- Dec 9, 2009
- 1,495
When I step out of my downstairs door, I have a corridor of wood that runs ten feet from the wall out. When I stand in the door facing outwards, I have two stacks on my left: the leftmost is 90cf of beetle-killed spruce, the inner one about 30cf of birch.
On the right, I have three stacks: about 60cf of fire-killed spruce--very hot-burning and dry, and behind that two stacks of birch that was cut in March, and stacked in the wind and sun, but not split until this winter, about 100sf which I may not burn this winter, but if I have to, I have to. Not very well seasoned.
I have another 1/2 cord or so that I plan to move down soon to top off the stack of birch on the left. That birch is much better seasoned--split in the spring, stacked where the sun and breeze could reach it, but the rain could not.
I've just about finished off all the spruce I had except for that leftmost stack--the one I had been hoping I wouldn't have to tap into until January. I'm really pleased that it's still in the holding chute, but not for long. I brought in most of the rest of my beetle-killed spruce, and stacked it in the sunroom rack. It will probably be gone by Friday night or Saturday morning. I burn a mix of birch and the two spruces right now. I've also got a pile of a cord-and-a-half of birch stacked out by the garden area, and another stack of well-seasoned poplar that I've got in the chute for April, when the snow is melting.
It's been a bitter winter-- the -30/-40F weather hit in November, breaking records. We've seen long stretches of -20 and colder in December and January. The next two months are the ones I'm uneasy about. The spruces and the birch will have to do.
Do any of the rest of you pour over your stacks like this? Naming them (`January', `February') and inventorying them compulsively? I'm sure I'll get by, and can get into the other stacks if I need to, but since it's my only source of heat and it's been so damned cold, I'm keeping a really close eye on my stacks.
On the right, I have three stacks: about 60cf of fire-killed spruce--very hot-burning and dry, and behind that two stacks of birch that was cut in March, and stacked in the wind and sun, but not split until this winter, about 100sf which I may not burn this winter, but if I have to, I have to. Not very well seasoned.
I have another 1/2 cord or so that I plan to move down soon to top off the stack of birch on the left. That birch is much better seasoned--split in the spring, stacked where the sun and breeze could reach it, but the rain could not.
I've just about finished off all the spruce I had except for that leftmost stack--the one I had been hoping I wouldn't have to tap into until January. I'm really pleased that it's still in the holding chute, but not for long. I brought in most of the rest of my beetle-killed spruce, and stacked it in the sunroom rack. It will probably be gone by Friday night or Saturday morning. I burn a mix of birch and the two spruces right now. I've also got a pile of a cord-and-a-half of birch stacked out by the garden area, and another stack of well-seasoned poplar that I've got in the chute for April, when the snow is melting.
It's been a bitter winter-- the -30/-40F weather hit in November, breaking records. We've seen long stretches of -20 and colder in December and January. The next two months are the ones I'm uneasy about. The spruces and the birch will have to do.
Do any of the rest of you pour over your stacks like this? Naming them (`January', `February') and inventorying them compulsively? I'm sure I'll get by, and can get into the other stacks if I need to, but since it's my only source of heat and it's been so damned cold, I'm keeping a really close eye on my stacks.