As we see gas prices creeping back up, if you live and work on your own homestead or ranch check out  this article to learn how burning wood instead of gas costs pennies on the mile. Alabama resident Wayne Keith has converted his trucks to wood burning and since he runs a saw mill he supplies his own wood chunks to burn. This offers him substantial savings over buying gas.

The article is from 2012 and at that time he said his Dodge Dakota could get about 5200 miles per cord of wood. At that time a cord of wood was fifty dollars so you can see what a huge savings this conversion would be. Along with saving many dollars the article lists four advantages to using wood gas.

” 1. Abundant Biomass. Wood is biomass that, well, literally grows on trees. In many areas, there are more wood resources than you can shake a stick at. And you don’t need firewood splits to do this — small branches, construction tailings and other wood scraps make the best fuel.

2. Wood Is Carbon-Neutral. Unlike coal or petroleum, which become environmental problems when they are extracted, refined and burned, a tree absorbs carbon dioxide from the air as it grows. When a tree dies, whether it is burned or left to rot, the carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere.

3. Biochar to Enrich Your Garden. When wood is consumed for motor fuel, it creates a byproduct known as biochar. This carbon-rich char can be used as a soil amendment to decrease acidity and reduce nutrient leaching while improving tilth and productivity. (Read more about biochar for gardening in Make Biochar — This Ancient Technique Will Improve Your Soil. — MOTHER EARTH NEWS)

4. Energy Independence. Perhaps the best benefit of wood gas is that wood is a renewable, homegrown fuel. If you have moderate metalworking skills and access to a sawmill, using a wood gasifier can be a major step forward in sustainable, self-reliant living. Wood gasification isn’t for everyone, but it certainly is within reach for many MOTHER EARTH NEWS readers”     Yes this idea is not for everyone but for the folks that can make it work for them, this is a great way to save money. You can read all of the article on Mother Earth News.

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