I have six rows. One row is hackberry, dead bark free slippery elm, and dead white ash which has a chance to dry in one year. The other rows are...
I use the term "pole" for a straight tree without large side branching (i.e. telephone pole, flag pole). "Log" would be a long... cut round on...
I brought home a 9" slippery elm pole (dead, bark free, and downed) this week and measured fresh splits at 16-18% moisture above 6" diameter and...
I prefer bitternut hickory over shagbark hickory because bitternut is easier to split by hand and dries quicker, two years. Shagbark is heavier...
I dug out John Vivian's 1976 book "Wood Heat" during the current wet spell in the Midwest and browsed it for some interesting contrasts with...
30" bow saw. Diagonally, from the left tip to the left edge of the black tape is 20", to the right edge of the tape is 21". I lay the saw down...
I called my nearest State Forester (DNR) before I transported dead ash. In the midwest, ash restrictions are by county so it is against the rules...
Cancelled all the Thanksgiving plans, only the two of us. I will be happy if we do not catch the virus from all our normal end-of-fall errands...
My "two cents": reduce moving small pieces as much as possible (i.e. move BIG stuff, not little). And so... in theory, drag multiple logs to the...
Ash has a chance to survive: Ash tree species likely will survive emerald ash borer beetles, but just barely | Penn State University If folks...
I cut and carry sycamore home when downed. It has burned hot when dry which is an advantage in my furnace to satisfy the 1000 cfm blower....
My favorite use for ashes is for de-icing and de-snowing. Ashes contain some weak ions like salt while also making snow and ice darker. Ash ions...
Diesel fuel can "spoil". Bacteria can grow in diesel fuel and produce organic acids. Meanwhile, any fuel will slowly absorb humidity from the...
I do not cut or carry basswood, popple (aspen), cottonwood, or walnut. None of these are any worse than the other, just my list of wood to avoid.
I have burned a LOT of elm, slippery or red elm, all split by hand. All standing dead and bark free. If the tree has a large "shrinkage" crack...
"How the heck did we get here?" Ever increasing levels of "self" in our culture. From "hippies" to "cable TV" to the "internet" (you can prove...
Black Walnut has burned too slow for my furnace and so sent more heat up the chimney than into the house. I avoid Black Walnut. If I cut Black...
I would describe 25% oak moisture as "the easy part is done". Getting down to 25% is typical of one year in an uncovered row, early spring to...
Only dead/downed wood: Sugar Maple (my favorite, collect as much as I can) Red Oak (most plentiful wood, collected as needed to fill my...
So... how did choosing hackberry over red oak work out one year later? After one year inside in a face row, one of six rows with 4-6" gaps...
