I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I wasn't a bit envious of the younger folks who live in the midst of verdant hardwood forests and have the time, energy, skills, equipment, and fortitude to go out and harvest their wood from stump to stove. I think that's very cool, and I enjoy reading about it here. My personal reality is that I'm 61 years old, and I live in high desert country in the Pacific Northwest. There isn't a harvestable hardwood tree growing within 200 miles of me. In fact, even the harvestable softwood trees are a good ways away. All that's around me, basically, are Junipers (I did take down three of those on my property this year, which will make some good burnin' wood in a couple of years). There really aren't any opportunities to "scrounge" wood where I live. Trees (what trees there are) don't often fall down here. Fortunately, I have a few very honest and reliable wood suppliers who will deliver either rounds or splits, and I've managed to come into some wood from other sources as well. These are younger folks who are willing and have the requisite skills, time, and equipment, to get Forest Service permits and go out 50 or 100 miles into the designated cutting areas and take down the standing dead trees, limb, buck, and transport back. Tough way to make a few dollars. Those days are well behind me at this point. I do very much like burning wood, so I do what I'm capable of doing to keep on burnin'. Dunno, maybe I am a real woodburner. :roll: Rick