Bundle Up Those Tree Trimmings! Northsiders Need Firewood!

Photo and blog post by John Hoff

With summer gas prices expected to reach ridiculous highs, and even affordable domestic tourist spots like Mount Rushmore seeing drastically decreased numbers of visitors, I would guess late night summer bonfires are going to be an increasingly popular pastime. Here in North Minneapolis, some of us Northsiders reduce costs even further by...

...cruising the alleys and snatching up tree-trimmings, which are (per Sanitation Department regulations) neatly bundled with twine, or should be. Dried out Christmas trees are particularly prized among some NoMi bonfire enthusiasts. Under optimum conditions, a Christmas tree will shoot up a plume of fire ten feet high. Click here for photographic evidence.

I would be leaving the wrong impression if I led readers to believe late night alley-scavenging is the ONLY source of fuel for bonfires in North Minneapolis (NoMi). In many instances, residents are keeping vacant lots clear of fallen tree branches, performing a valuable public service free of charge. But there's just no getting around the fact a bonfire made with "liberated" alley firewood feels warmer, and smells sweeter.