An Overview of the Process of Harvesting Black Walnuts
So, you thought about black walnut tree value and decided you were interested in selling trees on your property for timber. You did your research and answered the question, who buys black walnut trees near me? You’ve identified a logger you are interested in selling your black walnuts to.
What’s next?
Everyone likes to go into a business transaction knowing what to expect. You don’t want to be caught off guard by surprises that make you second-guess your decision. With that in mind, we thought it would be helpful to write an article that outlines the process of harvesting black walnuts. If you are selling black walnut trees for the first time or haven’t done it in a while and could use a refresher, give it a read and bookmark it for future reference.
The following is the process we use at MK Timber for harvesting black walnuts.
Step 1: Landowner Meeting
The process begins with a meeting to discuss intentions for the property and trees. There are a few questions to consider:
Do you want to start small and groom your woods for a bigger future harvest or are you ready to cash out now and sell all desirable black walnuts?
Do you foresee selling your property anytime soon or do you plan on holding onto it for the long term?
Do you hunt and do you want your timber company to harvest trees with future hunting efforts in mind?
Answering these questions will help your logger start to formulate a plan for your property and the tree harvest.
Step 2: Property & Tree Assessment
The next step is for your timber buyer to assess your property and trees. They’ll take note of the accessibility of the woods and the size and condition of the trees.
From there, they’ll decide whether it makes sense to proceed with the harvest or not. In some cases, the trees may need more time to grow and the harvest will need to be postponed. If the trees are ready, the logger will mark them at chest height so the harvesting crew can easily see which trees to take down.
Step 3: Tally/Quote Generation
Once all desirable black walnut trees have been marked, your timber company will provide you with a tally sheet and quote that shows line itemized prices.
Step 4: Contract Completion & Payment
The last step before your logger begins harvesting black walnuts from your property is to sign a contract. It will outline your logger as the buyer and you, the property owner, as the seller. It will detail the location of the harvest, the number of trees to be taken and the timing of the harvest.
Typically, the timber company will have 1-2 years to complete the harvest. This gives them ample time to schedule the harvest and provides leeway in the event of a stretch of conditions that aren’t ideal for harvesting black walnuts.
Then, you’ll be paid for the black walnut trees you’ve agreed to sell.
Step 5: Harvesting the Trees
When harvesting time arrives, the loggers will do the following:
Move their equipment to the woods using a path that minimizes disruption to the property
Harvest the marked black walnut trees
Move them to a landing area (a field or clear area near the edge of the woods)
Process the trees and remove the processed timber from the property
A timber company can typically cut 20 trees and move them to the landing area in a day.
When is the Best Time for Harvesting Black Walnuts?
While timber buyers can purchase trees year-round, harvesting black walnuts is a seasonal task. The fall and winter months are the most desirable due to weather conditions and because that’s when the markets are typically the best. Spring is usually too wet, and summer is too hot. Your logger will want the property and trees to be in the best possible condition, and wood can be spoiled if the logs aren’t able to be moved right away.
Trust MK Timber to Harvest Your Black Walnut Trees
To learn more or to start the discussion about selling your timber, contact us today.