I think I just got two years ahead

[Andy S.]

I've been hitting singles with a curbside scrounge here and there. Prior to checking CL at just the right time this morning I was a couple of facecords ahead on '15/'16. Finally hit a base-clearing triple. (It would have been a homerun if the Poplar was Oak, but a dump body full of Maple, Cherry, Elm and Black Walnut to go with the Poplar made this a pretty lucky day.

 

[Woody Stover]

Nice grab!

 

[woodsman416]

Not bad, not bad at all.

 

[Shawn Curry]

That poplar can be a real bear to split. I did a couple face cords of that from a few trees that had fallen across my trails. I plan to use it for early/late season, or campfires. That "cherry" there almost looks like black birch to me - aka "sweet" or "cherry" birch. That's actually some great stuff - has a janka hardness comparable to Oak. See if it has a "wintergreen" smell to it when you split it. Smells great when you burn it too.

Nice score.

 

[Andy S.]

That poplar can be a real bear to split.

I just learned that!

I didn't split the Cherry yet because it isn't to length yet.

What I thought was Maple sure isn't like the other Maple I've processed. Any thoughts on the split in this pic? (sitting on top of the rest of the round to show bark)

 

[paul bunion]

Beech

 

[Andy S.]

Beech

Excellent! Maybe it was a home run after all. There is quite a bit of it.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Yep. How much of the beech did you get. That's the best wood out of your haul there.

 

[Andy S.]

How much of the beech did you get.

Still hard to know because a lot of it is buried, but I've already sorted 15-20 rounds. It is going to be some work to process it. Most of the rounds are long... > 18" which means I'll have to cut them down for my small firebox. Will it dry in time for '15/'16?

 

[Paulywalnut]

Still hard to know because a lot of it is buried, but I've already sorted 15-20 rounds. It is going to be some work to process it. Most of the rounds are long... > 18" which means I'll have to cut them down for my small firebox. Will it dry in time for '15/'16?

Beech does dry pretty quickly. Now, seasoned fully might be another thing. If you don't need it let it sit split and stacked as long as possible in sunny windy location.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

The bark looks like beech, but that is a red maple leaf on there. Red maple bark looks alot like beech when young.

 

[Cburke]

I'm gonna have to go with beech on this one. You'll know once it starts to dry the ends of your splits will turn red. I have a lot of beech on my property and about a cord of it CSS at roughly 20 percent mc an the ends have a nice red hue to them. Congrats on the score.

 

[Missouri Frontier]

Good job Andy. Only one more year to go. feels good don't it!

 

[Andy S.]

feels good don't it!

Yes, BUT... part of this year's stash was a mixed hardwood cord of "seasoned" wood I bought last year to get me started. I was very selective on what I burned from it and still have more than two face cords in the stack. I picked out a piece of Oak yesterday and resplit it to see where I stand. 25%. I was bummed. Looks like I'll still need to be a little choosy this year - especially since this year's stash includes plenty of soft Maple that was CSS in late spring.

Getting to 3 years is not possible for everyone due to space but it will be so much less time and work to finally not have to worry about using the meter..

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

The bark looks like beech, but that is a red maple leaf on there. Red maple bark looks alot like beech when young.

I didn't think it was beech, I'd like to see more pics of it for sure....

 

[Andy S.]

I'd like to see more pics of it for sure....

I'll get some more pics in a few days. Up until I split the stuff I assumed soft Maple. It neither splits like it nor smells like it.

 

[Missouri Frontier]

Yes, BUT... part of this year's stash was a mixed hardwood cord of "seasoned" wood I bought last year to get me started. I was very selective on what I burned from it and still have more than two face cords in the stack. I picked out a piece of Oak yesterday and resplit it to see where I stand. 25%. I was bummed. Looks like I'll still need to be a little choosy this year - especially since this year's stash includes plenty of soft Maple that was CSS in late spring.

Getting to 3 years is not possible for everyone due to space but it will be so much less time and work to finally not have to worry about using the meter..

I think we all just get by when we first start. I burned a lot of less than optimum wood last winter. I'm sure there will be some this winter too. I try to be selective as well. But, it is what it is. The way things are going, everything I burn will be properly seasoned for the 15-16 burn season. Heck if I hadn't found the forum, I probably would have been one of those guys that just give up on wood burning after a few years because it just didn't "work right".

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Or a guy like my neighbor that is splitting wood today for the upcoming season.........no joke!....

 

[Andy S.]

Heck if I hadn't found the forum, I probably would have been one of those guys that just give up on wood burning after a few years because it just didn't "work right".

I feel EXACTLY the same way. Even reading this forum every day last year was not enough to save me from the frustration I felt several times. I know for a fact I'd have dropped it like a hot rock if I didn't have this resource. This year will be a much, much better experience thanks to the Wood Shed and some really hard (and fun) work.

 

[Missouri Frontier]

Or a guy like my neighbor that is splitting wood today for the upcoming season.........no joke!....

I have friends that are the same way. They swear up and down that my moisture meter and segregated stacks are just a waste of time and money. "wood is wood. Cut it in the spring. Burn it in the winter." but, these friends run their wood stoves all winter and still burn $2000 in propane a winter. My home has no furnace only a wood stove. The only thing I give the propane man is the middle finger.

 

[Andy S.]

Or a guy like my neighbor that is splitting wood today for the upcoming season.........no joke!....

You just described my brother and my father. They are so bad that I don't trust them to let the good stuff in the pics above sit. I've been taking it home to stack so that it doesn't go in our common pile because I know they'll try to burn it this year. Let 'em waste the poplar if they don't want to listen (and give them a chimney cleaning for Christmas)!

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

You just described my brother and my father. They are so bad that I don't trust them to let the good stuff in the pics above sit. I've been taking it home to stack so that it doesn't go in our common pile because I know they'll try to burn it this year. Let 'em waste the poplar if they don't want to listen (and give them a chimney cleaning for Christmas)!

Now that's a nice present for sure.......

 

[Woody Stover]

red maple leaf on there

Doesn't look like Red leaves I see here...

Looks like I'll still need to be a little choosy this year - especially since this year's stash includes plenty of soft Maple that was CSS in late spring

Have faith; That soft Maple will be good to go.

 

[Andy S.]

The bark looks like beech, but that is a red maple leaf on there. Red maple bark looks alot like beech when young.

I was just splitting and found another piece with a leaf. I won't waste bandwidth with a pic but looks just like the Beech leaf when I googled a pic.Maybe the leaf in my pic was distorted from drying out.