I have lived it for over 10 years. The house next door has had a cord of wood slowly melting the whole time I've been here and many years before. It is the minister house for a church we don't attend and there has been a couple ministers that just didn't use the fireplace. Asked about 5 years ago and just got I didn't cut it so I can't give it away from that minister and I politely left it at that. It is now almost beyond use and makes me sick looking at it almost every day. Just before winter a new minister came to town and I smelled him firing up once this winter. I hope the punk rot wasn't what he was using or if it was I hope it didn't sour them on the use of the fire place. It is a young couple with 3 teen kids and next spring, if it ever gets here, I may touch the topic of lets get the mouse hut that is rotted out of here and offer to go cut some wood and split it together. Who knows maybe might get to recruit a new member.
It pains me every time I go to my local transfer station and see perfectly good firewood not just going to waste but people paying to dump it.
Oaks' heartwood stays firm for years even grounded or standing dead. The bark is thick, and cambium sucks up dirt that kind of protects the inner wood ( also dulls chains ). Birches are another story. They pooch (rot) fast. We score the bark after felling, then buck. Otherwise bucked birch rots within a year stacked or not in the open. YMMV ( TLA for the deniers )
Take two and call me in the morning. Remember, if a tree falls in the forest, can women hear it ? It may stay there and rot. Sooooo...... "Me worry?" Alfred E. Newman ( only for those 3 score and more )
