Around 10 months ago we stored a few cords of firewood, and now the pile is looking pretty small. So we got back to cutting some logs and will make some more seasoned fire wood. The trees that were cut down were at risk of falling, and it was were by building went. So these large trees have been producing lots of fire wood for us. We plan on filling up the barn with enough to to get us through another year.
Got myself a headache rack for my truck, really liking it. It protects the back glass from getting hit and broken, hence "saving you a headache".... or something like that.
The wood is a bit wet, it has been laying out by the building waiting to be cut for months now. So we must lay it up and let it dry for a few days or a week or two. Then we can split them and properly stack them in the barn.
I put my truck in 4WD before we got started, but I think with a stack of firewood in the back it may get enough traction with the mudders not needing it. But I find if the truck is cold its harder to get it into 4WD so better to just leave it in that mode and when I turn it on its ready to go.
We recently got the chainsaw blade sharpened, was the best $40 we have spent on it and its now a great tool again.
Loading up my truck, we did around 2-3 loads a day for 2 days. I think I want to take a break for a few days before we get back to cutting more, maybe half way done if we want to get all those wet logs set up in the barn.
These were some old oak trees, sucks to see them go. But if they fell on my building it could cost magnitudes of what it just cost to remove the trees.
We will put the wood to good use, for the last year we have used it for campfire cooking. But now I have a central wood furnace on the way. I am in the process of getting the infrastructure installed to heat my workshop and two homes using a outdoor firewood fueled furnace. It heats water pipes that runs through the buildings central air handler that heats the homes and workshop. That way we do not need to depend on propane or costly electrical usage to heat the spaces we work and live in.
This pile was only the start, its almost roof high now after many more loads.
With this addition, the wood usage will greatly increase as the winter sets in here in Virginia. Last year our central heater did not handle the extreme cold and we had a few really cold days in the upstairs zone of the house. So we hope with this wood fueled heat we should have more reliable heating. When temperatures drop below 20F the heat pump based heat does not work well. And the cost of propane to heat the main level is quite substantial. So offsetting this with alternative heating would be great long term.
So with this central wood furnace on the way, we have lots of wood to split and season. But really excited at the prospect of heating the homes and workshop using firewood instead of propane and electricity.
We loaded the truck up a half dozen times or so with cut logs, soon it will all cure and start drying. Also known as seasoning, but soon enough we can split them into smaller pieces to help them dry faster.
This will be very exhausting, hope you will take medicine and get some rest afterwards.
Thanks.. will do
This is what I call working smart and making the most of the resources we even have around us. As always I congratulate you my friend, you work hard and with love to achieve your goals and see everything as you want it.
Much appreciated, making resources out of this raw wood seems to be the way to go. Since we need it to burn anyways it just makes sense to make logs out of it.
Oofh!!! Thats lots of firewood!!!
Hehe yeah it is, we added even more later on.
I'm in the process of wood hauling as well lol Always a fun time of the season.
Oh cool, yeah its that time of year. Best of luck with your homestead through the winter.
Thank you! You as well. What do you feel is the hardest thing you have to deal with during the winter on your homestead?
Much appreciated, since I have only had this homestead for one year I think I really need more time to see what is the hardest. This summer was pretty brutal with the heat, I did most of my work in the mornings to cope with that. And we have lots of these fungus gnats flying around trying to get into my eyes, but I found a mosquito hat netting keeps them away quite well.. so thats one less thing to worry about next summer with the bugs.
Besides outdoor stuff, the winter we had in Virginia last year showed us our current heating system was enough when temps got below 15F or so. And since we got a few days around 7F it got very cold in the house.
We are in the progress of installing a central wood broiler setup, that should stop issues with extreme cold this winter we hope.
What about your homestead? I see you have many animals like goats and chickens, we will have those soon too... well just ducks, chickens and bees.. I think those may be at the top of the hardest things we will have to deal with soon.
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Stock for winters. Are they gonna be enough for this winter?
Yup, we added about 5 more loads so we have a few cords now.
Time will tell if its enough.
Best of luck bud :)
Woooooo! The firewood is much. You really had a productive day. This is a whole lots of work, you sure need to rest.
Hah yeah indeed I do need to rest a little after a day like that.. doing them back to back is a killer.
You made a great plan, my friend. We wanted to install a heating system in our house in the village, but my family postponed it. You are absolutely right about the trees, I can't imagine the damage if they fall on the building. Now they will be used for very useful things haha. I hope you have a very warm winter this year unlike last year dude!
Thanks bud, I hope it all pays off.
So true, those trees are huge and rather them go to a good use.
That's a lot of wood. I am sure you sweat a lot loading them to the vehicle.
Hah yep it sure is, we have been having some hot days but luckily its cooling off around where I live now. Going to be freezing in the next few days here :-)
As in winter is coming?