Time to stack wood

[tcreeley]

6 cords were delivered Friday. Time to start stacking. 4 cords will be for next year. I used to get it dumped near to where I stack it, but using the bucket. it doesn't matter anymore. I am finding that 8 buckets is about 1 cord. I have a five foot bucket. I keep forgetting how new wood is heavier than old wood! A pulp hook makes a big difference in pulling pieces out of the pile.

View attachment 389999View attachment 390000

 

[dave1949]

I need to cut some firewood for next winter. I have most of what I need split, stacked and tarped but I'll add some to that just trying to stay ahead.

 

[tcreeley]

Raining right now- was a good day (cool) to stack!

 

[dave1949]

Tomorrow through Monday should be great days. Sunny and mid-60's is the forecast.

I think I'll wait until the leaves are off before cutting.

 

[peterc38]

I have close to 10 cords stacked and ready to go, about half of which I did last summer and fall, the rest I did this spring and summer :thumbsup:

 

[lockhaven]

Tomorrow through Monday should be great days. Sunny and mid-60's is the forecast.

I think I'll wait until the leaves are off before cutting.

something to think about: if the trees have leaves on them that have not begun to die it is better to cut them now. The leaves will continue to take moisture from the tree speeding up the drying process.

 

[zing]

5 loads like this made the Saturday of the labour day weekend live up to its name. It will take me a while to chunk it up, but this will last me a couple of years and I won't actually burn any of these until next winter. My furnace will burn round logs no problem, so the only splitting that I have to do is enough to make sure I always have a few of sticks to light the fire and make a few coals. Ones that first batch of split ones has burned halfway down, I cna just feed round ones in from that point. :thumbsup:

 

[Western]

You Northern boys, sure can go through some wood and understandably so, we also did when I was a kid living much further North.

I have about 2 cords, I split it as we use it to try and thwart fire ants from moving in a tight stack. Since our drought has been so bad and so long, I still have many dead, or dying Oaks to cut (widow makers). We only supplement with fireplace, so not a dire need, but the wife likes a cozy fire and I like her cook'n, so a fair trade:thumbsup:

 

[dave1949]

something to think about: if the trees have leaves on them that have not begun to die it is better to cut them now. The leaves will continue to take moisture from the tree speeding up the drying process.

Thanks. I've heard that and have done it a few times. I think it works pretty well but the drying effect probably slows down as the leaves dry off and start falling in fall.

This fall I'm up to my armpits other projects that need reasonably dry weather as long as it holds out. So, I thought I would let the wood cutting slide since it is ash under 12" mostly and won't be used until next winter.

 

[tcreeley]

I've always heard that cutting after the trees are dormant for the winter, after the freeze means that there is less sap in the trunk and limbs as it is in the roots. The wood will dry faster. Once the sap starts to flow again, more drying time is needed. Either way, one does what one can.
Up here, winter has been a traditional wood cutting season- easier to move the logs over the snow -sliding on log boats when horse drawn or not. In the spring there is mud and the local roads and highways are too soft to transport the wood. In the past, the fall was a rainy season - mud. Summer was hot and buggy.
Of course skidders and the more modern methods handle it all at any time of year, but mud season is still mud season!
It is always something to see a pulp truck (semi) back into a field or woodlot to load up. I once watched a skidder shove the back end of a trailer around to keep it from getting hung up as it was backed in to the log pile.

(But up near Moosehead Lake, this is the preferred way!)View attachment 391210
snopes.com: Logging the Northern Way