When do you begin gathering wood for the next burn season?

[Charlene Kravec]

Are you getting the wood put by in the Fall or whenever you can?

I also saw that some mark the year the wood was split and stacked. Do you have any other way of identifying when wood was split and stacked? I'm trying to ascertain a way of determining the age of the stack's contents. Color coding? I may be overthinking this. We're going to have a larger wood shed this year.

Thanks.

 

[BobUrban]

2yrs ago. Some mark their stacks but this is not rocket science so even as bad as my memory is I can remember which stacks(or end of the stacks) was put up last.

I do all my cutting or at least 99% during the winter from December thru mud season and then shut it down for the year and start splitting and stacking with the goal to at least Dbl. what I use during this season. In no time I am 3/4/5yrs ahead and beyond.

 

[woodsman416]

Last spring I put up my wood for next year. Now I'm working on wood for 2015/2016 and beyond.

 

[nmaho]

I have been working through the winter when the woods are easy to get through and the heat is not to bad.

 

[Paulywalnut]

I'm always on the prowl for wood. Like a wood wolf. If you have a close relationship with your stacks you just know whose turn it is to get burnt.

 

[red oak]

I have different stacks for the wood that I will burn in a given season. I have 3 main stacks, each one designed to last a full season and then some. When I use one, I try to replace it before the next winter. I don't color code or mark them, I just remember which one is oldest.

 

[paul bunion]

I let my tree guy do my gathering. But the loads are more the I can use in a year so I get to take some years off. I wind up keeping 2-4 years worth of wood stacked up. I do nothing to mark them. After handling it all I just know where in the rotation any row of wood is. If you really want to know the age just take a sharpie and write the date on some of the ends.

 

[Wood Duck]

I try to stay two years ahead, so in the winter I cut wood for a winter that is two years or more in the future. I usually cut in the winter because in the summer I have other things I like to do.

I do not mark my stacks, just try to remember how old each stack is. If I can't tell the difference between one stack and another, I assume it doesn't matter which one I burn first.

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

i have one large stack which is ~ 4 years worth. Start burning from the oldest end. When you have finished burning for the season replenish what you have used - then when you start burning again start where you left off the previous season. Any excess wood that you gather start a new stash. Repeat every year and you have a rolling FIFO system.

Only downside you need to be 4 years in front as stacking this close together needs extra drying time.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

When to get wood for the next burning season? That wood should have been put up already! We got wood for next year from the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 winters.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I think the correct answer is atleast 2 years ago.......

 

[Fire Breathing Dragon]

I do my gathering as it is available throughout the year, just try to stay at least 2 years ahead. I develop a spreadsheet to detail the wood type, date it was cut, and date split. I make a chart that is laid out in the same pattern as my pallets and I can also map out how much wood I burn each year to make better guestimates for future years. If the computer dies I would use the sharpie.

 

[JoeyD]

Since I got three years ahead I start gathering around mid October, right after our pumpkin carving party. Mainly because I stack my rounds right near the pole barn that we have the party in and it would be in the way. That and I already enough "got enough wood yet?" questions.

I stack there all winter and when spring comes I split and stack before it gets to hot.

 

[gerry100]

'14/'15 wood has been in the shed since Nov.( cut in March/April)

About 35 hrs cutting Feb/April, another 35 in the fall for the '15/'16 season

 

[osagebow]

Always looking! Depending on what you cut/ scrounge you might move stuff that seasons quicker up in the batting order. My sassafrass , maple and and pine (1 year to dry) will mostly go in front of the locust/oak (3 years to dry, ideally. ) The quick drying wood above should also be used up in spring /fall to save the higher btu stuff for winter.
Just about out of high btu osage and mulberry.

 

[Applesister]

Hypothetically, at the very least, if you are processing one year at a time, all the wood you burn for next season should all be stacked already, (minimum 1 year) before the first day that you started burning.
And, that is ONLY giving the wood the minimum of 1 year of drying.
By calendar rotation...for example...
I start burning usually on Columbus weekend (middle of October) so by this last October all next years wood was stacked and drying. Or should be.

 

[Applesister]

I think years ago on farms when all the other farm business was concluded, gathering wood filled the vacuum between harvesting and planting. And so it is with me.

 

[Rickb]

I don't have the space for more then a year to a year and and a half worth of wood. That said I have 3 long racks. once 1 rack is empty I start looking for wood. I usually have all 3 filled by the end of april.

 

[Applesister]

The advise here will be to work around the clock until you are 3 yrs ahead.
However you can get there.

 

[TradEddie]

I don't ever stop, so there is no need to begin..

I'm at a low point now, probably not enough wood c/s/s to get me through 2016/2017. "Luckily" there is a large oak arching over my house which will need to be taken down soon, not something I can do myself, so my 2017 wood will be quite expensive.

TE

 

[UncleJoe]

.


<<====l I just built this shed last spring and it will hold 2 seasons worth of wood. The pic was taken around May of last year and it's filled now. This season I'm pulling off the left side. The 2 rows on the left are almost gone and I'll be starting the 3rd row around the end of this month. Next season will be the right side and I'll start filling the left side as soon as it's cleared out to the back wall. With this new shed, I can keep 2 years under roof at all times.

 

[osagebow]

I don't ever stop, so there is no need to begin..

I'm at a low point now, probably not enough wood c/s/s to get me through 2016/2017. "Luckily" there is a large oak arching over my house which will need to be taken down soon, not something I can do myself, so my 2017 wood will be quite expensive.

TE

yep, 3 potential housekillers make up my 15-16 stash. 1000 bucks.

 

[TradEddie]

1000 bucks.

I'll be paying at least that much just for one. Although a straight drop would miss the house by a few feet, it overhangs power lines and will snag on another tree.
When we moved in, there was an almost identical dead oak directly over the master bedroom. At least I don't have to go far to find my firewood.

TE

 

[osagebow]

wow...

 

[weatherguy]

I have 6 racks that hold 2 cords each, when a rack is empty I fill it, all my racks were filled this fall and I have some wood on deck to be split so I already have some replacement wood for the next rack that empties.