# Wood is also an alternet engery source



## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

We plan to use a lot of wood. Planting renewable sources using Hybrid Poplar will be a big part of our supply. We had tried some others that did not produce as much wood and grow as straight as the Hybrids did. The hybrids are working out great by trimming them to one trunk they grow fast and straight and will require much less splitting to be fire ready. Two of the early experiments died this winter they grow to over 40 feet in about 5 years but they do not live as long as hard woods. These were not hybrids. So the two dead ones had to come down and to make it more fun they were next to power lines. SHTF or natural disaster we will be doing this by hand so why not get out the very old double blade axe and go to work. 
The old man can still swing and axe.


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

look up a gasifier bro

it will be right up your ally

(converts wood to char and gas, I think is a hydrogen nitrogen mix, I'm not 100% sure as I have no way of testing)


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## SoCal92057 (Apr 12, 2014)

I’ve burned lots of poplar and never been impressed by the amount of heat produced or the burn time. Some call poplar the gofer wood because as soon as a piece is put in the fire you have to gofer another.


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

20 yr almonds! Get some kibble till the fire wood is ready.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

SoCal92057 said:


> I've burned lots of poplar and never been impressed by the amount of heat produced or the burn time. Some call poplar the gofer wood because as soon as a piece is put in the fire you have to gofer another.


Some what true .The Hybrid is better than other ones for wood. But it grows fast and when managed requires much less work depending when you harvest it 50% needs no splitting to fit the fire boxes.. There is always a trade off. We have long term oak ,ash and maple planted but will avoid using it in fire. Early picture of one of the managed groups. As they grow we trim off the lower branches. They also provide a great shade in summer.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Our plan is to make the actual living space of our already small house smaller. No need to heat 2000 sq ft when I really only need 500 to live in a SHTF scenario. Smaller area, less wood, less work equals more time to focus on survival.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

In long term emergency situations wood is the first thing to go. This is especially true in urban areas - even people without fireplaces will burn wood to stay warm - some will die from CO exposure some will die when their home burns but all the burnable stuff for miles around will be gone.
A tree farm is as easy to pick clean as a herd of cattle or a flock of sheep. If you are close enough to steal from, you need to be able and willing to defend it.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

PaulS said:


> In long term emergency situations wood is the first thing to go. This is especially true in urban areas - even people without fireplaces will burn wood to stay warm - some will die from CO exposure some will die when their home burns but all the burnable stuff for miles around will be gone.
> A tree farm is as easy to pick clean as a herd of cattle or a flock of sheep. If you are close enough to steal from, you need to be able and willing to defend it.


 Security was the first thing we put our energy into. They will not get that close. It became clear from the start that it would take more than a few to make it all work you need bodies you need labor. For us should it ever come to it we have the skills needed to defend what is ours. Not in theory ,we have relied on those skills real world.
Good part about being out of the city is you can see them coming. You know what belongs what does not. Stand off range in a city some times is measured in inches I prefer long distances.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Man I must be lucky to live where I do. We still have two years of wood on the ground from "Sandy"
We have mountains of wood far as the eye can see. In the mornings when the fog is lifting it looks 
like the kind of place God would go for vacation.


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## Go2ndAmend (Apr 5, 2013)

You might look into planting eucalyptus trees for a source of firewood. It burns well and grows fast. I don't believe it is very cold tolerant so that may be an issue depending on where you live.


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

Go2ndAmend said:


> You might look into planting eucalyptus trees for a source of firewood. It burns well and grows fast. I don't believe it is very cold tolerant so that may be an issue depending on where you live.


depends on the "breed"

eucalyptus trees grow all over oz, (native) including Victoria and as south as Tasmania (the imbreed state) 
warning about this tree, its known as a widow maker, if a limb dies, it just drops it, no warning

plus side, the oil, many medical uses and it can be heated as a house smelly, grate for colds and flu.

if you have the space, grow one....

once every 10 or so years, set up a small rubbish pile at its base and burn it (green waste) this tree like many Australian natives thrive on fire (just let it get charged and put it out) it will look a mess for a year, and hold the scars but its the best for it


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

pheniox17 said:


> depends on the "breed"
> 
> eucalyptus trees grow all over oz, (native) including Victoria and as south as Tasmania (the imbreed state)
> warning about this tree, its known as a widow maker, if a limb dies, it just drops it, no warning
> ...


Interesting I will look into it


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## Doc Holliday (Dec 22, 2012)

Look into the Royal Empress tree, it grows 40 to 50 feet tall in just a few years and drops huge leaves that add to the soil. If you cut it down, it will just grow another one where the stump is. It adds more oxygen and takes in more carbon dioxide then any other tree on the planet. 

I planted one in my front yard before I sold my home. It didnt grow to 6 or 7 feet in the first year so I cut it off at ground level and next year it grew 9 1/2 feet in height. Its been 5 years since I planted it and I saw it the other day... Its 45 to 50 feet tall and I cant get my arms around it.


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