I am so slacking. Last two weekends were a burst of productivity, and now I've hit the skids. Today I did cleanup the garage a little moved stuff that has been left outside in and stored for the winter. Wife keeps telling me it's going to get down into the 30's/high 20's after midnight tonight. I've not seen any reports. However; I felt it was important to get the garage door closed as our bedroom is above the garage. Tomorrow I need to finish the rabbit hutch finally and get cutting wood. My boy and I will be moving the pallets from the back to the front to store our wood this year. Might have to forgo the rabbit hutch again tomorrow in order to get a bunch of wood c/s/s. Still have to move the wood stove. Maybe this coming week.
At this point your wood wont have any time to season, so maybe I'd do the rabbit hutch first. You can cut wood as the weather gets colder, but what are you going to do with the rabbits?
No afraid not. I'm still working year to year. Last year I started and was not able to get ahead. I have a load of logs ready to be CSS'd. Once I move the wood stove to the living room, I'll know in short order whether that solution will work or not. My fear is that our current wood stove will heat us out of the living room. If not, then I'll start building for the future and a 3 year plan. As my wood is going to be green this year, I am integrating Envi-8 bricks. I used them last year to finish out the heating season.
The rabbits are already in a hutch. However; I am moving them to a new hutch and different area to allow for a larger garden. Once they are moved, I have three trees to take down. Right now I have one 12' X 4' raised bed. We are going to add two more 4'X4' beds this fall.
The 3 year plan depends on whether this wood stove will work in the living room or not. I think it will. If so, I have another load of logs ready to be delivered (3 cords), and I'll be looking for another load beyond that.
Most of us here have probably tried burning wood that was a little on the green side at some point - gives you more of an appreciation for the dry stuff. The three year plan depends on getting that much wood CSS - but it will absolutely improve your burning experience. Even with the Envi blocks, you still might find that water doesn't burn so good. That's probably why others are suggesting that you save what you've got, and put it towards the plan for next year. Depending on the species and size and whether your logs might have been standing dead, you might find some dry wood in there - bring your MM and reserve the driest stuff if you must burn it this year. It sounds like part of your plan will be to buy your way ahead; while it might be late this year to find any that could be considered "seasoned", if its already split, its still had more time to dry than your logs (unless they were standing dead). We got a little taste of winter here this weekend. Get started now! Winter is coming!
Unfortunately I am not in a position to use the logs I have for next year. As for standing dead, I don't have any on my property. I could go this winter with the Envi-8 bricks to get by, and CSS this load of logs along with the next load. That would give me some semi-seasoned for next year. Problem as I stated before is whether this wood stove will heat us out of the living room. I guess the Envi-8 bricks will tell me that. If it does, I'd need to look for a different solution. Which might not be wood. It could be a pellet stove. I know shudder.
Right, I guess the part about "too much heat" didnt quite register... I have a "back living room" that I can escape to if I have a heat surplus in the front one. My comment about standing dead, I simply meant to suggest you bring a MM when you split this stuff to see where you're at; you might luck out and find some dry if it was standing dead or something. If you're having trouble finding time to split the wood, buy it ahead of time, already split. My dad buys what he needs 2-3 years ahead of time and "seasons" it in a heap on the concrete pad in the barnyard (under a roof).
Good idea about an MM. Either way I need to get this load CSS. Even if the wood stove heats us out of the living room, I want to have the logs cleaned up. As for timing, it has been a problem. This is the time of year that I have the next two months off from softball. Which will allow me to start working a plan. Yet I don't want to work a plan until I know for certain the wood stove is not going to heat us out. It's a conundrum for sure.
Maybe you could contact your log supplier and see what he has for dead dry logs or just species like tulip, Sassafrass. Not the best btu,s but it can season quicker than most. I hear Ash and Beech are good for that also but I don't think I've ever burned a stick of it. Sawmills may be able to hook you up with slabs too. Last year a good portion of my wood was wetter than it should be. I re split the bigger chunks and had them stacked all around the woodstove. Small splits fairly close to the stove and a weeks time they dried up pretty good.
I picked up a ton of Envi-8 bricks today, and will get another one in the near future. Now that I have those bricks home and in the house, my son and I can turn to CSS our current logs. Worse case I can use that wood towards the end of the season. Still hoping the wood stove will be fine in the living room. Running it tonight in our new master bedroom. Moving it later this week.
You've got a situation for sure boettg33, but there's constant support for you right here, where the best support and knowledge can be had! Helped me bunches it has!
Agreed. I'll be using the MM as we CSS. If I find some wood with good numbers, I can sett hat aside to burn early. Worst case scenario the wood stove does not work, then I could sell the semi-seasoned CSS for next season. .
