What Is In Your Stove Right Now?

[ctreitzell]

OK, so what is Hazel?

So, which hazel is it? OK, I'll shut up!

Hazel, is essentially a weed here. I have hazel, oak, siberian elm, chestnut, Poplar, holly, cherry, maple, blackthorn and Hawthorn and some ivy species tree (I don’t recognise nor burn) growing in the borders of my properties here. It is not witchazel.

Here’s a photo:
(Obviously not mine)

When I first got here, I bought some firewood and the supplier (a farmer) delivered a lot of white oak and there was some hazel, too. I complained that hazel is not good firewood. He disagreed and informed me hazel is hardwood…Ok…

Then I did some research. One article essentially said that it is a shame to burn hazel. The reason is hazel grows very straight and is easy to split accurately and therefore has so many better uses than firewood. I use it for stakes, posts, levers. Many people here use hazel for handles in sledgehammers. In older barns, the upstairs floor is split hazel spanning joists as a kind of sheeting and then about 6” of clay on top and that is a very sturdy floor!

Needless to say, I have a lot of junk hazel. Plenty that just dies. Plus, it grows very fast; so I always have to keep it under control. Hazel is great kindling and it flames up well so when we need a kick of heat, a few sticks of hazel on a bed of coals gives a nice boost.

Here is some of the hazel on my property :

The larger stand of 3 on the right is chestnut. The two stands of sticks in the middle are hazel. I coppiced them last February and the larger branches are on the ground. Before the coppicing these were just unapproachable, ivy infested, messes.

This is the same area after cleaning up the coppicing. That pile next to the SUV is 90% hazel; some pieces 16-18 feet long. And 2-8 inch rounds; it’s good firewood. Also the branches hanging over the car are hazel.

When I first got here, I used to look down my nose at folks wasting their time handling and stowing branches and not splits. I have adapted. Is it choice firewood? Nah, not like the oak and elm…but it serves an excellent purpose for kindling; and makes a nice supplement to my firewood mix

 

[ctreitzell]

Today’s fire to accompany us through the playoffs tonight

1 chestnut/ 1 Wht oak
Elm/ Oak/ Holly/ Hazel

 

[thewoodlands]

We've been burning ash and with the warmer temps, I haven't been paying attention to them.

 

[ctreitzell]

Hazel on fire

 

[stoveliker]

The stove has been lit again.
Two pine shorties, a sassafras ugly, and some oak scraps to warm up the basement.