THE firewood thread

[GardenNut]

I agree with all of the above! I'm retired and recently moved to a nice log home on nearly 6 hilly acres, much to many friends' and neighbors' dismay. Hiking up this terrain quickly resulted in a small weight loss, stronger legs, and improved aerobic capacity. The dogs and I enjoy the 1/2 mile stroll to the mailbox and back. I've had about 4-5 cords of firewood delivered so far and enjoyed stacking it. I just take my time, one piece at a time. I count my blessings everyday! I have aches and pains, but I know this place will keep me going long after my dismayed friends are in the nursing home!

 

[microchick]

Same here@GardenNut. We retired to 28 acres. 20 in timber that provides us with ample wood for heating. DH and I are in our mid 60s. He used our tractor and chain saw to clear trails that we use for everything from jogging to dirt bike riding. Some days we simply walk the trails and admire the changing seasons in the trees and foliage.

My walk to the chicken coop from the house is up hill. I haul a 5 gallon bucket of water for the flock every day from the hydrant which is midway. With winter here that will change and I will hauling the water from the house. I do the coop chores myself with DH manning the tractor and dumping the compost for me.

Like a lot of us I told the doctor what my activity level is adding that when we have the time and feel so inclined we ride our bikes on the gravel roads and trails or haul our road bikes to the nearest big city and ride paved roads there. Lately I have been slowed down a bit by an old back injury that has left me with unstable vertebrae in my lower back. Medicine for chronic back pain and sciatica, and having to watch what I do has geared me down a bit but I'm still in there chugging along and even the doctor admits that I neither look or act my age.

With that thought in mind I do not plan to grow old gracefully. I plan to kick and scream every inch of the way!

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Unusual fall this one (not unexpected...we never did get summer here--one day of heat in May at 28C)...get some white, then warms up where we have ice fog, driving has been interesting--like spring keeps showing up over and again and there's no real right winter to say we deserve to slog thru spring to the real summer time...to me, I don't like spring and fall...the transition times...be winter or be summer and I'd be plum happy, eh!

Two seasons of summer is construction time...winter is firewood burning time.

Nov 25​

The twenty one walls of wood are and have been brimming over for long time...since like last Fall when Rick hauled in the last real loads of wood...I think he brought in a few pickup loads but the real brunt of the wood bringing was all completed in 2015--air dried and ready to burn; brought in the summer time, split up & stacked in the fall time--no bugs, cooler weather, usually something like a comfort roast in the oven to replenish yer fat layer and energy levels. Good times!

​

Rick was worried about me and them loads of wood...especially that pile up back stored on the ground in front of the walls of wood, up behind the Parking Building and how I was going to safely negotiate the wood from piles to Man Porch and wood boxes...

Well no imitations of bumper cars or careening sleights away, but I did have to endure some snide comments from the girls questioning my abilities at keeping the load on till we got the cart in beside the wood boxes...them dawgs eh. Always egg me on with negative incentives!

Blue gal notes..."That cart looks precarious...she still might drop a piece and CLUB yah on the head!"

So yeh, I may be old and haggy...but I still got it...yeh...I do, indeed!

Red gal - "Nah...Mom would never let anything BAD happen to me!"
Blue gal - "OK...tis yer head the sky might be falling upon!"​

Hope all is well and going on fer y'all in yer worlds...during the BEST time of year there is...firewood burning season...hot meals, extra helpings 'cause you filled the wood box and now you can reap the rewards of your labours! "Please pass on that extra slice of pie."

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[jerryse]

Thought I would share . While cutting wood yesterday I got my saw stuck . I had a new bar and chain with me for such . I could not find a Oregon brand local to fit so I went online and could only find a Forrester brand to fit . So that is what I bought . Well I put that on to get out . Cut really well but then a new one does . It stayed really sharp for the next 3 hours of cutting . I put it through some tough conditions . Flush cut some stumps so I can mow over them with the tractor , cut down a osage orange . Even rip cut the large stump pieces . Still cutting like new when darkness made me quit . I do not know what the difference is but I am impressed . It is even a semi chisel which you seldom see in 20 inch . Chisel usually cuts better .

 

[microchick]

My husband is impressed with any chain that can cut Osage Orange and hold it's edge. We have been taking down Honey Locust. Ick is all I can say. That wood has one of the highest BTUs when it comes to burning but you and your saw work hard for every cord you cut. I don't know how many thorns we have pulled out of our feet that have actually penetrated our work boot soles.

He's been using the Oregon. The local Amish use them and sell them on the side. The gentleman he buys his chains from here is generally 3-4$ cheaper than Orshcelns or TSC.

 

[Ole and Lena]

Well, it's winter here in Northern MN now (pic from my deer stand). Successfully harvested a deer as did my wife, now time to work on burning and replacing some firewood. The new hunting land has a lot of birch. Plan on doing some wildlife management, so a lot of this birch will end up in the woodpile up there. Currently burning mostly jack pine, as that was what was standing dead, dry enough to burn this year. Hope to get some pics up of the logging operation this winter.

Put a little Jotul 602 in the cabin. Spendy stove, but what a beauty this thing is. Pretty to look at, easy to light and really throws the heat. Cooks pretty well too.

 

[lazy gardener]

You're really suffering in that deer stand! Congrats on your deer. We have a little Jotul in our livingroom. Heats our house just fine. That stove isn't half the stove that our Papa Bear was, though!!!!

 

[Beekissed]

That is one gorgeous pic!!!! I almost feel I'm there...great photography. Congrats on the deer....good eatin' all winter long.

We have the wood shed stuffed full of oak right now~some left over from last year, some bought, some given to us free for the splitting and hauling...so we split and we hauled~ and some on the porch but are awaiting our last load....paid for, has not arrived and the fellow has been avoiding Mom's calls. I starred 67 this evening and his wife picked up, so we had a conversation...she claimed they had been having family issues, I told her I could understand and was sorry about that and then I just paused. She kind of hem-hawed around some, said she had Mom's number and would tell her husband we called and I said, "Uh, huh.....so, when do you think we can expect that wood?"

She finally said, "When would you like it?" and I replied, "Right now. Any time is fine. We've been waiting on that last load so we can get it on the porch for Mom before snow flies. He said he'd do it before hunting season started, so we figured something had come up, but we didn't hear from you so I thought I'd call....again."

Family issues?

Issues that would prevent picking up the phone and returning a call from messages left, stating you are having some problems but will deliver the wood as soon as possible. Anyone can understand and sympathize with unforeseen circumstances....that's just life and it can roll you over....but to avoid calls for a whole month and a half after you've already been paid for a service tends to make me suspicious. And Mom even paid him $50 more than he asked because she's just that way....likes to give better than she gets.

Needless to say, we won't be using his wood service next year.

 

[lazy gardener]

That is one gorgeous pic!!!! I almost feel I'm there...great photography. Congrats on the deer....good eatin' all winter long.

We have the wood shed stuffed full of oak right now~some left over from last year, some bought, some given to us free for the splitting and hauling...so we split and we hauled~ and some on the porch but are awaiting our last load....paid for, has not arrived and the fellow has been avoiding Mom's calls. I starred 67 this evening and his wife picked up, so we had a conversation...she claimed they had been having family issues, I told her I could understand and was sorry about that and then I just paused. She kind of hem-hawed around some, said she had Mom's number and would tell her husband we called and I said, "Uh, huh.....so, when do you think we can expect that wood?"

She finally said, "When would you like it?" and I replied, "Right now. Any time is fine. We've been waiting on that last load so we can get it on the porch for Mom before snow flies. He said he'd do it before hunting season started, so we figured something had come up, but we didn't hear from you so I thought I'd call....again."

Family issues?

Issues that would prevent picking up the phone and returning a call from messages left, stating you are having some problems but will deliver the wood as soon as possible. Anyone can understand and sympathize with unforeseen circumstances....that's just life and it can roll you over....but to avoid calls for a whole month and a half after you've already been paid for a service tends to make me suspicious. And Mom even paid him $50 more than he asked because she's just that way....likes to give better than she gets.

Needless to say, we won't be using his wood service next year.

Did she pay by check????

 

[jerryse]

The cold weather will make the woodpile shrink . Think I will throw in a chunk of hedge . Behind on my firewood gathering this year . Put on a new steel roof then hunting season started . Now I have a new portable sawmill to assemble . I was hoping to cut some lumber and have some sawmill slabs for the woodpile . Assembly going slow .