Why Do You Need So Much Firewood?

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Mr A

Mr A

Minister of Fire
Nov 18, 2011
600
N. California
I'm out in front of the house splitting a few rounds and a neighborhood kid stops on his bike and asks me this question- "Why do you need so much firewood?" I laughed a bit. Why do you ride your bike up and down the street?, It's just something to do I told him. I live an average suburban lot. I have 7 cords, split and stacked along my fence line like Hadrian s Wall, a cord of rounds in the driveway. By this coming winter, just about all of the wood I have will be seasoned, and I burned just 2 cords last winter. I'm thinking I have a few seasons worth, and am well ahead. I think I need to stop scrounging for a couple years. Get it to where I have enough seasoned for a current winter, and a few cords that will be ready for the next winter.
 
I've had people stop and ask how much my firewood costs. I've had some give me some pretty blank stares when I tell them it's not for sale.
 
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Oh I love how non-burners make comments like I have enough wood to last a lifetime when really Im telling myself im behind because im not even 2 years ahead. _g
 
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My sis uses oil and asked the same thing the other day. I replied, if you had someplace to store oil and had the time and tools to go get it for next to no cost...you would, right? She said "I guess so" but I don't think she understood.
Her husband said that wood will rot before you get to burn it to which I replied, when's the last time you saw dry wood rotting :)
 
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My in laws swear that all my firewood will rot because I have so much in stacks . (they burn wood the same year it's cut ) I quit explaining to them that if it's covered ,and off the ground ,that it'll keep for years .
Last fall I had folks stop by thinking that I was running a saw mill :) .
 
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Nixon said:
My in laws swear that all my firewood will rot because I have so much in stacks.
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Just tell them that's why the 2x4s in the house and the hard wood flooring and the deck and the (insert wood product ad nauseum) rots so dang fast...
 
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bmblank said:
Just tell them that's why the 2x4s in the house and the hard wood flooring and the deck and the (insert wood product ad nauseum) rots so dang fast...
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Been down that path with similar comments . The answer I got is "well ,that's just different than firewood ! " They actually do cover their fresh split wood . They completely cover it with plastic so that it won't get wet before they need it that winter . Whatever works for them , I guess ! :)
 
Mr A said:
I'm out in front of the house splitting a few rounds and a neighborhood kid stops on his bike and asks me this question- "Why do you need so much firewood?" I laughed a bit. Why do you ride your bike up and down the street?, It's just something to do I told him. I live an average suburban lot. I have 7 cords, split and stacked along my fence line like Hadrian s Wall, a cord of rounds in the driveway. By this coming winter, just about all of the wood I have will be seasoned, and I burned just 2 cords last winter. I'm thinking I have a few seasons worth, and am well ahead. I think I need to stop scrounging for a couple years. Get it to where I have enough seasoned for a current winter, and a few cords that will be ready for the next winter.
Click to expand...

And I've had young and old alike ask why I ride my bike so fast too. I never thought of myself as a fast rider nor as a wood hoarder.

Nixon, I've seen folks so the same. A fellow who used to live about a mile from us really thinks he is the tops in the knowledge department. Normally he never had enough wood on hand to worry about covering but one year he had to go away for a while. So that his nice green wood wouldn't get went while he was gone, he covered it; the whole thing! No air could get through it at all. But, when he got back there was no snow or rain in top of his wood pile...
 
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Backwoods Savage said:
And I've had young and old alike ask why I ride my bike so fast too. I never thought of myself as a fast rider nor as a wood hoarder.

Nixon, I've seen folks so the same. A fellow who used to live about a mile from us really thinks he is the tops in the knowledge department. Normally he never had enough wood on hand to worry about covering but one year he had to go away for a while. So that his nice green wood wouldn't get went while he was gone, he covered it; the whole thing! No air could get through it at all. But, when he got back there was no snow or rain in top of his wood pile...
Click to expand...
Hey , Nothing is better than a dry green wood pile ! :) You would have loved the conversation We had when they saw me splitting some Larch (Tamarack ) . Started off by one of them asking what it was ,eventually got around to " it's full of Creosote !!!! ". My answer has resulted in Me not being invited to Thanks giving and Christmas dinners at their place . :( Kinda disappointed about that ,as I'd love to see the looks on their faces when they realize the noise in their flue is indeed a chimney fire !! :) Jan doesn't find it in the least funny when I ask Her if she is sure that she wasn't adopted ,as She is so different from the rest of her family :).
 
I've got some nosy neighbors in the back across the road from where I stack my firewood, the kid would come over and ask questions which I knew were for his mom so I would tell him its cheaper then fence and leave it at that. To be honest they are so dumb I'm certain they didn't get it.
 
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"Why do you have so much?" "Do you sell it or something?" "Why are you still cutting in the January cold/August heat....?" "You know,it will rot before you use it all...."

I used to hear that crap all the time,hardly at all now finally.
 
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PapaDave said:
Turned off the hearing aids, eh Thistle?:p
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Nah I just ignore people now.Not my fault they're stupid & cant/wont understand simple explanations for the 10th time. ;lol
 
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I learned this in high school pretty much when people would ask me why I hunt. It just got completely ridiculous trying to explain this stuff to them, so I quit. I just started to reply with "If you do not do it, there is nothing I can say to you that will make you understand it." I have found that it applies to fishing, shooting, cycling, and now wood burning too. Once in a blue moon a light will go off in somebody's head, but it isn't very often.
 
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fabsroman said:
Once in a blue moon a light will go off in somebody's head, but it isn't very often.
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Finally someone else testifies to the light and voices in our heads ! I thought only Scotty ,MM and I heard the "buy more saws , cut more wood " voices ! :)
 
People that don't burn wood and even some that do don't know the real benefit of 3 year old dry wood and they don't realize just how much it takes when you heat with it 24/7 in the winter. Luckily no comments from the neighbors yet. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MCUH WOOD:)
 
fabsroman said:
I learned this in high school pretty much when people would ask me why I hunt. It just got completely ridiculous trying to explain this stuff to them, so I quit. I just started to reply with "If you do not do it, there is nothing I can say to you that will make you understand it." I have found that it applies to fishing, shooting, cycling, and now wood burning too. Once in a blue moon a light will go off in somebody's head, but it isn't very often.
Click to expand...

Tell them eating deer reduces your carbon footprint. Quick, offbeat, and true!
 
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