Probably break into my `January' stack by this weekend . . .

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snowleopard

Minister of Fire
Dec 9, 2009
1,495
When I step out of my downstairs door, I have a corridor of wood that runs ten feet from the wall out. When I stand in the door facing outwards, I have two stacks on my left: the leftmost is 90cf of beetle-killed spruce, the inner one about 30cf of birch.

On the right, I have three stacks: about 60cf of fire-killed spruce--very hot-burning and dry, and behind that two stacks of birch that was cut in March, and stacked in the wind and sun, but not split until this winter, about 100sf which I may not burn this winter, but if I have to, I have to. Not very well seasoned.

I have another 1/2 cord or so that I plan to move down soon to top off the stack of birch on the left. That birch is much better seasoned--split in the spring, stacked where the sun and breeze could reach it, but the rain could not.

I've just about finished off all the spruce I had except for that leftmost stack--the one I had been hoping I wouldn't have to tap into until January. I'm really pleased that it's still in the holding chute, but not for long. I brought in most of the rest of my beetle-killed spruce, and stacked it in the sunroom rack. It will probably be gone by Friday night or Saturday morning. I burn a mix of birch and the two spruces right now. I've also got a pile of a cord-and-a-half of birch stacked out by the garden area, and another stack of well-seasoned poplar that I've got in the chute for April, when the snow is melting.

It's been a bitter winter-- the -30/-40F weather hit in November, breaking records. We've seen long stretches of -20 and colder in December and January. The next two months are the ones I'm uneasy about. The spruces and the birch will have to do.

Do any of the rest of you pour over your stacks like this? Naming them (`January', `February') and inventorying them compulsively? I'm sure I'll get by, and can get into the other stacks if I need to, but since it's my only source of heat and it's been so damned cold, I'm keeping a really close eye on my stacks.
 
I try to spend time with each and every split, if possible, but sometimes I blithely toss (some of them) in the wheelbarrow.

Good news that your stacks are fairing well.
 
I don't think i go to as much detail as that but I do roughly eyeball which piles I should be burning each month. Im a part time burner in a small house in a mild climate so we use very little - about 2 cord a year. I have a small shed that can hold one cord, I fill that and pile up an additional one cord stack of my driest wood next to it. I know that if the shed is still about half full at Christmas and I don't hit the second pile till mid-Jan then I will make it through the winter without having to dip into next years wood (still in single row stacks elsewhere in my wood area).

This year is so mild I'm still working through the first cord in the shed.
 
Do any of the rest of you pour over your stacks like this? Naming them (`January’, `February’) and inventorying them compulsively?

I don't name mine but I do have a couple stacks that are "perfect in width and height and one is 4 years old" that would make zapny and backwoods savage grin from ear to ear! :lol:
 
Wood is not my only source of heat, and I am at least two years ahead. Plus this winter has been really mild here and I have burned only about 1 cord of the four I expected to burn. This all adds up to no, I don't obsess about running out, and if I had named the stacks I'd still be burning a stack called November and December. I do look at the wood I am taking off the stacks and try to remember where I got it. When I am cutting/splitting/stacking firewood I always think I will remember it when it comes time to burn. More often than not I can't be sure where the wood is from when I burn it.
 
I separate three sections of my winter's wood in the barn. One section is lower BTU wood for early season, one big section of high BTU wood for middle winter, and another section of later season lower BTU wood for the late season. I'm still working through the early lower BTU wood (mainly red maple) and mixing it in with the better wood. I'm usually only running full loads of the best wood for the overnights at this point. Cheers!
 
YOu have had some brutal cold temps.
How the chimney stack look ?
Good & clean I expect since you have to burn pretty hot fires to keep the house warm.
We're in the home stretch now, 6 more weeks & I hope we can get some above 0° temps, at least in the daytime.
Good luck, stay warm.
 
snowleopard - you sure are in a colder climate than me. It hasn't even been below 20 yet in this so-called winter where I am. To answer your question I do pretty much what you do. I have a different stack for each month. October and November I usually don't use the whole stack while December and January I usually use more so it evens out. I just started on the January wood Sunday. I'm certain I'll make it through this winter and I'm hoping to have most of what I need for the next two years already on hand but we'll see. Good work with your wood supply and hopefully you'll do well with those brutal temps!
 
Snowleopard, that sounds good with your wood especially considering the winter you are having. You asked if we pour over our stacks like you do. Not exactly. At present, we have wood in the barn that will keep us going all winter. Next October I'll move some more wood into the barn and that will come from the same year as the wood we are burning this year. In 2013-2014 we'll move onto the stacks that we cut in 2009-2010 and there is still enough in there (sold some) to run us 2 years. When that is gone, in 2016-2017 we'll move on to the meager wood I cut last year and there is probably not much more than a year's burning there. So in 2017-2018 we'll start burning the wood we are cutting at present. So far we've cut about enough for 2 years or more. If we don't cut any more, that means we'll run out of good dry wood in the year 20119-2020. Man, we'd best get busy around here!

Seriously, we will probably sell a bit of this wood and may help out a few folks so our year count could be off a bit. We're still not sure how much wood we'll cut this year and weather plus body will dictate how much more we can get done. Still, I'm probably a bit behind zap! lol
 
The stacks are my friends. J/K, but I know which stack I should be working from most of the time. This year, all bets are off due to the warmer than usual weather.
The left side of the shed should be gone by the end of Feb., but that's now in question. I may have some of that remaining by then, as long as the weather doesn't become "normal".
There was just about 3.3 cord in there at the start of the season. I look at the next row as the remaining wood for Jan., and yet I still have 1/2 cord there. Should be all but gone. I think I'll stack about 1/6 cord on the porch and see if it gets me through the end of the month.
If you're just about to get into your January stack by this weekend, you're ahead of the game too, eh?
I always presume that the end of Dec. through the first week or two of March are the coldest, and plan for close to 3 cord during that time frame. Burning starts the last week (usually) of Sept., and stops mid-May (again, usually) around here.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Snowleopard, that sounds good with your wood especially considering the winter you are having. You asked if we pour over our stacks like you do. Not exactly. At present, we have wood in the barn that will keep us going all winter. Next October I'll move some more wood into the barn and that will come from the same year as the wood we are burning this year. In 2013-2014 we'll move onto the stacks that we cut in 2009-2010 and there is still enough in there (sold some) to run us 2 years. When that is gone, in 2016-2017 we'll move on to the meager wood I cut last year and there is probably not much more than a year's burning there. So in 2017-2018 we'll start burning the wood we are cutting at present. So far we've cut about enough for 2 years or more. If we don't cut any more, that means we'll run out of good dry wood in the year 20119-2020. Man, we'd best get busy around here!

Seriously, we will probably sell a bit of this wood and may help out a few folks so our year count could be off a bit. We're still not sure how much wood we'll cut this year and weather plus body will dictate how much more we can get done. Still, I'm probably a bit behind zap! lol

I always like to hear it when you say you may help someone out with some firewood. I have a gentleman I have been trying to help out that has had a bad strek with health. Took 2 loads down last year and 1 this year. Just checked on him at church Sunday and will likely haul another pickup load down soon.
 
Sorry snow did not mean to hijack your thread just had to comment on Dennis's post.
Those temps you talk about you can keep but at least you got some nice piles to work through. Even if you name them. I don't name mine as I have one big pile css that is about 2 to 2.5 years worth. Work off one end current year and then start at the other end the next year. In the spring I replenish.
 
Locust Post said:
Backwoods Savage said:
Snowleopard, that sounds good with your wood especially considering the winter you are having. You asked if we pour over our stacks like you do. Not exactly. At present, we have wood in the barn that will keep us going all winter. Next October I'll move some more wood into the barn and that will come from the same year as the wood we are burning this year. In 2013-2014 we'll move onto the stacks that we cut in 2009-2010 and there is still enough in there (sold some) to run us 2 years. When that is gone, in 2016-2017 we'll move on to the meager wood I cut last year and there is probably not much more than a year's burning there. So in 2017-2018 we'll start burning the wood we are cutting at present. So far we've cut about enough for 2 years or more. If we don't cut any more, that means we'll run out of good dry wood in the year 20119-2020. Man, we'd best get busy around here!

Seriously, we will probably sell a bit of this wood and may help out a few folks so our year count could be off a bit. We're still not sure how much wood we'll cut this year and weather plus body will dictate how much more we can get done. Still, I'm probably a bit behind zap! lol

I always like to hear it when you say you may help someone out with some firewood. I have a gentleman I have been trying to help out that has had a bad strek with health. Took 2 loads down last year and 1 this year. Just checked on him at church Sunday and will likely haul another pickup load down soon.

Thanks Locust. It seems many of us run into others who have had some hard times and it is nice to be able to help. Also, in most cases I feel it is better this way rather than handing out dollar bills.
 
I don't feel like the thread got hijacked at all. This winter has me worried a bit, and I come on here and rattle about it and I go away feeling like it's going to work. You're right, Dave, my stack is staying pretty good--cleaned it just after Christmas, and got maybe a quart of particulate out, after burning from a year ago September. And you're right--another six weeks and it'll be March, and six weeks after that we'll be out of the 24/7 zone. Twelve weeks doesn't sound so long at all, does it?

I flip the porch light on sometimes just to look over my wood supply. It looks good now, but once we start using it, I know how quickly it can go down. The spruce we pulled into the sunroom is holding out pretty good--it might be Sunday or later until I get into that January rack of spruce. Plenty of birch, so I just need the hotter wood to keep the birch burning well, since was just cut in March.

It's supposed to be warming up this week, but I guess that's a relative term. Here's what NOAA has to say:
.TONIGHT...CLEAR. PATCHY ICE FOG. LOWS 30 TO 40 BELOW IN
THE VALLEYS AND AROUND ZERO IN THE HILLS. LIGHT WINDS.
.FRIDAY...MOSTLY CLEAR. PATCHY MORNING ICE FOG. HIGHS 15 TO 25 BELOW IN THE VALLEYS AND AROUND 5 ABOVE IN THE HILLS.
EAST WINDS TO 10 MPH. .FRIDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 20 TO 35 BELOW...WARMER
IN THE HILLS. LIGHT WINDS.
.SATURDAY...CLOUDY. HIGHS AROUND 15 BELOW. NORTHEAST WINDS
TO 10 MPH. LIGHT WINDS. .SATURDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 25 TO 40 BELOW. NORTHEAST WINDS TO 10 MPH...EXCEPT TO 25 MPH OVER THE HILLS. WIND CHILL TO 50 BELOW OVER THE HILLS.
.SUNDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS NEAR 25 BELOW. .SUNDAY NIGHT...CLOUDY. LOWS NEAR 40 BELOW.
.MONDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS NEAR 15 BELOW. .MONDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS NEAR 40 BELOW.
.TUESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS NEAR 15 BELOW. .TUESDAY NIGHT...CLOUDY. LOWS NEAR 35 BELOW.
.WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS NEAR 15 BELOW. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT...CLOUDY. LOWS NEAR 35 BELOW.
.THURSDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS NEAR 15 BELOW

Just keeping on keeping on . . .
 
I never pay for my wood, therefore I am at the mercy of the scrounge. This translates into semi careful planning for different winter months. The nice, square, long, dense splits are saved for Jan and feb nights. The shoulder wood, mis shaped, ugly, knotted, half punky, other stuff is stacked for other months.
If I could scrounge all oak, locust, and hickory, and a little cherry cut to perfect lengths, IDE be a happy man. It just doesn't happen that way.
I also don't get temps like you do Snow, so it's not as much of a priority for me.
 
Nope! I have 3 stacks, each are roughly good for about a winter.

wishlist said:
Do any of the rest of you pour over your stacks like this? Naming them (`January’, `February’) and inventorying them compulsively?

I don't name mine but I do have a couple stacks that are "perfect in width and height and one is 4 years old" that would make zapny and backwoods savage grin from ear to ear! :lol:
 
Nope, I just go find my orange wood (hedge), when I need the heavy heaters. But as far as temperature, it sounds like you've had your fair share of cold weather. Stay warm...
 
While I have stacks labelled by years, I do not have them broken down into months. I have one section where I rotate in my seasoned wood for the upcoming winter - soft woods are stacked to the left and right of my denser wood types. Once burning season starts I bring into my 3 season porch about 1/3 of a cord of each type of wood, topping them off as I burn. Then, depending on the temperature and if I will be home or not, I go with the appropriate density wood.

I also think that there is no way that I will forget where I got/cut the wood as I am cutting/splitting it. Then, about 1 or 2 months after it's stacked, I completely forget.

But I do obsess over my stacks, looking at the outlying stacked years and watching as the splits slowly season. I am pretty sure that my wife and my dog think that I have lost my marbles :)
 
I weigh each split as it is stacked. Measure length and width. Date and time stamp go on the RFID tag that I attach. This info is logged into my computer. At the time of burn I parse out the Heating degrees needed and allow my custom built software to select the appropriate splits to load for the optimum burn cycle. No obsessing, I have it quite under control. :coolsmile:
 
Snow...love your posts. So descriptive. Funny that you ask about naming, or labeling stacks. I'm only a first year burner, and yes I do the same. Seems to me a simple, logical process of ensuring that you have enough heat on a monthly basis to get you through the winter. Anyhow, keep on posting. I'll keep reading.
 
I label them. Use a majic marker and a dog or cat food can top. Write down date split & type of wood and nail it to the side that gets least amount of sun. Helps me to load the wood shed in the proper order in October...last in/1st burned and hopefully they are not the "good" wood.
 
Jags said:
I weigh each split as it is stacked. Measure length and width. Date and time stamp go on the RFID tag that I attach. This info is logged into my computer. At the time of burn I parse out the Heating degrees needed and allow my custom built software to select the appropriate splits to load for the optimum burn cycle. No obsessing, I have it quite under control. :coolsmile:


ROFLMAO, I nominate that for post of the week. :lol:

Snow, I'm pretty careful about keeping track of usage as well. I've got plenty of wood on hand, but have to make sure it's accessible in the event of heavy snowfall. That ain't happening here so far. It finally got "cold" here, the single digits at night, & teens for daytime for few days. So if you're in the mood for wearing shorts come on down to the tropics here. I can't imagine -40, coldest I've ever experienced was - 15 or so, & I really didn't enjoy it all that much. You folks up there gotta be some tough cookies, if shipping wasn't such a killer I'd send a couple cords of Locust & Osage mixed. Stay warm & safe. A C
 
Dang it. There is that shipping thing. You almost tempt me to get a conex of wood shipped up here just to mystify the neighbors. Wood here pretty much comes in three flavors: birch, spruce, and poplar. I'd love to see someone trying not to say something as they walked past a pile of locust or oak in my yard and did a quiet little double-take. :lol:

I'm not sure how tough I qualify at the moment. I am in a 87% horizontal mode on the couch, and it's around 75F inside, and I"m watching a movie, doing my banking online, and zipping around the forum in between. Yep, I'm one tough cookie alright. Actually, you're making me feel like I oughta go out and pull down a few more sled-loads of birch from next to the garage. I'll be putting the last of my inside stack of birch on the fire in a little bit, and it would be nice to have the next load of birch warm by morning. [sigh]

Well, it'll be the 22nd in a few more hours, and I'm a day or so away from hitting the January pile of spruce. This is good stuff.
 
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