I have quiet for far too long on here.

[lowroadacres]

the last couple of years have been a whirlwind with a job I started 2 and a half years ago that has really taken off for me with a sideline job that is very busy as well.

Needless to say last winter was one of our weakest for wood heat in years. I neglected wood gathering so out stove was only used for emergencies and some ambience.

Our hydro-electric bills reflected the poor preparation on my part.

I have made the commitment to be in better shape for this coming year including plans for a much better stove.

5-6 mornings per week I now walk to a nearby wood lot where I am being very picky about what I cut. We are blessed (?) with a ton of standing dead flood killed ash wood that is testing out at sub 15 percent moisture content on fresh splits.

I carry my cutting gear in on my back to avoid creating tracks into my neighbours crops.

Decided it was time to put some photos up and to re-engage the Hearth.com community.

 

[lowroadacres]

Here are some pics of some of the results so far.

 

[bfitz3]

I love the backpack! Can you add some pics of it? How it's held together? How it holds tools? What fits in? If you had free time (ha ha) would you change it?

 

[moresnow]

Heat bills stink. Not a bad workout regimen as well.

 

[lowroadacres]

The pack is simply an older canvas and wood trappers backpack frame.

I built a simple heavy plywood frame that I lashed to the pack frame.

To the plywood I screwed a milk crate and an old chainsaw case bar protector.

I throw the basic tools, wrench, file and screwdriver into the milk crate with my stump vise.

Along side that the oil and gas go in.

The wood stack I just posted is this morning's 1 tree scrounge.

The wood lot is about a half mile from my house across a neighbour's field.

Working to focus mostly on down and standing dead ash but will cut other species if they are in the way or if they are within the range of being burnable this coming winter.

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

I don't understand. You backpack your cutting gear in to avoid driving over your neighbors fields, how do you get the wood out? Drive through the field in the winter?

That's some nice looking wood. That type of moisture meter is designed to be inserted parallel to the grain for the most accurate reading. It should read more wet when measuring parallel but the difference will vary with the species.

 

[lowroadacres]

Thank-you for the tip on the moisture meter use.

As far as getting the wood home, I will be letting it further season in the woodlot which is isolated from any risk of others taking the fruit of my labours home.

At this stage the plan is to wait until the crop is harvested late summer. If the farmer themselves make a trail across for any purpose I will likely bring the wood home earlier with my tractor and trailer or Jeep and trailer.

 

[weatherguy]

Thank-you for the tip on the moisture meter use.

As far as getting the wood home, I will be letting it further season in the woodlot which is isolated from any risk of others taking the fruit of my labours home.

At this stage the plan is to wait until the crop is harvested late summer. If the farmer themselves make a trail across for any purpose I will likely bring the wood home earlier with my tractor and trailer or Jeep and trailer.

That makes sense, for a minute I thought you were carrying out one round at a time in your backpack.

 

[lowroadacres]

I can see how you got that impression.

We have a few options for getting the firewood home. Tractor and trailer, truck, truck and trailer and I just picked up an 88 Cherokee XJ that both of my trailers can work with.

The picture are this morning's haul.

Pile from that tree will almost double when I finish the two trunk chunks that I was going to save for lumber except I looked close and the tree has a bad fault running the entire length.

That fault makes it both easier to split and means it's drier already than I thought it would be.