Splitting some white pine

I know you guys like to occasionally see photos of these old Fords working, (at least I do) so here we are splitting firewood for next year. Way too wet to do anything in the garden yet.

Always like to see them doing what they do best. Work!
Nice looking rig you have there too.

I haven't burned wood for heat since I was a teenager.
I didn't think pine was good for that because of the tar/pitch.
Am I remembering that wrong?
As I said, it's been a "couple" years.

We used aspen for cook stoves and pine for heating. Always a risk of tar
sap catching fire in the chimney resulting in a roaring torch flame. Almost burned
our house down because of loose brick in the chimney. That time dad put it out
by pouring sacks of cattle salt down the chimney. Other times it just burned itself
clean. Made a scary roar.

Just use it in the fireplace, Royse. Couple of pieces of pine to start, then switch to maple or oak. Yeah, creosote can be a problem if you don't keep the chimney clean.

Is that an abandoned railroad grade?

No, just a low dike between two ponds. There is an old Penn Central grade just beyond the tree line, however. Rail trail now.

It's a given, everyone's wood burning arrangement will differ in a a few ways, but I have found that cut and split pine when left to season long enough, will burn quicker than any hardwood and burn very hot. I see there is soot in the smoke, but the pitch is mostly gone. Soot does not make creosote. Species will vary, but pine we have here just needs a year to season, 2 is better. The split wood needs to be stacked and left in the open winds if possible. One round of seasoned pine to start, followed by hardwood is never a problem in my old set up. Don't start the fire with too much of any fast burning wood, keep the flue temperatures up consistently otherwise. Use seasoned, dry firewood. I have an 8 x 12 flue. Upon inspection for the last 10 years, I never see enough creosote build up to be concerned about it. 2 year seasoned pine, I would not hesitate to burn all the time if that is all I had.

White birch is another one that burns hot, the bark burns like a petroleum based fuel. It creates black soot, but you cannot beat it for heat production. Just split and season it for a year. Lots of people balk at less than optimum species of wood for heating, I don't, it all burns and makes good heat. Just know what you are doing with both the wood and your wood burning equipment. Don't use these species if you have not inspected your flue lately. I've known more than one person that has built up creosote and then mistakenly made a hot roaring fire, that is a dangerous combination. I constantly look at the flue when in use, to make sure I have the fire burning correctly and not choked out and smoking out the neighbors. Some people damper it down so much it makes lots of white smoke, this is where you get creosote and the more moist or green the wood, the worse it is.