In 2015, we replanted our orchard. Like many farmers, we were faced with removing mature fruit trees—but instead of burning the wood, we chose a different approach.

We cut the trees into firewood and quickly discovered strong demand for premium fruitwood used in smokers and pizza ovens. What began as a practical decision turned into a growing business supplying cooking wood to customers who cared about flavor, heat quality, and origin.

Once the wood from our own orchard was used up, the phone kept ringing. To meet that demand, we began working with other local farmers, removing orchards during replanting and reclaiming fruitwood that would otherwise be burned or wasted. By sourcing directly from orchards we know, we maintained control over quality while supporting the local agricultural community.

As time went on, many of our friends—and customers—were getting pellet smokers. While they loved the convenience, they could no longer use the premium cooking wood we were supplying for smokers and pizza ovens. The demand for real fruitwood flavor was still there—it just needed to be delivered in a different form.

Retailing firewood also came with its challenges. In 2025, we made a strategic pivot and invested in a pellet mill, allowing us to turn our personally sourced orchard wood into consistent, premium smoker pellets—bringing authentic fruitwood flavor to modern pellet grills.

That decision marked the beginning of Woodgate Pellets as it exists today—built on transparency, responsible sourcing, and single-species fruitwood. We continue to source our own wood, openly share our process, and produce pellets with no blends, no fillers, and no additives.

What started as an orchard replant has grown into a commitment to better BBQ fuel, made locally and honestly.