The answer to this would be a resounding “No – not if we can
help it!!” Black poplar, Cottonwood, or ‘Bam’
as it is sometimes referred to is the familiar poplar tree with the large
pointed leaf and the rough bark. It is
the poplar tree responsible for all the fuzz flying in the spring and it is
also not a desirable wood for burning.
Holding on to moisture, it is possible to cure it, and even burn it,
however, it has the tendency to reabsorb moisture after it is cured, thus
making it a poor choice for fires. When
burned, it leaves a lot of ashes, and many large chunks. It’s possible to get heat from it, but we try
not to let any get in our supply. Once
in a while a tree gets in the mix, but we endeavor to keep it at 1% or less of
all our poplar firewood. After we have given away as much as we can for dry grads, etc, we honestly set fire to the remainder. This image is this 2015 bonfire of several loads of black poplar shipped to us with our white poplar.
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Sometimes, as with many instances in life, the cheapest price isn't necessarily the best deal. Firewood that is perfect for your firebox in length, thickness, and dryness may be worth a little more to you. The picture to the right here is a load I delivered to a very happy customer in the dead of winter. He posted a wonderful review and this photo to our Facebook page. I feel his great photo does a good job of showing our cut length consistency.
We strongly advise you to start collecting your winter wood supply early in the year & stacking it in your own yard or woodshed so that you have the final control over curing time. We are a small family company - and we probably get you!! Maybe we've even gone through some of your same situations!! We are ready to deal with your concerns and queries on a very personal level. If all of your questions aren't answered here, please feel free to give us a call & chat - we'd love to talk to you. |