It doesn't get any easier

[bogieb]

Tennis elbow...
It's certainly easier without tennis elbow...
I wouldn't have guessed that tennis elbow would slow me down!

Weird as it sounds, I can control my tennis elbow with tricep exercises using light weights (tricep extensions and kickbacks - sometimes body weight dips). I don't have to do them all the time, just when it starts flaring up - which is usually after doing some heavy lifting. I'm thinking that in my case, it is mostly caused by an imbalance of my bicep and tricep muscles.

 

[marty319]

Last of the 5 cords I cut.i can feel it.

 

[weee123]

I am lucky enough to still be in my 20's (until march) so I can get a lot done and still feel pretty good. I do some trading with a neighbor who has acquired lots of tools, tractors, and other goodies that he lets me use in exchange for a hand on projects that benefit from a guy my age. Easier said than done but reaching out for a hand can be helpful and whoever helps you would likely benefit from your years of knowledge and experience in whatever the task is.

No kidding, I’m turning 30 in March as well.


Glad to see you got it all split up in time!

 

[marty319]

Well another year older and wood cutting season about to start,have 10 cords on the yard so only cutting 3 this year,using the heat pump more in shoulder season saves me from cutting my usual 5 cords.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I turned 58, I retired this past January. I feel great, lost 20lbs since I'm not stress eating. I can see getting older at some point will get in the way. I only burn like 3 cords per year so I should be able to keep up for a long time. I kept some really nice equipment, which will make life so much easier. I have a great setup already but I will improve the process. The cold doesn't bother me so I normally start processing January. I spoke to my son yesterday morning about not selling wood anymore. The fall of 26 will be my last year..

 

[Highbeam]

In most markets, buying split cordwood is still much much cheaper than using your home’s thermostatic heating system. You still get to do work loading the stove.

I’m young but realized years ago that buying delivered logs is a very good use of money. Similar to using a hydraulic splitter.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

In most markets, buying split cordwood is still much much cheaper than using your home’s thermostatic heating system. You still get to do work loading the stove.

I’m young but realized years ago that buying delivered logs is a very good use of money. Similar to using a hydraulic splitter.

I'm not sure what I'll do if it gets to me buying split wood. I've seen the stuff being sold and I'm not impressed. Most of the wood is sitting on the ground, uncovered, and split a month or two before it's sold

 

[Highbeam]

I'm not sure what I'll do if it gets to me buying split wood. I've seen the stuff being sold and I'm not impressed. Most of the wood is sitting on the ground, uncovered, and split a month or two before it's sold

True that bought wood will never match up with the quality a capable hearth.com member can produce. Assume it’s green, get it stacked and seasoned before you need it.

Another option if you demand high quality is the pressed sawdust firewood products like NIELs. No bugs, dirt, smaller footprint, less handling.

I guess my point is to not let the difficulties of firewood management be the reason you stop burning.

 

[begreen]

We've been lucky that there is a consistent and reliable commercial wood seller in our area. The wood quality, length, and split sizes are good and the same year after year. They have mondo mass splitting machines running thousands of cords a year through them and they deliver an honest full cord of wood.

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[Slimdusty]

My rural neighbor hires a young teenager to assist him with firewood and all sorts of chores around his place. Great for the young man to earn a few bucks and be exposed to work, even better for my neighbor as he can continue living the country lifestyle for awhile longer, he is almost 80.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Most of the wood is sitting on the ground, uncovered, and split a month or two before it's sold

So buy two years ahead, if you have room for it.


I've moved to putting my splits into IBC tote cages, then I move them with a carryall on my Kubota's 3PH. Saves a LOT of wheelbarrow work. I split right into the cage, and I don't bother to stack it neatly. Then move it to the storage area (in the sun).

When I need wood in the house, I grab a tote and drop it not far from my door. This way, I don't stack it at all until I take a load into the house and put it down next to the woodstove.

If you have a tractor and have the room, it's a great way to go.

 

[sixer]

Great thread here. I'm 46 and I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life (always been in pretty good shape) and it's due in no small part to the "wood life". Sometimes I can over-do it but most of the time doing all of this work actually helps with those random aches and pains. Sometimes I'll be sore from the chainsawing, loading, hauling, splitting, and stacking but it ends up resulting in bigger muscles which in turn can help prevent the "over-doing it" next time. Plus it sure is a lot of fun. There are two types of people: those who think this is fun, and those who don't!

I've also discovered that wood processing and ham radio are complementary hobbies. I've been into radio almost my whole life. The wood life is relatively new the past 4 years. Any time I'm doing antenna work there are tall trees I try to get lines into and shorter trees that are in the way. The shorter ones come down, thus providing wood to process. I "found" a bunch I didn't know I had when harvesting the more recent stuff I knew about. This "surprise" consisted of some very large white and black birch and a couple medium sized oaks probably down for about 2 years.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

So buy two years ahead, if you have room for it.


I've moved to putting my splits into IBC tote cages, then I move them with a carryall on my Kubota's 3PH. Saves a LOT of wheelbarrow work. I split right into the cage, and I don't bother to stack it neatly. Then move it to the storage area (in the sun).

When I need wood in the house, I grab a tote and drop it not far from my door. This way, I don't stack it at all until I take a load into the house and put it down next to the woodstove.

If you have a tractor and have the room, it's a great way to go.

I think that your missing the point. The point is that your paying good money, in my area a cord of hardwoods is going for 250/300 a cord. For wood that is not ready to burn and is split like an 8th graders first day on the job.

I have plenty of space, I'm sitting on 14 cords CSS and probably 6/7 cords in log length.

 

[marty319]

Well I've started cutting.only pine in the cutting area but that's all I've been burning for 25 years.to buy wood here you royaly get bent over as pine is 400 a cord.birch or oak over 500.

 

[sixer]

Around here, the questionable "seasoned" hardwood (used car salesman style) is about $400 a "cord". I put that in quotes because you might find it's a bit short of a cord once you stack it. It will almost definitely have high moisture content and probably have been sitting in mud or standing water for several months. It may even have ice all over it if it's cold enough out. For GOOD wood, we have a place that sells kiln-dried. It's great stuff but it's $500+/cord. At least you get a healthy cord, usually a little extra.

 

[MRD1985]

Around here, the questionable "seasoned" hardwood (used car salesman style) is about $400 a "cord". I put that in quotes because you might find it's a bit short of a cord once you stack it. It will almost definitely have high moisture content and probably have been sitting in mud or standing water for several months. It may even have ice all over it if it's cold enough out. For GOOD wood, we have a place that sells kiln-dried. It's great stuff but it's $500+/cord. At least you get a healthy cord, usually a little extra.

That’s insane money. Thank god I don’t have to buy split cord wood.

 

[sixer]

I did a quick craigslist check. There are a few guys on there with $300-$350 for a cord in central MA, but who knows what you'll get!

 

[kborndale]

I get a cord of mixed hardwood for around $200 a cord or a little cheaper if ordering multiple cords. Order it in October and it will be ready to burn next October. The count is usually pretty close to a cord.

 

[marty319]

I get a cord of mixed hardwood for around $200 a cord or a little cheaper if ordering multiple cords. Order it in October and it will be ready to burn next October. The count is usually pretty close to a cord.

People where i live burn mostly pine,poplar and some birch,no birch in the cutting areas.if I could get any decent wood for 200 a cord I'd be all over that.

 

[djlew]

I get a cord of mixed hardwood delivered for 300 but that's with knowing a guy who knows the guy. It's never truly seasoned but they never claim it to be. I buy to have a stash in my get ahead pile in case I can't process in time.

I'm going to give a different anecdote and say that I am actually not in the best shape of my life right now, but that's precisely why I like to process my own wood. I can't overdo it, because my lower back will be in a lot of pain, but if I listen to my body and only do what it allows me to do, I definitely feel stronger. There's so much to do that if I start to ache, I'll move to the splitter and split smaller stuff so I am still being productive.

My wife might not like it but my pain gives me an excuse to get fun new toys sometimes

 

[johneh]

This is the last year I will have firewood from my own 200-acre
bush lot. The last 5 years, I have relied on my 2 sons to harvest, buck, split and stack.
In the fall (september) they also moved 4 cord into my basement . Now they have
gotten Jobs on the other side of the Country
This year, they have taken holidays to fill the basement. I have also purchased 4 cords from a local
Farmer which he delivered and his sons stacked it in my loft. This is for next year. That way
I know it will be dry. I have also ordered wood for next year to replace what I will use.
I see that most people complain when they have to pay $200, well, guess what, in my neck of the woods
The price of a Cord of Maple/Oak is $400. So focks think youselfs lucky I sure as hell miss my days in
the bush cutting wood but at 76 my body will no longer let me Keep Warm
.

 

[weee123]

I can attest to the quality of wood the firewood guys around here sell as well @Woodsplitter67 . Every major seller around here at max seasons their oak for a year in a big pile on in the dirt. And around here it takes 3 years for oak to get to its needed quality.

Every street has at least one firewood stand as well so theres never a shortage of poorly seasoned firewood around.

 

[marty319]

2 cords in and 1 to go and i will have 3 years on the yard.if I could only convince the wiener dog to help

 

[Dataman]

I am 67 and we switched to Pellets from Wood Stove back in 2018 (Spring). Sure is easier now. We bring up pellets to back porch and cover with big tarp. This year we put in new Extreme Cold Weather Heat Pump and plan on not using pellet stove until -10f (HP good for -20 it says). Time will tell. When we bring up pellets I have the Wife bring them up with John Deer in Bucket. I stack them in and out. We have basket for 3 Point on the Rear now since Bucket is gone for Plow come "White Nasty Stuff - SNOW". She does most of the plowing. I get the snowblower for paths and sidewalk. Plus widen out the driveway if plow can't do it enough. Switching we don't bring in many bugs now. Less mess. Lots less cleaning of stove. Ashes are just dust! (Harmon XXV)

 

[jaoneill]

I'm pushing 78 pretty hard and can say with certainty that 70 seems to be a turning point, accelerating at 75. I used to get more done before breakfast than I can do now all day. Although, thanks to cooperative weather, the haying went smoothly this year I've decided not to do it next year. Way behind on the wood this year; I don't push, so two hours at a time is about all I can do at physical labor at a time, even semi-productively. Generally do that in the AM, tinker in the shop a bit, lunch, nap, then 1 1/2 hrs in the afternoon most days, but many days not.