The Rural Voice, 1985-12, Page 19farmers don't always weigh their time
invested. "The saw log is sold for $70
with no labour at all to the farmer.
The same tree would be worth $25 for
firewood if no labour was considered.
To get the $105 worth of firewood,
you have to cut up the tree and that
involves a lot of labour."
Lambie finds that many woodlot
owners may be very good woodlot
managers, but when it comes time to
sell their product, they often make
serious blunders. Woodlot owners are
not accustomed to selling timber
because it is a once in a lifetime tran-
saction. "A farmer wouldn't sell his
beef or grain without knowing what it
is worth. Why sell timber either
without knowing its true value , ' he
says. "It's just plain good business to
know what you're selling and how
much it's worth." A farmer may
jump at an offer of $8,000 for his
bush without knowing that it may be
worth far more than that. "You may
like the sound of $8,000 but how do
you know that it's not worth $10,000
or $12,000?" Lambie emphasizes that
farmers should know the number of
trees they're selling and what the
volume is in those trees. "It's the
volume that determines the value,"
he says.
Both Smith and Lambie note that
as a long-term investment, a properly
managed woodlot will pay good
returns — with a little work and pa-
tience. "The woodlot's there
anyway," says Smith, "Why not
make the most of it?" ❑
A tree infected with eutvpella canker should be cut down
so it falls with the canker to the ground, says John Lam-
bie, resource management supervisor at the Owen Sound
office of the MNR. This method helps to avoid
transmission of the disease, particularly if the tree is not
removed immediately.
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