Lessons learned - 1st year hoarding

This was really my first year of doing some firewood hoarding; or the way I see it investing in the future.

1. Pine will cause a chimney fire or pine is fine.
One of the first types of rounds I was able to get was pine and the other one being elm. I got a fiskers maul and went to town first on the pine and got through all of it after many nights after work and felt great about it once it was done. During the splitting, I was getting a rash every single time on my arms and it would not go away. I wore long sleeve and did not come in contact with the bark and I stopped getting the rash. I then built a fire with it and stood in the smoke to find out the smoke did not bother me one bit more than any other smoke. I then decided to grill out on a fire with pine and ate the food; that did not bother me either so the only issue was bark to skin contact. Nearly everyone I talked to about starting to use the fireplace warned me about having a chimney fire if I used the pine so that was moved out to the fire pit to be used during the year. Later I learned about how many other people use pine around the world and it is fine as long as you burn clean wood. I have taken some of that wood and use it daily for kindling to start a fire or a small split to bring a fire back to life that has started to die down. My kids have even learned the name of the pine because they love the poping it creates when one is thrown in.

2. Not all wood is a pain to split
As I stated I started with just that pine and some elm. Those branches in the pine create one heck of a round to try and split when the entire tree is covered by them. A good portion of them I had to hit it like I hate it. I got through all of them and rolled out the 8 or so rounds of elm that I have. I was able to make it through I think about 2 of those rounds before I gave up. The grain on those had a twist tighter than a candy cane and after fighting for a full night to make one of those rounds give me my 4 wedges back I knew those were not worth my time and maybe they will be easier another day. Sometimes I go out to them and go to pound town on one after a bad day of work until I am beat. The pile never gets any smaller but it is a great way to unwind after a bad day. The next type of wood I got was ash and boy was I ready to put a hurting into those logs. After the first few rounds I found out how much different each type of wood can be when splitting and boy was I happy. Since then I have had the chance to split other types of wood and have been pretty happy with all other types I have had a chance to split.

3. Only hard wood is the wood worth burning
This kind of goes with the pine one but I decided to make another number for this alone. On my first year I was pretty well guided to focus on getting only hard wood and what many would consider to be prime since that is the only wood worth burning. I probably had the chance to get some quick drying soft wood that I could have been burning duing the warmer burning times this year but instead have been using my wood that I have collected and now looking back on it I feel like a fool. This will make a little more sense when I get to my next number.

4. The wife needs a fire nearly always
So I only have so much hard wood ready to burn but my wife looks outside and sees what she thinks is an endless supply of wood to burn. Rainy day in July? Better make a fire since it is dreary outside. Burning season starts before Halloween and ends when it is 50 or 60+ every day. Having all that soft wood would really help keep up with her desire to burn in the old fireplace 24/7.

5. Leaving decent sized branches behind is a waste
After cutting up a down red oak without a top and one that the top was still I got to see how much extra wood that is in the crown that can be added to the woodpile. Anything forearm size is big enough to go into the stack and even smaller stuff can be grabbed for kindling if needed. Rest of the stuff I have tried to create a few brush piles away from the house in hopes that the mice will have a place to live that is not with me.

6. Sadly I can't trust our dog
The dog will jump up on the other side of a huge log that I am trying to roll over nearly crushing me. She will also jump on top of the same log that I am currently cutting with the chainsaw nearly getting had. I don't want to be hurt or deal with a dieing dog just because she is still young and wild so she has to say in while the saw is running.

7. I don't need new tools and toys
But oh man they should make everything easier. I have one saw, a few axes, a maul, some wedges and a few felling wedges and I can get by. The things that would be nice to have to me right now are some type of atv with a cart to go along so I don't need to use the wheelbarrow or the sled to move wood around. A truck to get wood from a place that is not my property would be nice; sure is a bummer to pass up on some good scores since I don't have a truck. Have something like a peavey sure would help to roll those big logs around and make sure the saw does not go into the dirt. Upgrading the fireplace to a wood stove or an insert is the dream but for now I don't need new tools and toys.

Those are a few things that I have been thinking about but for now my wife is calling me for dinner.

 

Great write and definitely some accurate assessments. Keep up the good work!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Softwood is great to have on hand, I agree, great for those 40° plus days. Sounds like you have the motivation to build a mighty hoard, and I hope you can get an insert or stove in the future.

 

That was excellent!!

 

I had a young lab who wanted to go after anything that had a motor on it. She would snap at the chainsaw and constantly harass the riding lawn mower. So much so, she had to stay inside when I was running a saw. One day the lawn mower threw a rock that caught her in the side. No permanent damage but it cured her of wanting to be close to anything with a motor on it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

What is there left to daydream about when I am running the saw or swinging the maul? Splitting really is my favorite step of the labor portion. Watching it season warms my heart every time I look at one of the piles as well.

 

Ruger loves to run along side the atv when i'm on it. He must have got his toes pinched a few times by sticks going under the tires. Now when he sees a stick moving next the the atv he'll stop and wait till it quits moving then make his way back up beside me.

 

We had a dog that went nuts every time the weedwacker was on and would bite at it and often get bloodied. After that happening a few times we no longer used that tool. That very same dog ran away from any basketball acting like it was a live grenade.

 

Great write-up


Always lessons to be learned for sure.

 

I can relate to item # 4 in particular!

It is good to have a wife that likes the fire, meaning they will support us acquiring all the items you mentioned in # 7

 

Good start! Get yourself a second saw. The day will come when the one you have, won't start when you want it to.

Hoard on!

 

"Hit it like you hate it"--not only did I laugh, but I totally relate to this. Splitting is just as good mentally as it is physically.

 

I can totally relate to splitting after a bad day at work! Got me through lots of stressful times.

Great post Gourley. I definitely agree with others that recommend getting a stove or an insert. You will see your wood usage drop DRAMATICALLY.

 

If you ever decide they were right about the pine, we have a few folks here more than happy to relieve you of those stacks that are in your way

 

more heat AND less wood usage.
Win. Win

 

Great post two things though WE LIKE PICTURES Then I have this advice on the pine DON’T burn it if you do your dog will leave, your family will stop talking to you and your neighbor will come over and drink all your beer!!!! So send me your address and I will come get rid of it for you because that’s the kind of guy l am.