Saturday, October 26, 2013

Wood Gathering

We have a long-time friend who has a small sawmill about 45 minutes from us.  On a recent visit to our place, he mentioned that he had a big pile of slabwood (outside pieces from a log when cut for lumber) and miscellaneous scrap pieces of wood and wondered if we were interested in taking any of it.

We're always looking for a good source for kindling and knew the slabwood would be good for getting a fire going in our wood stoves before adding the hardwoods (maple and birch) during the cold, upcoming winter months.

So this morning we hitched up our faithful high-sided trailer and headed out.

We had heard there had been a new public boat landing constructed on a nice lake on the way so we stopped there to take a look at it.


It was a windy day, and mighty chilly standing looking out over the lake.


Then it was on to G's place where he greeted us with a load of wood waiting and ready in his fork lift.


He put three loads into our trailer and after a short visit, we were on our way back home.  


We did do a little trimming of a couple of those boards sticking out before heading down the road.

When we got home we had to unload each and every stick of wood by hand.  No other way to get it out of the trailer.


Funny how big the load looked in the trailer.  And how small it looks stacked in our back wood working area.  Some of the pieces of wood were twelve feet long but most were eight . . . along with a good share of scrap pieces.

Talk about getting your bending and upper body workout.  Ooof.  I should sleep soundly tonight.

15 comments:

Tombstone Livestock said...

Enjoy all that wood. I am looking forward to a fire in the wood stove once in a while this winter, but not yet, evenings are cool but last couple days have still been in the low 80's and still no rain yet. Maybe next week.

2 Tramps said...

Nothing like good wood heat to beat the chill away. We have a fire going right now in our wood cook stove. While our weather has been unseasonably warm this past week, as soon as the sun sets over the Cascade mountains, the high desert cools off quickly.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Great deal! I hope I can get my wood stove burning this week (after the chimney experts come).

Stephanie Bateman said...

Wow, what a great blessing for you guys, and that wood supply. Hope you are keeping warm, have seen you guys have gotten pretty chilly lately. We had a freeze here the other night, almost a month early. Guess the bulk of the garden is done now lol.

DFW said...

Love it when friends bestow gifts like this. Hope you guys are staying warm.

Mama Pea said...

Tombstone Livestock - Geesh, the low 80s would be HOT here. Still hoping you get your rain.

Mama Pea said...

2 Tramps - I'm sure living in the high desert does present some unique weather issues for you! Enjoy that wood cook stove.

Mama Pea said...

Kristina - What a pain to have to be STILL dealing with the chimney issues! :o(

Mama Pea said...

Stephanie - Looks like we may have our first hard freeze tonight. Guess what we're doing this afternoon? Harvesting the apples off our trees!

Mama Pea said...

DFW - Yep, we are very grateful for the good friends we have. The wood wasn't "free" though . . . hahaha! G is a pie lover and he said not to bother coming if I didn't have a pie for him! ;o) He got a Winter Raspberry Crumble pie . . . made with raspberries from our garden. A very good deal as far as we were concerned!

Unknown said...

That's like the old joke of warming yourself twice with chopping, then burning wood! Free wood is great though! I'm still bugging my hubby that we need to buy one :)

Unknown said...

Love the flower box idea- will borrow that! My flowers are fading and it will freeze soon. Rain coming tomorrow... then the 30's...

Mama Pea said...

Little Homestead in Boise - Nothing warms like the heat from a wood stove! You really need one. Tell your hubby! ;o)

Lisa said...

A pie for wood?! Terrific deal.... and a terrific friend! You will be prepared for the cold, for sure!
PS Looked almost like 'waves' on your lake photo. Very pretty.

Mama Pea said...

Lisa - Not only were there real waves on that lake, but whitecaps! I tried to catch them hitting shore but it was so darn chilly standing there that I didn't have enough patience!