1st time in 8 yrs having my doubts about my wood

legrandice said:

We have over a foot on the ground, I did not measure how much. It sure is heavy snow after the last mixed storm.



Thanks, I love that little tractor. It's always a pleasure using it around the yard. I lost out on a 646 before this one came up for sale. I am always amazed at how capable of a machine they are.

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The snows deeper the further southeast you go, I have two feet and some towns next to me have more. I dug out my stacks today and snow blowed a path.

I know this winter has made me rethink every aspect of the wood burning adventure.

I end up getting the snow blower out every time it snows here. Couple of years ago I decided to get a service to clear the driveway but I still have a good amount to blow with all the paths for the wood stacks, to the garage, behind the garage for the dog to the propane tanks etc...

I stack all my wood about 150 ft from our front porch, so it doesn't seem that far in the summer, but with the lawn tractor and a full trailer of wood, it's a major pain if I don't get rid of the snow. I can get about 1.5 face cords on the porch, so every couple of weeks wife and I head out to bring up a few loads for the porch.

One thing I did a few years ago was to cut out as many of the little tree stumps and the big stumps anywhere in the path of getting to / thru the stacks as I was constantly hitting them in the snow either with the tractor or with the snow blower. Once I cleaned up all the stumps, moving around got a whole lot easier.

It happens sometimes. King of sucks when it does. Three years ago we got 20" of snow with high winds and drifts in one December storm. Kind of ruined things for the season as far as getting to the wood. I knew a lot of people who were buying wood or scrounging since they couldn't get to theirs. Luckily I had enough in my shed to last until March, but had to go to the backyard to get more. I plowed a path as wide as the tractor and bucket wood back to the house that year. That little Kubota is pretty capable and not so big. It is not too big to push or dig out if I get stuck. I have never got stuck on relatively flat ground. Only when I took it too far in the ditch.

This winter hasn't been so bad on snow, but it is starting to pile up and has been drifting a lot. I had a good path to the back piles and have been doing a lot of splitting, but my paths keep drifting over. My little Kubota does a good job getting thru with chains and I still did some splitting yesterday, but we are getting another 6" or so today and more drifting. I am not giving up yet this year as I have time. Time is something I don't have so much of in the summer.

Snow blower trails throughout my yard. Had to pile wood onto a folded tarp and drag it to the house last week.

I sure envy you guys with all the snow. I have 3 snowmobiles (all insured and registered) sitting because we don't have enough snow to ride them! There is stubble showing in all the fields here. I haven't had an excuse to use my new JD 320D Skid Steer in six weeks ! (and I really love plowing snow in that thing). Not fair, maybe I need to move a lot more south.

Don't come too far down, it's pushing 70 in middle GA today

gzecc said:

Another 5" is expected for tomorrow. My wood is primarily in the rear of my 2 acre property. I have never had problems getting back there until the winter from hell (maybe thats not the best decription).
I do have some stashed closer but don't know if I can get there either. I'll try again in the morning with the tractor.

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Boy, can I relate. We had 4 inches 2 days ago, now another 6-8 last night and more coming tonight. Because of the holiday today (I think) have not seen the plows out so I am snowbound. I have 2 cords coming next week and can't put any of the piles anywhere near the house because I have to have the area around the house clear early spring for the cat to come in and build things up for the final grade. I don't have a snowblower because this is very unusual.

I have 4 feet of snow on my shed, which I will have to trudge through waist high snow to get to it to take it off. Stick a fork in me, I am done. The good news is "they" say it's a dry snow and won't cause flooding. I'll be sandbagging the run off, watch.

I dig out for about 3-4 feet around my stacks on all sides, but the snow gets too deep to maintain shoveled walks to them through the winter. I usually put my skis on and sidestep to and from the wood piles to pack it down a bit, then head out with my big boots and bibs on to set the track the rest of the way. I'm up for 5 steps down from the walk to the ground around my stacks. Cutting steps is my least favorite part of the process, but it sure beats slipping forward on an icy incline with 75 pounds of wood in your arms.

I live in the snow though, so I understand why some people in areas that don't usually see consistent, deep snow cover are concerned. After the next storms forecast to roll through Wednesday and Friday, there will be plenty of snow in my yard to jump out the loft window (~25 feet) into the front yard.

I just walked through deep snow to HAND-CARRY some wood to prep for tomorrow's storm. No fun!

I am all about the hand carry. It takes 22-24 giant armloads to fill my cabin to comfortable capacity with wood. That ends up being 15-20 days worth.

BillLion said:

I just walked through deep snow to HAND-CARRY some wood to prep for tomorrow's storm. No fun!

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Yes that's my last resort also. I still have about a week's worth yet inside/under the deck, and we are supposed to warm up here later in the week, so maybe it won't come to that.

I have burned for 40 years and know how much I need. My wood shed will comfortably hold what I need for a winter. However, this winter, I should have stuffed it full.....didn't and had to shovel my way to the stacks to restock the wood shed this weekend. It was nice out, so I just took my time and now I am good for the rest of the winter, I hope. Good thing I did it Saturday. Monday......freezing rain, sleet, snow, power outage.

gzecc said:

I have plenty of wood, just won't shovel 150 yard path to get to it.

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I shoveled about 75 yards to get my firewood last week. I would have to shovel the same 75 yds of almost two foot deep snow again this week because the path I shoveled last week completely drifted closed. Instead of shoveling I am going to hope for some melt this week. I have enough on the back porch for perhaps four more days.

BrotherBart said:

I just stepped out the end of my breezeway and kissed my woodshed. My lips stuck to the metal frame.

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Serves you right!

Yes, BB, the wood shed is a wonderful thing. My brother, who knows everything (and burns wood) once looked in my wood shed and said...."that is a waist, seasoned wood doesn't need to be in a building" .......I replied, "Oh, it's not for the wood, it's for me!"

Snowblower and a wheelbarrow.

paul bunion said:

Snowblower and a wheelbarrow.

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Yep , that is how I do it.

It's a good thing I have a lean off my garage that holds enough wood for the winter because I can't even see my stacks that are drying for future winters they are completely buried in snow drifts