Harsh Winter = Tough Lessons Learned

[NordicSplitter]

Been seeing alot of posts and comments about folks running out off wood or dipping into next years supply. Some senior forecasters are predicting this past winter will now become the norm for the next 10+ years. With that thought in mind...April is a great time to break out from cabin fever and get a great jump on the next 3 years supply of wood Tomorrow a buddy and I will be picking up about 4-6 face cords of Sassafras that we will be splitting between each other...Time to get to work!

 

[red oak]

I'm not at all sure that winters like this will become normal, remember just last winter was relatively mild. Your point is well-taken though. Throughout this winter I've been cutting whenever I can so that I can stay 4 years ahead. I think I have enough cut, now just need to get it split and stacked, hopefully in the next month before it starts getting warm.

 

[Boiler74]

Been seeing alot of posts and comments about folks running out off wood or dipping into next years supply. Some senior forecasters are predicting this past winter will now become the norm for the next 10+ years. With that thought in mind...April is a great time to break out from cabin fever and get a great jump on the next 3 years supply of wood Tomorrow a buddy and I will be picking up about 4-6 face cords of Sassafras that we will be splitting between each other...Time to get to work!

Sass is awesome to split and smells so good. Have fun!

 

[buddylee]

My dad ran out of wood and I almost did too. I called my dad today and reminded him last year that I had asked him to join me in cutting more wood. He has a wood stove so he really needs dry wood. With a boiler, I can get by with greener wood to get me thru. Cut my first load of the year today. Got a handful of trees scoped out for cutting. Also plan to get some cut off from a sawmill.

 

[WiscWoody]

I'm not at all sure that winters like this will become normal, remember just last winter was relatively mild.

Last winter wasn't so mild up here, it went through mid May and the lake was still iced over for fishing opener and I'm betting it will be that way for opening day this year too. The ice right now is four feet thick, to drill through it you have to use your auger as far as it will go and punch through the last few inches with a heavy landscapers bar! I figure I have a 3 year supply of wood but that May be going to 4 years this summer. I'm lining up my scrounges already and I'm just waiting for all of the snow to start melting!

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Yes this is the perfect year to determine everyone's quantity needs for their three year plan.... Nothing wrong with being on the long end of the stick if you don't use the same amount in the next year or two......

 

[_CY_]

better get started .. just scored about 2 cords of Oak

 

[wahoowad]

How does one get 4-6 face cords of Sassafras? Do you have groves of sassafras growing? I'm used to it being a tree that grows intermittently

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

better get started .. just scored about 2 cords of Oak

Nice score.....

 

[midwestcoast]

Yes this is the perfect year to determine everyone's quantity needs for their three year plan.... Nothing wrong with being on the long end of the stick if you don't use the same amount in the next year or two......

Yep, that is exactly where I am at. I'll use this year as a gauge for how much I need for each year. I don't have a really big yard, but like to stay a good 3 years ahead. It looks like I need to add an extra cord on for each year for winters like this.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I used more than I thought I would this year too, last year I was burning a few nights in may, looks like its gonna be that way this year too, I'm glad I got that maple split when I did or I'd be having problems too.....

 

[Roundgunner]

I just got a call today from my neighbors dad offering me 6 big spruce trees that fell last year. It is about a mile away and he will load it on my trailer with a frontend loader so I can get it off with my Kubota.

I wasn't going to get anymore pine this year as I have 4 cord CSS for next year along with 4 cord of cherry and 3 of mixed hardwood from side of highway clearing and a friends maple that should be dry enough for next year. I got over 2 cord of oak CSS from January but I guess it wont be dry for 2-3 years.

I'm going to get it because it just seems like I should get every bit I can. This was my first year burning, I had a bunch here ready but ran out, now I'm digging thru piles for any ash mixed in so I don't have to burn oil.

 

[Woody Stover]

Do you have groves of sassafras growing? I'm used to it being a tree that grows intermittently

There's a ton of them in the woods here. It's a decent-burning wood, but pops too much for my liking. I figure all that popping is going to stir up more ash to clog my cat screen....

 

[_CY_]

Nice score.....

had it delivered to me for free by a tree company 1/4mile away, taking down 3ft DBH Oak which saved them a 40 mile round trip to green waste dump .. no one is going to deliver you free wood unless it saves them $$$. by giving tree company a free dump closeby they saved at least 2hours labor for two men + fuel + wear on heavy equipment.

drawback is wood is likely to be huge .. 3ft to 5ft diameter so you've got to be able to handle big wood .. pic shows wood already cut into pieces small enough to handle without hurting myself .. starting to split chunks.

Stihl 066 for size comp .. tree trunk in pic is 3ft diameter

 

[KodiakII]

I've been cutting and skidding every day I have off (weather and back permitting), So danged much snow I haven't been able to get around.

 

[Waulie]

I'm happy we had a record breaking cold year. Or I should say, ARE having considering it was below zero again this morning! This is only my second full winter with my stove and now I already know what the worst case scenario is. Really, it's not that bad. The worst part for me is that there is still several feet of snow in my woods so I haven't gotten any wood cut yet.

 

[NordicSplitter]

How does one get 4-6 face cords of Sassafras? Do you have groves of sassafras growing? I'm used to it being a tree that grows intermittently

Huge tree on at a church I went to years ago fell on a neighbors property. Right place, right time...Just got done. 2 face cords each for me and my buddy. At least 2-3 more face cords there. Monster pieces that will have to be split on site then carted away. Hopefully Saturday I will get there early and start splitting for a couple of hours...Free is always the best even if it costs a little time and sweat..

 

[Cburke]

Ready for next winter here In south east pa. Just moved into a 3 acre wooded property this winter a week later crippling ice storm brought down a section of a giant beech tree 5 feet fromy house. Needless to say got a cord and a half out of it split and stacked already. Ready to pull the trigger on a englander nc 30 this summer when the prices drop a bit. My godin stove is way too much work to keep the house at a comfortable temp. Once I fix my four wheeler I have at least 4 years worth of trees down in my property waiting to be cut and split. Most of it shag bark maple and beech tree. At least the ice storm was good for something! Here's some pics of the beech that nearly crushed the house.

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

Stihl 066 for size comp .. tree trunk in pic is 3ft diameter

You might need a chain and bar on that chainsaw.................

 

[_CY_]

You might need a chain and bar on that chainsaw.................

got a butt load of big saws from the dreaded chainsaw acquisition syndrome .. bars are removed to make storage easier.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Wow! That is about enough chain for a lifetime! We have two saws and each one has a bar and chain. That is the end of our chain inventory. When a chain gets close to worn out, then we'll buy another one but not before then.

 

[_CY_]

buying chain in 100ft rolls is the cheapest way to get chain ..

simington square grinder, silvey round grinder and chain spinner

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

damn, i didnt even know you could buy 100 ft of chain.

 

[_CY_]

100ft rolls is how the Stihl dealer buys it .. Madsens has been one of the best distributors at any price.
if you get stuck on a tech question for your Stihl .. Madsens' very_knowledgeable folks are glad to help.

there's been plenty of times where I'll order a Stihl part from Madsens, have it delivered to my door.
vs making a trip to dealer to order, plus another trip back to pickup.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

View attachment 130639 View attachment 130640 View attachment 130641 View attachment 130642 Ready for next winter here In south east pa. Just moved into a 3 acre wooded property this winter a week later crippling ice storm brought down a section of a giant beech tree 5 feet fromy house. Needless to say got a cord and a half out of it split and stacked already. Ready to pull the trigger on a englander nc 30 this summer when the prices drop a bit. My godin stove is way too much work to keep the house at a comfortable temp. Once I fix my four wheeler I have at least 4 years worth of trees down in my property waiting to be cut and split. Most of it shag bark maple and beech tree. At least the ice storm was good for something! Here's some pics of the beech that nearly crushed the house.

Don't want to discourage you but that is not a beech tree. Red oak. Great firewood but takes a long time to dry; much longer than beech.