(After typing I realized this is a longer post than intended so I beg forgiveness.) After seeing some of the posts once in a while they get me to thinking (that may surprise a few!). But let's see, I had polio as a child so was a bit of a late comer in helping with wood but still started, albeit very easy, around age 5-6. First chore was to empty the stoves (3) of ashes. Then it very soon became my job to make sure Mom had the small wood for the cooking stove. That also meant gathering corn cobs too. Oh ya, along with gathering those corn cobs, we always managed to have several rockets; that is, a corn cob and 2 or 3 chicken feathers. No cost in those. Put the feathers in the end of the cob and give it a throw. We used to have lots of fun with these and even started climbing the silo and then trying to hit a target with the rocket. We mostly missed.... Soon it became my job to move firewood from the shed to the back porch, which was enclosed. I used to have to only watch wood being split because they would not let me. After all, I was the youngest of 3 boys. So, nobody worked with me to get started splitting wood. I simply started doing it while everyone else was in the barn doing chores. Nothing was ever said to me about it and I guess they just figured if I wanted to do it, why not? Even though most of our wood was cut with a chain saw, we always seemed to have a buzz pile. That is, small stuff that we'd use the buzz saw on. Well, that broke so we went to using a crosscut saw. I talked one of my brothers into letting me help. Maybe my zeal in doing this had something to do with the polio but I just wanted to be able to do things other people could do. And I enjoyed it. I was in early teens when started to operate a chain saw. Naturally it was small stuff at first. I do not remember when I fell the first tree but wish I did. I have memories of Sundays spent in the woods. We'd go with tractor and wagon and sometimes get more than one load. Fortunately we always seemed to have plenty of wood ahead of time so we didn't have to burn that green wood like the neighbors did. After I left farming, that is when I started working in a logging crew and also at times at the sawmill. It did not take too long before I was given free reign. I could do it all. But my big surprise one day was when our head sawyer quit at the mill. I was called on to saw lumber. Well, after riding carriage I knew a lot of what had to be done so just needed to train the body to do different things and also the one job I hated. That was sharpening the teeth on that big circular saw. I never did like that one but it had to be done. I have many happy memories of those times and a few bad memories too. But I am thankful for having the experience and the worst I was ever injured was getting a finger between a couple of 2 x 10's. Green lumber is heavy and can do some damage. I learned fast though. Through the years we've burned wood and even some years burned fuel oil (it was $.12 per gallon when we got married) and propane. We made up our minds many years ago to make wood heat our only heat. I believe I sold our furnace about 36 years ago. We've never missed it. With the prices today of oil and gas and electricity (even though some prices are down right now. It is only temporarily) it just makes good sense to burn wood. Yet we hear some who think we're nuts to put in all that work. What? My wife and I are both in our 70's yet have no problem putting up our wood supply. We started out really slow this year but still got the job done. We usually do all our cutting in winter but this year I may do some in the warmer weather. Just have not decided on that yet. But even if I work alone, in 6 weeks time I can put up enough wood for a winter or two. No, I do not work at this full time. Some days I may work and hour or I may work 4 hours but 4 is about the most I would do. Also, if the weather doesn't cooperate, it does not bother us to take a day or two off. In fact, it is welcome. Through the years we've acquired some tools that make the work easier. For example, because of an injury, we bought a hydraulic splitter. I wish I could still split by hand but it is not going to happen so I enjoy the hydraulics. How long will any of us be able to do these things? Only the Lord knows the answer to that question. But we plan on doing this for many more years and yes, we'll enjoy it. Many times we've wondered by living a frugal lifestyle, just how much we've saved in dollars. It could be interesting. What say you? How long do you plan on putting up wood?
I'm planning on doing it as long as I can, some may think it crazy but even if we quit burning wood I would still cut and process firewood and give it away, it's just something I really enjoy.
I'd like to continue for a long time. The only other time I burned was when I was about 14-15 and we lived in Northwest Detroit. That house had a fireplace, and I only remember burning those compressed log things. This is our 9th winter here, and although it can get tedious, I still enjoy the process. One of my jobs when I was younger was burning the trash in a burn barrel in the back yard.
That is quite a history you have with wood. Here I am just really getting started at 67. I dragged some brush away while working with my grandfather when I was a young teenager. He was cutting with a chain saw and my cousins were limbing with axes. We used horses back then to drag the logs out so he could have them made into lumber at a local mill for his own use. My next experience at around age 22 was when I helped him retrieve several wagon loads of cut firewood using his new tractor and a wagon. I was in town near him for 2 weeks on vacation from my town job. It was all hand loaded and unloaded so I did get some exercise. In my 40s I bought a small grain farm and a chain saw. When I had blown down trees in my field edges I used the chain saw to buck the dead trees just enough to remove them from the path of the planter and the combine. At the time I also had a fair sized leaning cherry with its top in the field and actually removed that back to the stump without hurting myself and bucked it to stove lengths but just told a guy to come get it if he wanted it. Everyone gets to be lucky once. Today I would not even try that tree. A little over 15 years ago I made a forestry CRP planting on that grain farm so no more need to remove fallen trees. I am now going to get into burning so my saw is in for a tune up and I am reading everything I can get my hands on to avoid some of the worst mistakes as I start to gain real experience. I do start with an advantage of basically good health with no arthritis or similar issues so for me it is going to be a part of my exercise plan going into my 70s.
Yes your definately one of the forefathers of wood burning round here dennis . I plan on burnin wood until i physically can't lift a split to load the stove. My dad does as well but im sure one day i'll be bringing wood to his house and getting it in the basement for him. But for all the life lessons he's taught me i'll gladly do anything to keep him and mom warm.
You are forgiven. That was long. Just kiddin Sav! Love ya man! And thank you for inspiring all of us here at the FHC!You are, as a wood burner, what I hope to be in the future. A successful wood burning, backwoods savaging, long time hoarder! To you and yours, I wish you the very best health in the future of your wood burning!
I plan on burning as long as I'm able to physically do all the work myself. Been burning for 26 years here where I am now and burned a few years when I was in my mid-teens. Took a break when I rented my own place for nine years or so.
Great story Sav, I think I had heard most pieces of that before but still enjoyed reading. God Bless you and the ornery redhead. Edit: I plan on burning wood until I can't do it or the Good Lord has other plans.
Backwoods Savage, since taxes in NYS force most people out (gotta pay for the big unions) once we get forced out we'll move to a warmer state, so I don't plan on burning wood much longer. Maybe another seven years unless things change.
As long as I am physically able to, and then in the end, to also go out doing an imitation of a chunk of firewood..........
Great story Sav. I'll c/s/s until I can't c/s/s anymore, then if I'm still here I'll buy wood. Hopefully I'll be able to throw wood in the stove until the very end but I may need to get a youngster to sweep the chimney for me. I'll tell them exactly how to do it
Dennis I appreciate that post, it was enjoyable to read and it brought back memories of my own. I grew up living with my mother and sister, with my grandparents next door. My job throughout fall and winter was to haul wood in for both. It made me feel like the man of the house, even though I was only 7. Relatives bought it split in those days. I didn't use a chainsaw or split until I was 25 and my wife and I bought our first (and so far only house) in 2000. It had a woodstove and gas heat and it did not take me long to realize I liked the wood heat better and it was much cheaper. I can't imagine not cutting and splitting now, so I have to say I'll do this as long as I'm able, which I'm hoping will be for a long, long time.
Great story Dennis - it wasn't nearly long enough! I plan to keep at it as long as I can - hopefully I can make it as long as you have! Our family always heated with wood, so I've been hauling and stacking it about as long as I can remember. As soon as I was strong enough to use the wheelbarrow, it was my job to haul the wood from the shed up to the house. And I think the next summer, I was helping stack the wood in the shed as well. Did a lot of hay during the summer too. We had a 40 acre farm, but there weren't many trees, except in the yard. Except for a few of our own trees that came down, we mostly got our wood from the farmer down the road. He always had 1+ year seasoned soft maple, arranged in single rows between 8' stakes - you bought it by the face cord. Every summer, we'd refill 1 half of the wood shed, which was enough for 1 season. Most years there was some left over. The wood shed was originally a pig sty, but we didn't raise pigs - just a couple horses, and some chickens. So we were always burning 2+ year dry maple - its still a favorite of mine. My great grandparents had a 77 acre orchard back in the 30's and 40's, which was either replanted or just grew back into woodlands. When my grandparents retired, they sold their much larger home, and in 1986 built the house that I own now, on 17 acres on the far end of that property. My grandfather always heated with wood too, and cut his own from the property. He established a great set of trails through it all too. I remember going for rides behind his old Farmall Cub, in the little wood trailer that I'm using to this day! We've been fortunate to keep all of that property in our family; my sister's family is in the old farm house, with 30 acres on the west end of the old farm. The 30 acres between me and my sister is owned by my aunt, who also owns the house on the 3 acres to the east of my property. I've been given management of all 77 acres, from which I've already supplied myself with 3+ years worth, and most of what my sister's family burned this year. Now that I'm ahead of the game, I'd like to get my sister's supply built up, and hopefully be able to cut for my dad too, who buys it a couple years ahead of time from tree guys now.
