Gathering fallen timber for firewood

[nybirdman]

Doesn't make sense even if the wood is free/doing a clean up.Been there done that.I cut 30 face cords for years and finally put in a propane stove for back-up.Cutting wood is time consuming,expensive and dangerous.

 

[TnAndy]

Any problems with bugs in the wood while storing in your house?

No, not really. Few wood roaches from time to time, occasional mouse.

 

[TnAndy]

Cutting wood is time consuming,expensive and dangerous.

Not to mention good exercise and fun

 

[Molalla1]

SF Bay Area... but Olympia WA also has started with no burn periods and stringent wood stove requirements.

We have no burn periods here . . . . not so much stringent wood stove requirements especially grandfathered homes and land.

 

[Molalla1]

We moved in our house on New Year's Day, 1985. It was 69 degrees for a high. Three weeks later, it hit -21, a record here in East TN. We were heating with a fireplace, and I had almost no wood cut ahead. Resolved THAT would never happen again, and since then, I've kept at least a year ahead cut. Last few years, I've keep 2-3 years ahead (4-6 cords/yr)

As soon as I move the contents of one of my four 4 cord sheds to the basement, I begin refilling for 2-3 winters out.

Sheds under construction: (Just barely slide out the 12' x10' roll up door in the shop)

Roof and hose 'em down with paint out in the driveway:

Drag to various locations around the farm, and fill:

4 cords in the basement:

Nice Tn! . . . we are the same way.

 

[Oaktree]

We moved in our house on New Year's Day, 1985. It was 69 degrees for a high. Three weeks later, it hit -21, a record here in East TN. We were heating with a fireplace, and I had almost no wood cut ahead. Resolved THAT would never happen again, and since then, I've kept at least a year ahead cut. Last few years, I've keep 2-3 years ahead (4-6 cords/yr)

As soon as I move the contents of one of my four 4 cord sheds to the basement, I begin refilling for 2-3 winters out.

Yeah, I like to keep 2-3 years ahead myself. Any further out and it gets punky before you can use it. I only store "this year's" wood in a shed, the rest is stacked outside and tarped.

I can relate to your 1985 story. I bought my first house in Dec '77. The furnace was very undersized, it ran constantly and still wouldn't keep the house more than 62° or so. Oil bill was thru the roof. Got a woodstove in January but didn't have much in the way of wood...cut a trailer's worth of dead standing at my parents' house but wasn't nearly enough so I had to ration it. From then on I made sure I stayed ahead of it.

Have watched a huge red mulberry die in my front yard for decades. Planted or left centuries ago around the pioneer homestead. Dead 15 years ago, 4 at base still some limbs 50-60? Poison ivy and Virginia creeper vines cover most of it. It is a wildlife magnet. Preferred perch for hawks and owls. Pileated wood peckers use the dead limbs as sounding boards for their mating territory. Hummingbirds nest in it. Flocks of turkeys have roosted overnight. Home to raccoons and squirrels in the hollows. Always puts on a good show. My point is dead trees play a vital role in forest health. There are better options for firewood.

You're right about dead trees' benefits in nature, just not sure I'd want one (especially one as huge as yours) in my front yard where when (not if) it came down in a storm it would likely cause major damage.

I am glad there are still places you don� need a permit to install a light circuit or a toilet.

Me too.
Actually, there's very little you need one for where I live.

 

[Jstpssng]

I'm supposed to notify the town when I do improvements, so that they can raise my taxes. The last time that I had anything done I had to break down and take a mortgage... the appraisal after spending 25K came in for less than what I'm already paying taxes on. I told the town clerk that if they raised my taxes because of the improvements we were going to be having a discussion. They got the hint..

 

[BoylermanCT]

My brother tries to convert me to a gas fireplace like he has. Point the remote and you have fire. He tells me we have moved beyond the gatherer stage of evolution whenever I am cutting firewood. But as long as I can do it physically, I will enjoy a real wood fire.

As for permits and inspections, insurance can deny claims if you burn down your house and they find out the wood stove was not permitted and inspected.

I for one appreciate the benefits of permits and inspections. Don't like paying for them, but understand their purpose. The original owner of my house did not believe in them, and we have had to re-do a ton of wiring, plumbing and other things that I wish had been done the right way the first time. I was putting in a stone walkway from my house to our chicken coop, digging 3" down and I hit the electric line going from the house to the garage.

 

[TnAndy]

My brother tries to convert me to a gas fireplace like he has. Point the remote and you have fire. He tells me we have moved beyond the gatherer stage of evolution whenever I am cutting firewood. But as long as I can do it physically, I will enjoy a real wood fire.

Yeah....LOT of folks have moved beyond that stage of evolution, and are totally dependent on SOMEONE ELSE to be willing, and able, to go to work to provide them with the basics to support life. I get that....and I get that not everybody is willing to do much
for themselves. But if the day ever comes that they HAVE to, boy, are they in for a deadly surprise.

I for one appreciate the benefits of permits and inspections. Don't like paying for them, but understand their purpose. The original owner of my house did not believe in them, and we have had to re-do a ton of wiring, plumbing and other things that I wish had been done the right way the first time. I was putting in a stone walkway from my house to our chicken coop, digging 3" down and I hit the electric line going from the house to the garage.

We started this place as raw timber covered mountain side. So one of the things I've done over the years is map the miles of buried water and electrical lines, and recorded it in a farm map made on a huge pad of artist paper (like 16 x24). It runs 6 pages now with lots of photos attached for clarity and showing measurements from buildings, etc. Imagine looking down in a manhole and seeing this, and wondering 'huh'?

I told my wife if she sells the farm after I'm dead, charge $5,000 for the map. If the buyer turns it down, and comes back later, it's $10,000. :laughing:

 

[Jstpssng]

My brother tries to convert me to a gas fireplace like he has. Point the remote and you have fire. He tells me we have moved beyond the gatherer stage of evolution whenever I am cutting firewood. But as long as I can do it physically, I will enjoy a real wood fire.

As for permits and inspections, insurance can deny claims if you burn down your house and they find out the wood stove was not permitted and inspected.

I for one appreciate the benefits of permits and inspections. Don't like paying for them, but understand their purpose. The original owner of my house did not believe in them, and we have had to re-do a ton of wiring, plumbing and other things that I wish had been done the right way the first time. I was putting in a stone walkway from my house to our chicken coop, digging 3" down and I hit the electric line going from the house to the garage.

Ask the folks out in Aspen Colorado how that's working out for them now...Act of vandalism caused Aspen gas outage