Seriously. Every day… It’s one big adventure around here. Let’s talk about wood today, shall we?
Let’s just say… The HH has his work cut out for him this summer. I tried chopping wood yesterday and was totally done after two logs. So the whole chopping part…. Is all on him. I am more than happy to stack wood all day long, but I’m not looking to get a set of giant man arms anytime soon. Plus, I’ve gotta save my back for the garden… right?
So this is our woodshed and it’s about 4 1/2 ft. high by about 10 ft. long {I forgot to measure the width} but if I’m remembering correctly, a cord of wood measures 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. and I’m thinking we’ll be able to get a cord and a 1/3rd in there. I told the HH he needs to build us another one.
Even though there are some logs already on the property that just need to be split, I wanted to make sure we would have enough wood to get us through next winter, so I went ahead and ordered 3 cords of seasoned firewood. The wood will be delivered in about a month or so.
The HH thinks 3 cords is too much. I don’t think I ordered enough. The local wood guy said we’d probably need about 4 cords. My friend Heather, said 3 -5 cords. Luckily though, the wood guy said he usually doesn’t sell out until early October so we will still have plenty of time to order more if we think we need it. And, there are oddles of trees on the property to keep the HH busy splitting wood in the coming years.
The first year in a new place is always sort of tricky, isn’t it?
Apparently so is learning how to use a wood stove properly.
My husband. He is fascinated with the thing. And if I have to listen to him tell me how to turn the doohickey on the right side of the wood stove towards me to allow more air into the stove one more time, I am going to go crazy. I haven’t even touched the doohicky once, because he’s already done it for me!
Honestly, I don’t think it’s that complicated, just throw another log on the fire. Walk away, come back in another hour or two and add another. 😉 But what do I know? I’m just the little woman, right? All I want to do is sit in a warm room, sip some tea, listen to a podcast and work on my hooked rug. This whole living in the country thing…. It’s going to be interesting, that’s for sure. 😉
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone, and stay out of trouble.
~Mavis
Bobbie says
Get a log splitter! Yourback will thank you!
Mavis Butterfield says
He’s looking in to getting one…. A total must have if you ask me.
Molly T says
agree a log splitter is a MUST!
Carole says
Just going to say that, get a log splitter. And a really good garden tractor and trailer. Not a lawn mower, a tractor. Probably going to need a scraper for that too to clear the driveway. Country living is definitely a challenge and we grew up in the country. As we get older it gets more challenging but sooooo much nicer. Great people live out here and are a wealth of knowledge.
Dawn says
Yes, yes, yes. You need a wood splitter! Makes the job SO much easier.
Mrs. C. says
Bobbie is 100% correct. The incentive is that you’re not getting any younger! We are going to get one in the next year or two. A generator comes first!
Brenda says
If you’re going to harvest your own wood, you’ll need 2 things: chain saw and a log splitter. Then you’ll be able to really go to town on it! Have fun!
Jorrae Ashlock says
Trust me, learn how to work the doohickey LOL! Drafts control how hot or long the fire burns, and you can increase the efficiency of the wood heated by finding a “sweet spot” with the vent settings. It’s also the bee’s knees for re-lighting the fire in the morning, because you can close the vent and the fire will smolder all night and then you can just build it up in the morning. You may go through wood too fast if you just keep throwing logs on there and not adjusting the vent to use airflow effectively
Mrs says
^ THIS^
As someone who also heats with wood,
Mavis, learn your wood stove! You won’t regret it! 🙂
Mrs. C. says
Ditto. One thing: the woodstove guys told us to burn at least one hot fire in the woodstove each day because it helps keep creosote down. Now, don’t build it so hot that you start a chimney fire. Also, get the chimney cleaned in late spring/early summer so that you are ready to fire it up in the fall. The user manual for your stove is orobably on line.
Heather says
Ditto. My parents lived for years with only a wood stove. Learn how to adjust the air flow, etc. Also, can you rent a log splitter if you don’t want to buy one? I moved many cords of wood when I was in high school and they didn’t even live in an area that snowed. Enjoy your new adventure.
Lauren King says
So it really doesn’t get cold where we live in South Australia in comparison to lots of other places in the world, but I remember being able to make my parents (we call them combustion heaters) to relight in the mornings and it was the best! I would love to have a wood fire again one day.
debbie in alaska says
Yup — somehow beat me to it — if you want to be a true new englander and efficiently heat with wood — you probably want to understand the nuances of the wood stove. It can make a big difference on how quickly the wood burns and how well the house heats and retains heat, Not sure if HH is working from home or taking a sabbatical — but if you plan to be home alone during the day then you definitely want to learn the ins and outs of heating with a stove and not rely on someone else. You are way too resourceful for that!
debbie in alaska says
I meant *someone. Sorry — auto correct. Also I’m a big fan of powdered creosote remover … sprinkle some over the embers at the end of the fire to help prevent dangerous buildup.
Alison says
Definately get a log splitter!! It eill pay for itself if you have a wooded lot. You will love the heat – the thing i miss the most when we moved. You will also get used to the stove – they are rather simple.
Mrs says
I second and third getting a wood splitter. Home Depot will sell off their rental splitters at a good price; much less expensive than brand new. They are great splitters and are kept In really nice condition.
Teresa says
Wood stoves: it’s a man thing. However, learn how to use it, it’s more efficient when used properly. You don’t want a bunch of build up in your flue from improperly burned wood. Say YES to the wood splitter, such a time/energy saver. If someone wants to split wood they can practice on kindling. A sharp hatchet and leather gloves! Keep those fingers out of the way! Best wishes.
Jackie M says
Is wood heat your only source of heat? Or a secondary?
Mrs. C. says
The wood ash: used SPARINGLY, it is useful in the garden to raise the pH. I sprinkle it LIGHTLY over the asparagus bed in the winter, once or twice, on top of the snow so that it just melts into the soil as it thaws. We will be sprinkling it on the ground beneath our beenives this year to help keep certain bee parasites in check, too. At the feed store, they sell little metal trashcans with lids, and that is where we put the ash as we scoop it out from our wood stove.
Diana says
So glad to see a mention of uses for wood ash. I’m always trying to come up with more uses.
E in Upstate NY says
Agree with above, with one other wood ash use: ice/snow traction. After winter has set in, you will have spots that you can’t shovel because of ice. Wood ash is great for creating foot traction over that ice. The downside is that wood ash does track into the house, so need special boot care upon entering.
Alison says
I’m guessing Mavis will give a lot of her wood ash to the chickens for the world’s best dust baths!
Carrie says
YES! I use my wood ash for my chickens dust bath and add some to the compost heap. I am intrigued by the under the beehive solution. I’ll have to look into that for my honeys.
Brianna says
I sprinkle a good layer of wood ash on my driveway in the fall before it snows, as well as throughout the winter. It helps the snow melt because it is black. I cannot afford pavement and this works well for me.
My dad carries a small bucket of ash/sand mix in his truck for tire traction if he needs it.
Nicole says
We go through about 5 cords a season. On top of that we get one cord of oak to use at night while we sleep because it burns slower. We bank the coals up and throw some oak on so there are hot coals to get the fire going in the morning. We keep the fire going 24/7. As far as splitting wood. I have three boys. All summer they split kindling and different sizes of logs so we have a variety. We live at 7,000 feet elevation. Some winters are really cold and snowy and other’s are mild. I’m guessing you will need more than 5 cords if you plan to use it around the clock. Also, the damper will become your best friend. It controls the air flow. We also have a catalytic converter on our stove which we use. Your stove looks like my parents, a Vermont casting stove, it should have one also. We love our wood heat! Nothing else like it. Enjoy!
Mrs. C. says
Mavis, you are probably right about the amount of wood you need. I am in zone 6, we’ve had a mild winter, less than 6” of snow, total, we keep our house very cool, and we just started our third cord of wood. You never can tell. So many things play into it, including the length of the cold weather, and not just the severity. I set aside four cords per year. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not be able to get it!
Mim says
How much wood you burn depends a lot on efficiency of your insulation and openness of your floor plan. We heat 3800 sq ft with 3 cords, keeping the stove going pretty much from October to May. We keep the downstairs thermostats at 62 (sometimes cranking them up for a couple hours on a really cold morning) and the upstairs thermostats totally off. And bedroom windows cracked open at night.
Re. Wood splitter, unless you are going to cut up logs on a regular basis, I find renting or borrowing one for a day is all you need to get through a couple cords of wood.
And yes, get to know your dampers on the stove. That VT Castings model will easily hold a fire all night if you close it down.
Emily B. says
As a person who had never needed or operated a wood burning stove- is there a downside of having left over cords of wood that sit through the summer to use the following winter? I am in general a have and not need vs. a need and not have. But if there is a downside I would reconsider in this case.
Mrs says
There is never a downside to having too much wood, IMO. Wood can sit for years (if covered) and still be useable. Nobody ever froze to death from having too much firewood. 😉
kelly brown says
You will learn real fast how dirty a woodstove is in living area, Ours is in the basement!
Ken Newman says
I cut and split ten cords a year ( split it all by hand until I was 62…then my back insisted I get a log splitter ). Our place is over 200 years old and just over 4000 sq. ft. Although the house has a modern forced air/oil furnace it almost never comes on when we burn the stoves. We have a Jotul 118 ( which we bought in 1975 ) on the first floor and a Nectre 350 ( called a Vermont Bun Baker in the USA ) upstairs. This year we burned eight cords….there’s nothing like wood heat. Where we are in N.E. Pennsylvania there’s still a good bit of logging and they are happy to sell the logs that aren’t suitable for lumber. A logging truck load of mixed hardwood ( delivered ) costs $500-$600 and yields at least 8 cords ( usually more )…trust me it’s worth the money not to cut and drag it out of the woods…and you’ll eventually kill your truck ( if you have one ). I wouldn’t be without the wood burners….especially when the power goes out.
Mavis Butterfield says
10 yards!!!! Ken, you’re house must be so warm.
Cindi says
You will love wood heat — it allows you to keep the house so toasty warm.
We burn about 4 cords a year here in the Colorado mountains — we’re both home all day. But that is softwood — pine and fir. You’re burning hardwood, I imagine, and that gives more heat. Yes to the wood splitter, and the metal ash bucket with a lid (we have two — we want to make sure the ashes are ice cold before we empty them into the woods.) You’re smart to buy it the first year, but we actually enjoy getting our own wood.
Jennifer@thefrugaldribble says
I love heating with wood! It’s a little messy but worth it. We have a wood burning fireplace. My family loves to roast hotdogs and marshmallows over the fire on cold winter days. As others have said, get a log splitter. So much better!
Laura Z says
I know nothing about wood heating, but those wooden floors are just gorgeous!!! Congratulations on your new home!
Dara says
Those wide board wood floors are beautiful!! We would love a house tour – hint hint 🙂
What will the HH be doing now? Is he retired? Semi-retired? Taking a while off before finding a new job?
Nicole says
One other thing I wanted mention. Please be careful with your ash/coals. We have seen time and time again people move out here to the mountains and accidentally set their homes on fire because they thought the ash was cold. Even if it’s been sitting for a couple days in your stove there can still be hot ash that will spark a fire. We have 4 hot coal buckets we rotate. You can get them at the hardware store. They are metal with really tight fitting lids and a handle to carry them. We leave the ash in there for over a week outside in the cold. Then you can dispose of it or use it.
debbie in alaska says
Yes! This! Glad someone mentioned it.
chickengrandma says
Yes, be careful with those ashes even after a few days. I burned down our trash can !
Dawn says
Yes! We have a standing rule that the ashes get taken directly outside as soon as they are removed from the stove. Every.single.time. We had friends who had a house fire that started from ashes left in a metal bucket in their basement. Take them outside to a safe place!
Sue R. says
You’ll probably want something more serious than that wicker basket for your wood storage 🙂
Katrina says
We’ve had wood stoves very similar to the one you were showing, they were Vermont Casting also. I love the red color. It looks like yours is on the smaller size which won’t heat the whole house but usually the room it’s in and maybe area close by. We also had a screen that could be placed where the front doors are so that you can enjoy it as a fireplace. It’s nice to hear the cracking sound of wood burning. We didn’t do this all the time just occasionally. It’s a learning curve getting the stove to burn just right and you’ll learn quickly. You’ll love it.
Rita says
Is this your only heat source or is there a furnace too? Are you wearing your coat in the house? You might want to put down a hearth rug for protection from possible flying sparks.
Mavis Butterfield says
We have oil heat as well but the thermostat is set at 60 degrees. No Coat!!! Imagine that. 🙂
Cari says
I agree. My hearth rug has come in handy more than once.
eliz says
Are you just heating with wood? We go through about 9 cords in Montana.
Deb K says
Hey Mavis! Welcome to New England! Depending on where you are (southern NH) I’m guessing…you will want to bring in your bird feeders (bears) and also to get tick protection for the puggle princess. Lyme disease is rampant in both dogs and humans, as well as other tick borne illnesses. I have already been picking them off my dogs even though I still have snow!
Martha says
We heat 1400 sq ft with only wood in Anacortes. Three cords routinely. The type of wood matters! Don’t pay for poplar or cottonwood! It is like burning paper. Fir and pine burn hot and fast, hardwoods slower. There are charts on google that tell you the BTUs available in different woods. Rent a splitter to start, and know how your stove works! I learned the hard way when my hubs was in A
frica for a month one January and the furnace failed.
Tisha says
Using the damper properly is akin to you liking to keep the thermostat low to save energy. If you regulate the fire well, the wood will last longer, saving you money. I would definitely buy more wood than the 3 cords. If next winter is severe, you are prepared. If next winter is mild, then you have some left over for the next year. Either way, win-win. If you run out, though, you could be looking at buying wood when it is more expensive.
Marybeth says
2 words: LOG SPLITTER!
Donna jameson says
Hi Mavis , welcome to where ever you are what a wonderful thing you have accomplished ! Truely a dream come true . I am Donna from Missouri and have been following along with you for about a year now and recently had the pleasure of visiting with you regarding the great Chicken rug . It’s going to be beautiful and your new home is so beautiful as well , I would like to venture a guess and say after seeing the great sampler and the chicken rug and the room with fireplace your new home or at least a portion of it was built in 1722 and is a beautiful Salt Box in Mass
I think we had the same life long dream !
Diane says
I don’t have to tell you to get a log splitter – others have taken care of that.
Ditto the “learn how to use the wood stove” advice.
Other suggestions: After (not IF) you get a tractor with snowplow attachment, and a chain saw, learn how to use and maintain those, and practice regularly (my husband taught ME, and I’m an old fogey). What if your husband is out of town, or out of commission with an illness, when you need to clear a fallen tree or plow the driveway?
You’re a rural New Englander now, and the skill requirements for a happy/healthy/successful home life have changed somewhat. Go get ’em!
BETTY D says
So love your new home already. Im amazed at all the tips/ideas people have given you. Some of them we used and some sure wished we knew….grin…as brother and I was in charge of getting the wood when home from school. We always kept a bucket of started wood near by and learned by trial and error…but that pot belly stove was the best , esp when the power went out….we had heat and food warming on the stove.
Peggy says
That woodstove is gorgeous!! And the damper is important, you’ll know if it’s turned the wrong way, the room will fill with smoke, but also carbon monoxide. I get confused on it all the time too, and yes, invest in the log splitter, honestly, it’s a small investment you’ll never regret if you heat with wood. Never. 🙂
Lisa-Marie says
You guys have the same woodstove we have. Because you aren’t used to this kind of winter that we have here, I suggest you have 6 cords of wood ready. We found out the hard way that not having enough wood sucks. Get a logsplitter. It will be a work saver,and every little piece of wood (sticks etc) must be saved as kindling. DO NOT burn magazines or plastic anything in the stove or you’ll be asking for a chimney fire. Believe me, it happened to us. Get a chimney sweep in to clean and check your chimney. I clean ours every year ever since our chimney fire. Don’t leave ashes to pile up in the stove bottom. The stove is designed to breathe to keep the fire hot, so empty the tray every two days. The wood stove is the best thing to have during fall and winter. We pick up wood wherever we are,sticks,roadside cuts to save on fuel. And it saves on oil and gas. In the winter i generally cook on the wood stove to not waste fuel. I love it! Dry clothes too. Also make sure you have candles in case the power goes. We have flashlights hanging in every room. Lots of candles too. Welcome to New England.
Barbara Gantt says
Chimney cleaning logs are important too. They help keep your chimney clean to prevent fires. Use one a month. We always have 6 cords of wood for the winter. It is better to have too much than not enough. We had a Vermont Castings stove years ago. It would heat the room very hot but the rest of house was cold. Small fans in the upper doorway help to move the heat around the house.
Donna says
When I first started reading your post today – wood – chopping wood – every day? It made me think about the book I’m currently reading – The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, which I saw on your book list recently. Anyway, it’s a coming of age story of a young teenager whose family moves to Alaska and begins to learn survival skills. Of course, they are chopping wood every day! It’s a great book and I also love Kristin Hannah’s Nightingale. And so you are learning survival skills for New England winters just as they did for Alaska.
Tamara says
Those floors! Sigh…..I miss New England terribly, especially the historical homes. Grew up out there, moved to the Seattle area in 92 and would love to go back. All my family is there. But now my kids are grown and likely to stay out here. Wish I could convince them to move back with me…..I will have to live vicariously thru you!
Mrs. Mills says
Hi Mavis, just a quick note when using the log splitter (which I love, so easy). Safety glasses and be careful with wood that have knots.
Mavis Butterfield says
Thanks for the tip!
CathyB says
Ditto the comments on the wood splitter (either rent or buy) and learning to adjust the air flow. A couple of suggestions that I have not seen yet:
1) We usually wait at least a year to use any wood that we have cut down on our property. We cut it into rounds and then wait until it has dried to split it – makes the job much easier! Then stack split wood and let it season until it is completely dry. So you will need to be cutting wood at least a year out from when you intend to burn it.
2) If you have a forced air system, check and see if it has an option to continue to cycle the air even when the heat is not being used. Our system continues to cycle the air when we heat with wood and it will move the hot air around the house more and distribute it better. It also means that warm air is getting moved through the crawl space below the house and keeping pipes from freezing.
3) If you get a severely cold snap (below 0) and are using wood to heat, then you need to make sure that your crawl space is well-insulated (if no warm air is circulating through it). Also be aware of sink pipes located on exterior walls. If the pipes are inside of cabinets and your insulation is not great then they can get too cold and you will need to open up the cabinet doors to allow some warm air in. I don’t know if it ever gets that cold where you are living now, but just a couple of things to keep in mind if you do.