Dateline: 17 October 2015
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| Before |
Well it took me 8 days, working as I had the time and energy, to get that truck load of logs cut up and stacked....
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I'm sure it amounts to 30 face cords, which will last two winters. I have it stacked on pallets, on the as-yet-unfinished side of my house (it's only been that way for 30 years)...
I'll cover the top of the wood with some inexpensive tarps next week. As mentioned in my previous post, the logs are green and need to season. So, for this year's firewood, I've ordered 7 face cords of seasoned and split wood. It was pricey at $70 a cord, delivered. That will be here next week.
Those seven cords, added to what wood we have left from last winter, and the handful of dead elms I plan to cut this next week, should get us through this winter. After I get it all stacked under cover, my firewood crisis will be resolved. And I'll get back to blogging. And I'm looking forward to it.
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12 comments:
They want way over $100 for a pickup load of tossed on split hardwood, not necessarily oak. We are surrounded by forests, not like we are in the grasslands, I guess nobody wants to cut and split wood so the price is high. I cut and split mine by hand so I know what fun exercise you have been having.
Here in northern California, a cord goes for $250, for seasoned oak. Nothing in this state is reasonable or inexpensive. Sometimes there is a little pine and manzanita in it. Our winters are fairly mild...rarely under 32 degrees. We use no more than 4 cords. Having a skidloader is extremely helpful to handle logs and cut up firewood. Glad to see your blog! Elizabeth L. Johnson
When you think you had to spend the money on fuel for a chainsaw and maintenance, the price of your uncut logs, would go up. Though I can see why you would want to go this way, as to spend it all on precut logs would be astronomical.
You should consider growing some native trees which grow fast. While it won't serve you for many winters, it will be there when you do need it. Plus you've added that fertility to your soil, underneath them. Because if its a deciduous tree, it will feed your soil, every autumn. It can also serve as a wind break if you have problems in that area.
Though, cutting down a tree and getting rid of the branches, becomes more labour intensive, than the uncut tree trunks you just dispatched. But those trees may also be an insurance policy for the future, if you have no other means to get through winter.
"Pricey" at $70? It's $180 here, and we live in the PNW. No shortage of wood here!
Near $360 full cord N. Texas
Hello Herrick! Looks like you've been plenty busy. I was looking at your pictures from the previous post ,and was wondering about your saw. It appears to be Stihl 039 with a 20" bar. What type of chain are you running? Happy sawing!!
My understanding is that there are 3 face cords in a full cord. We generally buy and sell by the face cord around here, and cal it a cord. So I'm paying $210 a full cord.
Chris—
I do have some wooded land already and most of the trees are "firewood grade." For now, I don't want to cut any but the dead and dying ones. My thinking is that if things get dire, and I can't buy firewood, the small woods I have (right next to my house) will be enough to keep us in fuel for awhile. I have the tools to cut by hand (not using a chainsaw) if need be, and can haul it home by foot and cart.
I have a lot more field than I do woods and have thought about planting a locust grove for the wood. It already grows on its own in some spots (and it is a fast grower). I had to cut one locust tree down recently. Very dense wood. I'm curious to see how it burns after I let it season awhile.
Anonymous—
You are very observant. I's a 038AV with a 20" bar. I bought it from my father-in-law years ago. It has been a great saw, and I take good care of it.
I have a Carleton bar with a Woodland Pro semi-chisel chain that I bought from Baileys. I keep it sharp with a Carlton File-o-Plate.The Woodland Pro chain is made by Carleton.
I wrote about the Carlton File-o-Plate in my November 2012 Blogazine
Hi Herrick,
I buy loads of logs up here in Bancroft, ON for heating my home too. Currently we pay the same amount for a load or 'tandem load' as we call it up here. They call it that because it is the tandem axle truck bed only and not the pup trailer.
Are you sure that you have a full 30 face cords? My 'tandem loads' look to be the same size as in your pictures and I consistently get 18 face cords.
Looks like you got some nice beech and maple in there, may favorite wood types to burn. Oak is terrible, way too much coals build up in my wood stove and it takes a coons age to season.
Anyway happy splitting!
Justin—
I'm not sure it's 30 face cords. I'm sure it's at least 25. The guy I bought from (a fellow I went to high school with and haven't seen in decades, even though we live int he same town) said he didn't know how many cords it was. He just put as many logs on the truck as he could fit. Someone else I know who got a similar load told me it was 30. It's a mix of maple, ash and oak, near as I can tell.
Herrick,
I guess whatever amount of wood it comes out to it is still amounts to a good size jag! Kudos on doing the work so quickly, it usually takes me at least 40 hours from logs to split and piled. That wood should keep you and yours warm over many a cold winters night.
I looked at your pic again and I thought the lighter barked tree in the middle was Beech, now I see the scales, and it looks more like a Maple... I guess that my online tree ID skills need a tune up Eh!
This last spring I did not get a load of wood delivered because I have enough piled already for this winter; I am trying a new thing this year though by buying a crown land fuel wood permit to augment my supply. The crown land permit allows me to collect the remnants of logging operations in a certain harvest block on public land. In the grand scheme it is probably cheaper to get a load of logs, but it allows my three young children, wife, and I the fun of heading into the forest and spending some time there together earning for the 'family economy'. Plus I get to harvest a few Ruffed Grouse for supper as well. It's a win win!
Justin—
The crown land permit and family economy approach to getting firewood sounds like the best way to get yor fuel. I like the way you think.
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