does anybody know

[wanna-be-smoker]

been doing some research with not a whole lot of luck on what the process is for properly drying ( kiln or heat treated ??) wood for chips and chunks. I have 100 acres of land in the Adirondacks of upstate NY that has been in my family for 150 years. It has many evergreens and is all ( but a few acres) woods and there is lots of maple and cherry and some other types. we are starting to do some clearing as it has been pretty much unused/uncleared for around 80 years and not so much as even firewood cut in close to 40 years.

I have been contemplating doing some side stuff with the hardwoods. I have been thinking some nice cherry/maple tables and also some chips and chinks for smoking for sale. I think it would need to properly be dried before any kind of shipping can be considered. i know in NY you cant even transport it very far from where it was cut for fear of the spread of bugs ( mainly the emerald ash boring beetle) and have to even have a certificate with it to prove where it was cut and that you are not taking it to faraway from its point of origin.

I have found info in the actual kiln drying process but what im having issues finding is any king of law or regulation on making the process of selling and shipping woods for smoking/cooking.

Thanks and if this type of post is not allowed please let me know.

Don

 

[walta]

I would get a site visit from a forester. Theywill help you make a plan for your woods. Your lot may be commercially viable.

This group may help you find the right person.

http://www.nyfoa.org/

If you only want the wood for smoking meat I see no need to dry the wood first.

Kiln drying is only necessary if you want to make furniture from the wood within the next 2 years.

The bug will have no interest in the hart wood of the tree. Remove the bark and the first inch of wood and the wood is safe to transport. Please be sure to check the local quarantine for the places you are passing thru.

If you care about trees please take a sometime and educate yourself about Thousand Canker Disease and Walnut trees

http://www.thousandcankers.com/

Walta

 

[mowin]

NY has a 50mi transport law, and cannot move wood across state lines. Also, I belive, Ash can only be moved within the town it was cut. I'll check that with a logger I know. I'll also ask him about kiln dried regs.

 

[wanna-be-smoker]

walta thank you for the reply.

We are not looking for any kind of commercial type ideas as we are just doing some work around the property ourselves and I thinking of ways we can use the wood we take out. So maybe figuring how I can dry this stuff to the point of being able to sell and ship it to folks for use in their cookers as I have plenty of my own.

 

[wanna-be-smoker]

Thanks mowin for the reply.

I know about the no move wood far from its origin and am trying to find the laws on how I can dry/package/sell and ship some of the stuff we take down. I know that in NY there is a law ( would have to look it up again) where if you beat the wood to an internal temp ( I think 71 degrees) for a period of time ( I think like 7 hours) it can be transported.

i don't understand how loggers do it because I see truck load after truck load of logs go past my place.

 

[LanceR]

Hello Don

The New York prohibition on transporting firewood varies somewhat by region but the statewide basics are that you can't transport firewood more than 50 miles from the point the tree was cut (straight line distance) unless it has been kiln dried and you have the related certificate with the firewood.  Quoted fro the NYS DEC website: "Acceptable firewood heat treatment must raise the core temperature of the firewood to 71 degrees C, or 160 degrees F, and hold it there for at least 75 minutes.  Most "kiln-drying" processes that reduce the moisture content to less than 18% achieve this sterilization standard." 

I don't know how they would address smoke flavor wood chunks or chips but as the DEC is serious about limiting the spread of invasive species, especially in the ADKs, this is definitely NOT a case of better to ask forgiveness than permission.  As you likely already know, they will ticket you and confiscate illegally transported wood.  NY Environmental Conservation Officers and Forest Rangers are sworn law enforcement officers so the DEC has a much worse bite than most state conservation agencies.  Heck, they even have their own Bureau of Environmental Criminal Investigation and their own pathology labs.

If you cut firewood for you own purposes the 50 mile limit still applies and you need to download and fill out the self issued firewood transport permit that identifies the origin and destination locations. 

The regs for transporting saw logs or non kiln dried site sawn lumber lumber are different and your best bet is to contact the regional forester for a site visit and advice.  I believe they still will work up a management plan for you based on your goals (ie: saw logs or wildlife or, like us, a mix). 

Cruise over to the DEC website and search "regions" for a county breakdown-(you'll be in either R5 or R6) and follow the links to the regional forester's contact info. 

I don't know how much work you are looking to keep in house but I know where a nice large trailer mounted band saw mill is up for sale at a very attractive price.  PM me if you want the info.

Good luck and let us know how things work out.

Lance

 

[walta]

Consider having a forester visit your property they will help you develop a plan to fit your goals. If that plan involves selling some wood or not is not the point. The point is to set a goal and take the steps to toward your goal, so when you select trees for removal tree ones that are left can be the most productive.

I do not think it make economic sense to kiln dry fire wood as the cost of energy required to dry the wood would excide the market value of the same amount of local air dried fire wood.

Once you to kiln dried firewood you are very close to “artisanal firewood” LOL



Walta

 

[wanna-be-smoker]

Thank you folks I will sit down with my dad and go over options and ideas.

I don't think it needs to be actually kiln dried and more if heat treated but I will continue the search for more info and reach out to some locals for more info.