This is the kindling bin (if you can see back into the dark recesses there) today. Yikes, it's only half full! What the heck happened to all that kindling I spent hours and hours splitting?Truth to tell, this happens every fall. We use more kindling prior to actually starting the serious heating season than any other time of year. This is because we start so many small fires which, of course, requires kindling each and every time. When the cold weather sets in, our fire rarely is allowed to go out so there is no restarting of a fire first thing in the morning or last thing at night.
We've been at this wood burning thing for so long that we've got it figured out. (Mostly. I think. Sometimes.) A couple of months ago, we went to our pile of slabwood . . .
. . . from which we make our kindling.
We cut up and made several bundles of them which we put under cover so they'd dry out nicely. Now all I have to do is take the pre-cut dried lengths of cedar, split them and toss into the kindling bin.What is currently left in the kindling bin would probably get us through until spring, but I have this thing about needing to feel ahead of the game so will be happier if I get the kindling bin filled back up to the top right now. Then there will be no question of having plenty to last until our heating season is over next spring/summer.
Our wood sheds are in great shape. Above is the smaller of our two sheds and we've used only a little over one tier of wood. The first three or four tiers are poplar from trees we took down early this spring that were too near a building or fence or vehicle parking area. This is soft wood which doesn't give off nearly as many BTUs as hard wood so spring or fall is a perfect time to burn it when you want just a small fire to take the chill off. The majority of the wood in this smaller shed is maple for serious winter time heating.
Our bigger wood shed which is chock full of maple hard wood hasn't been touched and unless we have an exceptionally frigid winter probably won't have much of a dent put in it this year.Early this spring, it looked as if I had the kindling bin done, complete, finished, topped off, all set. But now I see that it's just like housework. You work hard and think you're finished, but in short order you've got to start over again!
12 comments:
That is seriously the prettiest wood piles I have ever seen.
Bookmarking to show the hubby when he gets home!
I can smell the wood practically!
Between Erin's house, your woodpile and house, and my garden aisles, we could start our very own OCD club! I'm thinking "perfectionists"?
:)
Have a great weekend!
You will never hear anyone utter "I just have TO much wood". Never happen. never
APG - Aw, you're such a flatterer! I remember the years before we had a decent wood shed in which to stack the wood. Stacking was always my "yob" and I couldn't get a stack to stay standing for anything! I'd stack it, it would fall over. I'd stack it, it would fall over. Now having the walls of a shed for bracing, it's a cinch!
Sue - I don't think I'm that much of a perfectionist. It's just that I feel more secure if I'm "ready" or "ahead." Kind of like prepare for the worst, but hope for the best? Then I feel like nothing "bad" will happen.
I just had a vision of Erin, you and me running some big, high-powered company. We would be unstoppable!!!! (NOT that I would want to do that. I'd rather garden!)
Jane - You be right there! When we first moved up here, we met a very nice elderly born-and-raised-here couple and I remember him saying he had wood in the very back of his wood shed that was 15 years old. I was so impressed.
hahaha, y'all are funny! I think we'd be happier in more of a "commune" living off the land, and we would be the governing body, can't leave such important stuff to the menfolk! Love that woodpile, I'm emailing this post to hubby on the ship, he has such an appreciation for the "well-stacked" LOL ( and that's definitely not me!)
Fabulous stockpile of wood you have going there! If your temps are anything like ours have been lately, you are going to want to keep that fire going 24/7 soon lol.
Erin - I think your hubby needs to get home soon! He really shouldn't be getting his jollies from pictures of stacked wood! ;o)
Stephanie - Just the last couple of days it seems to have changed quite a bit outside. Starting to have that "November" feel to the air. But I love the fresh, crispness of it so I say bring it on!
Your photos create serious wood shed envy on my part! We only use wood heat and a low woodshed could mean I might get cold. I love your kindling bin and think I will create myself one. I only cut kindling as I need it....silly me!
Judy D - I think I'm basically too lazy to have to chop kindling every time we need it! It's bad enough to have to walk back to the shed to fill up the kindling basket from the kindling bin as often as it needs to be done! But you'd better get your wood shed full . . . that cold weather is a'comin'!
It's like hay in the barn - that nice, secure feeling. Nothing like it!
Susan - Or like having enough feed stockpiled for the animals!
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