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How many years or heating seasons are you ahead on wood?

Started by uplander, January 03, 2013, 09:32:36 AM

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uplander

 Myself, not anywhere close to where I should be. Building the house and barn I have been working
for the past five years has taken all of my available weekend time.

Work, mon.-fri. takes the rest. I plan on cutting enough this spring to get 3-4 years ahead and then staying there.

Uplander
Woodmizer lt40G28.  A kubota L4600 with loader and forks.
Various Stihl saws and not enough time to use them!
Finished my house finally. Completely sawn out on by band mill. It took me 7 years but was worth it. Hardest thing I have ever done.

Al_Smith

In answer probabley more than I should be .I burn about 4 -5 at the most cords per heating season and  have about 20 split and stacked .

It just amasses after time ,a little here a little there and pretty soon you have a mountain of it .

Now I don't cut perfectly good live standing trees for firewood like some .It's all dead or dying or hazard trees .With the EAB and wind storms it's just has gotten everwelming in the last few years .

A person could let the dead standing if not for the fact if the wind tosses them you never know exactly where they might land .A half ways decent feller can at least drop  them some direction in mind to minimize collateral damage .

In my case my grandchildren like to tromp around in my little woods .If one of them gets clobbered by a widow maker I could have prevented I could never forgive myself .

chevytaHOE5674

I should have enough to get me through until spring but I'm on my way to the woods to make a few trailer loads as I type. What I don't use this winter will get burned next.

thecfarm

I am REAL bad when it comes to this. Drives my FIL nuts,maybe that's one reason I do it. ;D I really do have to get going on it. I only have enough for about 2 weeks now ready to go. I have some in a pile in whatever length but not sawed or split. This is the time I do my wood,when snow is on the ground. I may thin out the dead and bad stuff and bring it into the landing and push it into a pile when there is no snow on the ground. Most years I at least have enough for a month so if I get sick,I'm all set. I do know how wood should be dried. Been around wood heat my whole life.In my other house I had to have it done up and dried. Summer time I'm busy wasting time on other things,all 170 acres of it.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

doctorb

My routine is to stay two years ahead.  When I empty an area of seasoned wood for fuel, I fill it back up with green wood.  Depending upon the time of year that I refill with green wood, that wood will sit for at least one full year plus the amount of time until the next heating season, which usually includes another summer and fall.  So, in general, I won't touch that gree wood for two heating seasons.  That way, everything I burn is seasoned.
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

clww

I'm going to be, but for now, I am not. I'm clearing a 75' wide X 150 yard area for our power line right-of-way at the cabin. 75 % of this is going to be firewood timber-oak, maple, a few hickory. Once completed, that should get me a 2 year stockpile. I do have enough in the wood shed for the remainder of this year.
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

ronnie tucker

when it is bad to do anything else you can cut wood.i am 60 years old if i have a months worth a head i think i am doing good.there is always something to do on a farm.getting wood is usually not the top of the to do list unless you are about out.

beenthere

I have two heating seasons ahead, split and stacked on pallets that are covered.
That's not counting the pallets for this heating season.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Al_Smith

There was time in my life I waited for colder weather before I got with it .Those days are behind me now because I'm more inclined to sit by the fire fueled by wood I had cut when the weather was warmer .

Although I do in fact live in a colder climate than perhaps Georgia or Florida doesn't mean I like cold weather .Those huge  corn fields are now just an endless waste land of frozen tundra .

Global warming ,maybe but I about froze my butt off hauling in a trailer load of wood from my stacks this morning .

proteus

I have about +2 years cut and stacked in one location on the property and have started another stack in a different locaton. iI have the first stack covered but plan to leave the 2nd stack uncovered until I start to use from it. As I get older, I enjoyed geting my exercise cutting wood rather than working out on fitness equipment :) 
Greg

r.man

Three weeks so I am with thecfarm on this one, I know better but as long as I have some wood I can postpone doing it and this year I am worse than normal. Admittedly I was busy but realistically that is just an excuse. I am perversely glad that I am not the only one and I think that makes me a bad person. If anyone is interested in my whole list of excuses of why this or any other number of things are not done by now they can pm me and I can provide them with a copy.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

stumper

Well I thought I had this year and 60 percent on next years cut split and stackked, this the remaining 40 percent blocked, and about half of the following years in log length.  However I seem to be on track for 7 cords this year instead of my normal 6 so I will off my plan by a bit unless it warms up some.  These below zero nights hurt the pile.

DR Buck

"....years or heating seasons" ?    :D :D :D    I have routinely been anywhere from 9 down to the current day for my needs.   Unless, you count the uncut slab pile and all the downed stuff in the woods.  If you count that I am good 5 years ahead, especially on the "downed stuff in the woods".  ;D   

I've had the outdoor furnace just over 4 years now and am in my 4th heating season.  I don't have a clue how much wood I need for a season because I cut it when I have time and never have more than a week or two at the most stacked up and don't measure or kreep track of it.   When I run out of burnable sizes I go out and cut some more.  I usually cut enough to cover a 3 to 5 day period at a time.   If I cut from my slab pile or waste logs I have stacked near the barn I can cut enough for 3 days or so in about 30 minutes.   It really depends on the temperature.   Under 30º I need to add wood once a day.   Above 30º  I can go 1-1/2  to 3 days on a single fill up of the CB 6048.

I don't spend much time at all splitting for my use.   My rule is if I can lift it and it will fit through the door, then it is small enough to burn.   Even on larger logs I cut them into "cookie size" pieces that I can throw through the door.   The only time in the last 3 years my splitter has been used was for splitting for my daughters wood insert.
Been there, done that.   Never got caught [/b]
Retired and not doing much anymore and still not getting caught

Slabs

Two to three seasons ahead, as of now.  And that's because it just became available.  Like Al, I use mostly "junk" trees and trimmings.  Neighbors' junk also.  Nothing is too small to pile up and burn in the IWB.
Slabs  : Offloader, slab and sawdust Mexican, mill mechanic and electrician, general flunky.  Woodshop, metal woorking shop and electronics shop.

Dave Shepard

I'm currently behind two years on my wood supply. Will be cutting ash trees this weekend in an attempt to catch up. Good thing it burns so well green. :D
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Al_Smith

Well if EAB has made it to Mass. you won't find any live ash .Even grave yard dead for two years those ash will still retain water within . Dang things are hard as a  rock though .

Dave Shepard

They found one of them North of here last summer. It won't be long now. I haven't heard if they've set up the quarantine area yet, but I know just over the border in NY they have quarantines set up.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Slab Slicer

I would say about 1 1/2 seasons to 2 full seasons is split, and ready to go. I've gotten into the habit of not stacking it. A good sized pile with a tarp will do the job. I've used upwards of 9 cords or so in a season, but that's before we re-insulated the attic. We only need a small fire in the wood stove that's in the basement now. I plan on a wood furnace before the next heating season. I wanted to get one for this season, but that plan didn't happen. I'll be looking for bargains on a wood furnace late this winter, or early spring.
2016 LT35HDG25, Kubota L2501 w/ FEL, Kubota BX1500 w/FEL and custom skidding rig, Stihl MS 500i, Stihl MS362-25", Stihl MS250-20", Stihl MS192-18",  2001 F250 SD 7.3, GMC Sierra Dually 6.0 gasser, Peaqua 16" 10K trailer, Sur-Trac 12' Dump Trailer 10K
Chuck

r.man

In my fathers generation it was the Dutch elm disease. When I was growing up we burnt nothing but elm that had died off. It was only when I was in my late teens that we had to switch since the ones left standing were going too punky to bother with.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

Corley5

I've got about a weeks worth left dumped in the shed  ;D  I'd planned to fill the shed this fall and put the processor away for the winter.  Hasn't happened yet  :)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

kderby

Well, I was going to congratulate everyone on thier stash-o-logs 8) 8).  Then along comes Corley5 :(

We could also start another thread about people who are calling for slab firewood because they are out.  It is January.  Hello :new_year: it is winter!  Unless you live near Ian or Chris :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:  Ya oughta have some wood in the shed.  I chained up the forklift because I have been getting daily calls from locals saying "How is my credit because momma's out of firewood."  I hope spring is coming, ;D  for their sake.

Kderby

martyinmi

We've got around 30 cords, plus or minus one or two. About half is split. I'd split it all, but my gasser doesn't like it if it gets too dry(under 15% mc). We'll go through about 7 or 8 cords on in an average winter. A bit over 5 last heating season.
I just brought home a half pickup load tonight. Had to try out my new to me CS 40 Homelite. I'll be cutting most of the day either Saturday or Sunday.
Can you ever have too much wood on hand? Or too many saws?
Didn't think so! 8)
No God, No Peace
Know God, Know Peace!

Randy88

Christmas vacation just ended yesterday, so my help [kids]went back to school, college, work,military, etc, after three saws running, two skid steers, and 25 gallons of gas mix and too many chains to sharpen to even count, we now have at least two years cut and split and shoved into a pile, it was all dry wood anyhow, the logs were all from dead or down trees, stacked in neat piles two years before that, some were even not worth cutting but we did anyhow, dozy wood burns too. 

thecfarm

Randy88,dozy,my Father used to use that wood. I have not heard that word since 1997. Thank you
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

albirk

3 plus and 2 more waiting for me to get to i need to get some to the stove tho it has been cut split and stacked for 5 years locust and hedge (it will burn nice)

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