Growing your own firewood?

Schmoke · Feb 10, 2013

I keep cutting, cutting ... but I don't re-plant.

I still have many years' worth of oak and maple to cook with, but I still have to buy my apple & cherry.

It would be nice to plant some fruit trees, and other fast-growing hardwoods, so I can have a self-sustaining stash of wood. Cutting what I grow.

I Googled for fast growing hardwoods, and the Empress tree came up a few times. Can grow 8 ft/year, so I'm thinking I'll have usable empress wood in no more than five years.

Has anyone cooked with empress?

CarolinaQue · Feb 10, 2013

A large tree doesn't necessarily mean a mature tree. Most trees take 10 to 20 years to fully mature. And from what I understand, a mature tree is what you want for cooking wood. I was taught that 20 year old and up in age was the best wood for cooking. I have found that younger cherry trees don't put off a very good smoke, even after drying for a couple of years.

cliffcarter · Feb 10, 2013

It's not about how tall trees grow but how thick they get, it is going to take many years for any tree to grow to a usable thickness. Cut down a 6" maple(trunk diameter), if you have one, and count the rings. You'll be surprised at how old it is.
I duplicated your search and the best cooking wood I saw listed was nutall oak.

Schmoke · Feb 19, 2013

>> It's not about how tall trees grow but how thick they get

Sounds like something an old girlfriend mentioned to me many years ago. Sigh.

I'm agreeing with the consensus, it will take MANY years (not to mention I can't move away) to make a project like this practical.

And I have never seen 'empress' or 'nutall' mentioned when favorite woods are discussed.

Project on hiatus.

J

columbia1 · Feb 19, 2013

Wild Cherry grows extremely fast!!
I have 10 year trees that are already 40' high with 8-10" on the butt.

cliffcarter · Feb 19, 2013

columbia1 said:
Wild Cherry grows extremely fast!!
I have 10 year trees that are already 40' high with 8-10" on the butt.

I counted the growth rings on a 5" diameter piece of black cherry last week after I posted in this thread, it was at least 30 years old.

columbia1 · Feb 19, 2013

Here is some fresh cut wild cherry, seems to be around 14 years

rcbaughn · Feb 19, 2013

We cut most of ours too, hickory and the such, but yeah we don't have access to Alderwood, pecan wood or fruitwoods. Well, I could get some of those wood varieties but I'd either make someone very sad they don't have their pecans anymore or I'd get shot for ruining someones fruit tree! I'll probably have to keep resorting to buying those kinds from Wally World unless I find someone that will let me hack their trees down. I'm too impatient to try and grow my own that's for sure.

DownHomeQue · Feb 19, 2013

i have cooked with all kinds of woods and I can't tell a difference at all in mature trees and smaller trees.. i am burning the wood for fuel... All that about burning a mature tree... i don't listen too.. i just burn small hot fire with dried wood.. I have been doing so for 15+ years... and have always had great results..

cliffcarter · Feb 19, 2013

columbia1 said:
Here is some fresh cut wild cherry, seems to be around 14 years

Must be all that rain you get in Washington, if I can I'll post a pic of the black cherry I have. The growth rings on yours are huge, over 1/4" per year. Mine grow about 1/16"-3/32" per year.

jacksedona · Feb 19, 2013

i only use hickory i love the smoky flavor-here in arizona wild mesquite is all over but i prefer hickory. tell us more about your homemade mortarless bread oven

thank you

http://thebarbecuemaster.net

BBQMaverick · Feb 19, 2013

Here is some cherry I got from an 80 ft tree earlier this year. Nice splts and the discs will be split into chunks.

Hoss · Feb 19, 2013

BBQMaverick said:
Here is some cherry I got from an 80 ft tree earlier this year. Nice splts and the discs will be split into chunks.

Dang!!! You ALREADY used the rest of it???? :laugh:

U a cookin dude! :wink:

JRDINCC · Feb 19, 2013

Olive Wood

I use wood from a 30+ year old olive tree growing out back. About a 24 inch trunk. I chunk up pieces from about 3 inch diameter branches.

BBQMaverick · Feb 20, 2013

Hoss said:
Dang!!! You ALREADY used the rest of it???? :laugh:

U a cookin dude! :wink:

No (I said some of it). I gave some away, had already put some up to dry in the barn and just flipped a quick picture that day.

cliffcarter · Feb 20, 2013

columbia1 said:
Here is some fresh cut wild cherry, seems to be around 14 years

Here's mine, cut about 6 months ago, half as large and twice as old(sounds kinda sad, doesn't it)

columbia1 · Feb 20, 2013

Wow, that is a huge difference!!

Neonnblack · Feb 20, 2013

How old is to old, there is a apricot i think tree that died in my yard, has been sitting with all the branches cut off and two upright parts about 5 feet tall for probably 5 years. Can this be used for chunks?

cliffcarter · Feb 21, 2013

Neonnblack said:
How old is to old, there is a apricot i think tree that died in my yard, has been sitting with all the branches cut off and two upright parts about 5 feet tall for probably 5 years. Can this be used for chunks?

If the wood is still solid throughout, yes you can.

t_herrm · Feb 21, 2013

To bad you can't use cedar for smoking. With all the volunteer cedar trees around my place I could be set for life.

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