree?

[oakland firewood]

No don't have to pay for timber.

[ARBOR8]

You sound as though you are in a win win situation. Supply of good timber to furniture manufacturer, then log sales. Are you felling standing timber? This can not all be laying around? You must have a close road to all these woods for access to. Do you do all the cutting within the woodland, or do you do firewood else where?? With regards to your dad if you both get on well enough go for it. How long before your dad would need to retire? so you can get the maximum out of it. It,s a good thing your being allowed in as what would have happened to all that wood otherwise? Well enough for now. Oh and are you replanting? Sorry to many questions. And hey Climb safe out there.

[oakland firewood]

Do all cutting in the woodland. There is unreal amounts of wind blow...huge ash trees. Thinning/felling licenses are going through,so yes standing timber will be cut. Dad is 53 so got a few years left lol. Yes will be re planting. Got good access to all woods. Feel like I need reassuring it can work? It's a big step.

[devon TWiG]

This sounds like a most unusually generous farmer !!! , however from memory ( been out of the industry for a while ) a felling license is required if more than 4 cubic metres is taken in any calendar quarter , also is this a sustainable yield ? other things to consider are wildlife , nesting birds, bats especially !! How many acres approx and size and species of trees ? ....

[oakland firewood]

Not sure on acres,forestry have been out and instructed on do's and do nots. Known the farmer a long time so have a good relationship. Most the wood is ash and sycamore with a hand full of wind blown oaks other than that the oaks are in good nick.

[SamWhiting12]

This sounds like a most unusually generous farmer !!! , however from memory ( been out of the industry for a while ) a felling license is required if more than 4 cubic metres is taken in any calendar quarter , also is this a sustainable yield ? other things to consider are wildlife , nesting birds, bats especially !! How many acres approx and size and species of trees ? ....

 

That was going to be my next question, just from reading on the interenet you can find out for most hardwood stands you can yield about 3-5 tonnes per year per hectare (please correct me if I am wrong) to be sustainable.

 

They must have a fair amount of land, you will have to think about investing in some decent extracting kit to get the wood to where ever it needs to be.

 

Good luck with it, sounds like you've got a great deal.

[oakland firewood]

Well my plan is to have areas in the woods that I'll cut split and store the logs on pallets under tilts,this will save on paying for storage. Will check with forestry before I go ahead on amounts extracted.