Talking about Hoarding....

I would love to have this luxury. I'm stuck cutting up what I can on my lot, which is about 60% soft wood, hemlock and pine mostly, but the occasional hardwood tree is there and they do tend to grow in a sort of group. But I'd do anything to have a consistent source of hardwoods.

 

I've been working here and there when I can through the summer to get ahead. I don't want to continue that into the future. It is just too hot and unpleasant.

Best time really is fall and early-mid winter here. Then it is sometimes cold for a month or two (not every day though!). Mud season comes after that, then lethal heat season.

With my current set-up, 3 years worth just about fills the storage area. So once I'm caught up, I'll have to replace as I go to stay ahead. But, I did some measuring and it turns out that I can easily get over a years supply on my front porch if I do things right. I have wife approval, so I've got to get cracking. If I move a years worth onto the porch, then I'll have plenty of space in the storage area and can take better advantage of opportunity when it comes up rather than being limited by storage space.

 

I try to cut everything in the fall and winter. Then split and stack the rounds in the spring. Doesn't always work out that way, but if I can avoid the heat and bugs that is what I'm trying for.

 

I cut in the winter mainly. Just to busy the rest of the year.

 

I fell and haul out during the winter due to the swampy terrain around here. I buck and split the rest of the year.

 

I don't like doing anything with wood when it's hot. However, I'm not up to bring a couple years ahead, so I split and stacked in the heat a few times this year.

I really do only cut from my woods in fall and winter, and if it's dry enough, I'll head to the woods.

I do also like to fell in winter, that way if it was standing, it won't allow more water to enter the tree from the roots. I've noticed doing it this way nets me drier wood when I can get to it.

I won't need to do this when I get further ahead, but I may still as it makes sense.

 

Hi, Dennis. How've you been doing? It's funny sometimes how things seem to fall into your lap. Seems folks just pass my name around, to keep me busy. As it stands, Land Steward @ Audubon often just IDs projects to bud & me, and we go cut. Payback/payforward, who cares? It's all music-making, and we love it. Stop by, and you could supervise.

Sandy made some huge messes. We've still got a ways to go with that. Large part has been reforestation-prep. Now mainly woods-road-clearing.

With the land trust, you might like to see the "plantation" of blight-resistant American chestnuts (400+) we prepped & planted last year.

 

Too bad you're so far away, on a couple of counts. If you were within NY's 50-mile limit from here, you could have many tons of mixed hardwood blowdowns we've been cleaning up on local land trust properties. Hard to give away to the yuppies around here. I've managed to hook us up with 5 local wood-vultures, but they can only take so much. Now, if you had a portable kiln ... Lots of clean ash & locust.
We hate to see it rot.

For anyone within reach, the offer still stands. Introduce yourself, load & go. 'Tis the season.

 

As for the felling of trees, I'm not at that point. I still have a load of logs to process for this winter. However; once I am ready to start felling trees, I'll end up doing it anytime of year I can punch a hole in my schedule. Oddly my schedule does free up late fall when the weather turns cooler and softball gear has been put away for a month or so before we start indoor training.

 

Been after it pretty hard last month or so, but it is really too hot! But you gotta do, what you gotta do to get ahead, and stay ahead. My plan is to keep going as long as weather permits, hunting season will slow me down some though.

 

Funny how it is different now, Farmers always took trees fall and winter.. Mostly dairy farms up here and growing season is short. So schedule was hunting, firewood, sugaring, planting, haying, harvesting repeat. My grandfather diaries reveal he always cut split stacked 35 cord for house 15 for sugar shack.. no gas powered equipment and horses with his brother. I will see if I can get some of old 8 mm film digitized cause pics are the best

 

Oddly enough I have a large amount of family in CT, I was born there actually. Alas we aren't too close but they are from New Milford. Thanks for the offer though.

 

I do fell in the winter. I dropped a red maple and a red oak last winter, and they ended up getting split and stacked, the only thing I have against this is that snow gets deep enough here that it can literally bury felled trees. And digging through the snow with a shovel to get to a tree isn't the funnest thing.

 

My father is haying in summer, moving wood to the house's basement in fall, overtime at work in the winter, along with felling and cutting, and then splitting and stacking in the beginning of March,

 

Sounds like a photo gallery all of us would love to see.

 

Yeah, we get our fair share of snow here too in the winter. Last year wasn't so bad snow wise, which was good for me.

I've got an atv down here now, so that will definitely help out with the back breaking work.

I really like being able to take layers of clothes off when cutting in winter. Plus the air is dry, low humidity.

 

Last year for us lead to snow so deep you sank to near hip level. But if I had an atv or any power equipment digging would be a lot easier to cut and pull to where I can work. But, I don't have that option.