Wood source

[jcam222]

i often buy the Western brand chunks. The last half dozen bags have far to many small pieces and chips. For my charcoal cabinet I like good fiat size or bigger chunks. Anyone recommend a good source? Is fruitawood good? Ordinarily I used mostly apple for pork and hickory for beef. Sometimes for beef I’ll mix in a little post oak and for milder meats pecan.

 

[newbienick]

I'm in Ohio also, and I've tried to stick with woods from our area: apple, cherry, oak, and hickory, mostly. I'm fortunate in that I have family with woods that I can walk through and get oak/hickory easily. I have also driven by woods and stopped to ask the landowner if I can harvest fallen trees/branches. I haven't done it myself, but I have a buddy that contacts local apple orchards for their trimmings. Also, you'll find people on Craigslist that sell firewood. You might be able to buy from them.

I'm not sure if that helps, but those are ideas that I've had.

 

[sfprankster]

...

 

[zwiller]

Agree with newbienick wood is plentiful here and you should be able to find some cheap and/free. Also agree with fellow pug owner S sfprankster fruitwood is all over and orchards leave it in the front for people to grab. I built quite a cache fairly quickly. Peach, pear, apple, cherry, hickory, you name it. Moved to MES and run AMNPS and no need for it and have been throwing on the fire pit to get rid of. All this being said, I had to do 50lbs of PP for daughter's grad party year and was determined to try and find the one wood that really shines and works best for us. Tried a bunch and some blends and on a whim and a matter of elimination found oak to be our favorite by far. LOL my nephew had a 60 footer felled about 3 weeks ago.

 

[jcam222]

Thanks all. I am in a rural area for sure so I’ll start to keep a better eye out at the orchards and such. In the meantime I’d like to find a source for already aged chunks better than the Western stuff at the store.

 

[chopsaw]

http://www.chiggercreek.com/index.php

This is what I use . Both the chunks and the chips . The chips are fine enough that I mix them in with pellets in the amzn tube . The chunks I use in my WSM and kettles . It's made in Missouri so I can buy it local . They sell in other areas as well . I looked for sales in Ohio and didn't see any , but you could ask them to see what stores they ship to . You can buy on line just not sure how it cost compares . It's a good product .

 

[bbqbrett]

I tried Fruitawood when I wanted to try some peach chunks and couldn't find any around here. They were a lot better than the other Western chunks I tried as far as size\consistency. I will say though that is the only order I have gotten from them so far.

 

[PrairieGeek]

Find an orchard. They trim annually. Just ask them to save you some chunks as most run it through a chipper but if they know you will take it that saves them some work. You'll have to dry the wood yourself but it is a continuous renewing source

 

[chopsaw]

I'm running on some hickory I cut myself , but out of apple and mesquite . I'll get a couple bags tomorrow and see how the volume is as far as chunk size , and weight of the bag .

I stopped buying western awhile ago .

 

[chopsaw]

The bags weigh in at just under 3 lbs. The chunks aren't as big as you might like . Good clean wood , no dirt / dust in the bag . Paid $8 a bag .
Works good for me because I can walk in and buy one bag at the case price .

I saw on their web site , buy 4 free shipping . Buy 8 bags price drops to 8 bucks a bag .

 

[jcam222]

The bags weigh in at just under 3 lbs. The chunks aren't as big as you might like . Good clean wood , no dirt / dust in the bag . Paid $8 a bag .
Works good for me because I can walk in and buy one bag at the case price .
View attachment 400984 View attachment 400985
I saw on their web site , buy 4 free shipping . Buy 8 bags price drops to 8 bucks a bag .

Thanks Chop. I run across a FB ad from a local guy selling feedbags full of seasoned apple, cherry , oak and pear chunks for $25 a bag. Going to check it out a night this week. Likely buy a bag of each which should tide me over until I find free trimmings to start building a bank of wood.

 

[bluewhisper]

Chainsaw chasers, that's all we stick burners are. We swing axes and hammers just to relax.