I was looking out at the stacks I have under our deck in Vermont. It was a nice cold morning and I had just loaded the stove when I said to myself: "Hmmm. I finally burned enough of that hardwood and now have access to the pine on the lower part of that rack..."
Thats funny! It can be hard to keep wood sorted as i know...or im too lazy to unstack and resort. Usually with me its stack it once and thats where it stays til it gets used.
Not wanting to start a pine vs hardwood battle, but......… Wouldn't that be more like.... "Crap! I burned the hardwood too early and now have that chit to burn for the cold snap!" When the temps drop to -30 and -40 here, and I roll out a round of r pine or any kind of softwood from the pile for the OWB..... Well, I just leave it on the side and grab some hardwood! Like papadave says "....in the spring."
Stand there a little longer and see if you could stack different next time ? Oh wait, I probably do that more often than I'd like.
standing there a little longer is a key part of my firewood work. I use the excuse of "enjoying nature" not that I'm taking a break so I dont fall over.
Hmm, things I no longer often say.. Honey, we need to fill the fuel oil tank. How much is it per gallon now? One good reason to be getting to that pine is if it were close to going punky.
Another not to say would be, "Honey, no need to bother putting more wood in the rack today. We can do it tomorrow or the next day. Don't worry about that snowstorm that is forecast; we usually don't get it anyway."
Hardwood, isn't that the stuff that is either downhill, or far from the trailer??? I try to Avoid "Hardwood" I am Jealous of you guys that have abundant sources of Oak, Hickory, Osage Orange and what not, where I live and Cut, Douglas Fir is KING, with white Fir,and Hemlock also Plentiful, some Alder around, at the Eastern end of my cutting range is some Ponderosa and Lodge Pole Pines. With our cutting typically starting around 3,500'elevation, and mostly 5-6,000' it is Solidly Conifer Country. The occasional Maple or other hardwoods are usually yard trees, and typically small supplies This is NOT Hardwood This was the ONLY Good thing to come from the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, these were trees decked from cutting fire lines for the fire, the Forest Circus opened up this and 2 other decks to woodcutters for the 2019 wood cutting season. Some of the upper layers were around 11-15% Moisture Content and Stove ready, and Heating our Home as I write this Some of the lower layers were Stihl pretty wet, as much as 40% MC, but that will be good for Next Winter's heating season Doug
Funny definition of "hardwood" Husky Man ! Sure is worth the effort though. I can't tell you just how many easy scrounges I passed on because they were softwoods. But around here, we can be picky I mean, more selective!
At least you are getting something good from the eagle Creek fire. My wife used to go there all the time, walking the pups. Hearing stories from my oldest brother that lives in Portland, regarding the fires really made us sad.
Where I Live we have all the oak and Locust and cherry you could ever want. Literally lying on the sides of roads in logs and sometimes even cut to rounds but........I’D TRADE PLACES WITH YOU IN A HEARTBEAT. NO ONE WANTS TO LIVE IN THIS NORTHEASTERN HELLHOLE
I would Love to have some "Diversity" in my wood supply, but the Conifers are a Better firewood, than many give them credit for. And they are so much easier to process, knock off a few branches, and you're buckin up telephone poles Doug
