Should I be felling popular before the leaves come out?

[Northern Spots]

Hello everyone,
Ordered my first sawmill,  a MD 128 67Hp 30 ft. 5*9 endstands motor lift and electronic ingnition and now have to wait approx 3 months for build. So my question is should I be cutting my popular trees before the leaves come? Its April and still snowing, started to melt but lately we got some more. Skidding trees on snow probably keep dirt off trees! Lots of time to wait so could cut later if advisable. Cold and anxious in NE British Columbia

[thecfarm]

Northern Spots,welcome to the forum. And congrats on the new mill. What's the plan for the lumber? 3 months,because of the time of year,is not good. I would think the bugs would start to chew on it. Now if this was Nov,than cut away.I don't know if you could peel it,if that would stop the bugs or not. July is warm.

[Northern Spots]

I plan on using the popular for making 6*6 and 4*6 timbers for corrals for cattle, I had bought last fall. And also for  barn floors. I had bought pine timbers this February for a cattle shed. Owner had said he'd sell his mill, so the wheels started rolling! And my wife was onboard too, she usually talks me out of my adventuress ideas, but this time she was full steam ahead. Our parents are getting older and we and both sets burn firewood, so rather than having to go out and cut firewood (which ends up being about 7-10 weekends) the slab pile will do instead. Also need sawdust for bedding and source for farm income. The more we thought about getting a mill the more sense it made! And then mill owner changed his mind on selling! So after a couple months of searching for used decided to go new.

[Ianab]

Like Cfarm said, logs will last pretty well in the cold. It keeps the bugs and fungus away. But with the weather warming up you want to be milling them pretty soon after felling the tree. Then get the boards dry so they aren't as tempting to the bugs any more.

Leaves or no leaves doesn't make a big difference to the wood itself, and how it cuts and dries. But the season can affect how the logging goes. As you say, snow can be easier to work in than mud  :D. Also some timbers seem to air dry better in the cooler weather. Gives them a chance to get at least partly dry before fungus can get at them.

But you don't want the logs still sitting around in the spring when the weather warms up. As you don't have the mill yet, I would be inclined to wait a while. You can still harvest the trees in the warm weather, just you ideally want to get them milled within a few days of harvest if possible

Ian

[OneWithWood]

What Ian says is correct; however, I am currently milling tulip logs that were cut over a year ago.  The sap wood is not worth much but the heartwood is still very good.  I am using the lumber to side a wood shop.  The large stems (18" and up) will yield better and last a bit longer.  All my logs are stored in bunks off the ground.

[Sprucegum]

Welcome to the Forum N. Spot  8)

I log and skid tree length to the mill all winter on the snow. After spring break-up I buck the logs to whatever length I need and mill them. Any bugs in the wood were already there when I felled the trees.

I have the same species of poplar and spruce here in Alberta as you have at Fort St. John.

[beenthere]

I'm wondering (again) what the species is the OP is talking about. Assume he meant poplar, and from his location, suspect it is Aspen. ??  (just so we can keep on the same page )

[Sprucegum]

Yes, in that area it would be mostly Aspen with some Balm-of-Gilead(how's that for a moniker?) thrown in.