I plan on cutting birch this summer, I will keep updating. It will be interesting to see what drying times are, for the same species in different parts of the continent. Thanks for the summer time birch cutting reminder, I need to go to Forestry and buy a birch timber sale.
I burn in the 20 +/- cords a year, in Alaska and when in Maine 7-9 +/- cords. Interior Alaska is semi arid to arid, I just looked up the yearly participation, it is 11.3 average. And 38.54 inches yearly for where I lived in northern Maine. I see your from NEPA, I used to live in Portland, Pa south of Stroudsberg which has a 50.79 yearly average. Here in Alaska I have been buying timber sales this year, to guarantee timber. In Maine, I bought firewood permit from Maine Forestry @ $25 a cord. The permit was for wood on state land, a forester would go mark each tree that I was to cut with a specific surveyors ribbon. A sample of that ribbon was affixed to the permit, along with the GPS coordinates of my permit location. I don't remember what the time frame to harvest was, was a limited time frame 6 months or so. And I used a ATV and a craftsman lawn cart, to get wood out. In Portland, Pa my wife's grandpa had a bunch of property that had mostly oak, and had never been cut. Standing, leaning and down trees, he had a Case 450 track loader and JCB 4x4 tractor with 4 way bucket and backhoe with thumb that I used. He would come get wood with me, we got wood for the both of us. In PA, we would split and stack in the sun, I don't recall ever needing to cut a living tree. We had lots of wood that was stacked for years and top covered with tin. We made trails with the dozer and I would cut the logs into 8 foot lengths, he would spend he spare time bringing the logs out to the processing area. So I am really sure how much time it would take for green logs. In Maine I cut live rock/sugar maple and white/black/paper/yellow birch. I would c/s/s top cover single row stacks with tin. When I was able to use my buddy's hill top south facing field edge to stack, 2 summers would do it. If at my house, I had little wind, not much sun, was basically 4 years to dry. Here in Alaska up to last 3 months I have only cut standing dead fire/beetle kill. This wood is stump to stove, if I have a 1 inch bed of coals, throw a stick on and before you can grab another one, the first one is a blaze. I only started cutting birch once I bought a splitter. I am looking forward to seeing what the moister meter reads once I get it in. The progression across the season should be interesting. If I have not covered your question, please ask away.
You can in the form of birch syrup, over pancakes or my favorite over salmon cooked on the grill, mmmmm.
Mr. Dennis I could feel my hands cracking as I read that. I know what a dozen or so hand washes does, cant imagine what you went through. The things we do to get a job done.
Hey Rope, I like the story of your time in PA. I live about 90 minutes south of Portland, but hike and fish around that area often. You are spot on about not having to cut live trees from PA forests except...Hickory and Red Oaks keep uprooting from my wood lot. The massive root ball stays in contact with the ground and these trees will live horizontal for years. It does get your blood pumping when you cut the trunk from the root ball and the roots/mud/rocks come flying back to earth.
As far as i remember birch is a treat if it comes to splitting, so why the splitter for it? Does birch grow differently in Alaska just wondering? I think i saw in a hunting magazin a recepe for beer or such... ill dig it out this week. Meassure the root ball (diameter) cut the log at that length so it wont snapped back. If you got a tractor or such you can pull it with a steelwire back in position and cut the rest of....thats at least the way id prefer.
Exactly, so nice when the bark has fallen off years ago, the root ball has one end off the ground and the a bolder's have the rest off the ground. Grandpa lived right on the Deleware River, lots of fun tubing the wind gap park section. Was nice to get out and walk right to the porch. I hunted in Bucks county just east of Quakertown, in Nockimixon State Park. I bow hunted in the Park, always had a pocketful of doe tags. Hunted all over Upper Saucion Twnp, Coopersberg, up and down Old Bethlehem Pike, The back side of Lehigh University on the 78's side of the mountain. Hunted Hamberg, from my tree stand I watched the finish up the Cabalas there. Those were some good times.
Hey Freddie, very few of my birch are the tall no/little limb birch, these have decent limbs all the way up and are full of knots. Most would not be much fun to hand split.
Freeze dried. Works on meat I wonder if anyone ever stuck a fresh split in their freezer for a few months?
Thanks for all the information. I live about 50 minutes north of Stroudsburg on the northern fringe of the Pocono mountains. Sounds like you have some nice memories of Pa. I don’t really have any more questions just an observation, it must have taken a lot of courage to leave the lower 48 & start a new life up in Alaska. I admire your independence & what I imagine was a dream to live a new life in a remote area. Did you live in Pa first or Maine? Of those 2 areas which did you enjoy more? Well so much for no more questions!
I lived in Pa from ‘95 to ‘01 and Maine from ‘01 to ‘12 moved to Alaska on ‘12. I really liked them both and would live there again. I don’t miss the constant wind that northern Maine has. My wife is from Pa. Told here it will take a stone house on at least a 100 acres for me to move close to her family. It will be hard to live anywhere else, Alaska gives so much freedom. I am not sure how easy it would be to live in areas that take it away. Here everyone just wants to be left alone. Everyone that does that gets along with most everyone. This must be what it was like 150 years ago minus the civil was, add electricity, autos, internet.
Mostly for salmon, I have had it on pancakes on the occasion but its kinda expensive, as they market it for the tourist. If I come across it at a good price, I pick it up.
Maybe a FHC group buy, with some FHC label, add Mr. Brown I believe and add some hardwood smoked/roasted coffee.
