Forget Vancouver - watch out this winter

I remember in 2008 being just ahead of the crush to buy a pellet stove (POS). Now people are waking up that HO is not coming down and are just realizing the cost of keeping warm. I wanted to complete my setup on the farm to use ZERO HO by now and acquired my two latest AnthraKings (LL) to add to the mix - just in time (thank you Dave). It does not matter what your choice is, just make it NOW and MOVE. This is going to get ugly and the Canadian hockey dustups are going to look like a village tea party at the local coal/pellet/wood stores. I have spent five years getting to this point and a million thankyous to all on this board. Imagine starting now from scratch. Imagine more seriously that Greece defaults and the whole fiat system crashes. ALL these stoves will be gold dust and HO could easily be double its price again. This is going to get really ugly. GLTA.

I have to agree, oil/gas prices are coming down a bit (because the public whined) but they will go back up, the targeted price for gas is $5.00 (by our law makers in IMO) or above, But we (public) can't handle that yet, but it is ever so creeping up, $3.60 now and that dropped from $4.06, (if something comes along) by end of year $3.75, next year $4.00 or more, ever so slowly..

I'm so happy I bought the stove, and I pay more per ton living outside of coal country.

This winters gonna be worse than last year..

Fuel oil is $3.59 here cash price, $3.79 charge. I am sure glad that our fuel tank is still full and I don't have to burn any unless I WANT to. Word has gotten around that I have something burning coal in the basement, and a few people have called or stopped by to learn more. Most of them are impressed with my setup, but only two have pulled the trigger and actually bought a coal burning appliance. I think the rest of them will take interest when it is too late.

Same here. One friend of a friend asked to look around. Hmmm, interesting he says, can I come back in November. I somehow think that will be too late and a one year waiting list.

markviii wrote:Fuel oil is $3.59 here cash price, $3.79 charge. I am sure glad that our fuel tank is still full and I don't have to burn any unless I WANT to. Word has gotten around that I have something burning coal in the basement, and a few people have called or stopped by to learn more. Most of them are impressed with my setup, but only two have pulled the trigger and actually bought a coal burning appliance. I think the rest of them will take interest when it is too late.

This Winter is expected to be colder than the last one. I watch the weather constantly and listen to the best forecasters. Even if it is not colder, it will still be cold and fuel is only going to get more expensive. And yes I believe you are right, for, "the rest of them," it will be too late.

OK, a little of "as Fred see's it" I think that the amount of used stoves/boilers, whichever,people just need to look & the economically sound will do so----will negate the waiting lists for people that are serious about burning coal--does anyone remember the YUPPY demand for BMW's--come & gone, how about for Harleys--come & gone, & so many other fad kinda things-- this is just a fad for a whole bunch of people. Burning coal requires a degree of physical work & I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but we live in an incredibly lazy society unfortunatly, the fad people will drive the cost of coal burning devices & the price of coal itself sky-high before they get done with thier little experimental stage & realize that there is some work involves Anyway, that's just one old farmers thoughts.

freetown fred wrote:OK, a little of "as Fred see's it" I think that the amount of used stoves/boilers, whichever,people just need to look & the economically sound will do so----will negate the waiting lists for people that are serious about burning coal--does anyone remember the YUPPY demand for BMW's--come & gone, how about for Harleys--come & gone, & so many other fad kinda things-- this is just a fad for a whole bunch of people. Burning coal requires a degree of physical work & I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but we live in an incredibly lazy society unfortunatly, the fad people will drive the cost of coal burning devices & the price of coal itself sky-high before they get done with thier little experimental stage & realize that there is some work involves Anyway, that's just one old farmers thoughts.

I think you might be on to something my wise friend, however; in the mean time, if you have your ducks in a row, you don't have to worry about the panic and uncertainty of others.

Oh yea, that's a fact Wm.--I've got next seasons coal put up & am envious of these TT loads I'm reading about on the FORUM here--I've got plenty of room, just not plenty of $$$--maybe next year us seniors will get our cost of living increase--oh sure--that might buy a 40# bag of something.

You hit it right on Fred! "coal takes too much time... and the dust, how can you live with? So I have to spend 15 or 20 minutes in the morning and dust more often; big deal. That pales with the ability to save on my heating billing and keep my family warm on the coldest winter night. I just don't understand some folks. Take care, Lisa

I think you might be on to something my wise friend, however; in the mean time, if you have your ducks in a row, you don't have to worry about the panic and uncertainty of others.

Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted and I am fascinated. The oil problem is only going to get worse.

I found out that NEPA was my neighbor and did something about it. Now I admit I am not the sharpest tool in the shed so I remain interested in the ability of my neighbors to pursue infinity expensive solutions to the energy problem. There is only one little problem in their quest for a solution - they aren't solutions at all - at least not for frigid NYS. So as I continue to search for viable alternatives, one mysterious thing has occurred that I can't explain. I now actually enjoy tinkering with coal stoves and ways of producing energy from anthracite. So I intend to expand my playing (errrrm, strike that one, I mean my technical evaluation) of other stoves. Damn, my wife is on to me. She is now saying silly things like "We don't need any more stoves" - go figure. It's like we don't need any more horses either - but that did not stop another one from turning up on the farm this week that had been beaten half to death with a 2x4 by his previous owner. Why are we travelling to Afghanistan to look for someone to shoot - I can find good candidates much closer to home.

My last H.S. reunion I was talking to a few classmates about the costs of heating & I mentioned that I heated with coal. Only two expressed any interest in doing it themselves, another said he would like to but the wife wouldn`t allow it & still another said he had a beautiful coal burning stove in his sunroom in S.C.. His wife keeps flower arrangements in it & a antique tea pot on top, he said he knows about a dozen or more people that do the same & they all paid big bucks for them,another reason to dislike yuppies.

Yep,being here sure beats a beer joint any day of the week ! We've seen a lot of flip-flops in heating since the Oil Crisis of the 70's. The one constant on average is that heating costs have risen. The other is anything Yuppies touch seems to be destroyed for us "Commoners" The "Age of Excess" is over,my Friends. Coal just makes sense. For alot of us,Anthracite makes the most sense. Much like a garden at home,things just have a higher quality and self-satisfaction when you've had your hand in it. Our time is relevant to common sense,self-sufficiency and useable cash on board. We're seeing more people returning to several generations of Family members under one roof. Those of us who've understood that "The Jig is Up" have been making the most of our earnings in a declining America. Sometimes it takes resolve to take off the "Golden Handcuffs" of our own making,bite the bullet,and get our hands back into common sense methods to "Heat and Eat". Richard and this Board,along with the tons of Fine Folks who populate it,have made great coal burning info available for a long time. Secure your coal stocks,Secure your future and budget. And while we're at it,somebody secure Freetown Fred and Smitty !

You guys are making me think twice about ordering a couple hundred tons extra too!!
Wow, coal as a heating fuel....that's a strange method of heating. Didn't they stop using it back at the end of WW2?????

Get together with a buddy or two and order it up. Just think if you had purchased 5000 gallons of heating oil before the latest "Assume The Position" status of the oil futures....$1.79 doesn't seem so bad any more.......

I'll bet even the 'Pellet Guys' are smacking their lips this season. They say Belize is nice in the winter....heck all 12 months.
If the regulators don't smarten up and look ahead, we need to keep flooding the elections with candidates who represent us and not just the 'Pointed Head' segment.

I am ..... insecurable ...........

Is that even a word?



I think I may have to find another way to heat my barn, it looks like. The reason I've stayed away from coal for out there is that I'd probably have to start the fire the night before in order to have it warm by morning. Then if something comes up, I just wasted a bag of coal heating the whole place for nothing. I think a better idea for out there would be to convert my oil burner into a waste oil burner. That way I'd make some room while keeping the place warm basically for free. Plenty of oil generated in this neighborhood for that.

I wish I knew what nozzle my grandfather used to use on his 55 gallon drum furnace - that thing worked great! Guess I got to start experimenting ....

You guys are making me think twice about ordering a couple hundred tons extra too!!

I am really too poor to even pay attention but that is an interesting idea. With my latest upgrades and future business expansion thx to coal, I am seriously wondering why not. Nobody I know even understands the thought process. My wifes cousin Steve came to the farm and on arrival explained to his kids that "this is the way eccentric people live". Now I am sure I am on the right path - thx Steve.