Going to run short on wood this winter

[Kenster]

Well, last winter I thought I had at least three years worth of wood. But we had a very cold, long winter here. Unusual for Southeast Texas. We're also supposed to have a very long cold winter again this year. I don't think I'm going to have enough wood. I have one stack out in the woods that I left about two years ago split and stack but a lot of it is rotted everything we have is oak. I have some rounds of been cut for a couple of years I've no split because I figured I had plenty and didn't eat it yet. We had some large Cherry Laurel trees that were damaged by ice last year they season nicely about 4 inch round three and 4 inch rounds and it burns like crazy. Great wood. I may have to start burning pallets this if I can get for the winter. Just tore my hamstring so I can't do a lot of heavy work. Bummer!

 

[Danno77]

I feel your pain. I got behind last year and will run out of good wood this year. I'll have enough to burn, it just won't be seasoned. Hope she heals quick!

 

[Kenster]

I've got a lot of dead oaks back in our woods, courtesy if several years of Texas drought. The fallen limbs should be immediately burnable but standing dead oak still need two or three years split and stacked. I've bucked up several Water Oaks that almost poured water out of the trunk even though the tree was dead for at least two years.

 

[Mr3117]

I too will run out of wood this winter. I have a cord and a half of honey locust i was counting on that was split and stacked in May. I was hoping it would be dry but didnt dry fast enough. So i will save it for next. I hope natural gas prices don't increase too much

 

[flatlandr]

Bad year for me too. I have two cords of silver maple and cherry ready to go, and a third of a cord of oak that's about a year old.
Good news is I know of some blow downs from a storm a few years ago at my hunting camp.

 

[firefighterjake]

These are not good posts . . . especially since we tend to see these types of posts sometime in the Spring round about March or so . . . not in November. Maybe the winter will be kind to us all with less wood used . . . one can only hope (although I must confess I am also hoping for plenty of snow here in Maine.)

 

[kukuna]

(although I must confess I am also hoping for plenty of snow here in Maine.)

I'm sure your wish will come true, Jake!
The emoticon Gods should create a smiley running a snowblower.....or snowplow.

 

[bluedogz]

These are not good posts . . . especially since we tend to see these types of posts sometime in the Spring round about March or so . . . not in November.

Well, here's one more... I'm looking out the window at 1/2 cord of cherry, 1/2 cord hickory, and 1/2 cord BL all CSS 2 years, everything else still wet. I'm sweating bullets.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I hate to see posts like this,,,,, you guys gotta get on the three year plan so you stop living like this down the road.....
My problem is that I had to turn on the oil burner this morning cause it was like 13 degrees, I was doing so well, not using a drop until today, now the thermostat is programmed to go off twice a day.....gotta keep the kids and wife warm....

 

[firefighterjake]

I hate to see posts like this,,,,, you guys gotta get on the three year plan so you stop living like this down the road.....
My problem is that I had to turn on the oil burner this morning cause it was like 13 degrees, I was doing so well, not using a drop until today, now the thermostat is programmed to go off twice a day.....gotta keep the kids and wife warm....

Nothing wrong with that . . . I have my thermostats set to kick on around 60 degrees . . . for when I get home late, am sick, it's wicked cold out or I'm just plain lazy. My goal in heating with wood (for 90-95% of my heating needs) is to stay warm . . . and if that means relying on dead dinosaurs once in a while so be it.

 

[Danno77]

I hate to see posts like this,,,,, you guys gotta get on the three year plan so you stop living like this down the road.....
My problem is that I had to turn on the oil burner this morning cause it was like 13 degrees, I was doing so well, not using a drop until today, now the thermostat is programmed to go off twice a day.....gotta keep the kids and wife warm....

I'm working towards it again. I was really only ahead by a year, but most of what I was burning was walnut and some other scrounged stuff that seamed to do well with that amount of seasoning. I bought a hydraulic splitter, so that should help me get back ahead, but it will be a while before I have a full three seasons worth of wood.

 

[Vikestand]

I'm not AS desperate but last year screwed my three year plan. I burned twice as much wood last year as I did the year before. And we are in for another terrible winter. I have about three cords cut but unsplit at the FIL's house that has been sitting covered for two-three years that should get me through the rest of winter. I have about three cords split and stacked that are good to go this year(including the other three).

I tried getting ahead last year and thought I was before our new born was here, but it wasn't in the cards. I am now working on getting as much cut split and stacked before the new year. And I will be on a mission next summer.

 

[SKIN052]

I figure i don't have quite enough, the shed is full but I am usually looking for about another full cord to get me through April/May. I did not really have time for it but I managed to cut a cord of small green spruce and some bone dry dead standing in mid oct. I figure 6 months seasoning on that stuff will work out alright, hopefully. Just need to get half my wood out of the shed now so i can use that side to stack it in loosely. Currently stacked outside under a tarp.

 

[chazcarr]

(although I must confess I am also hoping for plenty of snow here in Maine.)

I'm sure your wish will come true, Jake!
The emoticon Gods should create a smiley running a snowblower.....or snowplow. View attachment 144754

 

[Paulywalnut]

I'm sorry to hear you guys are going to be short this year on your firewood. I know some of us have more time to collect or scrounge wood. My kids are grown, so my priority is to get firewood. I'm always looking, and I'll bring home a large branch of oak or ash or whatever anytime. My neighbors call me the ant from the fable grasshopper and the ant. But those branches I drag home add up. Just keep working with the three year in advance rule in mind. Good luck! I love burning the stove so I won't say anything about a warm winter. Keep scrounging!

 

[Knots]

I'll be short this year. When I moved I had to leave my 3-year stash behind.

Now I'm trying to climb back up the curve.

So, I'll be running propane until the end of December and try to use the wood during January and February. I just hope we don't have a March like last year.

 

[Beer Belly]

Gonna be close this year....have about a cord and a half of Oak that is approaching 2 years CSS if needed, but will try to stay away from it, may need to look into some bio-bricks. Kickin' myself on two missed out scrounges.....one was 2 truck loads of Locust that was cut to length, and sitting about 2 years, and one was 14 Maple trees cut a year and half ago.....needed to be cut, and loaded, and could back right up to it.....either had prior commitments, poor weather, or just plumb wore out

 

[lindnova]

Too early to be hearing these stories. I have been trying to get ahead now before my son's activities start taking too much of my time. Hopefully he will turn into a good helper and we can have family wood cutting time in the future. He is 5 now.

I am glad I put in the hours in subzero weather last winter to cut and split a lot of cherry, elm and oak. The oak that I thought I would use this winter has been drying for 2 years since split (was dead standing), but was 20-25% yet when I checked in September. It is a few points lower now though so not too bad. I checked the cherry I cut last January and it is under 20% less than a year, some (dead elm) is dry and I have some dry oak. I have the cherry, elm and some oak in the shed since September.

I ended up selling to friends 2 truckload of the almost dry oak since prices are good this year. They rave about how well it burns compared to anything else they could find. I didn't tell them I have better stuff for my own use.

Still have about 20 cords of oak drying for the next few years. I just can't pass up easy clearing wood or dead trees. I do leave a few - especially if I can see that one is hollow and a good home to wildlife.

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

I ran out last year and vowed never again. Now theres 20 cords percolating in various spots around the house putting me 3 or 4 yrs ahead.
Lot of work but it feels good knowing i don't have to glance at my wood pile with nervous looks. I think it'd take a whole lot of pallets to take the place of good cord wood.

 

[flatlandr]

My problem is that I have 5 cords ready for this year trapped in a newly quarantined township. Damn the spotted lantern fly. The good news is that my mother has plenty of wood for at least 3 years now. I'll be ok, I have lots of tree tops I will cut if I need to. I split some of the cherry that was down for a few years and was getting anywhere from 18-20 percent on the mm. The butt ends checked in at 24-26%. There is also a hard maple that was perfectly split down the middle laying there too. I'll get to that on Saturday. I should get about a cord out of those two trees alone not counting the tops which I could probably burn now. I squeeked through last winter using just a little over 3.5 cords so we'll see what happens.

 

[Seanm]

Im good for this winter. The thing that stops us dead in our tracks here is the deep winter and spring snows so if I run out in mid march Im hooped until late april unless I want to buy rounds that I see heaped in fields getting snowed and rained on. We burn into June so if im running low I can get another truck load or two of standing dead pine to see me through once the snow goes sometime in April. We only have about 3 inches of snow on the ground now and even today when I was in the bush I noticed lots of good firewood just waiting for me but I lack the motivation to go out in the cold and slip around on the ice, sharpen my chain, find some gas...... Enough of the wood getting! Time to spend my days working, ice fishing for some local grown food and burning my hard earned firewood. I have my eye on a lake that has some fat rainbow trout I want to take the wife and kids to.

 

[lindnova]

My problem is that I have 5 cords ready for this year trapped in a newly quarantined township. Damn the spotted lantern fly. The good news is that my mother has plenty of wood for at least 3 years now. I'll be ok, I have lots of tree tops I will cut if I need to. I split some of the cherry that was down for a few years and was getting anywhere from 18-20 percent on the mm. The butt ends checked in at 24-26%. There is also a hard maple that was perfectly split down the middle laying there too. I'll get to that on Saturday. I should get about a cord out of those two trees alone not counting the tops which I could probably burn now. I squeeked through last winter using just a little over 3.5 cords so we'll see what happens.

Sounds like you have a good backup plan. Maybe you could sell the 5 cords within the other township.

 

[OhioBurner©]

I could never get ahead, heck I'd usually have to buy a couple truckloads to supplement my own supply for 1yr. The in laws farms were just too far away to cut a lot... I'd make a trip or two every month or two. I just hate buying firewood. I'd sooner stock up on eco bricks.

However after my wife and I have decided to get divorced earlier this year, I've lost my wood supply. Not even knowing if I'd keep the house or move I didn't want to stock up anyhow. Didn't want to sink a few grand into the propane tank here either. And wood isn't going to be a good option once I'm solo anyhow with 14hr door to door time for work. I just didn't know what to do!

Well made the decision in September to get a cheap pellet stove. Replaced one of my 2 wood burners with it so I have some flexibility in what to heat with. Even with the upfront cost I figure compared to propane it should about pay for itself in the first year (ive got about 1300 total in the stove and instal).

About a week after the purchase of a pellet stove a came upon an awesome score of standing dead ash someone wanted rid of. Iit seemed i was going to be keeping the house, and i was just itching to smell 2 stroke fumes and fresh cut wood, so i went after it. Ahh stress relief too. I just love being in the woods and getting a goid workout.

Just guessing but maybe 3-4 cords. It was 13 trees, biggest 24" ~85'. Most ~16". I seperated out the drier ones and have 1/2-3/4 cord set aside for this winter (yep css ~1-2mo, well still working one the rounds actually). I figure the rest will be enough for next year if used in conjunction with pellets.

I've been burning the new ash the last few days since the temps plumitted, a couple loads used a layer of eco bricks but even the straight ash seems to burn well, get good normal 600+ stove top temp without much fuss, secondaries going, no smoke... Probably need to supplement with eco bricks just to spread this 3/4 cord out over my off days for the winter.

 

[burrman]

I feel for you guys......ive been cutting for about 4 months..im at about 16 cords