Firewood obsessives

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Eric Johnson

Eric Johnson

Mod Emeritus
Hearth Supporter
Nov 18, 2005
5,871
Central NYS
Hi, my name is Eric, and I'm a firewood obsessive.

I read about a fighter pilot shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War, who was kept as a prisoner of war and basically starved by his captors for a few years, until he escaped, and then continued to starve until he was able to walk to safety in Thailand.

Until the day he died, he kept a stash of flour, sugar, rice and other food staples under his kitchen floorboards. "I know it's irrational," he told an interviewer, "but I also know I'll never go hungry again, either."

At least now I have a psychological rationale for that huge pile of dry wood out in the back yard.
 
He who dies with the most firewood wins.
 
My wife asked when is there enough. I thinking she was refering to firewood? She did admit is was stacked nicely And I told her I'm not finished yet .
I expect to gather up another couple cords. To season it correctly one has to have 3 years worth. To me that means more than 15 cords.

I'm past that mark, cutting up another cord this weekend I would not mind 20 cords then 21 then 22 and on. If its there for the taking ITS mine.

Keyman was here and could not fathom all the standing being surounded by the oak forest I mean is all oak witha few maples thrown in
Scrounging at the Brush yard DPW I get my maple and cherry and some other hard woods.

Why is it garder snakes like the wood pipe so much?

I have permission to take any down or dead trees from the State land accrost the street Again its all oak Any day I could go in there and fill up a pk truck with out that much effort.

Mo heat would never be subjected to the wims of the woodman horse trader again. A Over 30 years and 150+ cords I have never paid for wood and never run out.

Better yet at times I'm paid to remove it .This does not count the logging I sold off or cords I sold when developing subdivisions, or just a gave it away to people in need.

I worry about the time when I slow down and can't do it any longer. When that time comes, I want a stash ahead. That probably drives me now Having 3 hopefully 4 years ahead is conforting
 
And as we age a bit, it is super nice to have a super large wood pile. It's what I keep telling my wife. Although both of us really enjoy the annual cutting of firewood, there might be some years when we can't. Case in point: Last winter my wife was unable to help because of a shoulder injury and surgery. Needless to say, I did not get quite as much done last winter. However, there are still several years worth of dry firewood just waiting to be burned. Nice.
 
elkimmeg said:
To season it correctly one has to have 3 years worth.
Click to expand...

Ha, that's what I told my wife, and she agreed! Thanks Elk, now I have to wait til it cools off a little and scrounge another 2 cords.

If I had as much as Eric, I'd have 13 years worth! Only 7 cords here.
 
I think the worst part for me is, IM out of ROOM. They cut down a Maple today at work and asked me if i wanted it. I HATED to say NO but I have no room ;(. My wife thinks Im nuts,even my neighbor thinks I have enough wood for a couple of years. But then, the BEST WOOD IS FREE WOOD
 
i hear ya about the big stock pile. i'm working on one now. i burn 3 to 4 cord a year and got about 6 to 7 out there and trying to get as much as i can. just landed about 3 to 4 cord of 20 inch rounds. there are some winters that kill me. i've got 3 slipped disks and can do when i can do. so i got to stock it up for those times when i'm having a hard time with back.
 
remember it's not a obsession. it's a just in case.
 
fbelec said:
remember it's not a obsession. it's a just in case.
Click to expand...

Nah. With Eric it is an obsession. No Beech tree is safe as long as Eric can pull that rope on a saw.
 
karl said:
He might need a 12 step program to get cured.
Click to expand...

No need for a cure, just a bit of seasoning....

Gooserider
;-P
 
Man! Reading this stuff and showing my wife I dont have a problem. She says we all have a problem.
WELL I AT LEAST I DONT FEAL ALOAN ANYMORE. Thanx guyes.





P.S. Its OK to take the family for a nature walk to secretly spot more dead standing trees when theres 15 cord already
stacked on the property. Right ?
 
How's this: I've been planning on attendind my 30th H.S. reunion on Saturday for a couple of months now. Yesterday the guy I sometimes help take down residential trees e-mailed me with a job consisting of three fully mature Oak trees, about 8 miles from my house. If I show up on Saturday, I get as much wood as I can haul away, if not, too bad, so sad. A haul like that would get me a great jump on the 08/09 heating season. Oh.. what to do what to do?? I just know if I go to the reunion I'll resent those guys who used to give me wedgies and knock the books out of my hands even more, knowing what I've misssed out on. lol
 
Eric Johnson said:
Hi, my name is Eric, and I'm a firewood obsessive.
Click to expand...

The free Firewood obsessive (I see free wood I want it on my lot.)

1.With my new EPA stove less wood lasts longer!!
I need less wood in piles????
I see free wood I want it on my lot.

2.With all the standing dead Ash around I can cut it and bury the same day!
I need less wood in piles????
I see free wood I want it on my lot.

3.Cutting wood makes me feel stronger.
I see free wood I want it on my lot.

4.Splitting wood makes me feel stronger.
I see free wood I want it on my lot.

5.Stacking wood makes me feel stronger.
I see free wood I want it on my lot.

6.One look at the old gas meter and-
I see free wood I want it on my lot.

7.I ask about wood piles I see at moving sales.
I see free wood I want it on my lot.

8.I like to look at my pile of neatly stacked wood.
I see free wood I want it on my lot.

9.I like to look at any pile of neatly stacked wood.
I see free wood I want it on my lot.

10. I like the look of any pile of wood. Stacked or not.
I see free wood I want it on my lot.

11. Wood, it all burns!
I see free wood I want it on my lot!

12. Room temps above 70 daily November through March
I SEE FREE WOOD I WANT IT ON MY LOT!!!!



I see free wood I will stop almost everything else and get it on my lot!!!
 
LOL
LOL
LOL

driftwood that is the best :lol:
sounds like the wood burners prayer
 
BrotherBart said:
fbelec said:
remember it's not a obsession. it's a just in case.
Click to expand...

Nah. With Eric it is an obsession. No Beech tree is safe as long as Eric can pull that rope on a saw.
Click to expand...

Hey, I do other species, too. I do some hard and soft maple, some yellow birch and on rare occasions, ash. Not like I'm some kind of "wood wino" who's strung out on one species. I like to try different flavors.
 
my favorite flavor is cherry. nice and sweet
 
elkimmeg said:
My wife asked when is there enough. I thinking she was refering to firewood? She did admit is was stacked nicely And I told her I'm not finished yet .
I expect to gather up another couple cords. To season it correctly one has to have 3 years worth. To me that means more than 15 cords.

I'm past that mark, cutting up another cord this weekend I would not mind 20 cords then 21 then 22 and on. If its there for the taking ITS mine.

Keyman was here and could not fathom all the standing being surounded by the oak forest I mean is all oak witha few maples thrown in
Scrounging at the Brush yard DPW I get my maple and cherry and some other hard woods.

Why is it garder snakes like the wood pipe so much?

I have permission to take any down or dead trees from the State land accrost the street Again its all oak Any day I could go in there and fill up a pk truck with out that much effort.

Mo heat would never be subjected to the wims of the woodman horse trader again. A Over 30 years and 150+ cords I have never paid for wood and never run out.

Better yet at times I'm paid to remove it .This does not count the logging I sold off or cords I sold when developing subdivisions, or just a gave it away to people in need.

I worry about the time when I slow down and can't do it any longer. When that time comes, I want a stash ahead. That probably drives me now Having 3 hopefully 4 years ahead is conforting
Click to expand...

You put that beautifully! I agree 100% I am 44 yrs old now and I wonder what I will do when I cannot do this type of work any longer. I love doing everything with cutting, rounding, splitting, and stacking into wonderful art work big time! I too am looking at a goal of having so much firewood, I won't need to worry about it for several years.
 
My dad is 75 and still cuts all his own firewood from standing trees on his property. So, you've got a few decades left in you, detmurds.

However, my goal is still to have 4 years' worth stacked up by the end of the summer, and add enough each year to make up for what we burn. Could get hurt--whatever. Plus, when the time comes to sell this house, I won't need lemon squares to sweeten the deal. How's four years' worth of free heat and hot water sound?
 
Eric Johnson said:
My dad is 75 and still cuts all his own firewood from standing trees on his property. So, you've got a few decades left in you, detmurds.

However, my goal is still to have 4 years' worth stacked up by the end of the summer, and add enough each year to make up for what we burn. Could get hurt--whatever. Plus, when the time comes to sell this house, I won't need lemon squares to sweeten the deal. How's four years' worth of free heat and hot water sound?
Click to expand...

I have just got to see that wood stash pictured on the Multiple Listing Service. THAT would be a first. "Lovely woodpile with house attached. 2,200 square foot house with 4,000 sq. feet of firewood."
 
elkimmeg said:
Mo heat would never be subjected to the wims of the woodman horse trader again.
Click to expand...

That's poetry to my ears. This year I'm set for winter. And I have a start of rounds for next year. I just need to get out there and start whacking, but it's a bit hot and the mosquitoes have finally arrived. Lots of house maintenance going on, too. Wood chopping seems to fall quickly down the priority list.

Today, I discovered termites in my laundry room, but I need to finish (I guess I mean start) the flower bed stonework before the pest control guy will warrant the Termidor treatment (no disturbed earth or water leaks inside the house).
 
I'm same as you Mo. I have about 8 cords out there all ready to go. I just brought back a Safari load of wood this evening. 3 rounds filled the Van. Yup... their that big. I just got in from splitting one of them. I'd guess there's about a full day's worth of wood in each 1/2 round. Nice old maple.

Next... any of you remember that big old oak in my back yard that's been causing me angst for a couple years now? Well the tree guy is coming to drop it for me this week. After that it's up to me to get it cut and split. I figure there's about 3 cords of wood in that tree. I got about 2 cords out of just a few of the lower branches I cut off myself, then I got too chicken to get up there on a ladder. A 30 foot extension full out, then climbing up another 20 feet and cutting peices off was just too much. Not safe. The guy is doing it with a bucket truck for 250.00 Sigh.. that years wood won't be free. But 250 for nearly a years worth of heat still isn't too bad. Plus this Sunday SWMBO and I were sitting on the pool deck and out of the blue a 4" branch broke off and landed in the middle of the yard. Coulda killed someone. That's gotta come down. The outer branches are starting to rot.
 
Mo you need a person like me to take care of that home Including the Ac system
 
That's still a good price for having a pro take down a yard tree, Warren. Last one I had done, it was $1,000--and I'm way upstate where everybody is starvin'!
 
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