A large oak tree in the front yard has fallen from all the rain and wind. The part that fell in the street was taken care of by the city. All that is left is the long trunk of the tree. I am wondering if there is a company that would take it and not charge to do so?

Hi Jeanne:

Most companies are in the business of charging for services, so the answer is more than likely no. However, there are a lot of people out there who are always interested in free firewood!

Here are your two options:

1. Contact a custom sawmill operator to determine if they are interested in your logs. You will need to know the tree species, diameter, and merchantable log length; and they'll likely ask you to take some pictures to determine if its worth their time and effort.

IL Custom Sawmill Operators: http://www.illinoisurbanwood.org/documents/ILCustomSawmillsDirectory2011.pdf

2. Put an advertisement in your local newspaper (online and print versions) indicating free wood for the taking -- first-come, first-served!