I'm working on the three year plan. I'm watching my stacks disappear with the current cold snap. Summer '15 was bad to me. It rained all of June so I couldn't get in the woods much. I was moved shifts at work for about 6 months, so that limited my cutting time. This winter we never got a solid enough freeze to get in the woods. The woods I cut used to be classified as wetlands so the slightest rain it's a soupy mess. It's frustrating because there is a creek line the owner wants cleared that's full of Osage and Honey locust. Nothing big, buts there is quantity so its abtime consuming process. Probably 15-20 cord worth includingnthe scrub. He also wants all the honey locust and ash removed from the entire 64 acres. (44 of woods). I found an acre stand of ash that has 27, 20" plus standing dead ash. You can see the size I'm talking in my profile pic. I got almost a cord out of that tree. I hope it's a dry year. I have the space to store 125 cord under cover and I want to fill it in case I get hurt at work. I used mostly a 4x4 danger ranger the last two years but I bought an old f250 (2x4) to haul larger quantities but the conditions half to be perfect or it gets stuck. I cut in the ranger and stack it to be picked up when the conditions are right. It's frustrating. I only got out three times last year. If it wasn't for friends having yard trees taken down. I wouldn't have had enough wood this year. I've got 4.5 cord of ash sitting now for next year and 1.2 cord honey locust. I burned 6 so far this year, and 9 last year. I'm feeling anxious and its bothering me. ETA: Ill add pics next time I'm on the desk at work. Maybe in a new thread. Also I use a MS311 for most of my work and a echo cs 8000 for the big stuff.
Here is a few from the phone until I can get my camera. There's a pic of two of the three little ones that I'm trying to keep warm
I hear ya. When we were raising a family and paying for our house and land, I had a "town job". Sometimes I would have been happy to be on the 3 week plan. Lots of weekends I cut wood in bad weather for the next week. My best advice, relax. Things have a way of working out. Do what you can and don't worry about it. More people die of stress related illness in this country than freezing to death. Keep your gear ready and jump on the wood cutting when you get a chance. Good Luck. Been there and it ain't fun, but you'll make it.
I think we have all been on that path but the good thing is you are focused on getting ahead and that is better than a lot of folks I see. Hang in there....where abouts in the Buckeye are you looks like some flat land ??
Access is a problem on my land, as well. Much of my property is forested wetlands, and most of the time it is wet. You have to be creative and take advantage of the dry spells. I cut and hand split when it is wet and leave it in the woods. Then when it is dry enough, I may spend days just hauling wood out. I know how you feel about the mild winter. There is some dead standing ash on a peninsula that I was hoping to get this winter, but the water never froze. As Red Elm said, try not to stress about it. Keep your eye on Craigslist and maybe you can score a scrounge or two. If you were closer I could help you out, but Ohio is a bit of a haul.
Thats the way it works for me too. When it rains it pours, and it all evens out. This was a wicked mild winter, I have almost 4 years now. Thought all my sources had dried up, now have about 2 cords of maple to finish getting. However, we only burn 4-5 cords a year. I hear you on the wet conditions, nothing you can do about that really. Cut when wet and haul when frozen or dry if time is limited.
Take a deep breath, Breechlock. It can be frustrating at times. Just do what you can, when you can, and it will come together.
West Central is more accurate since I moved 2 years ago. Please bless someone else. Thank you thank you. I've got all the wood I need. I just have to have the right conditions to get to it.
