Taking stock in my wood supply; getting back up there!!!

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CountryBoy19

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Jul 29, 2010
962
Southern IN
5 years ago when I started burning I had no idea how much wood I would need so I went crazy gathering wood. I ended up with right around 20 cords. As it turns out, with my EPA rated stove I burn 2.5-5 cords per year (most mild & coldest winters, respectively). I haven't cut any major wood scores since I first cut in 2010 and spring of 2011. Not because I was being lazy but because I had a lot going on; spent almost a year of that time-frame in Afghanistan; and more time spent training up before the trips and time catching up around home when I returned. I didn't have time to cut wood, so it was a back-burner project unless I came across SUPER EASY wood scores.

I entered this past winter with about 3 cords of oak, 3 cords of black locust and just a bit less than 4 cords of hedge. Came out of this winter with very little oak (maybe 1/4 cord), 1 cord of black locust, and 3-3/4 cord of hedge.

My black locust and hedge scores are few and far between, I don't want to waste them, they are an absolute necessity on those super cold days. So it was time to get at it. Through a neighbor, a friend, and a coworker I've come to several scores that will amount to a significant amount of wood for my stash.

I've picked up 3-1/2 cords of yellow poplar and soft-maple through a neighbor and a friend, respectively.
From my coworker (who is clearing a lot for land) I've picked up 2-1/2 cords of oak and 1-1/2 cords of hickory (mixed species). I still have several trees to cut at his place. There is part of a soft-maple top, a small hard-maple, a decent sized hard-maple, and a rather large (~28" DBH) shagbark hickory. I'm expecting at least 2 more cords of maple (mostly hard) and 2 more cords of hickory. That will be a total of 11-1/2 cords picked up in the last few months and put me back up to 16-1/2 cords.

Another possibility is from the same neighbor that the poplar came from; he has 6 small hickory trees he wants to take down (it pays to take the lesser wood to help a neighbor out sometimes). He is supposed to let me know when he takes them down so I can help; he hasn't let me know yet (but they're at least still there so I know he didn't give them to somebody else).


(not counting my punk/chunk/ugly stacks used for camping)
 
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If you have the room and time, make hay when the sun is shining!

Sounds like you have been busy!
 
If you have the room and time, make hay when the sun is shining!

Sounds like you have been busy!
No kidding! When the opportunity presents itself and I don't have to go out seeking/searching for wood, I'll take it. The only problem is that I'm starting to run out of room. After I burned some wood the first couple years I built a shed where some of my wood-stacks used to be... I may have to get creative if those other 6 hickory trees come through... I'm almost hoping he decides to hold off a few more years on those because I'm not so sure I can burn through all this hickory/oak in the next few years (I know, that's a rough problem to have).
 
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That sounds like a high quality problem to have.
 
That sounds like a high quality problem to have.
It's a "good" problem to have except when you've let your supply "easily replaced wood" get down there and all the wood you've been scoring is stuff that take 2-3 years to season. I'm hoping that between the hard maple (plan is to cut that tree down tomorrow), the little bit of leftover oak, all the silver-maple & poplar, and a couple of the hickory trees that were dead, uprooted and seemingly very dry, I can get enough wood seasoned for this coming winter so I don't have to unnecessarily burn through my locust and hedge stash.
 
And yesterday, after work, a load of wood "fell into my lap". Right near my house (1/4 mi. away) they are building a store, they cut down 2 red maples and put them by the road. I stopped and asked the tree crew and they said they were for anybody that wanted them. Probably could have brought home 3 cords of the stuff but half was punky, and 1/4 was covered in poison oak vines. I took just about all the good wood that wasn't covered in vines and left the rest for others to take. Most of it was there this morning still, and will likely remain there for a week at least.
 
I took just about all the good wood that wasn't covered in vines and left the rest for others to take.
You're in So.IN, man, everything is covered in poison ivy....go back and get the rest. ;lol Red Maple is about the best you can get for quick-drying wood. I'm working behind my BIL's right now and the ivy is thick. Most of it is knee-high but a few are up to my waist. Luckily it's not too hot...I may wear a long-sleeved shirt today. The ticks aren't as active on these cool days, either. ==c
 
You're in So.IN, man, everything is covered in poison ivy....go back and get the rest. ;lol Red Maple is about the best you can get for quick-drying wood. I'm working behind my BIL's right now and the ivy is thick. Most of it is knee-high but a few are up to my waist. Luckily it's not too hot...I may wear a long-sleeved shirt today. The ticks aren't as active on these cool days, either. ==c
Lol, I'm at the point that I can be picky, I'm starting to run low on space to keep it all and thus-far I've been able to stay away from poison ivy. No sense jumping in it now...
 
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