Mike Boylan of Wright’s Farm in Gardiner has sold apple-wood for years. Choosing the best wood for you “depends on your goals and objectives,” he said. “If you want to enjoy a glass of wine and ambiance in front of a fireplace, then you want to get some dried, seasoned, split wood like ash, oak, cherry, maple. They start easier and burn slow.”
He prefers apple-wood harvested from his own orchards and back yard — when they get blown down by a storm — because it has a sweet, fruity smell, gives off a lot of heat, and stays in log-shape for a long time.
When it comes to a wood-burning stove used to help heat a home, Boylan points to the importance of a good stove. “Make sure you have a good, air-tight stove,” he said, “and then you want to get a mixture of well-seasoned wood, but you have to buy from a reputable seller.” His suggestion is to go to someone who has been around for a long time, and who is recommended to you.
One of these individuals is Bruce Loertscher, who has run the Wood Shed on 389 Forrest Road in Wallkill for decades. Loertscher is also town supervisor of Plattekill. “You want to buy hard woods — ash, oak and maple are the top of the line,” he advised.
Loertscher said he was well aware of the dangers mentioned by the DEC concerning ash. “I’ve had them come and test my ash to make sure there were none of those pests in there, which I’m happy to say there haven’t been.”
Loertscher, who sells a majority of his wood to campers, follows the DEC guidelines when it comes to wood sales and wood distribution. “For the most part the campers I get are buying wood because they’re camping in the region,” he said. “But I also ask them where they’re going because, as the DEC states, they don’t like wood to travel too far.”
“We always say, burn where you buy,” confirmed Rosenbach. “They don’t want those insects getting a free ride, and none of us do.”
For information call 845-256-3000. Contact the The Wood Shed call 845-566-9350. If you’re an apple-wood enthusiast contact Boylan at Wright’s’farm at 845-255-5300.
If you buy firewood make sure you know how much wood you are actually getting so you don’t get ripped off. Stack the wood yourself or have the firewood supplier stack the wood before you pay for it. It’s pretty hard to tell how much wood is in a pile. A pickup truck will hold around 1/2 cord of firewood. So, if you buy a cord (which is 128 cubic feet) and it comes in a pickup, chances are you should find a new supplier.