Site Discussions

Make sure the oiler is working and chain is not too dull.
Wes

My yard borders a small natural woodland. I’ve been busy pulling out mustard garlic and would like to identify some of the beautiful native flowers that populate the area.

The birch leaf miner article was forwarded to me by a colleague to whom I had complained about the disappearance of birches during my youth in northern Westchester County (NY). I was delighted to learn from Todd McLeish’s Spring 2009 article that the miner was in check.  When I moved to NJ in 1981, my two gray birches were lightly infested. I bud-sprayed one but not the other. The unsprayed tree died by 1985. But in the mid-1950s, the birch leaf miner (or some birch leaf miner) arrived in northern Westchester County with a vengeance. In the former (pre-WWI) agricultural lands dominated in the 1950s by 10-40 year old gray birches, the miners caused almost complete defoliation by about the third year (1955 give or take a year), and by the end of the decade, ALL of the gray birches in our yard (at least a dozen trees of varying ages) had succumbed. As indicated in the article, they did leaf out in the summer after the first defoliation. But they didn’t tolerate the stress of repeated defoliations, year after year. The insect-control people we called did not find evidence of borers, but the miner larvae were evident upon close examination of the leaves—often several in a leaf, causing the entire foliage to turn brown and then drop. Nearby black birch and yellow birch were not affected. So I disagree with the statement that it “is not a fatal pest”. I realize that there have been other miners in North America, but at least some miner was fatal to gray birches in northern Westchester County, New York, in the mid-1950s.

I would like to clear a few things up. I have actually installed a OWB in 1999, I have invested $7500.00 in the system. This includes a 16 by 32 wood storage barn, all the components to heat my water, house, a 40 by 40 pole barn, and my hot tub that I sit in and watch my OWB at work. I am not sure where most of you are buying your wood at 200-300 a cord, I have never spent more than 60 a cord. I buy my wood by the pulp cord, that is by a log truck @ $625.00 a load which gets me 23 face cord. So the point is that some of you trying to point out how expensive it is to install and operate a unit need to take another look. I spent about $925.00 this winter in Northern Michigan to heat all items mentioned, before this OWB it would have cost me about $4000.00. Every time that great big pig on wheels comes to my house to bring me that really clean “propane” it would cost me 900-1200 each time at 3-4 times a year. The best part is that I have the ability to install all of this myself, it was one of the greatest things I ever did, and it is really paying dividends now. My second point is that if you think that because some guy delivers your heat by truck you are some how helping the are we breathe you need to re think that. I do understand how it might be frustrating for some of you living next door to one on some days, but lets get real, the wind direction is continually changing, so I no it isn’t as bad as you would like everyone to believe. You really should be proud of your neighbor’s if you truly care about the planet. I really doubt that for most of you your issues with your neighbors have anything to do with there OWB.

I enjoy this intensely creative, insightful kind of eco-detective work. I worked at Hubbard Brook before Charlie and met some of the Wilder Thorton old-timers who remembered the forest on Mt. Cushman well including the spruce taken out to build bunkhouses for American soliders in France in WWI. I also saw evidence of shifts in yellow birch, maple and beech that were going on and still going on “North of Crawford” Notch. Re-read Thoreau’s The Maine Woods, and you catch little glimpses of shifts. I, too, am fascinated by the make up of the forest that came in on the heels of the Wisconsinan ice sheet as it ablated just north of the White Mountains; what the dominant species were, where they came from originally? The beech question also fascinates me. In college I did a lot of research on beech and larch in Northern NH as to their etiologies but could never really conclude anything.

Some FACTS for wood burners.

http://www.burningissues.org/health-effects.html

and there are plenty more facts, illustrations AND actual videos online besides the ones listed on the link above.

Try reading and becoming educated before you judge someone who does not want their lungs and homes filled with someone else’s putrid wood smoke. Ugh!

wow Jim, you sound like the big shot organizer telling everyone what they can and can’t do. What a terrible attitude you have. I’m very happy you are not MY neighbor. How dare you say the affected residents should pay for a stack height increase? And your comment about “whiny” neighbors living downwind is as rude as your entire post. When the “wood dust” settles in your lungs, in reality, burners are the perpetrators - and non smokers own the rights to breathe clean fresh air - over their perp neighbors’ wood burning whims and thoughtlessness. Why don’t you become a fireman? Oh, btw, don’t firemen wear masks when they’re around burning houses? Why? To protect their lungs!!! Who in their right mind wants to inhale noxious, carcinogenic wood smoke? Unless maybe they are addicted to burning wood - which parallels tobacco addiction. Tobacco and wood smoke are closely related and both are killers.

I am a foundation contractor and have found a 30’ x 40’ area of orange Myxomycota under a residence that has poor drainage and little ventilation.  The smell is questionably dissatisfying and we are now wearing gas masks to level the home. i have read several different articles about it, all stating it is harmless and can be eaten fried.  But can you crawl through it 4 ” from your nose, without a mask? Are there long term effects of it to the homeowners or my lung exposure to it? Thank you, for any knowledgeable input to my questions at hand.  Cameron

Hi,

I am looking for a saw mill for supply of hard wood chips needed to make chip board and white ash wood; can you please guide me a saw mill for same. The product is needed for export.
Thanks, Scott

I just attended a two-hour seminar on EAB at Penn State this week, presented by extension staff from the university, an entymologist from the university, and a staff member from the Pa Dept. Agriculture. Yes, the picture is bleak, and yes it appears that it has spread most rapidly by transport of wood products, including firewood; this is very much a problem of educating the public. Just in Feb of this year, it was found in Mifflin Co, central PA, which as such, is now quarantined.
It seems to me that the PA strategy of quarantine is too little too late, because it typically seems, that by the time the presence of EAB has been confirmed, the estimate is that it’s been in the area for 4-6 years (!); plenty of time to have further spread!!

Air freedom, Kerry is right (but Mcculloghs are better saws!!), hypocrisy is the MO for some. when you and your ilk and neighbors stop burning coal for electricity, then and only then can you complain about particulate matter, Vermonters live downwind from you, and don’t butt into others affairs.  Same with Vivian.  The folks living downwind OWN that land and have a right to use it as they see fit instead of their whiny neighbors. If you want the stack raised, offer to pay for it, otherwise keep it to yourself.  Savings from an OWB are enough for me to buy a $10,000, unit, with expectations of at least 3/4 savings on my annual propane bill of $3500, and still have time to catch 1000 perch through the ice during winter. Since I already have a recreational pyro pit entertainment center, my neighbors are used to smoky fires on a cool spring or fall night, and learned to shut the windows.

I currently own a sawmill in Missouri and am looking for a lumber yard to buy my oak lumber

I just got the magazine’s invitation to subscribe today and that’s why I’m here.  I love to read what fellow nature nuts have to say about our beautiful world up here in Northeast USA.  It’s really nice to meet a fellow lover of snow.  I plan to revisit your blog and invite you to visit me at mine:  http://www.saratogawoodswaters.blogspot.com

Thanks for your interesting publication.

Did anyone notice an infestation on red twig stands this past summer/fall? They looked like wooly alder aphids , I suppose it was them flying about all September. A year or two before, there were wooly adelgids all over the speckled alder stands but I didn’t notice any silver maples which are the host tree. Perhaps the red twigs are an alternate host?

I enjoyed your article and would like to learn more. I’ve been using locust for several years around my farm. I’ve constructed cattle handling facilities and corrals of locust as well as many posts. We are also required by the state barn grant department to use locust for all wet locations. I’ve begun a side business of dealing in locust post ,rails, seedlings etc. After much trial and error I’ve learned to grow locust from seed. I would like to try propagating ship mast locust from root stock. I would apreciate any advice on this matter or instruction (if available) I am very familiar with the Syracuse / Fingerlake region and have access to many stands of tall straight locust. My questions are many but my intrest is sincere , if you can assist me in this matter please contact me at your convienience. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Sincerely Tim Longmore

We have lived downwind of a Woodmaster ss434 for eight years. It stinks up our field and yard and comes into our house unless you keep every window & door shut tight. We have spent decades and thousands of dollars making our acreage a clean and lovely outdoor recreation area, which is unusable for half of the year because of the discomfort of breathing
the burning creosote. We have burned wood in the past, (for one winter our only heat was an indoor wood stove) so we’re not anti-wood burning. The boiler owners have refused to raise the stack (no reason given), and the wife has shouted from her front porch (they built right behind us even though they have 14 acres) that she hopes the smoke kills us, and to choke on it. They don’t cut their own wood, the only time they step outside is to load the furnace and drive away. They have no outdoor activities, and don’t care that they ruin ours. It almost seems like they enjoy it - and after reading some of these posts, I believe they do. So much for Love Thy Neighbor.

Living in northern Indiana I grew up on a farm and cutting firewood was a big part of my life.  I enjoy everything from cutting to hand splitting the wood.  My dad used a Vermont Casting wood stove, now I do as well.  Mine has a catalytic system that burned out the first year of operation.  It continues to do the job yet uses more wood.  A Garn is in my near future.  The more people that think us wood burners are nuts, the better.  More sources for us!!!!! Like my grandfather said “This is the fuel that warms you twice.” Working to get it, and the reward of free heat.  I don’t understand burning green wood, dry is better in every way. Many of the people who just can’t mind there own business talk about us hurting the environment with smoke from natural wood in my area are the same people wanting to install a 17 mile paved bike trail through farms and people’s back yards. That’s good for the earth, more asphalt.  How many poisonous gases will be let in the air laying 17 miles of asphalt on old railroad stone going from a town of 2000 to a town of 500 with nothing in between.  My point is some people’s hypocrisy have no boundaries.  Burn because we can and enjoy what goes with it.  I love Stihl chainsaws, I love my grandpa’s old ax. I love wood heat.  I try to burn clean with seasoned hardwood.  I figure cutting and burning wood disturbs environmentalists enough, next they will come after my dirt bikes.  I love getting fired up!!!!!!!

Hi Courtney, I need some help locating Mills that make chips located on navigable waters so that ships can just come in and load up.  I need paper quality pine chips, and debarked birch chips, and energy grade hardwood chips.  Just any old mill on the water would probably do for the hardwood chips.
Thanks.

Gene

This is a very good and timely discussion of a serious problem facing our forest resource.

New York Society of American Foresters conducted a survey of harvests about 15 years ago that showed most harvests in this state are not done to sustainable silvicultural standards. I understand similar studies in Pennsylvania and West Virginia showed similar results. Gifford Pinchot expressed concern with this issue early in the last century and we apparently have not made much progress yet.

This is one issue foresters may be more able to address than global warming and invasive species. In the long run, forest industry, landowners, foresters and society would benefit if we practice good silviculture.

The measurements of snowpack depth and length of snow cover have similar limitations as measured snowfall: they do not measure the temperature in question, that is, the actual ground temperature and depth of freezing soil. Temperature of the soil and the depth the soil freezes may not correlate in a neat and tidy way to depth of snowpack or length of snow cover. Deep depth of snowpack and longer snow cover may mean a much colder winter. Less depth and shorter cover may mean a warm winter. How all these factors come together in ground temperature and freezing depth likely is complex. The only way to know is to measure ground temperature and freezing soil depth.