How far ahead are you really???

[TimJ]

We had a wedding shower at our place yesterday. My son's future father in law, who is a wood burner, proudly showed his friend his enourmous amount of wood. " That's quite a bit of wood his said, but a guy over on such and such of road has twice that much. My son's future father-in-law laughed and said " I know that guy"
He asked me how much I thought I had and I said maybe 5 years. He laughed and said I had closer to 10 years. I'll settle for 7

 

[gerry100]

4 cord in the shed ready now, but won't be used until 13/14 season.

2+ more split an din the woods waiting, 6+ in log length

 

[Wood Duck]

I have two winters' worth of firewood that I could burn right now.

 

[ailanthus]

I just did my tallies & I've got ~15.5 cord c/s/s. Burned a little under 3 cords this winter, so I'm in good shape. All thanks to hearth.com I must say. I also just realized I'll be (well over) 40 by the time I burn everything I've got stacked right now.

 

[StihlHead]

That's better then most OWB owners around here -- For them it's more like "If I stop cutting wood now I will run out of wood at noon"

Too true. With the OWB we burned 8-10 cords a year. That is a 3 year supply for me here, but this is a far smaller far tighter house. The ex has 20 cords stored, minimum. But she also has 100+ acres of trees and there is more than enough wood to supply the OWB from blowdown, dead snags, thinning and logging slash.

 

[Hills Hoard]

I've got enough to burn for this winter, but beyond that im way behind.....

 

[Augie]

Currently as I just finished my first year I have zero wood RTB but I have 2 cords of maple on my property that will be ready by this fall, one cord of maple needing to be picked up that will be ready this fall, I should be three years ahead by October this year.

 

[firefighterjake]

5 cord of wood in the woodshed . . . CSS outside for a year and put into the woodshed in the Spring of 2012. It will get used this coming winter.

Almost done loading another 5 cord of wood in the woodshed . . . CSS outside for 1-2 years and put into the woodshed in the last week or so. It will sit in the woodshed for another year before being used in 2014-2015 . . . but if push came to shove I could burn it right now in case of another unexpected Ice Age.

There are another 4 cord of wood sitting outside that have been sitting there since the Fall of 2012 . . . I could use this wood as well. There is another cord of wood that I CSS this Spring . . . it is not ready yet.

 

[firefighterjake]

I agree with folks who say it is nice to get a little bit ahead . . . but not always completely necessary to get several years ahead . . . at least until something unexpected comes up such as an injury or illness that may make processing wood impossible one year.

I personally like to have at least two years of wood in the woodshed and another year sitting outside ready to move into the woodshed in the Spring . . . gives me those warm, fuzzy feelings . . . and knowledge that if something did happen I would have a year's cushion to get back on my feet and back in the proverbial game . . . plus I admit I actually enjoy the "work" of processing wood.

That said . . . not everyone has the space to give up for stacking multiple years worth of wood . . . or they have concerns about having that much wood on hand . . . my feeling . . . it's not a competition folks . . . get what you need/want and don't worry about keeping up with the Joneses (or Backwoods Savage's) . . . whether you get your wood one year at a time or have enough wood to wait out the Zombie Apocalpyse it's all good.

 

[lukem]

I have 3 winters worth dry and ready now. Halfway into year 4. Pushing 20 cord.

 

[thewoodlands]

+ going on

 

[Applesister]

Im way behind because I decided to mess with some Oak. Storm damaged dead standing and green logs. The work was slow going. I usually burn lighter stuff just because it is easier to process and handle. Black cherry and grey birch and quaking aspens. In the past when the temps drop into the deep freezes of winter (-20s) I switch to using fuel oil. But Im changing the game plan. Shifting gears. I have beech in my woodpiles this year as well as Ironwood. Going thru a transition. I have my fingers crossed on the beech seasoning. Ironwood is getting stacked with the oak.
I have apple and plum as well but those are always prunings. (dont count)
What Im doing now is looking for red maples. Now that I can see the leaves. Im trusting what is written here that it dries quick. And going for 3 cords of red maple. I dont have any silver here. Hoping Red takes one season.
With 3-oak, 1-cherry, 1-black birch, 1-beech, 1-white/red elm, 1-aspen.
I need 3-4 cords of soft maple or grey birch. So Red maples are my target.
In the meantime I scrounge dead oak from the ground. This is Chestnut oak that has been dying of some unknown problem. The skeletons I find are whats left of the heartwood.
To answer the question, however, I have maybe a facecord of super seasoned hickory mixed with oak and black birch. I have eight cords of green and still need 3 more. My goal was to have 10 cords before I got bored with it.

 

[Applesister]

So basically I have a facecord dry.

 

[Hickorynut]

I am as Wood Doctor with a 2 year supply seasoned and ready to be used now.

 

[Got Wood]

I have 24+ cord (real cord) C/S/S and a recently split pile of oak thats about 2 cords. That should take me well into the 2017/18 winter, burning wood that has been stacked for atleast 3 summers. Is that "really ahead"? Gotta get more wood....

 

[TimJ]

If it took 6 cords to heat my house I don't think I could get ahead..............

 

[Adios Pantalones]

This year and next are stacked up for the house. I buy 2 cord at a time of slab for the kiln, as needed (no drying, ~6 times a year).

 

[raybonz]

So basically I have a facecord dry.

Woah Applesis you need to reinforce that pile ..

Ray

 

[Ashful]

If it took 6 cords to heat my house I don't think I could get ahead..............

After ripping thru 5.5 cords last winter, and running out of wood in the first week of March, I've upped my wood processing a bit. Trying to get ahead...

Hopefully usage will drop as wood quality improves.

 

[Applesister]

Woah Applesis you need to reinforce that pile ..

Ray

Yeah, this thread was amusing, it seemed to ruffle everyones feathers. My thoughts are long winded because Im thinking out loud. In retrospect, Im screwed. I know sap is at maximum levels right now. Common sense is telling me to quit for a while. Or buy wood that may have been cut in January.
If you are already ahead, then you quit when you need to(spring season). I cut up a big black birch for my sister and the sap was pouring out of the stump.
Im way behind, Im bored and I want to quit.
I want to go swimming and get a suntan. lol

 

[raybonz]

Yeah, this thread was amusing, it seemed to ruffle everyones feathers. My thoughts are long winded because Im thinking out loud. In retrospect, Im screwed. I know sap is at maximum levels right now. Common sense is telling me to quit for a while. Or buy wood that may have been cut in January.
If you are already ahead, then you quit when you need to(spring season). I cut up a big black birch for my sister and the sap was pouring out of the stump.
Im way behind, Im bored and I want to quit.
I want to go swimming and get a suntan. lol

Right on post pics This is why I try to get the bulk of the wood done by early spring or just before it comes. I have more red oak to grab when I feel like it and maybe I will this long upcoming weekend but then again maybe I'll drink beer and change my mind lol.. Ah priorities!

Ray

 

[maple1]

I'm actually waaay behind, and trying to get myself caught up - things haven't been working out the best though time-wise.

 

[jdp1152]

I've got about 2.5 cords of ash and norway maple all ready right now. I've got another cord of ash, sugar maple, norway maple that will likely be fine for next winter if really needed. About 2/3rd of a cord of silver maple that should be ok for next year. 1.5 cords of red oak that will be ready year after. 5 dead ash trees still standing, but nothing I can drop due to house/powerlines. Suppose if we prioritize bringing those down should be plenty ready for winter after next. Several more red oaks and sugar/norway maples that I want to take down, but haven't really had time on a non windy day. Combine all that with a rather large scrounge that I started (White Oak and Silver Maple) that is probably 4-6 cords of wood and I should be fine for quite some time. Just need to find the time for it all. My wife and I have travel schedules through July that will prevent too much effort before it gets too hot.

 

[Thistle]

Approximately 16 cord ready to burn right now (average season use 3-4 cord for supplemental heat,depending on how much I'm home).Not quite 1 cord that'll be ready by late November if its the usual hot/dry July & August here.

I spend 2-4 days in the woods cutting per month,year round depending on weather conditions & work schedule.

 

[Ashful]

Approximately 16 cord ready to burn right now (average season use 3-4 cord for supplemental heat,depending on how much I'm home).

Waitaminnit... aren't you the guy who said he had no wood stove, Thistle?