Excess Amounts of Apple Tree Wood

Yes, Yes, and No to your questions. I would just let people know it's freshly cut so they know they are not getting seasoned wood. I wish it was that easy to get apple wood here in socal.

Fwismoker should be here shortly singing the praises of wood fire cooks. As could I. I burn wood into coals in a Weber kettle, both for quick cooks, as well as rotisserie cooks. Cowgirl does a lot of campfire cooks, too.

Wood should be fine. I buy all my wood from CL. Cut it now or later. Keep all you can sell the rest. You are a lucky farker.

Cut it up and stack it so that air can flow through it. Cover the top of the pile with cheap ply wood. Should be good for the que in Nov/Dec-ish. We use a lot of apple and alder out here in the PNW. Great trading stock my friend. May I suggest you cure some pork bellies and try your hand at apple smoked bacon. It is awesome.

Wow, lucky son of a gun... At least in my area too much apple wood is like saying I got too much money to store. Wish I had that problem. I could maybe get a cord of apple for about $280.00 to $300.00 a cord and still have to drive 150 miles round trip to pick it up. As far as your tree is concerned go ahead cut it up into 14 to 16 inch lengths then split it. At that point you can sell it or stack it cause it's going to need to be seasoned. I would not leave it on the ground unless you are going to pass on it. Once it's seasoned awhile get a miter saw and cut some of it into 2 to 3 inch chunks if you are using a charcoal smoker. Otherwise it will be easier to buy it already to go.

That's a good problem to have.

Actually, it's fruit wood. So it can be cut and used immediately (yes, that means while it's green). If it's not giving you the kind of heat you want, throw in a seasoned piece of hardwood every now and then.

Companies like Fruitawood (considered the Cadillac of smoking wood) send you green fruit wood and recommend you keep it in a humid environment until you use it. I don't agree with the statement about storage, I think you should do as others said:

Get it off the ground and up on a stand somehow (could be a few cinder blocks and boards) and get a piece of plywood over it.

BUT it does not need to be dry to use. Good score.

Hardwoods NEED to be dry (seasoned) to use as you end up with bitter tastes and creosote if you don't. Fruit wood (and I have confirmed this MANY times with apple) are better when they're green. Order $300 in apple splits or chunks from Fruitawood....they'll send you $300 worth of FRESH cut apple wood.


"I don't have enough space to store it all at once. Is there any harm in cutting one load at a time, letting the tree sit out there in the elements (95% humidity and raining nearly everyday), and cutting more the next weekend?"

Kind of, in your humidity level range I would be worried about mold/rot. I don't think a few weekend would hurt but I wouldn't take a chance on anything longer than that. I would buy quality smoking wood from any of the sources you listed above. Put a sign on it that directly says: Smoking wood-Apple. There are completely different crowds that buy firewood and smoking wood.

BillN said:

Wow, lucky son of a gun... At least in my area too much apple wood is like saying I got too much money to store. Wish I had that problem. I could maybe get a cord of apple for about $280.00 to $300.00 a cord and still have to drive 150 miles round trip to pick it up. As far as your tree is concerned go ahead cut it up into 14 to 16 inch lengths then split it. At that point you can sell it or stack it cause it's going to need to be seasoned. I would not leave it on the ground unless you are going to pass on it. Once it's seasoned awhile get a miter saw and cut some of it into 2 to 3 inch chunks if you are using a charcoal smoker. Otherwise it will be easier to buy it already to go.

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Crazy how that works. I can get apple for free from numerous neighbors if I agree to down the trees and take the entire load. BUT....you can't get post oak and you can't get pecan in Wisconsin and I like both quite a bit.

Our DNR office will come after you if you move firewood in any form into the state as well so I must use local wood in the old stickburner (red oak, sugar maple, and apple).

I've personally witnessed Illinois residents (and there are a TON of them on holidays that flood into Wisconsin) getting cited for bringing in firewood.....and the fines are hefty. If you run a business that brings in firewood from out of state and you don't have permits I have no doubt you would get a jail sentence.

Like Bigwoods4x4 said, use it as smoke wood while it is green. I wish I had some green apple wood to smoke with now.