Think beyond next winter!

[FJMatt]

thank you for answering my question.

[Llenya]

Agree with Goaty. The amount of wood available will slowly go down and the price will increase so much that lots of people will pack up shop as its not worth the hassle.

 

Then we will start import more wood and diseases probably.

 

Sam, you are right; as is Goaty. [minus the diseases] Desease-Scare is something that Governments use to control people's buying and spending..]

 

For example; In 2 yrs time the BR Government might say that "all imported firewood has to be screened for "BUG X" (Like Russia is doing at the moment with ALL exports of trees. Please don't accept everything your Government tells you!

 

If you don't believe me then research your own legislation in the UK and you will find that, "if you are an honest tradesman" you will never make a profit!

 

At the moment, we firewood producers and sellers are an unknown quantity! Long may it last, but eventually legislation will catch up with us and the Conglamorates will take over.

[SamWhiting12]

I don't think there will every be legislation in place for firewood and its quantities just due to the fact that there is so many contributing factors (moisture content, stacked, loosely thrown etc).

 

Having legislation will probably be more of a headache for both the producer and the people ensuring the legislation is being adhered too.

 

But as for my business looking beyond next winter, I will looking to grow it in a way that is sustainable. I don't believe in throwing huge amounts of money at something in an initial outlay. I started with an axe and a small car, I now have a yard, polytunnel, sheds, a van and some nice saws. So I cant really complain

 

Just like natural selection, thing change and evolve and unless your willing to change and evolve then you will become history.

[Woodworks]

In rural areas I can't see big players wanting a piece of the action as delivery is a big part of the overall cost of doing firewood.

 

I don't share Llenya's view that regulation is just around the corner. Let's be honest lots of logs are sold every year completely under the radar being sold for cash. No amount of regulation would stop that unless efforts are made to clamp down on the cash sale boys. How do I know there are lots of cash sale boys out there? Because when the customer says I presume you want paying in cash and you reply no cheque or BACs are fine they look astonished.

 

Planning for the future is difficult in regard to long term sourcing of wood. The market appears to be changing fast and storing 5 years of wood is a non starter for me with not enough space and money and it would rot long before it ever got processes in our climate. Getting in with local woodland owners who need awkward sites managed is my plan for longer term supplies. I don't need 2000 tons a year to make a living thou

[gensetsteve]

Oh Dear!, I feel one of these "Judgement Moments" coming on! Are you now going to say " I`ve been cutting trees since before you were born"!!!

 

I´m only pointing out that since I have spent many thousands of pounds, yes GBPs, on research into Biomass...[mainly wood pellets], I have seen how a slight change in Government policy can completely disrupt a single person's Business Plan.

 

To answer you question...Since 2005.

 

Stephen

 

What sort of firewood have you supplied for the last 9 years. Did you do the project before 2005 or during your firewood stint. Is your market being restricted now by legislation.

[ArthurBottlesworth]

It'll be sorted out over dinner in a very nice house belonging to a member of H of L who probably went to Eton, we of course will never know about this dinner...

 

Bottom line is toffs will reorganise system to maximise their income....they own the land and have their hands on supplies so unless you own your own supplies ( or have long term contracts in place ) there could be trouble ahead...

 

I'm told that landowners are looking from wind turbines ( which don't really work) to biomass ....government policy will follow ......

 

The big money will then move in .....you won't be able to compete because its not in their plan to have competition......

 

It will of course be presented as a GREEN INITIATIVE and lets be honest very few of the UK population ever visit a woodland....so they won't care....

[Logsnstuff]

I have cord coming in from an estate they have felled about 4k tons of softwood and all the pulp and pallet is going through a chipper to fuel their biomass plant, the hardwood was destined for the chipper also until we expressed an interest. Regulation I believe will come in to standardise a measurement for delivery and a mc to be classed as seasoned to begin with, I don't have a problem if it stops there I think that would be beneficial for everyone.

[Jon3012]

It'll be sorted out over dinner in a very nice house belonging to a member of H of L who probably went to Eton, we of course will never know about this dinner...

 

Bottom line is toffs will reorganise system to maximise their income....they own the land and have their hands on supplies so unless you own your own supplies ( or have long term contracts in place ) there could be trouble ahead...

 

I'm told that landowners are looking from wind turbines ( which don't really work) to biomass ....government policy will follow ......

 

The big money will then move in .....you won't be able to compete because its not in their plan to have competition......

 

It will of course be presented as a GREEN INITIATIVE and lets be honest very few of the UK population ever visit a woodland....so they won't care....

 

I'm pretty sure when the government tried to sell the forests quite a few people cared. You really should be running to be your local mp with views like that.

I go up and down when people say there should be regulation on firewood. At the moment I'm up as our local council sells firewood by the builders bag and advertise it as weighing a ton. Thats just not right.

[ArthurBottlesworth]

What bothers me is that farmers/landowners will strip out every tree for biomass cash.....

 

Not just from woods but also from verges, field edges , odd corners etc

 

Every tree will have a price on its head....

[SamWhiting12]

In rural areas I can't see big players wanting a piece of the action as delivery is a big part of the overall cost of doing firewood.

 

I don't share Llenya's view that regulation is just around the corner. Let's be honest lots of logs are sold every year completely under the radar being sold for cash. No amount of regulation would stop that unless efforts are made to clamp down on the cash sale boys. How do I know there are lots of cash sale boys out there? Because when the customer says I presume you want paying in cash and you reply no cheque or BACs are fine they look astonished.

 

Planning for the future is difficult in regard to long term sourcing of wood. The market appears to be changing fast and storing 5 years of wood is a non starter for me with not enough space and money and it would rot long before it ever got processes in our climate. Getting in with local woodland owners who need awkward sites managed is my plan for longer term supplies. I don't need 2000 tons a year to make a living thou

 

I don't see the problem with cash sales. I do all my sales through cash in hand and issue a delivery invoice when I have the cash. Any money then goes straight into my account so you can trace were the money goes. Obviously there are going to be a few sellers that don't declare there earnings but that's up to them. They will get caught one day and then that's one less competitor you have to deal with