Selling hickory wood

Hello friends. In the process of starting a farm. I have plenty of large hickory trees that I'd consider selling for start up money. I'm just not sure where to start looking for potential buyers. Any suggestions would help. As always, thank you guys.

Are you talking about good quality lumber, or as material for smokers etc...

I read recently a post by someone who was collecting orchard trimmings from apple trees, packing them cut to size in cardboard boxes and selling them outside garages for people to use on BBQs and smokers. I think he was talking about $20 per box for a free resource that took minimal time to process. Hickory is sought after for smoking too, but the local market is likely to be small. Possibly a minor second income stream in the long term though.

Trunks/branches in the 3-6" range make good shiitake bolts. In fact they produced the best in my latest flush:

Furniture or smoke was what I had in mind. Just not sure where to start. Those mushrooms sure look good too!

Scott Stiller wrote:I'm just not sure where to start looking for potential buyers. Any suggestions would help.

Get in touch with your state Ag or Forestry Department. They'll point you in the right direction.

It's a tough decision to take down a productive nut tree.

Left in place, these trees offer a bounty of resources to get your farm going.
Certified Organic and Non-GMO labeling offers a value added product in the nuts.
The leaves are abundant, and can offer a great volume of leaf mold.
Have you considered the repeating revenue of coppicing rather than harvesting the entire tree?
Can the fallen branches be used for mushroom growing?

I've taken down several trees around the power lines and well house. At times, harvesting trees is necessary for safety, liability, and forest management.
Search for local lumber kilns.
There are small kiln operators who process specialty lumber. They may buy whole trunks, slabs, rough lumber. Alternately, you may be able to use their services if you harvest and mill your own lumber. Different parts of the tree have utility.
Trunks for lumber and totems/artistic carvings
Burls for carving and turning
Branch points for smoking, as well as carving and turning
Straight branches for mushroom logs
Fine branches for wood chip mulch, Back To Eden Gardening and hugelkulture
Sawdust for pellet fuel

Ken Peavey wrote:It's a tough decision to take down a productive nut tree.

Scott didn't say what kind of hickories he's got, but mine are bitternut & pignut hickories, not really for human consumption.

Good point.
There are pignut hickory trees around here. Those things are like rocks. As if hickory nuts aren't hard enough already!

Thanks for all the replies guys. For some reason I'm not getting email notifications when I get replies.
I believe I have scaly bark, and regular hickory. Honestly I don't want to cut them but I do need the start up money for the farm. It's tough starting a farm with a truck and shovel. Not complaining though; it's good work and I love it! I'll probably just leave them be unless they become a hazard. Thanks for all the advice. Scott