Cottonwood is Good

cause it's the only type of wood I have access to.

Hello, my first post, thanks for letting me join the forum..

About three years ago I cleaned up this fence line of about 20 standing or fallen dead Cottonwoods. Those are all safe and sound at my wood processing area. There were three trees that still had some life, so I left them, but they have since died.
I use the whole tree, so I would just skid it all home, but now I have a couple fences to go thru with 10 ft. gates so I will probably have to limb these and haul the limbs by trailer. Can still skid the logs though.. Here are the trees. Will take some more pics when I get them on the ground, but first I might hook up the rake I built for my tractor and clear all those Russian Thistles away from the work area. Hate those things.
Nick

It keeps the house toasty all winter and best of all it's free. I'm retired so every little bit helps. I don't remember the last time I used my propane furnace. A couple years ago the propane company raised the annual tank rent from $50 to $75. So I had the propane company come take their tank out. The man left the regulator.. I just use propane for cooking and I live alone so the barbecue tank I use lasts for months.
I've never burned any oak to compare but like you say the cottonwood burns hot and fast. I'm always home to tend to the fire and at bed time I'll throw in a big split. In the morning I always look at the thermometer on the refrigerator and the coldest I remember it being in the house was 59.
I love wood heat. The stove I have is what I think you guys call a smoke dragon. It is an old glacier bay, double wall all around. It will take a 20 inch log but I cut mine to 16. I built a stand out of square tubing to raise it up.