Old/“seasoned” doesn’t make it dry. I have had wood that color, bark falling off etc- and it was sopping wet. This is especially true when it has been slushed on for a while.
I have also had wood that had a warm color, no cracking, well intact bark- and it was as dry as it gets. In fact- I don’t like for my wood to get that dark, or for the bark to fall off- usually I find (at least here) that there will be decay somewhere in the pile if I let it go to that- especially if it’s touching the ground (where it will never get dry for me). Decaying wood is BTU’s lost.
The sound it makes is one clue as to dryness. Density for a wood that you deal with a lot is a good indicator (feels lighter to trained hand).
I go through about 12 cord in the kiln, and 4 for the house every year, so I do have a leeetle experience in telling what’s dry… and I can’t tell it’s dry looking at it.
Much respect to all, but I burned all of last year with oak and maple, one year seasoned, and 3/4 filled one of my kids sand pails with creosote. I would love to have some 5 year seasoned wood, but it ain’t happining. That being said, I am very envious of those wood piles, and some day I will have some…
This is the spot I am at right now, in the front yard stack. The wood I am burning on the right (from here it goes monthly to the porch, then daily next to the stove) and the recently processed wood on the left. I fill in the gap with fresh processed as I make room by burning the seasoned. After I finish going through all of the front yard stack (my primary stack), then I move to the secondary stacks in the back yard. After that, I begin to haul up some of the oldest stacks from out in the woods, snow depth permitting.
Very impressive stacks. I wondered what in the heck you planned to do with it all if you only burn 4 cords a year, then I saw the last picture : ) Hope you don’t have to hand split all that.
Yes, every single stick is hand split by myself. No one else touches it from tree to stove.
Quads Just wanted to say your a hell of a man. Splitter took a crap this morning splitting some ash, thought what the heck I’ll get the maul out. Little did i know I’d be having a heat pack on my back all night. lol Man i wish i could split all by hand and I’m a young buck as my dad says.
Sometimes I get sore. Not too often though. I just keep working through it and it eventually goes away. When I get a sore back, it bothers me the worst in the morning when I get up to milk the cows. It gets stiff and sore when I sleep. After I’ve moved around and got up and down milking cows for a couple hours it’s limbered up and feels much better. Then I head out into the woods.
It also helps that I don’t do one thing for too long. I cut for awhile, then I split awhile, then I load, haul, and stack. That way I don’t pick on the same set of muscles over and over nonstop.
? I am always looking to make my stacks more stable, and I believe I see in your picture, that you alternate the split orientation between stacks. >> The center of the picture where the gap is between the old and new, has splits at right angles supporting the row to the right.
Do I visualize this correctly, if so, thanks for the sharing the technique.
Fantastic phots Quads. Love it. Would you mind taking a photo of the stacks you keep inside. I would just like to see how much wood you burn over a 24 hour period. Having all that land is priceless. I live here in southern NJ on a very small piece of property. I struggle to get 3 cords in my backyard without tripping over it…lololol!!! But I am on the water, its priceless to me to be able to get up in the mornin and watch the boats float buy with the smell of fresh diesel fuel in the morning !! I’m pretty new to woodburning…but really enjoying and learnin..thanx again.
? I am always looking to make my stacks more stable, and I believe I see in your picture, that you alternate the split orientation between stacks. >> The center of the picture where the gap is between the old and new, has splits at right angles supporting the row to the right.
Do I visualize this correctly, if so, thanks for the sharing the technique.
I stack my rows next to each other with about a foot gap between. As I go along, I go all the way around the outside with a row to hold everything up. That way I don’t need posts for the ends of the rows that don’t have trees to lean against. If you want, I might be able to post a picture that shows it better. Sometimes the rocking of the trees in the stronger winds loosens them a bit, but I just lean against the row with my back and push it back into place. This only happens for the first year after stacking, the older stacks settle in and don’t loosen after that.
Fantastic phots Quads. Love it. Would you mind taking a photo of the stacks you keep inside. I would just like to see how much wood you burn over a 24 hour period. Having all that land is priceless. I live here in southern NJ on a very small piece of property. I struggle to get 3 cords in my backyard without tripping over it…lololol!!! But I am on the water, its priceless to me to be able to get up in the mornin and watch the boats float buy with the smell of fresh diesel fuel in the morning !! I’m pretty new to woodburning…but really enjoying and learnin..thanx again.
Ask and ye shall receive!
This picture is, on average, what I burn in 24 hours. Below zero and wind howling I will burn more, beautiful warm days like today was, less.
What I burn in our longest and coldest month, January, is 2 face cords (2/3 of a full cord). Less than that all the other months.
Hey Quads your like a little squirrel, scattering all you goods about. I would say you probably could burn the rest of your life and not cut any more. But that would not be fun would it?? Ever come across a pile you forgot about years ago?? I only have 300 acres and some is pasture. I’d say you got a good 15 yr. start ahead of me. I only have 2 cords for this year to burn. Got to go start catching up to you, will be out all weekend. Good stash!!!
Hey Quads your like a little squirrel, scattering all you goods about. I would say you probably could burn the rest of your life and not cut any more. But that would not be fun would it?? Ever come across a pile you forgot about years ago?? I only have 300 acres and some is pasture. I’d say you got a good 15 yr. start ahead of me. I only have 2 cords for this year to burn. Got to go start catching up to you, will be out all weekend. Good stash!!!
A big squirrel!
Oh, I’d run out of firewood in about five years if I didn’t cut anymore. Burning wood is just a way for me to get rid of it so I can split more. I like all things about heating with wood, but the splitting is my favorite part.
Off the top of my head I can’t remember all the piles of wood I have around, but I remember them when I see them. I have never completely forgotten any, because I always make sure to stack them next to one of the trails so eventually I will ride my ATV by and see it.
My main cutting area at this time is about 80 acres. It’s where a tornado went through several years ago. The whole 500 acres is the combination of 4 of our old family farms and a neighboring property. Some is still active cow pasture and fields. Some is pine plantation. Some Christmas trees. Part of it is a sandstone bluff.
Good luck out there this weekend! I wish I was out there, but it’s hunting season and I won’t be cutting again until after Thanksgiving weekend.
quads, thanks, always like the pics, looking forward to them. Rocking trees have been my stacks downfall a few times, so I am considering alternatives, including a woodshed if I can sell it to the wife…...
? I am always looking to make my stacks more stable, and I believe I see in your picture, that you alternate the split orientation between stacks. >> The center of the picture where the gap is between the old and new, has splits at right angles supporting the row to the right.
Do I visualize this correctly, if so, thanks for the sharing the technique.
I stack my rows next to each other with about a foot gap between. As I go along, I go all the way around the outside with a row to hold everything up. That way I don’t need posts for the ends of the rows that don’t have trees to lean against. If you want, I might be able to post a picture that shows it better. Sometimes the rocking of the trees in the stronger winds loosens them a bit, but I just lean against the row with my back and push it back into place. This only happens for the first year after stacking, the older stacks settle in and don’t loosen after that.
Here’s an aerial view of what I’m talking about. Rows all stacked about a foot apart, 4 1/2 feet high, surrounded by an outside row.
I only do it that way with my permanent woodpiles. The temporary ones (like those out in the woods) are a single row with no ends. I eventually move those to one of the permanent piles as I get room, or sell them, give them away, etc.
