I know there's lots of variables, but a guy called me yesterday to offer me $900 for two walnuts at our place. I'd say they are 30-36" in diameter with one having the the first branch a good 30 to 40 feet up. The other isn't as good. He said he saw them from the road and found out the place was mine. I haven't done this before and I don't know if its a good deal (maybe for him). I'm going to get some advice from the DNR forestry guy and get a couple other quotes on these trees and few more. I really like my big trees so I don't just want to give them away. But, if they are nearing their maturity and the wood is still good, maybe it's time to harvest a few. Any of your thoughts please.
- Thread starter OliverGuy
- Start date
caterpillar guy
Well-known Member
Get everything in writing. Also put a time limit in the contract. If they don't get them by then the cash it yours to keep. They will talk a good show but wont get the pocket book out for it has been our experience with these guys just talk. BTDT
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I don't know whee you are located, but around here, those trees would be worth considerably more. But I suppose if there are a lot of walnut trees in your area, the value wouldn't be very high. Some places use oak for firewood. We have to have oak shipped in here to make furniture, so it is a premium price. The same would hold true for walnut in our area.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Sounds like a good price to me - but DON'T take my advice. Walnut is so plentiful here that I use it for firewood. Might be different where you live.
Paul
Paul
steveormary
Well-known Member
My grandparents planted walnut trees with the idea of some being sold. However,when they had matured incects had bored a hole up the middle of the trunk and basicly ruined for other then firewood.
steveormary
Had a guy rip my great grandmother off with the exact same type of story. He said he thought it was almost dead and that he would give her some money for it. She agreed. The guy came took most of the tree and said he would be back. Well he never came back (nor did he pay). Granted she made the mistake of not taking money up front, but there are slimy people around. I can't speak for your area, but in my area good walnut is expensive.
GeneMO
Well-known Member
- Location
- Pilot Grove, Mo.
If he just "drove by", looked you up and offerred you this price, my guess is that it is worth at least double, maybe three times as much.
Buy, again, I said guess. I really havent kept up with walnut prices. Get some other bids.
Gene
Buy, again, I said guess. I really havent kept up with walnut prices. Get some other bids.
Gene
A guy I work with has a very large Oak tree that is about 5 feet in diameter. 10 years ago a furniture maker came to him and asked if he would accept $10,000 for the tree. He said not now.
I would take the $10k for the tree.
My guess is that those Walnut trees are worth more then $900.
I would take the $10k for the tree.
My guess is that those Walnut trees are worth more then $900.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Walnut boards sell for 5 bucks a board foot here.There are 500 board feet in a cord of wood.Thats 2500.00 per cord, high priced fire wood.If walnut grew here I would be sawing it and letting it dry.Burning it is poor judgement.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Your state should have foresters who can give you much better advice for you area and tell you who else might be interested and get a couple of competing offers. For only two trees I'd want money first then cut.
Dieselrider
Member
Her is a place to ask such a question. There are several loggers over there that will give you an honest take on the subject.
I have heard people say for years that if you have a walnut tree there are people who will pay a big fortune for the tree. I have many on the property, no one is offering big bucks for any. A lot of times for a couple trees it can be a real logistics nightmare to move in equipment and remove the trees and then pull all the equipment. Now if you had twenty thirty acres full of nice mature trees, you'd have something.
Forestry forum
I have heard people say for years that if you have a walnut tree there are people who will pay a big fortune for the tree. I have many on the property, no one is offering big bucks for any. A lot of times for a couple trees it can be a real logistics nightmare to move in equipment and remove the trees and then pull all the equipment. Now if you had twenty thirty acres full of nice mature trees, you'd have something.
Forestry forum
A friend of mine in S.E. Nebraska has run a small mill for at lease 25 years. He has sawn lots of walnut and told me he has never seen a veneer quality log. In this area almost no one really takes care of these trees. Was talking to another mill owner there a couple years ago, he had a whole lot of walnut swan but thought the price was too low to sell. Building materials had been in a price bulge at the time (in my opinion) because of the housing boom. My thinking was that it could be a long time before he got prices he considered good. I can remember reading, maybe twenty years ago, of a standing veneer quality tree selling for $30,000. If I were selling standing trees, I would insist on having “good funds” paid in full before any sawing started. Also, I would insist on an agreement on payment for any damages.
Veneer is a funny thing... They pay big money for the perfect stick, but they don't apy buggerall for much of anything else.
I don't know what the walnut prices range in, but the hard maple and birch that we've sold can go as high as $ 3000 MBF.
The devil with those things is defects. Branches are defects. Knots, lesions, bumps, etc are generally considered defects. If these defects are on the same side (face) of the log going down the length of it, one or two or three in a row are generally counted as ONE defect... but the general idea is that you need 2 or more clear faces, which is also dependant on diameter. Defects and diameter determine price.
So.... you could put those trees on the ground and find that there's many many defects on them in spite of the fact that they have no limbs for 35-40 feet. Now you've got a big tree that's going for mabey a sawlog or firewood.
Get more information first. Get someone knowledgeable to look at the trees to ascertain what grade they might make before you cut them.
I'd also suspect that there's an equal chance that they could be worth 2-3 times as much as you've been offered as there is that they're worth nothing.
I'm guessing that if they're worth firewood prices you'd just as soon look at them where they're at... so find someone that know what they're talking about to look at them first.
Rod
I don't know what the walnut prices range in, but the hard maple and birch that we've sold can go as high as $ 3000 MBF.
The devil with those things is defects. Branches are defects. Knots, lesions, bumps, etc are generally considered defects. If these defects are on the same side (face) of the log going down the length of it, one or two or three in a row are generally counted as ONE defect... but the general idea is that you need 2 or more clear faces, which is also dependant on diameter. Defects and diameter determine price.
So.... you could put those trees on the ground and find that there's many many defects on them in spite of the fact that they have no limbs for 35-40 feet. Now you've got a big tree that's going for mabey a sawlog or firewood.
Get more information first. Get someone knowledgeable to look at the trees to ascertain what grade they might make before you cut them.
I'd also suspect that there's an equal chance that they could be worth 2-3 times as much as you've been offered as there is that they're worth nothing.
I'm guessing that if they're worth firewood prices you'd just as soon look at them where they're at... so find someone that know what they're talking about to look at them first.
Rod
Thanks for all the help. I only want to sell ones that are getting close to going downhill. I"ll ask around and get some more info. Maybe my kids can sell them sometime. I wouldn"t use it for firewood, there"s plenty of smaller stuff I get from my business that I burn. Plus tree services bring me their chips and cut up wood. I burn what I like and then make the rest into mulch. I don"t know what you guys like to burn, but ornamental trees such as crabapple, redbud, pear, etc. burn great. There"s also lots of mulberry around and there"s ironwood at this farm too. Thanks for the help.
fregienewbee
Member
I had a guy stop by--saw the woods from the road. We took a walk. All the time he talked about walnut being in high demand but once the olympics were over, demand and price would drop like a stone.
His plan was for me to pay his logging crew, plus pay him 15% for lining up the buyers. I was pleasant,but NO WAY would I sell like that. Once the trees are down,it's too late. Plus, how do I know his buudies are even buyers and not just keeping bids low.
Best way is to hire a forester to conduct the sale. He'll know who cheats,who leaves a mess,etc.
Larry in Michigan
P.S. We burn a lot of walnut too. I cull the junk.
His plan was for me to pay his logging crew, plus pay him 15% for lining up the buyers. I was pleasant,but NO WAY would I sell like that. Once the trees are down,it's too late. Plus, how do I know his buudies are even buyers and not just keeping bids low.
Best way is to hire a forester to conduct the sale. He'll know who cheats,who leaves a mess,etc.
Larry in Michigan
P.S. We burn a lot of walnut too. I cull the junk.
Walt Davies
Well-known Member
Hardwoods unlike building material the more swirls colors and designs in the wood the more it is worth. So if your tree is straight up for 20 or so feet its just good wood for furniture. If you have lots of limbs and crotches then the value will be much higher as these are what the people want for the exceptional higher priced furniture.
Take this box that I made about 40 years ago its solid but has a beuatiful design. I cheated the guy and luber yard by telling it wasn't any good for anything, my brother got mad at me.
Walt
<a href="http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j50/WaltDavies/?action=view¤t=100_0409-1.jpg" target="_blank">
![100_0409-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket](https://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j50/WaltDavies/100_0409-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket)
</a>
Take this box that I made about 40 years ago its solid but has a beuatiful design. I cheated the guy and luber yard by telling it wasn't any good for anything, my brother got mad at me.
Walt
<a href="http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j50/WaltDavies/?action=view¤t=100_0409-1.jpg" target="_blank">
Paul from MI
Well-known Member
Other guys advise is very good. Hire a qualified forester to manage the sale of any timber. Seriously consider having logging done with horses. I have followed a few so-called loggers when cutting tops for firewood. The ruined more timber than they cut with careless use of skidders, etc. Didn't care where they dropped trees and broke tops out of other trees. Skinned the bark off the sides pulling out logs. Carefull loggers don't do that. Horses can move logs in places you can't even drive skidders. The difference is logging the woods again in 15 years compared to logging again in 30 years.
Paul
Paul
GAfarmer16
Member
yea go build a $500 fire outa walnut wood
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Depends on the size of the hole.A lot of big cedar has that problem but I still get some good lumber from them.
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