Do you think most stove burners dont burn right?

[Battenkiller]

I will also admit that I am sometimes leery of cutting down some standing dead trees . . . to me cutting standing dead wood is a bit more dangerous than cutting a live tree as there is a greater possibility of large, dead branches or the top snapping off and falling.

I spite of the fact that my BIL spent his high school years living on a neighbor's farm because the father (a very experienced woodcutter) lost his life to a widow maker, I continued to cut them down because of the bounty of dry wood they offered. Then one day a top just came off. They're falling straight down, so they fall very fast. I barely got away, only because I was young and agile as a cat, and because I happened to see it go. That was all it took to cure me of the habit.

 

[wyosioux]

Can't believe there are so many on here that cut green trees in the first place. Aren't there any dead trees back east? Or is it just that they have not been dead long enough when you cut them? I guess maybe I am just too used to big wide open spaces and plenty of good dry wood available. Pine is what is burnt here 90% of the time, and I will only cut standing dead trees. Those are the trophies to me. Sure, plenty on the ground too if you're in the right place.

Oh sure there are some standing dead trees . . . but in some areas there may not be a whole of standing dead trees. If I'm in an area and see a decent standing dead tree I'll take it, but honestly Maine hasn't really been hit yet with beetle kill, oak wilt, asian long horn beetles, ash-killing bugs or aliens from outer space (word is they have them in New Hampshire though.)

Currently I'm cutting alongside a field . . . most of the trees in this area are good, healthy trees. Since my goal is to get firewood and keep the branches and trees at bay I'm not worried about culling sick, dead and twisted trees . . . although in other areas I will often cull these trees, leaving a few good, mature trees to continue seeding the area with future generations. There are some dead softwoods where I am cutting . . . some of these will end up as firewood . . . and some as mulch since they are not valued as highly as the hardwood (plus some of this softwood gets pretty punky even as standing dead wood.)

I will also admit that I am sometimes leery of cutting down some standing dead trees . . . to me cutting standing dead wood is a bit more dangerous than cutting a live tree as there is a greater possibility of large, dead branches or the top snapping off and falling.

Yes, I guess I forget about the differences in humidity out there compared to where I am. I am sure any dead softs would get punky in a hurry. Don't get me wrong, if we had a good supply of hardwood out here, that is what I would be burning, no doubt. Also, you are right, sure enough a bit of danger cutting a standing dead if it "tops off" as I like to call it. You dang sure don't rock it to start it falling!

 

[wyosioux]

Can't believe there are so many on here that cut green trees in the first place. Aren't there any dead trees back east? Or is it just that they have not been dead long enough when you cut them? I guess maybe I am just too used to big wide open spaces and plenty of good dry wood available. Pine is what is burnt here 90% of the time, and I will only cut standing dead trees. Those are the trophies to me. Sure, plenty on the ground too if you're in the right place.

That's a really good question. I'll ask around when I get the chance. But I assume dead trees are taken, but in a 10 or 20-acre woodlot, which is typical for around here, there aren't going to be enough of those from year to year to supply your burning needs. Folks around here tell me their big, drafty, uninsulated old farmhouses use 15 to 20 cords of firewood for the winter. Where I live is (lightly) populated mostly by struggling small dairy family farm operations. I'd guess 3/4 or more of the land is cleared for pasture or feed crops, with young woods on the sides of the many ridges running up and down the valley, mostly young, long-lived hardwood species, maple and beech predominating.

As you probably know, there's an irrational fear of burning softwoods here in the East, so what little there is around doesn't usually get cut at all for firewood. Even the sugaring operations tend to use vast quantities of the abundant sumac that crops up in weedy field edges.

Where do you cut your trees, just curiously? Is it on your own land?

Wow, different world out there. I take too many things for granted I guess. What you say makes sense about the small plots, etc. See, where I am the greatest majority cut on public land. Some have some private that they will let you cut from if they don't want to; helps in eliminating fire danger. I am not a land owner (at least not with trees on it), but lots and lots of public land... thank goodness! In the easy to get to places, it can sometimes be a bit of a chore finding good wood. Kind of like hunting. But, get a little off the beaten path and you have all you are willing to work for. I love cutting wood. I like to split it right there too, that way eliminating a lot of mess.

 

[gyrfalcon]

I find it rather humorous that “old sparks” like myself are held in such low regard by the newer burners here because we simply won’t accept the “facts” that are available today. Then the same folks reject all of the real scientific facts that I repeatedly present here, demonstrating who, in fact, really have the closed minds.

*Some* newer burners, Battenkiller. Some.

Interesting that those guys are burning semi-dry in the F 500. I was told by my local Jotul gurus that the bigger Jotul would handle semi-seasoned fine. I should have said that it really takes a big firebox to burn green wood cleanly. You can get it going in a smaller box by splitting the wood much smaller, but that way you always end up with a mass of small coals and little flame after a while. Temps eventually drop, stove stops putting out good heat and burns just smolder and smoke.

My Vigilant (about the size and output of an Oslo) would handle green just fine, but I feed it dry anyway because I have it. But every now and then this winter, I'd drop a big damp oak round on the top of a raging fire and just watch it disappear in its own flames. Five hours later, it's still a nice big hunk of furious coal, where smaller dry splits would be long gone. Stove would still be plenty hot, so I never bothered to count the BTUs that I theoretically lost.

So now we know, or at least I know, thanks to you, that some of those old "myths" about burning green wood ain't actually myths and the "idiots" around here ain't actually idiots.

What you describe perfectly matches my experience, and it's a great relief to have it confirmed. Gardening, cooking, and to a lesser extent wood-burning, are all loaded with standard advice and rules based on logical conclusions drawn from insufficient factual knowledge and inadequate observation, and very little controlled experimentation. Did you know, for instance, that garden soil is fed and loosened much better and a lot easier f you spread compost or composted manure on top of the soil, rather than mixing it in as we're always told to, and letting the worms drill up to it and do all the work? Or that putting some oil on the top of a boiling pot of pasta doesn't make a lick of difference in keeping it from sticking when it's done?

Keep it coming, please, Battenkiller. Facts are vastly more interesting than guessing.

 

[REF1]

Hmm. Just had some ziti. Always put a little olive oil in the water. The ziti definitely does not stick together when I pour off the water. But with spaghetti ... probably not much of a difference. But that may be more the aspect of entanglement of strands, which ziti can't get into.

Sorry to veer off topic.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Hmm. Just had some ziti. Always put a little olive oil in the water. The ziti definitely does not stick together when I pour off the water. But with spaghetti ... probably not much of a difference. But that may be more the aspect of entanglement of strands, which ziti can't get into.

Sorry to veer off topic.

Try an experiment. Two pots, two equal amounts of ziti, one with oil in the water and one not. Then have your wife or a friend come in and see if they can tell which was which.

The original and still only reason to put oil in pasta water is to keep the starch from foaming up and boiling over. You don't get that anymore with brand-name pasta, but you do with handmade fresh or old-fashioned or some imported pasta.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Wow, different world out there. I take too many things for granted I guess. What you say makes sense about the small plots, etc. See, where I am the greatest majority cut on public land. Some have some private that they will let you cut from if they don't want to; helps in eliminating fire danger. I am not a land owner (at least not with trees on it), but lots and lots of public land... thank goodness! In the easy to get to places, it can sometimes be a bit of a chore finding good wood. Kind of like hunting. But, get a little off the beaten path and you have all you are willing to work for. I love cutting wood. I like to split it right there too, that way eliminating a lot of mess.

Different world, for sure. There's a fair amount of public land in the east, but it's managed parks or refuges or conservation land. The forests are thinned, and even clearcut in places from time to time for habitat variety, but the lumber and/or firewood is sold to help finance the management. You absolutely may not go into these places and just start cutting down trees for your own use, although once in a while here in VT, these areas are opened up to a small number of permits for individuals to come take down and remove trees that have been marked for removal, and also every winter there's a certain amount of cordwood made available for a token fee to low-income folks who need state heating assistance.

 

[n3pro]

Looking at chimneys most around me are burning wet. I see lots of steam from many people (white emissions dissipates quick) every time I pass, some I pass several times a day.

 

[REF1]

The term "smoke dragon" was new to me, but in driving around these mountains I'd have to admit they are the lion's share of stoves here. How can one tell if an older stove is in use, or people are burning wood not quite dry to optimum levels? I think the vast majority of wood burners cut their wood or buy it the same year they burn it. Of course, I should add that most of the stove manuals I have read recently all state firewood should be dried 6-12 months. That leaves an impression wood cut or bought in january can be burned in January as it dries out through Spring, Summer and Fall. The fact is though, some woods do perform just fine at that rate.

 

[oldspark]

Well after thinking about it there are people who know what they are doing with the green wood and people who do not and the only people who are idiots are the ones who don't burn wood at all!

 

[gyrfalcon]

Well after thinking about it there are people who know what they are doing with the green wood and people who do not and the only people who are idiots are the ones who don't burn wood at all!

Well said! I think we can all agree on that for sure.

 

[weatherguy]

Hmm. Just had some ziti. Always put a little olive oil in the water. The ziti definitely does not stick together when I pour off the water. But with spaghetti ... probably not much of a difference. But that may be more the aspect of entanglement of strands, which ziti can’t get into.

Sorry to veer off topic.

If you put oil in your water your pasta wont absorb the gravy, it just slides right off, I never use oil for pasta.
sorry for the OTP.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Hmm. Just had some ziti. Always put a little olive oil in the water. The ziti definitely does not stick together when I pour off the water. But with spaghetti ... probably not much of a difference. But that may be more the aspect of entanglement of strands, which ziti can’t get into.

Sorry to veer off topic.

If you put oil in your water your pasta wont absorb the gravy, it just slides right off, I never use oil for pasta.
sorry for the OTP.

Very, very little of it ever actually gets on the pasta, is the point. It just floats on the top of the water and disappears down the drain when you pour it off. And of course you're right about the gravy if oil does get on it in any quantity.

 

[REF1]

Well, I eat rice flour ziti about every day now (gluten intolerant, just running out of stuff to eat), and I have to say after cooking some yesterday with no olive oil I'll return to cooking it with oil. I observed a better flavor, and when I cook it, no oil is sitting on top of the water during a boil. It's completely infused in the whole process and that's easy to see when I pour it all off. I don't use much either. Too expensive. Obviously the less I use, the less the effect. And I have no problem with pasta sauce sliding off, either. Mixes in just fine.

There must be a way to tie this into the thread. I guess folks would call me a smoke dragon pasta cooker.

 

[Slow1]

There must be a way to tie this into the thread. I guess folks would call me a smoke dragon pasta cooker.

Cook your pasta on your stove - good tie-in

Suggestions:

1) Put foil down under the pot to catch any over-boil (burned on starch water isn't fun to clean off a stove and think of the smell... )

2) If stove top temp isn't quite high enough to boil water fast, put a lid on the pot. You would be amazed how much faster the water boils. Just be careful about leaving a lid on the pot with pasta in it (see #1)

Oh - and to bring it to the original topic (sort of) - it is ok to cook green pasta. I like those green noodle 'nests' myself - tossed with butter and some parm cheese...