What's a Fair Trade?

[SeanD]

Someone at a sawmill let me know he'd be interested trading slabs for syrup. Does anyone have deals like this? What's a fair trade?

Thanks,
Sean

[Sugarmaker]

My guess and a guess only might be a quart of syrup for a huge sagging down pickup truck load of slabs?? Not sure what a bundle is going for now days but that would be about a truck load and could be worth a quart??? Good luck bartering! If your happy and he's happy then its a good deal! Type of slabs could be a factor. Good hemlock slabs will make syrup.
Regards,
Chris

[BryanEx]

My suggestion is to keep any deal you make very informal and casual in nature. I'm assuming you typically have inventory that ends up in a freezer and is carried forward to next year so offer him to provide whatever syrup his family can use in exchange for the wood. Most families will go through a gallon to a gallon and a half which is a pretty good deal for felled and limbed wood depending on how much you can get. After a couple of seasons you will have all the figures to adjust things if you need to.

- Bryan

[brookledge]

The first question I have is, Does the sawmill normally sell slabs, and if yes and they have no problem selling them than I'd say you trade syrup for slabs based on each others selling value. but if the sawmill has more than they can sell or just want to get rid of them than I'd say cut back on how much syrup you give
Keith

[3rdgen.maple]

I do just that. ANd like Brookledge stated we trade even up. I get it from an Amish sawmill. He wants 5 bucks a load and the load means all you can haul in one trip. I sell my syrup at 60 bucks a gallon. So I get 12 loads of slabs. Mind you I have a trailer that I could haul about 2 full cords of slabs but I take it easy on them and just haul about a full cord at a time. I just got my 6th load today.

[red maples]

I have a logger friend and he gives me all the crooked, knotty short pieces of pine all the stuff that usually goes for mulch at the mill but it still works out to be a truck load(7-10 cords by his truck) He usually wants cash which he charges me $100-$125 but this year he was fine with a gallon + $50 which a for me is 2--- 1/2 gallons containers @ $32 each. I don't mind payng for his wood he is a good guy and times are tough for him and his family And I am fine with that. But he has fresh ham steaks from 1 of his pigs too and we traded a pint for some steaks MMMM good. I also had the local place in town weld a couple of Stainless fittings for me for a quart of syrup. I barder all the time!!! :) and don't mind trading up a little

[Fred Henderson]

For me it would depend on if it was hard or soft wood. I have a mill that saws lumber for me at a reduced rate if he gets the slab wood. He has an out door wood furance he uses it in.

[maple flats]

I think a gal to maybe 2 max should get you enough slab to run up to a 3x8 all season should be good. If you need far less, then the 1 gal should be max.
I have a sawmill, and thus I know how hard it is to get rid of the slab, even if he sells slab. Unless he is big enough to be set up to chip it all and sell the chips (or a mulcher). Slab is a constant problem, you would be helping him and he would be helping you. The syrup would just be a courtesy well worth it.

[SeanD]

Thanks for the input. There's enough wood out there that people are trying to give away so I haven't had to pay for it yet. Hunting and pecking for it can sometimes be a pain. However, that's easily forgotten when someone says that they "just want all this wood" out of their yard.

I've been striking out at the sawmills in town setting up some kind of deal. They use every ounce of the tree right down to scraps for mulch, so it's worth more to them that way.

This guy contacted me by email, so I don't know how big he is. I'll have to ask him what he normally does with his slabs. I agree it would be best if we are helping each other out and the syrup could just sweeten the deal. I'd like to avoid the cash value trade just because firewood is expensive here in the suburbs and my syrup won't go as for as some of yours does.

Thanks,
Sean

[brookledge]

Most lumber mills today don't even deal with slabs. Like Sean said they have to maximize the usefull amount of the tree and there is more money in making the slabs into sawdust or chip it for mulch. Slabs are costly to move, stack and then reload. plus it takes a lot of space to store them. Whereas the chips can be blown right into a trailer and no additional handleing them.
The best thing is to find a small operation or someone who owns a wood miser portable mill.
Another idea is to contact tree contractors. If you offer them a place to bring logs while they are in the area cutting down trees it can save them time and money if they had to haul it further.
Keith

[twitch]

every sugarhouse should a wood mizer right beside it thats my plan

[SeanD]

We haven't nailed down a hard number, but he's thinking 2 quarts/cord delivered. It's the delivery that's the "cost" for him. If I pick it up myself, that would take care of 75% of it. Yet another reason why I need to get a truck.

When it rains, it pours. I got contacted by another sawmill who just wants to give it away. Looks like I'll find out how much I can fit in the minivan.

Anyone looking to get rid of an old beater?

Sean

[KenWP]

I traded a liter of syrup for a rooster.I have my doubts it was one of my smarter ideas.
Wish we has saw mills around here a guy could deal with.There is one a half mile from my place that started cutting last fall and shut down with a yard full of wood.Second time in 2 years they have closed down.

[500592]

I traded a liter of syrup for a rooster.I have my doubts it was one of my smarter ideas.
Wish we has saw mills around here a guy could deal with.There is one a half mile from my place that started cutting last fall and shut down with a yard full of wood.Second time in 2 years they have closed down.

You had to trade for a rooster I got mine for free

[BryanEx]

I'll provide free roosters to anyone that wants one... delivered... with a bag of feed. :mrgreen:

[CBOYER]

Probably the neighbor rooster ??:rolleyes:

[BryanEx]

Probably the neighbor rooster ??:rolleyes:

No... he has his own problems to deal with.

[KenWP]

Was a Americana rooster. Believe me around here you get nothing free except coons and skunks.

[3rdgen.maple]

I'll provide free roosters to anyone that wants one... delivered... with a bag of feed. :mrgreen:

Can you post some pictures and let me pick out which ones I want? You can skip the feed Im running out of good rooster necks to tie up some flies for trout? LOL Neighbor better put a lock on his pen cause I got my eye on one of his.

[KenWP]

You would like the hackle on this rooster then.Hmmmmmmm she who has to be obeyed better not read this post or my rooster will be a goner.She only goes in the pen with a stick.

[3rdgen.maple]

Well Ken just rip the hackles out and send then to me before your wife sends me the whole bird. lol

[500592]

What a fair trade when we are talking about sap for syrup