A neighbour that backs onto the same little green belt as me was doing some work at the back of his property and had dropped a few standing dead lodgepole. I asked him what he was going to do with it and he told me I could have it. When I got home from work a couple of days ago my son and I went and grabbed it. Checked it with the moisture meter and it read between 11%-19% so into the stove it went. Saw fired up easily which was nice. Sure felt good to run it again! It was a bonus not having to use the truck! You can see it laying there in the back just beyond my boat and wood stack. Part of it went into the garage and the rest I had to put outside. Ill split it all today or tomorrow and burn away! I couldnt resist using it for my evening fire.
Very nice indeed. I love lodgepole as well. There is plenty of it around the area too. Keeps ya warm, and easy splitting. Even better if it's standing dead, you can burn it right away. Bonus! LG Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Yeah its great firewood, I love it. Our standing dead from beetle kill is almost non existent now with the exception of the odd one that hasnt had the trunk rot out. Its a good thing of course. Have you seen a decline in your area as well?
It has not been bad here yet luckily. Hoping that it doesn't materialize. I've been cutting downed Lodgepole from a wind storm a year ago on a friends property. LG Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Nice job! You look like you're ready for the shoulder season. Plus how often do you get the chance to split and burn on the same day?
We had it moderately bad for years but then one year (cant put my finger on which one but around 3 years ago) it stopped being a problem. Forestry backs up the claim but doesnt know exactly why. We were expected to lose most of our pines but they are still here and in abundance. Hopefully it doesnt gain a foothold in your region.
For sure! We also burn it through the day all winter long as well as doug fir and a bit of spruce. I save my larch (19.5 mbtus) for my overnight burns. I try to not burn "the good stuff" during the day as its harder to come by in the woods.
Will you do me a favor ? Snap a picture of your larch, i have wood that looks like it but its not. Trying to double check on myself. Yeah don't dig in your fine reserves, keep them! A cold storm should be best for using that!
Congratulations Sean as it appears you are about done with the snow for a while! Time to get ready for all the bugs and insects.
First time processing since November!/Larch Seems like there is a theme with some of my thread titles lol! The wood in that thread is sitting in my yard still. Im hoping 2 summers will be enough to get it under 18% Here is a close up of a live larch in the fall.
Nasty things they can be. We're getting an occasional mosquito but fortunately the big hatch doesn't usually happen until around May 20...after the GTG. We're also hoping the black flies won't be early like they were last year. They usually come out around May 1.
Speaking of spring that reminds me to give my husky dog her tick medication. Weve seen house flies returning but we are still frosting and cool so not to many bugs. It was -4c/25f this morning so that will keep the hatches down for a bit I guess.
Now Im curious what it is that you have. If its sitting ageing in your stacks let me know and Ill take the iphone into the yard and take a few close ups of some larch splits.
The bark is whats throwing me off. It smells of an interesting cedar and pine mix red like bark that comes off in patches. I'll get a pic soon but this may be scotch pine.