Work Done 2024

[Wisco Shepherd]

Originally I was planning on taking the summer off and then using the fall to get ahead but with recent storms Marketplace has wood a plenty. Scored this load of silver maple yesterday from a gentleman who even used his bobcat to help load up.

 

[thewoodlands]

On Sunday night my plan was that I would go looking for some downed firewood today but since it was a nice/dry day, I mowed all the trails along with getting behind the push mower, the lawn is mowed.

 

[MRD1985]

The MS261 and the axes have been busy this week up in Maine.

Mostly red pine, some white oak and red maple in the small hardwood pile, dead from the moths or damaged from the winter. We try to leave the hardwoods alone unless dead or damaged

 

[thewoodlands]

When I was just getting ready for lunch, some English Muffins, I heard a crashing noise. I told the wife it sounded like a tree so I went out front where we had a pine widow maker for years, the top part finally rotted (broke off) which allowed the rest to come down. I was looking for the original picture on the computer and the site but I deleted it off the computer. I think it has been up there a good 3 or 4 years.

We'll get some useful shoulder season wood out of it with some of the rotten wood getting used in the outdoor fireplace or taken to the town wood dump.

I was wrong about how long it was hung up, it was 12/3/2022 when I posted it, this is what came down today.

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

I went and got the last load that I felt like scrounging for the summer I'll have a friend drop a load of logs off in a few weeks. Almost all of this is Ash. I'm curious as to how many cords the stuff on the ground will end up at when all said and done. Splitting tomorrow.

 

[Garbanzo62]

Finally got the tree top that snapped off two years ago but was hung up until a few weeks ago processed along with another tree limb that had come down. Lib looks to be Maple and the tree top I think is Ash, Splits measured 35% and 25% respectively. In the same stack but separate rows. Probably won't burn for a few years. Guessing a bit under 1/2 cord.

 

[thewoodlands]

We had some firewood covered but today before the heavy rains hit, I covered another 11 face cord of hardwood for a total of 22. I had told a neighbor that we would give them 1 face cord of Ironwood for this year so we'll have 21 for us.

We usually buy pellets every year but didn't this year, I think we have 9 or 10 bags left.

 

[mpaul]

Local tree company dropped off a small load of logs. Looks like a mix of oak and maple. He needed to clear out some of his lot from the storm that hit a few weeks back. He’s trying to see if he can bring his triaxle up here for my next delivery. Looking forward to that delivery. Not looking forward to cutting this up in the heat we’ve all been enduring.

 

[shortys7777]

About .85 cord from my calculations. Mostly maple.

 

[thewoodlands]

This must've happened when we had the last heavy rains, after I bucked it up, it went to the splitting area. The main trunk is still up, I have some cleanup that'll do so my escape route is open. I'm not sure if that split goes all the way through but even with a plunge cut, it looks like a barber chair waiting to happen.

 

[EODMSgt]

@thewoodlands I've got a lot of catching up to do to see what you've accomplished over the last couple years. I've been out of the firewood hoarding scene for a couple years due to health reasons and am just getting back into it (thankfully I was almost four years ahead with my hoard, so I didn't run out). Going to take a long time to build up my hoard again (I was close to 20 cords CSS). I didn't see any recent posts 'over there' so I figured you would be posting here. Glad to see you're still at it and looking forward to seeing your annual progress.

This was my first scrounge in a long time, but not a bad way to get back into it! Was tooling along a back dirt road a couple weeks ago (on public land) and came across an ash that had come down across the road during the winter and been cut up by someone. No sawdust anywhere so I'm betting it was cut and cleared by the snowmobile club months ago to keep the trail open. The rounds were just pushed off into the woods and there for the taking. Went back one morning with a ramp and got five, got home and realized I had forgotten my peavey, so went back and grabbed a few more while I was at it. Good sized rounds but easy enough to roll up the ramp. Nice when five rounds almost fills the bed of the truck.

 

[heavy hammer]

I was able to cut up all the log piles I had and get it stacked and cleaned up.

 

[thewoodlands]

@thewoodlands I've got a lot of catching up to do to see what you've accomplished over the last couple years. I've been out of the firewood hoarding scene for a couple years due to health reasons and am just getting back into it (thankfully I was almost four years ahead with my hoard, so I didn't run out). Going to take a long time to build up my hoard again (I was close to 20 cords CSS). I didn't see any recent posts 'over there' so I figured you would be posting here. Glad to see you're still at it and looking forward to seeing your annual progress.

This was my first scrounge in a long time, but not a bad way to get back into it! Was tooling along a back dirt road a couple weeks ago (on public land) and came across an ash that had come down across the road during the winter and been cut up by someone. No sawdust anywhere so I'm betting it was cut and cleared by the snowmobile club months ago to keep the trail open. The rounds were just pushed off into the woods and there for the taking. Went back one morning with a ramp and got five, got home and realized I had forgotten my peavey, so went back and grabbed a few more while I was at it. Good sized rounds but easy enough to roll up the ramp. Nice when five rounds almost fills the bed of the truck.

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It's good to hear from you again, hopefully you feel good enough that you can start getting more firewood. With all the rain & heat this summer, I've pretty much been mowing and the only cutting I've done is from storm damage.

That's some nice looking firewood, good grab. When you're ahead on your firewood, it makes it easier if you're out of the game a bit.

I've just been posting here for my own reasons but since I started here, I'll end my firewood collecting days here.

We have possible storms coming in today and tomorrow, heavy rains, hail with high winds, if it does happen hopefully the only damage it does is to some hardwood trees that might be suspect already.

 

[thewoodlands]

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I was able to cut up all the log piles I had and get it stacked and cleaned up.

@heavy hammer , you've been busy, nice job. Is your area in for some cooler weather?

 

[thewoodlands]

Today was another day mowing but with the trail mower, all the trails are done but with the high humidity along with the possibility of heavy rains hitting this area today and tomorrow, it won't be long before I'm back at it.

 

[heavy hammer]

I don't think until later this week it is close to 90 now. We had rain this morning but temps have been in the mid 80's for awhile now. They keep talking about potential storms but probably just because of the heat.

 

[thewoodlands]

I don't think until later this week it is close to 90 now. We had rain this morning but temps have been in the mid 80's for awhile now. They keep talking about potential storms but probably just because of the heat.

I'm not sure what the high was today, maybe 85. The weather in western ny looks pretty chitty at the moment, one Tornado Warning so we should be getting something later.

 

[EODMSgt]

It's good to hear from you again, hopefully you feel good enough that you can start getting more firewood. With all the rain & heat this summer, I've pretty much been mowing and the only cutting I've done is from storm damage.

That's some nice looking firewood, good grab. When you're ahead on your firewood, it makes it easier if you're out of the game a bit.

I've just been posting here for my own reasons but since I started here, I'll end my firewood collecting days here.

We have possible storms coming in today and tomorrow, heavy rains, hail with high winds, if it does happen hopefully the only damage it does is to some hardwood trees that might be suspect already.

I remember over the years when I was building up my hoard when people would often comment "don't you have enough?" One never knows what will happen and I always looked at the firewood hoard as money in the bank. It paid off being so many years ahead when I couldn't get out and process firewood for several years. As you mentioned, with this record heat and humidity, I'm not breaking any speed records getting out there and processing at the moment.

The rebuilding of my hoard will be aided somewhat by a lot of standing dead on my own property. We were hit especially hard in 21-22 by severe gypsy moth caterpillar defoliation (tens of thousands of acres in my region), and I can count at least 30 trees that need to come down just while looking from my deck (mostly red oak). Depressing to lose all those old oaks, and many were the tall shade trees around my house, so the ambiance of the property has completely changed. Need to make the best of it though, and they will be gradually added to my hoard. Unfortunately, I'll have to pay for the ones that are right near the house as they are just too close for me to feel comfortable taking them down. Had the tree company come by a couple weeks ago and am waiting on an estimate.

It's always something.

 

[thewoodlands]

I remember over the years when I was building up my hoard when people would often comment "don't you have enough?" One never knows what will happen and I always looked at the firewood hoard as money in the bank. It paid off being so many years ahead when I couldn't get out and process firewood for several years. As you mentioned, with this record heat and humidity, I'm not breaking any speed records getting out there and processing at the moment.

The rebuilding of my hoard will be aided somewhat by a lot of standing dead on my own property. We were hit especially hard in 21-22 by severe gypsy moth caterpillar defoliation (tens of thousands of acres in my region), and I can count at least 30 trees that need to come down just while looking from my deck (mostly red oak). Depressing to lose all those old oaks, and many were the tall shade trees around my house, so the ambiance of the property has completely changed. Need to make the best of it though, and they will be gradually added to my hoard. Unfortunately, I'll have to pay for the ones that are right near the house as they are just too close for me to feel comfortable taking them down. Had the tree company come by a couple weeks ago and am waiting on an estimate.

It's always something.

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You're correct, when the wood inventory is pretty much full or four years ahead, not c/s/s makes it easier. With all the rain we've had, the bugs are the worst we've seen since moving here in 2003 after the house was built.

We did the same with two big dead white pine, one could've hit the house and the other the propane tank. It hurts some when you pay the bill but well worth it.

We had the caterpillars hit years back, it was really bad. Because our town didn't hire someone to spray soon enough, they did it the next year, we haven't had it like that since. If you went for a walk in the woods, they would drop allover you. Once they hit the ground, they would crawl up to the house and get on the cellar walls, it looked like a bad hair piece moving on the foundation.

 

[NickW]

Cut up most of a tornado dropped pine blocking the driveway on the back side of the cabin so we had access to unload some stuff directly into the basement. Might get a couple of pines blocking the trail to the water. Haven't been up much, still dealing with the remodel at home. Found the wall with the leak is partially rotten...

 

[thewoodlands]

No firewood work was done today but I did get behind the push mower for about 3 hours today. Everything around the house and garage is done, hopefully tomorrow, I'll get the everything else done.

 

[qwee]

I put in 5 or 6 hours starting at daybreak (to stay cool). I went to a dump site. I never know how something like this is going to go because of dirty large wood in stump-form. But things went smoothly. My chain stayed sharp for a couple of hours before I sharpened it. No real problems. Dirty wood jobs like this would have frustrated me in the past. Having the right tools makes a big difference (sharp chains, too). I only used one saw, today, and filled a 2-cord trailer.

With my truck in 4x4, I would pull the stumps out of a tangled mess and then cut off 2 or 3 rounds. My 20" bar was buried in wood most of the time. This chain is going to have a short life due to stretch - oh well. Looks like there is one trailer load left of Black Locust, elm, and Russian Olive. But first, I am going to split these 2 cords right off of the trailer with a 10-ton hydro splitter. This Siberian Elm is (mostly) easy to split - and it is dry and ready to burn. Good day.

 

[Gearhead660]

Too hot or raining, so not much getting done in the woods. City dropped off a load and storm dropped a pear tree for me, so processed them.

 

[Jonathco]

Well, my stack is not nearly as beautiful as some of y'alls, but we're still learning. This winter will be our second season of heating full time with wood, and we finally got the last of the wood stacked for 2024/2025. Now, to get it covered on top!

A ton of cherry, white oak, locust, with some box elder and elm mixed in.

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

Well, my stack is not nearly as beautiful as some of y'alls, but we're still learning. This winter will be our second season of heating full time with wood, and we finally got the last of the wood stacked for 2024/2025. Now, to get it covered on top!

A ton of cherry, white oak, locust, with some box elder and elm mixed in.

Think the oak and locust will be ready this fall?