Dear Don't Move Firewood,
For this to work, you really need suppliers not to hike up their prices. Which I have run into, trying to be "good" Also, how come a place like Stop and Shop can sell wood from different states?
Sincerely,
Tim
Dear Tim,
I agree. I hope that firewood dealers all across the nation are taking this not as an opportunity to make more money off of small bundles, but instead to increase the amount of wood they sell overall. But the key to this is demand- in order for firewood cutters and vendors to make enough money and keep their prices low, they need to have a lot of sales.
As a regular person, what you can do to help is talk to the campground host or firewood dealer. Tell them that you think it is really important to keep the prices at a level that doesn't alienate the consumer. Change comes slowly, and don't forget to be courteous.
In terms of your second question, the answer is that interstate commerce- even for firewood- is pretty well regulated. Therefore, for one state to receive firewood from another, there was probably some level of inspection of the product. Now, here at Don't Move Firewood we don't normally advocate for visual inspection of firewood because it is too tough, but in this case the assumption is that the firewood is from a reputable dealer that is certified and in compliance with all state and federal regulations. So the risk of that firewood containing pests is quite low- far lower than firewood you'd cut from wood in your own backyard, or firewood from the back of some stranger's pickup truck on a country highway.
Just another episode of our advice column!