The first winter I was in my house, I was only supplementing the fuel oil with wood heat. I was trying to heat with wood, but I was using it up just as fast as I could cut and split it. This is the oldest pic I could find - I think it was taken the following summer. I don't think I ever took any pics of my stacks before joining FHC. From Google Earth: Google earth is just too much fun - a little off topic, but I had to get another shot to show all the property that I manage: The puny stacks have grown a little since then.
Thanks man. Not sure I'd describe my stacks as impressive though. I really can't take much credit. I've learned a lot of what should and should not be done thanks to this one web site and its great members...it's called firewoodhoardersclub.com.... you should check it out sometime.
No - that's all sitting idle right now. I'm trying to convince my Dad to let me plant trees there, but he insists he wants to keep it available as farmland, even though he's retired and doesn't want to farm it himself. But he can't get any other farmers to actually farm it either. Eventually ill wear him down.
Great thread. Lookin' back at when we started burning, whew, "If only I'd known then what I know now", heheh. Burning water in a fireplace (wet wood) just didn't cut the mustard. 'Only' 3 years ahead now but I'm OK with that.
Real nice thread going on here. What made the light bulb click for me was a few years ago I bought an extra cord to make sure I had enough for the winter. The wood I burned that season was around 22% mc. Pretty decent for seasoned wood around here. I had a bit left over for the following season that ended up at 12% mc. All I can say is what a difference it was. Easy start ups and reloads. Getting ahead is repeated here so much, but it rings true and is sound advice. I know of a few people who either ran out of wood or could not even get some delivered last season due to a local shortage. I stocked up a bit more and did several small scrounges, and it all adds up.
Yep, it's so nice to just put splits in on a few coals and have them take off within a few seconds. I struggled soooo badly the first year with wet Oak.
I hear you. My first year was nothing but wet cottonwood. Horrible to split, burnt like water like Gark said, used it as fast as I cut it, and it had a less than fragrant smell.... otherwise my first year was great!
I have what they call a blowpoke--a long pole with a forked end, and a place to blow on the other end. I still use it, but only to rake coals from the back. I think this is going to be the year I will be able to burn from shoulder to shoulder without using the aux heat.
The early days Bought a few loads from the tree guy and did a lot of this Which got me this So I did a lot of this And turned it into this And eventually this
With all the times we've repeated over and over and OVER again the importance of getting ahead with an idea like the "3 Year Plan", it's nice to see our fruits of labor.....I'm proud to see all of these impressive stacks, honestly, because it truly shows just how responsible we've all become as good woodburners. You guys have built a tight-knit community, the likes of which are few and far between in the times we live in. We've all collaborated together to befriend and educate people from all over the globe to learn the proper burning habits needed in our modern times. I'm proud to have all of you as brothers and sisters....
Hey my dear, I'm proud of yours too! You're a matriarch here......and an inspiration for other women out there that they can hoard the wood just as good as the guys can!!
I haven't been on here as much as I want to be, been just flat out CRAZY busy the past several months.. .... But the season is inching up on us.....even though the thermometer doesn't show it!!
I am looking forward to burning this year for the first time. I have some old ash that came from a yard tree I had removed over 3 years ago and just stacked the 2 foot rounds left by the tree service. Now that I have a stove I have started to process that wood and have cut down 4 fence busters about 6 to 8 inches DBH. The remaining 2 fence busters are in particularly bad spots and may take some professional help. My pile of the old ash is processing nicely and, since my stove gets optimal performance at 12 inches long, I have been cutting those old rounds in half before splitting them. I am cutting and splitting a wheel barrow full each day before the heat drives me indoors. So far I have less than a face cord but at a wheel barrow full each day I expect to end up close to a full cord of aged ash and maybe half that much too wet to burn in 15/16. I only expect to burn enough to learn my stove then use the ash as emergency power outage heat this year. Next year will be worse because I am busy building that house rather than processing wood for the future. The only good part is my fence busters will be burnable by then. All of it is wild black cherry and mulberry so it should be worthwhile even though small. When I finish this house I will be processing in earnest. I own 22 acres of woods and I know there are tons of downed trees in it. Most of those trees are shagbark hickory, black walnut and wild black cherry with small additional amounts of silver maple, hedge, honey locust and bur oak. I can see a couple of cords of dead hanging widow makers from the windows of the house I am building so finding wood should be easy. It will need safe handling and processing but that should be easy enough to do once I have the time. I own another small tree plantation about 20 years old that was intentionally planted with some ash for its fast growth and to give me the trees to remove for proper tree density. With the EAB already in the county I think I know which trees will be removed for thinning. They are running 6 to 10 inch DBH now.
Well, you certainly have you work cut out for you! Looks like you have nice wood to work with, though. You will have to take some pictures for us as you go along:stacke:
I think I will take a few. It never occurred to me that I had anything worth pictures but for a historical that shows how bad it once was I suppose there is a purpose.
