Running Out of Wood?

[wooduser]

So who seems to be running out of wood before running out of winter?

And how do you plan to adapt to that?

 

[weatherguy]

Cut more wood next year, get bio bricks this year.

 

[Hogwildz]

The beauty of being years ahead, is never running out of good dry wood.

 

[jetsam]

If I ran out this year, I wouldn't be able to burn oak again until 2022....

That idea might scare me back into the woods a couple extra times this week, thanks.


Supposing that some exceptionally rude and brave person set my stacks on fire, I'd just start processing deadfall and dead standing pine. I wouldn't miss a day of burning, but I would be a most unhappy camper.

 

[Woody Stover]

If I ran out this year, I wouldn't be able to burn oak again until 2022....
That idea might scare me back into the woods a couple extra times this week, thanks.

You're in the woods every week? I haven't been out there much since a few years ago. As a result, three in-law households are about out of wood. I might have to take my one SIL a trailer load to get her through. I'm gonna have to hit the woods very soon. It's been so windy the last few weeks, I'm afraid to go out there.
Also thinking about giving one of my tree guys a call and see if they can shoot me some Red Maple, which will be ready for sure by this fall, in case some of the dead White Ash I grab here isn't quite dry. My BIL is now burning some White Ash that was split pretty small but only since spring...it isn't quite dry yet.
I have maybe six cords or so left, and I burn two a year. If I give much to my in-laws, the cupboard will be about bare.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Even getting ahead by one year will take the pressure off immensely.

 

[Tar12]

I will be fine this winter and the next and the next...KEY...GET AHEAD! If you have to buy some to jump start your 2-3 year plan then do it!

 

[peakbagger]

I have some Ash in one of my stacks that would be two year old wood next season Worst case is I raid it and cut extra this spring.

 

[buc74]

I'm down to 1.5 cords so I should be ok this year, if not I could grab some wood from the cabin up north. I burn around 3 cords a year and 9 cords drying of oak and ash. My plan was to have already started working on 3 cords of shoulder season wood to give me a buffer. But we have had so much snow here lately no way can I get into the woods yet. Looks l'll be doing this in the spring/summer.

 

[albrown60]

So who seems to be running out of wood before running out of winter?

And how do you plan to adapt to that?

Just bought a load of Canwick compress blocks. For me that is the eco product that burns the hotter and longer. I am stretching my last 1.5 cord of beech. I will cut more this spring, I think these cold snaps are just a sample of what is coming for future winters up here.

 

[maple1]

Ha - I was driving into town yesterday after dark and I damn near hit buddy who was wheeling a wheelbarrow full of wood down the side of the road. He was coming right at me, against a snow bank where there was no sidewalk. No lights on that thing and he had dark clothes on. Had it loaded up pretty good too...

 

[moresnow]

It's been so windy the last few weeks, I'm afraid to go out there.

Agreed!
After getting chased back in the house after a Valentine's supper outing last night I told her I'd had enough! Brrr. I won't be leaving the house until spring I cant get to my stacks or rounds to work on them anyway. Its all drifted in big time. Back to my couch! I have plenty of wood to burn indoors and just out the back door.
Those of you running out are not the first. Most have experienced a shortage somewhere along the way. Best of luck.

 

[Woody5506]

I won't run out but I do kinda regret giving a face cord away earlier this winter since now I might get into next year's wood. Yes it was to a buddy who was in need but, also someone who jokes about me being crazy for hoarding so much wood....obviously only until he runs out I guess.

 

[Woody Stover]

I won't be leaving the house until spring

No snow here so I need to get out there any time it's above 40*. I've made the mistake of waiting until spring or summer, then all the undergrowth has leafed out and I can't see where I need to drive the quad to pick an easy path through. And the ticks are out.

 

[brazilbl]

So who seems to be running out of wood before running out of winter?

And how do you plan to adapt to that?

It happened to me this year. Underestimated my pine inventory.

First of all, don’t feel bad. Happens to nearly all of us. Sure the ones always chime in here that would *never* happen to them and let us know that they have 1000 years worth of prime wood, without offering a solution.

Solution: search for compressed sawdust logs. They can be found at a Tractor Supply or any decent wood stove shop or even a hardware store. I just bought North Idaho Energy logs. Two of them burned for close to three hours and raised the temp of the house by 10 degrees. There’s also another brand called bio brick that come in a six-pack for just a couple of dollars. The logs I bought today will really help for my wife to load the stove in the morning.

After this, you will probably make a pact with yourself never to have this happen again. That’s probably why there’s so many of them boasting of their wood inventory. Can almost guess this happened to them as well!

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I completely enjoy doing wood.. its like a family event. Great father and son time. It took me a month, one weekend was missed due to weather, to process 3.25 cords. Its pretty easy for me to keep up. I'm working on wood for the 24/25 season. I line up wood for me to grab in the summer or fall and then the 2nd week after the new year i go at it.. i have 2 splitters and a T590 trac machine as well as a kubuta 4760 to move wood around.
If I were to get low on wood. Id get a solar kiln going in the summer to get my wood quanitys up in a hurry
This wood that i am gathering now is for 2024
I still have to cut this up

 

[GadDummit]

I thought I was a year ahead. Nasty winter and a busted gas furnace changed my mind! I burned through 3 cords this year so far and I'm probably going to be a half a cord short. Only thing is, I don't have the room for that kind of wood storage. I was full up this year!

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I thought I was a year ahead. Nasty winter and a busted gas furnace changed my mind! I burned through 3 cords this year so far and I'm probably going to be a half a cord short. Only thing is, I don't have the room for that kind of wood storage. I was full up this year!

The one thing that you can do is the solar kiln. Running one in the summer will have your wood seasond in a matter of months and ready to burn by fall. Then theres less wood sitting around

 

[jetsam]

The one thing that you can do is the solar kiln. Running one in the summer will have your wood seasond in a matter of months and ready to burn by fall. Then theres less wood sitting around

Further reading. Those threads are so good!

 

[webby3650]

I won't run out but I do kinda regret giving a face cord away earlier this winter since now I might get into next year's wood. Yes it was to a buddy who was in need but, also someone who jokes about me being crazy for hoarding so much wood....obviously only until he runs out I guess.

I’ve done this several times myself. Still haven’t learned my lesson.

 

[leonardo]

So who seems to be running out of wood before running out of winter?

And how do you plan to adapt to that?

i am somewhat of an old timer. i sell firewood, don't burn it. sold my 38th cord for this season on february 10th. 5 days before prostate surgery. out of wood and out of juice. will resume cssing in april.

 

[thewoodlands]

In 2016 & 17 we had a family members pass, last year we did our own clearing for the new garage so I didn't get much hardwood cut especially after having Plantar Fasciitis. Even after burning the firewood for the heating season 2018 - 19, we'll have 3.5 years of firewood in our inventory.

Before the start of the next heating season, I would like to have 4.5 or 5 years up.

 

[Nateums]

I have been in the position running low before. If you have a wood lot, the best stuff is standing dead, second best is fallen dead that is held off the ground by limbs, if it's in or on the frozen earth, forget about it.

Depending on species you can tell how dry it is by looking at it. Cherry can stand dead for years and years as the heartwood is very rot resistant. It will be dry as a bone. You know it's been standing dead for a long time if all that is left is the trunk, and all the limbs are gone. I remember letting the wood thaw out and using a hatchet to trim off the punky sap wood before throwing it in the stove. That's when you know chit's gettin real.

If the bark has fallen off I have found maple can be dry enough to throw right in the stove too.

Cutting dead wood can be dangerous, but at the same time, when all the limbs have fallen off there's not much weight up top to pull the tree over so you gotta wedge the hell out of it and plan on your back cut being a little deeper than you thought. My experience anyway.

 

[billb3]

I used more pine this year than ever. I was going to run out so in January I split a cord of pine that was in rounds for about ten months. Tested at 17-20% MC . Might be into it in a week or two.
We used a lot more oak than I thought we would. I was hoping to have some of the 4 year seasoned oak left for next year but that bin will be empty in another two weeks.
I have lots of oak for two years from now but it will be too green for next year. Next year we'll be burning lots of red maple.

I was 5 years ahead with oak for a few years and haven't stayed on it lately.
Used more than planned this year and last so next year's stash is kinda lean. After that I'm golden.

 

[SeanBB]

I've used about half of what I expected to use this year. It has been generally quite mild here in the UK and the weather forecast for the next 10 days is for temps well above freezing.