Issues Gathering Wood?

I've managed to get about 5 years ahead on F/W . But this year have only managed to put up about a little over 2 cord of oak/ locust due to weather and some health issues . Hope fully fall will allow me to finish out the one stack so that it contains about 3.5 cords and that I can get it covered . Would also like to stuff the shed and porches before the bad stuff hits . Health and a good wife willing , We should get it done !
Lymphoma sux !

I forgot to mentions that yes, we did have some trouble. There is a property that will be bulldozed and we were told we could clear cut it. Well, it was flooded all spring and still to muddy to get the our trucks in when they started the demolition, so missed out on that one. All ash and walnut.

Jacktheknife said:

Although I am in no sort of shape.

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We're all in some kind of shape....good, bad, or ugly.

PapaDave said:

I get wood in the snow, light rain, and heat, .......so no, no issues gathering wood.
If it's cold, I put on extra clothes. Sprinkling, I get a bit wet. Heat, I take it easy and drink plenty of water.
I don't usually work for more than a couple hours at a time, so it's not bad.
Sweating is good for you.

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It is.Just as we get older we have to slow down & pace ourselves in hot weather.Main thing is stay hydrated (and that don't mean beer either ) Its 97 here right now,was 101 yesterday.Latest in the year its been this hot,after 100+ yrs of record keeping.Anything that needs done outside is done early,not unusual to go through 2,sometimes more gallons of water in 10-12 hrs on days like this.Still have my limits though - over 90 I stop working until it cools down,dont work in strong winds,thunderstorms either.Light rain is quite refreshing.

MishMouse said:

Has anybody else had issues gathering wood this year? Typically I would have at least 75% cut/split and stacked by June, but this year I am lucky if I have am at 35%.

One thing I did notice on my trip to WI over July 4th, was people who normally have very impressive wood piles, didn't have very much. When I went again at the beginning of August I started to see wood piles again.

Been a very bad year, cold and snowy until June, then rain till July, then very hot and dry. We finally had Spring weather at the beginning of August for 2 weeks before we entered the furnace. Due to drought and where I gather wood, no cutting was allowed till we got some rain.

Thankfully, we got rain today so I can go back in the woods this week. Needless to say I am way behind schedule...

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This is one of the big reasons we recommend getting 3 years ahead on the wood stacks. If you have a bad year, still no problems. Around the Backwoods Savage place, we are running way behind. This is from the spring of 2013. The third picture is all that has been stacked so it barely made a dent in the pile. Sooner or later it will get done but this is what I mean by getting ahead. Although I have been unable to do much of this work this year, we have no worries about the coming winter.



The pictures here are from 2009. We will be burning wood from this stack this coming winter and still have more left for next year too.


For some reason or another I don't have picture of the wood we put up in 2011 but we've got rid of some of that so there is not as much. In the wood we put up for 2012, it is all still there and I think there was 9 cord. There are 2 years wood that is not even showing in these pictures.

So, we are ahead a bit more than 3 years and it is a wonderful feeling knowing we are all set. I'm hoping to finish the stacking yet this month and then no more wood except for putting 2 1/2 cord or so in the barn for what we'll need this coming winter. Then come December, we begin the annual cutting once more. If we get too much rain or too much snow or whatever, if we can't do any wood this coming winter, it is okay as we'll still have plenty. As I've stated many times, this is better than money in the bank and as someone else pointed out, it is not taxed either.

Thistle said:

It is.Just as we get older we have to slow down & pace ourselves in hot weather.Main thing is stay hydrated (and that don't mean beer either ) Its 97 here right now,was 101 yesterday.Latest in the year its been this hot,after 100+ yrs of record keeping.Anything that needs done outside is done early,not unusual to go through 2,sometimes more gallons of water in 10-12 hrs on days like this.Still have my limits though - over 90 I stop working until it cools down,dont work in strong winds,thunderstorms either.Light rain is quite refreshing.

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Thistle, we had another 90 degree day today. The first I think since mid-July. Friday's high is expected to be 58. Now that would be much nicer conditions for putting up firewood.

Scotty Overkill said:

I've had a very bountiful year this year, as since my name has gotten out in the tree removal world, I've gotten really busy...
I'm sitting on 4 years worth right now, still have lots of trees to cut this fall and winter. Four big honey locusts, several red oaks, lots and lots of pine......that's just a short list. That's not mentioning what I've cut already this summer (between my buddy and I, we've cut in the vicintity of 25-30 cord, some of which we left for clients). Crazy busy......

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You are a machine

Backwoods Savage said:

Thistle, we had another 90 degree day today. The first I think since mid-July. Friday's high is expected to be 58. Now that would be much nicer conditions for putting up firewood.

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Lows in the 40s here on Friday.

Low 80s here Friday!! Need to cut wood this sat!

70s from Thursday on, Thursday will see another truckload of scrounge and Saturday the splitting. In the meantime we are working on stacking as much as we can get done in the heat.

Jacktheknife said:

70s from Thursday on, Thursday will see another truckload of scrounge and Saturday the splitting. In the meantime we are working on stacking as much as we can get done in the heat.

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Too hot. Whew

Will start getting 16/17 wood last week of Sept & go thru Oct for 8 cords ± or until the snow shuts me down.
I have to cut live birch trees, lots easier after the leaves are gone.

Being 3 years ahead like Dennis said was a goal.
Got there & he's right, a good cushion if needed for various reason
& now just have to get 1 years worth CSS'd

51° & occasional rain showers.
Flood warnings on local rivers.

MishMouse said:

Has anybody else had issues gathering wood this year?
Typically I would have at least 75% cut/split and stacked by June, but this year I am lucky if I have am at 35%.

One thing I did notice on my trip to WI over July 4th, was people who normally have very impressive wood piles, didn't have very much. When I went again at the beginning of August I started to see wood piles again.

Been a very bad year, cold and snowy until June, then rain till July, then very hot and dry.
We finally had Spring weather at the beginning of August for 2 weeks before we entered the furnace.
Due to drought and where I gather wood, no cutting was allowed till we got some rain.

Thankfully, we got rain today so I can go back in the woods this week.
Needless to say I am way behind schedule...

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No, I've had the opposite experience this year. Folks in my neighborhood know that I burn wood now and so have offered me more than I can process and store this year. Also, I made some friends with tree service companies and a few of them have contacted my this year based on wood I took off their hands last year. I'm swimming in free wood (and I like it!).

bogydave said:

Will start getting 16/17 wood last week of Sept & go thru Oct for 8 cords ± or until the snow shuts me down.
I have to cut live birch trees, lots easier after the leaves are gone.

Being 3 years ahead like Dennis said was a goal.
Got there & he's right, a good cushion if needed for various reason
& now just have to get 1 years worth CSS'd

51° & occasional rain showers.
Flood warnings on local rivers.

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I wish it was 51 here

teutonicking said:

No, I've had the opposite experience this year. Folks in my neighborhood know that I burn wood now and so have offered me more than I can process and store this year. Also, I made some friends with tree service companies and a few of them have contacted my this year based on wood I took off their hands last year. I'm swimming in free wood (and I like it!).

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That's the way to go. Free wood from the Tree Service guys

I do little by little all spring/summer and then normally split as I need it in the winter. This year though I split at least 2 cords already so i'll need another way to stay active all winter

Nixon said:

I've managed to get about 5 years ahead on F/W . But this year have only managed to put up about a little over 2 cord of oak/ locust due to weather and some health issues . Hope fully fall will allow me to finish out the one stack so that it contains about 3.5 cords and that I can get it covered . Would also like to stuff the shed and porches before the bad stuff hits . Health and a good wife willing , We should get it done !
Lymphoma sux !

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Nixon, hang in there. I know the Lymphoma sux the big one, but you just keep on battling.

Getting five years ahead is great. Now, I think you can afford to take a break and rest up. It's supposed to be a long and cold winter. You've got enough to get you through, and probably will still be four years ahead in the spring.

NortheastAl said:

Nixon, hang in there. I know the Lymphoma sux the big one, but you just keep on battling.

Getting five years ahead is great. Now, I think you can afford to take a break and rest up. It's supposed to be a long and cold winter. You've got enough to get you through, and probably will still be four years ahead in the spring.

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Al , thanks for the kind and encouraging thoughts ! Just got home from my 4 th R EPOCH treatment ( 5 days) an hour ago . 2 to go,if it works , 2-3 more if needed . Kinda beats you up for a week after , but then things pick up and there are a few days that ain't bad . Then back to the chemo . But , i just can't sit around and do nothing ,so I do what I can when I can . Again , thank You for the words of encouragement . They help a lot !!, Besides I'm waiting on my 395 xpg to show up so, i'm not about to quit scheming !

bogydave said:

Will start getting 16/17 wood last week of Sept & go thru Oct for 8 cords ± or until the snow shuts me down.
I have to cut live birch trees, lots easier after the leaves are gone.

Being 3 years ahead like Dennis said was a goal.
Got there & he's right, a good cushion if needed for various reason
& now just have to get 1 years worth CSS'd

51° & occasional rain showers.
Flood warnings on local rivers.

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But Dave. When are you going to find time to hunt moose?

privatejoker75 said:

I do little by little all spring/summer and then normally split as I need it in the winter. This year though I split at least 2 cords already so i'll need another way to stay active all winter

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You'd do much, much better if you split it long before it is needed. Why not cut in winter and split in spring? Or both cut and split in winter?

Backwoods Savage said:

But Dave. When are you going to find time to hunt moose?

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Been raining steady for 2 weeks. May be eating beef this year
Fair weather hunter

Backwoods Savage said:

You'd do much, much better if you split it long before it is needed. Why not cut in winter and split in spring? Or both cut and split in winter?

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Everything i gather around here is long dead so splitting ahead of time wasn't really necessary. We moved here 2 years ago though and I was always under the gun as far as wood goes. Each season i'm trying to get further ahead. Like I said, this season i already have 2+ cords split and ready to go and another 2 cords bucked and waiting for me to conjure up some more motivation

I've found that if you put out the word that you're burning wood you'll get a fair amount of people willing to give it to you. I just finished processing the wood on my own property and I still have 2 relatives that have some that I can cut, plus a friend with a tree that he's giving me. After finishing my property's wood in August I told them I'd like to wait until it gets really cool - cutting and splitting in the heat can get old pretty fast! Like others have said check with tree removal guys also - I don't know any but several on this site apparently get great wood for free.