Wild Cherry Trees-----Can wood be used for furniture construction?

Phorester · March 03, 2007, 08:08:47 AM

Top picture in #22 is a black cherry. Second picture with your fingers splayed is what we call sweet cherry here. Probably has a latin name, but I've never bothered to investigate it. Foresters here feel that this is an ornamental cherry that escaped into the wild a long time ago.

4th picture I'd say is another black cherry. But not much to go on.

last picture looks to be a shagbark hickory.

To answer your original question, yep, black or wild cherry trees is where cherry furniture comes from.

SPIKER · March 03, 2007, 08:37:40 AM

Phorster: I was always told that they were sweet cherry too but I haven't fond any ref to them ? the shag bark is actually the KING NUT variety, the American shag bark's bark is actually less fissured with less peeling here on my place I can post a closer photo of one of them later going to farm shortly (getting a late start.. and will have to make my own breakfast :( )

markM

SwampDonkey · March 03, 2007, 10:18:36 AM

By all means man, EAT!! :D :D

SPIKER · March 03, 2007, 06:19:31 PM

Missed making my own breakfast, so stopped at the golden arches on way to get gas. forgot the camera (no more new pics) Went to the farm & checked my buckets nothing flowing on my place. so headed home early (actually went to see BBTOM down at Maple Wood farms. Great guy: showed me some more goodies and we took a trip through his woods to see his sugar operation tested some sap. I got a nice look see at some of his new wood tools and his pile of logs (whew what a pile too!) 8) we drilled some more taps and he got drilled by one of his trees getting even I guess

:'( He looks a bit worse for ware after fighting with the stick. left a nice scrape & red eye that I'm sure he will feel in the AM... Hope he don't mind me saying tanks again!~8) I had a great time & got some goodies out of him. Gave me a couple of his old 7/16 spil;es & some tubing! I lucked out, I learnt something & got away without stacking & off loading this time... ;D I'm sure I'll get a chance to help out more next visit! ;)
Thanks again

MarkM

BBTom · March 03, 2007, 10:36:07 PM

Had to go tell all, didn't ya..

OK so I did a stupid and tried to knock a dead limb off a tree with my face. Don't try it,,,, It doesn't work very well, and hurts a bit too!!!!

I think that syrup customer was in a big hurry to get out of the sugar shack after seeing blood running down my face. didn't even want his change. :D

Mark got to walk some sap line, tap a couple trees, and taste some fresh sap. It was only about 35 degrees today, but the sap was flowing about a half gallon a minute from 160 taps. Not ready to boil yet, but will be when I get the rest tapped. Tapped another 100 after Mark headed for home.

I still forgot to take pictures of my log pile today, maybe tomorrow.

BBTom · March 05, 2007, 07:02:31 PM

Here is that picture of the logs laying in the field. Used to be more....soon to be less...

Most of them are 20-28' lengths except the ones in the piles, they are 8-12'. Cherry, Maple, Walnut, with a few odd oak mixed in.

SPIKER · March 05, 2007, 07:58:42 PM

Tom:

I got out today and used up all those taps ya let me barrow :D I still need to come get some more if I can? or if ya have any left to loan out this season! I tapped 4 trees into 2 buckets, re-walked my woods found where I could if I wanted to tap 15 or so more trees, i think I'll get enough if I tap 5 or 6 other spots into my last 3 buckets. I'm going after tubing tomorrow (Tuesday after work) and may try & stop over for some taps if ya didn't use all of them up?
The 4 or 5 trees I tapped today ran almost as well as those up o you're place this weekend! How is you're eye today? I got that battery with me and will bring it over to try it out for ya.

Where did ya but the taps at? I could use a supplier and buy my own so I can let ya have those loaners back ;)

Mark M

SwampDonkey · March 05, 2007, 08:14:18 PM

He's now got sap in his veins and getting greedier. ;D

BBTom · March 06, 2007, 12:06:39 AM

Mark,

I got more to spare and you are welcome to them. I will give you the local supplier of taps, tubing, and all types of maple equipment. They are close to Ashland.

Ill be around.

SPIKER · March 06, 2007, 10:06:20 PM

Tom:

thanks for the taps:) 8) I'll be going out Thursday to put them to good use ;)

thanks will sow up with some of the home brew for ya to try out someday soon

mark M

Randall · April 06, 2007, 02:53:34 PM

Are the cherries from real Black Cherry trees any good to eat? I bought some from the state to plant mostly for wood but wanted the cherries for pies also.

SwampDonkey · April 06, 2007, 05:17:33 PM

They are edible, but your mouth will pucker up when eaten ripe off the tree. They aren't sour, but they are dry. Hard to explain until you've had your first mouthful. I think they would be great for jelly. They have a big stone in them so they would be a nightmare to clean for any other purpose. When you make jelly you drip the cooked cherries in a sack and use the juice. They taste just like choke cherries. Some people may make a 'shrub' from the juice. Look up 'cranberry shrub juice' in Google.

SwampDonkey · September 03, 2007, 04:19:35 PM

I always wondered if the guy was serious about his question. He posted one time and never showed back up. No response , nothing. Just makes a feller wonder. Not that we didn't have a good time regardless. ;D

Dave Shepard · September 03, 2007, 10:41:30 PM

Maybe he got his answer and has been building cherry furniture nonstop on your good advice? :D :D Maybe he'll be back when he has got it all built.

Dave

SwampDonkey · September 04, 2007, 04:39:33 AM

I'll bet Spiker has more Cherry than that guy did. ;)

Furby · September 04, 2007, 06:11:39 PM

Well take a look at this.

Date Registered: August 29, 2006, 04:06:34 PM
Last Active: March 02, 2007, 09:48:21 AM

SwampDonkey · September 04, 2007, 06:13:50 PM

Well, that about sums it up.

Furby · September 04, 2007, 06:50:24 PM

That's about what I figured you'd say! :D

jim george · September 12, 2007, 05:09:46 PM

Hi I'm the guy that inquired about the wild cherry trees. I certainly
appreciate all the information supplied. I want to add one more
bit of information on these trees. the fruit is 1/4 inch in diameter
and they are black. The seed makes up most of the cherry. The
Chipmonks shell them. Thanks all. Jim George

Furby · September 12, 2007, 05:58:11 PM

Well there ya go SD!

Welcome back Jim! 8)
Why don't you tell us about your project plans for the trees/lumber?

SwampDonkey · September 13, 2007, 05:58:35 AM

HI Jim, we are an inquisitive bunch and have to know everything trees related.

Can't just leave us hanging from the tree branches. ;D

ohsoloco · September 14, 2007, 06:01:26 PM

Speaking of chipmunks shelling cherry stones...I find "shelled" black cherry stones in my firewood pile all the time when I'm loading up the cart. I've actually broke a few open myself and eaten the contents. It's not bad, but has kind of a chemical aftertaste. I recall it being discussed on here that cherry contains arsenic ??? Are there any toxic substances in the stones? I like to eat a few once in a while :

SwampDonkey · September 14, 2007, 06:50:58 PM

I've seen chipmunks going with black cherry seeds bulging from their cheeks. ;D

On another note, the plantation I'm thinning now is full of black cherry saplings. Too bad they get black knot so bad. :