Because I still can

Dan in Ohio

Well-known Member
Location
Mid-Ohio
Have noticed that many of us (you) are negative towards cutting firewood while others definitely are not (Acg) for example. Maybe it is because some areas of the country are not as blessed with an abundance of trees or the population demographics do not fit a wood burning model.

I have always heated with wood and acquired 20 acres of woods before building my home when a twenty something . Not because it is cheap, it is not and certainly not free.

I cut wood because (by the grace of God) I still can and always will. My 89 year old FIL just quit this year at the request of his wife.
 
If you have got it you might as well use it. I have acres of dead wood from flooding here and I could probably heat the house for years with it. Got out of wood heat a few years back for insurance reasons but I do miss it sometimes.
 
I heat with wood. If I didn't I would have to drag the trees out and burn them in brush piles - they would just be falling into my fields. I'm just using a resource and not wasting it. Tomorrow a brand new Vermont Castings stove is being delivered for the living room. It will likely take over the whole house heating as it is sized for it. I won't keep the catalytic element in it because I burn hedge, but it will still burn very clean. Cleaner than the curent unit in the basement.
 
My 86 year old grandpa was instructed by his wife and 7 kids that he was too old to continue working around the place.

So he quit and 6 months later he quit living. Not going to happen to me when the time comes....if I can help it.

Mark
 
we heat mostly with wood, here we have a abundance of it, and with dead trees, wind damaged trees and large limbs , wildfires, ect its a resource to be used, not just haul to a landfill, get some good out of the wood, a place here also has a million dollar [or more] plant which turns trees harvested for one reason or another into animal bedding, [ not just fed to a chipper this stuff is soft] also they make nice furniture out of wood that lends itself to that use
 
Heres all the reasons I cut wood.

I have 40 acres to maintain. Its free exercise. I split it all by hand. I love the outdoors. I cant still in a chair all day.

I can push out stumps with my dozer, or dig them out with the backhoe. (tell the wife that's work, but its really fun playing on the dozer)

I burn a fire in the house because I love the smell and I get free heat. Someday I may figure out how to put a real woodburner in versus just using my fireplace.

Not sure what it costs to cut wood. I do it because of all the reasons above.

Rick
 
I just like to cut wood! We have enough acreage that I will never have to cut a healthy living tree, just dead and blow down. Last year we sold a little, and we are still about 5 years ahead. Of course we aren't burning any while in AZ, but plan on being back in MN in March.
 
I burn wood because I enjoy it. What some people see as work I see as physical exercise and a sense of accomplishment when I'm done. I just plain enjoy it. This is my 28th season heating with only wood we have no other heat source.
 
By the time I'm done feeding cows, I don't want to cut wood anymore. But then if we had a nice fireplace ,,,,,no, still wouldn't want to cut wood.
 
because it feels good......
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I burn all my wood in a brush pile. Our heating requirements do not justify the work and expense of heating with wood.
A guy that cuts wood and sells it to city folk for their romantic fireplace's comes by and takes some trees every year. Less work I have to do.

Now if only I could figure out a way to run a A/C from burning wood I would be set.

I think a lot of the negativity of heating with wood comes from people sticking their noses in other peoples business.
I do not heat with wood cause it does not pay; I do not want the extra work; I live in a city or condo so do not have a source of trees. I am doing my part to clean up the world and heat with clean natural gas.
You on the other hand always have this smoke billowing from your roof top. It stinks and smells up my yard. We need to make a law to stop you from doing such activates.

Reminds me of some city folks complaining to the city about they needed to move the airport.
Never mind the airport was there first.
Never mind the planes were flying overhead making noise while they were looking at and buying the house next to the airport.
But now al of a sudden the planes are making to much noise and the city should move this international airport to a more remote area.
 
My dad heated with wood a little when I was a kid. He quit completely by the time I was about 5 so it wasn't in me to do it nor the experience one should have to be doing it. Where I live burning wood isn't really cost effective nor is there much access to it. In my years of being a volunteer firefighter Ive seen a few homes badly damaged if not destroyed due to chimney fires or other fire related causes, so I've made the decision to stay away from it.
 
I used to heat with wood. The work involved was not too bad. The reason I quit was the time involved to actually heat with wood was too much wasted time.

I figured the time I spent processing the wood and then the time loading the stove an hauling the ashes out. Then add the equipment you use on top of that. Wood was expensive to use when I figured the "true" cost of it.

I now have propane as a backup heat and a corn/pellet boiler at the farm. I will be
installing another corn stove here before next winter.

Even with higher priced corn the cost to heat for a month was less than any other source I have. Yes that includes wood.

Wood heat is only cheap if you have the "free" time to handle processing the wood.
 
Rick,

Like the dozer idea. I have two loader tractors that can usually get what is needed done. Plan to use the dozer to make more trails.

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Dan,

I like that outdoor stove you have. If I was ever going to consider using wood for heat then an outdoor stove something like yours is the only way I would go. Course they are pricey.

Outdoor stove at least keeps the mess and smoke totally outdoors. Wood done wrong can be a dirty nasty heat when using an indoor stove for people with breathing problems. Ever go in peoples home and the walls and ceilings are all smoked up - yuk.

I personally do not enjoy cutting wood so I doubt that I ever will go that route especially since I have no free source of obtaining it. Plus I am with JD Seller on wood is not always as cheap as people think it to be. Quality saws, splitters, and most importantly the time to do it. Last thing I want to be doing with what little free time I have is cutting wood. Kudos to those who enjoy it though.
 
Well, I cut and burn wood because it saves money:my house is poorly insulated and only has electric wall mounted heaters.So I put in a stove(used) in my living room, 2 ceiling fans, and an opening between kitchen and living room. It works well for us-we have the land,and there are always dead trees,especially now-thanks ash borer.
I own tractors, wagons, and a chain saw,so there was not much cost except for the 3 pt splitter.
When the stove was wore out,I looked on craigslist,and,luckily,found it's twin,in very good condition, and replaced it ,no mods needed.
While I like cutting wood,and the challenge of hauling it in(my farm is hilly),my achy back less so.
Also,I season my wood, and you do not often smell or see any smoke out side.My chimney has very little creosote either.Mark
 
Around my area there is an abundance of wood and apparently adequate free time. Some chose to buy propane and make the top 10% richer and usually spend their "free time" at the casino. Very good for "someones" economy. Others choose to heat with wood (usually their own acreage or slab wood from all the Amish sawmills..bargain)and it takes very little "free time" when really looks at how much you have in a year. Free time is something one creates base on his priorities in life as apposed to something you either have or you don't. I say heat with what you have as apposed to what the top 10% have. If that's corn then so be it.Y'all have a Merry Christmas
 
Randy your correct for many people. I usually have livestock chores that can keep me pretty busy. Plus more paying shop work than I care to do anymore.

There are several casinos within driving distance of me. Dubuque has two that are just 30 miles away. I have never set foot inside of any of them.

As for propane making the 10% richer. I can buy home heating propane for $1.50 and farm propane for $1.35 right now spot price here. That is pretty cheap BTUs.

I have never seen a bunch of poor people run any business very well. So if those that do run businesses are successful I feel they should be rewarded for it. That system works better than any other that has been tried.
 
In my area, upgrading insulation and plugging drafts seems to have saved more money than changing the source of heat or upgrading the furnace.
 
I grew up burning wood, since 1980 when dad built his house. I bought my house in 2000 it had a oil furnace with baseboard heat, I hated not having a wood stove. 2001 I put in a wood boiler in the basement and 2003 a wood stove insert in the kitchen. It does take alot of time to make firewood, I get log lengths delivered and get what I can for free,ect. Nothing beats nice steady heat, you have a place to dry you wet clothes when you come inside, plus you can also cook on a wood stove. I also like using my equipment to make firewood, saws tractor splitters ect. I wouldn't be without wood heat.
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How many of you know how much more you are paying for home insurance because you heat with wood? If you don't tell your ins. company you won't be covered if you have a fire! I hope you have taken that into consideration.
 
My home proctor policy is $560 a year, and I told them I have wood stoves, don't know how much less it would be without them?
 
(quoted from post at 10:27:24 12/21/14) I used to heat with wood. The work involved was not too bad. The reason I quit was the time involved to actually heat with wood was too much wasted time.

[b:2c84fc865a]I figured the time I spent processing the wood and then the time loading the stove an hauling the ashes out. Then add the equipment you use on top of that. Wood was expensive to use when I figured the "true" cost of it. [/b:2c84fc865a]

I now have propane as a backup heat and a corn/pellet boiler at the farm. I will be
installing another corn stove here before next winter.

Even with higher priced corn the cost to heat for a month was less than any other source I have. Yes that includes wood.

Wood heat is only cheap if you have the "free" time to handle processing the wood.
don't agree with that JDseIIer.

It takes me 3 days to cut down and bIock up about 45 trees(8 fuII cords) and another 2 days to hauI the wood to my yard and put it in the stack, and aII by myseIf.
The equipment i use is used on the farm aIready anyways so other than a bit of fueI there ain't no extra costs.
I spIit(with ax) and pack the wood to the stove daiIy as needed,...maybe 10 min/day if that.
once in every third day i empty the ash drawer. totaI ash accumuIation over our 7 month burning season is Iess than a 45 gaI barreI.
I heat my entire 2200 sq ft house with just the wood stove.

PS:If you got rid of these damm cows and repIace them with bison you wouId have aII the free time in the worId to cut ad process wood for the whoIe neighbor hood with time to spare :wink:
 
Here in the great pacific northwest where wood is abundant and the winters are cool and wet.Wood stoves for home heat are very popular.I would not want to be without one in this part of the country.We had a windstorm a few weeks ago I lost nine trees.A 40 foot fir blew over and narrowly missed my barn.More firewood!I'm enjoying the warmth of my woodstove as I write this.Merry Christmas everyone!
 
I burn wood because I have plenty of wood in fence lines that are dead or about to die or the wind takes them down. I just finished last night filling and stacking my dump truck full of wood for the year, Untarp the back of the bed and back the truck next to the porch and unload what I need. Tarp it back up park it back in the barn, Simple mobile wood pile. Doctor would not like to see me do this but hay you have to keep moving and keep pushing on. I can get by on about 125 gallon of propane over the winter and burning wood too, And at $3.19 a gallon for propane the wood is cheap heat! I have it so I burn it and I burn what ever I cut down or is blown down. Ash Elm, Catawaba, Oak (all kinds) Hickory, Maple, And everything else cause it all burns.

Yesterday dad ran the splitter on a stool and I did the rest. This morning I was stiff and sour but its all done and in the truck. Bandit
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My insurance company knows and it cost me $50.00 a year. I think that my using wood more than compensates the extra cost of insurance.
 
My son and I both heat our workshops with wood. We enjoy being outdoors, harvesting what would otherwise go to waste, cutting and splitting plus its good exercise for an old fat guy. Some of the young guys at work pay to exercise at the Y but are too fragile to help cut and stack wood. I think they're missing out. Probably costs me more than it saves but I don't care, I just like it.
 
It sure saves my back carrying wood from a pile to the house, Simply start the truck and back it up to the porch and get what I need and back to the barn. I don't drive the truck in the winter so this keeps it running good over the winter and ready to go come spring. This way I cut and split it use the elevator or skid steer to put the wood in the bed when stack it up. Saves a lot of handling it. Work smarter not harder. Bandit
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Well Im 58 years old & have been around a
wood burner since I was in diapers. I have
electric baseboard backup & a Clayton wood
furnace in my basement & right now it's about .
85° at my desk as I type. It's a mild 32°
outside. We farm around 350 acers & there's
more wood that rots in out fence rows than I
can burn.
To save time, this is why I have 10 wood wagons.
Once I load them in the woods or on a fence
row I don't empty it until it's backed up to
my wood room, I've burnt 2 loads so far this
season. 4 Of my wagons are old Ford trk frame
with a 8' box, All of them have a 4x4 acrost
the spring perch to keep them up out of the
mudd when loaded.. All my loads are ranked 3'
about the sides & when I put the wood on the
wagon it will fit in furnance. 2 wagons are
old New Holland tank spreader with the end
cut out, another is from a John Deere H spreader
tongue with jack & 33 spreader axle, It sports a
52" X 10' bed 28" high sides. 2 are just 4x8'
box wagons & the last is a 7'x10' old flat bed
froma 1 ton trk that has 24" sides. I run a
single wheel tandem axle under that one. In the
spring I should have 5 empty wagons. For the
most part each one I put a full cord on. When
I offer wood , everyone wants it, but they want
me to deliver it, ^& I think some might even
want me to put it in their stove? I will cut
wood in January & Febuary between chore time.
If the snow is too deep to pull a wagon home?
I just leave it there, the snow will melt I
have other empty wagons. I park these beast out
of sight, but I do try to make them look good
with paint.. So right now there is 8 loads
of ranked fire wood, Beach, Oak, Shagbark
hickory a a load of maple when it starts to
get warmer all in my back yard, Just incase
the snow gets too deep to get the loads to my
wood room. All are up on old planks so they
don't leave hole/dips in the yard.
I use the Little John Deere M alot for wood
sometimes I use one of the J/D60's.... Some
place in my posession I have a picture of a
John Deere B, M, A, 2 60's, 620, 630 hooked
to my 10 wagons, some of the bigger tactors
were pulling 2 at a time, I call the picture
"Winter's Warmth"
 
I enjoy having regular heat, but also enjoy cutting and splitting the wood for recreation. I use about 2 cords per year in the fireplace. I work to much to cut all the wood to heat with.
 
(quoted from post at 17:08:54 12/21/14)
(quoted from post at 10:27:24 12/21/14) I used to heat with wood. The work involved was not too bad. The reason I quit was the time involved to actually heat with wood was too much wasted time.

[b:b84dab055c]I figured the time I spent processing the wood and then the time loading the stove an hauling the ashes out. Then add the equipment you use on top of that. Wood was expensive to use when I figured the "true" cost of it. [/b:b84dab055c]

I now have propane as a backup heat and a corn/pellet boiler at the farm. I will be
installing another corn stove here before next winter.

Even with higher priced corn the cost to heat for a month was less than any other source I have. Yes that includes wood.

Wood heat is only cheap if you have the "free" time to handle processing the wood.
don't agree with that JDseIIer.

It takes me 3 days to cut down and bIock up about 45 trees(8 fuII cords) and another 2 days to hauI the wood to my yard and put it in the stack, and aII by myseIf.
The equipment i use is used on the farm aIready anyways so other than a bit of fueI there ain't no extra costs.
I spIit(with ax) and pack the wood to the stove daiIy as needed,...maybe 10 min/day if that.
once in every third day i empty the ash drawer. totaI ash accumuIation over our 7 month burning season is Iess than a 45 gaI barreI.
I heat my entire 2200 sq ft house with just the wood stove.

PS:If you got rid of these damm cows and repIace them with bison you wouId have aII the free time in the worId to cut ad process wood for the whoIe neighbor hood with time to spare :wink:

Professional tree cutters (asphlunda) sp? were clearing for a new power line near me it took the 3 weeks to clear about 45 trees. I takes me a full hard day to process one good sized tree.
 
Professional tree cutters (asphlunda) sp? were clearing for a new power line near me it took the 3 weeks to clear about 45 trees. [b:1a77c70aaf]I takes me a full hard day to process one good sized tree.[/b:1a77c70aaf]


I don't know what kind of trees and what size you are using for fire wood.
I have a grove of beetIe kiIIed pine on my Iand, these are straight trees 40-80' taII 10-14" butt with few branches.
It don't take much to knock 15 of these trees down and strip the branches off and puII them out into the open with the truck in an 6-8 hr day.It is aImost Iike cutting down a bunch of power poIes :wink:

i don't think i wouId have a wood stove If i had to fight to get onIy one tree processed in a day :shock:
 
I had a total shoulder replacement a month ago, doc says no lifting. First time in 35 years that I haven't burnt wood. Wife and I both miss the steady heat, but she doesn't miss it enough to go cut some wood. maybe he'll let me start working after New Years?
 
Didnt have my woodstove when I first moved into my house, then installed one later. Insurance guy has to look at it and make sure all manufacturer clearance to combustibles are followed. Cost me one time payment of $30. Shouldn't add any cost to the guys with outdoor burners. Ross
 

The only way I could afford to heat with oil, electric or propane would be to get a full time, off farm job. No natural gas here and things are already tight. People give me the same reasons not to use wood that they do when they tell me to sell the farm- too much time, money, work. End of story.
 
You on the other hand always have this smoke billowing from your roof top. It stinks and smells up my yard. We need to make a law to stop you from doing such activates.

When the smoke billowing from the neighbor's rooftop makes its way into your house to the point where your eyes are watering and you are coughing, and they won't do anything about it when you respectfully go over there and ask, what else can you do?

You can't move the house. You can't build a plastic bubble over it. You can't seal it and make it airtight. Nobody's going to buy it now sitting in a haze of smoke.

You bought it in the summer. You saw the wood pile and said, "Oh that's nice. He's burning wood and saving money." Little did you know that the prevailing wind and landscape makes the smoke settle in a cloud right around your house.

Install a filtration system? Why should you spend thousands of dollars so your neighbor can save a few pennies on heating his house?

You wouldn't put up with it. You wouldn't take a loss on the value of your house. You wouldn't spend a bunch of money to remedy a problem your neighbor caused.
 
(quoted from post at 08:57:15 12/22/14)
You on the other hand always have this smoke billowing from your roof top. It stinks and smells up my yard. We need to make a law to stop you from doing such activates.

When the smoke billowing from the neighbor's rooftop makes its way into your house to the point where your eyes are watering and you are coughing, and they won't do anything about it when you respectfully go over there and ask, what else can you do?

You can't move the house. You can't build a plastic bubble over it. You can't seal it and make it airtight. Nobody's going to buy it now sitting in a haze of smoke.

You bought it in the summer. You saw the wood pile and said, "Oh that's nice. He's burning wood and saving money." Little did you know that the prevailing wind and landscape makes the smoke settle in a cloud right around your house.

Install a filtration system? Why should you spend thousands of dollars so your neighbor can save a few pennies on heating his house?

You wouldn't put up with it. You wouldn't take a loss on the value of your house. You wouldn't spend a bunch of money to remedy a problem your neighbor caused.
ot the neighbors fauIt that you bought the house net to him.
SoIution to your probIem,....SeII your house in the summer and move to the country.
 
(quoted from post at 17:29:58 12/21/14) By the time I'm done feeding cows, I don't want to cut wood anymore. But then if we had a nice fireplace ,,,,,no, still wouldn't want to cut wood.

Same here, by the time I come home from work "slaving for the man" and feeding and cleaning up the critters I have no interest in cutting wood. My weekends are for every other chore I can't get to during the week, which is just about everything. Nice to come in to a warm house with nothing else to do, nothing to haul in and no ash to haul out. Haven't burned the first stick in our fireplace in 12 years either.
 
(quoted from post at 18:03:45 12/22/14) Not the neighbors fauIt that you bought the house next to him.
Solution to your probIem,....Sell your house in the summer and move to the country.

I don't believe you can inflict your pollution on your neighbor, just like you can't let your overflowing septic tank leak onto his property, you are responsible for the smoke from your chimney. Some places do restrict those outdoor furnaces by law because of the haze of smoke they cause. Probably have some course of action against them. Start out nice and work up to angry.
 
(quoted from post at 11:15:02 12/22/14)
(quoted from post at 18:03:45 12/22/14) Not the neighbors fauIt that you bought the house next to him.
Solution to your probIem,....Sell your house in the summer and move to the country.

I don't believe you can inflict your pollution on your neighbor, just like you can't let your overflowing septic tank leak onto his property, you are responsible for the smoke from your chimney. Some places do restrict those outdoor furnaces by law because of the haze of smoke they cause. Probably have some course of action against them. Start out nice and work up to angry.
ame BS as peopIe who buiId or bought a house next to an existing dairy or hog operation and then compIain about the stink :roll:
 
(quoted from post at 15:15:02 12/22/14)
(quoted from post at 18:03:45 12/22/14) Not the neighbors fauIt that you bought the house next to him.
Solution to your probIem,....Sell your house in the summer and move to the country.

I don't believe you can inflict your pollution on your neighbor, just like you can't let your overflowing septic tank leak onto his property, you are responsible for the smoke from your chimney. Some places do restrict those outdoor furnaces by law because of the haze of smoke they cause. Probably have some course of action against them. Start out nice and work up to angry.

The problem with ideas like that is sooner of later you end up being on the receiving end of someone else ire. No doubt there's something you do that someone, some where finds absolutely reprehensible. When the shoe is on the other foot things suddenly look different.
 
(quoted from post at 16:19:28 12/22/14)
(quoted from post at 15:15:02 12/22/14)
(quoted from post at 18:03:45 12/22/14) Not the neighbors fauIt that you bought the house next to him.
Solution to your probIem,....Sell your house in the summer and move to the country.

I don't believe you can inflict your pollution on your neighbor, just like you can't let your overflowing septic tank leak onto his property, you are responsible for the smoke from your chimney. Some places do restrict those outdoor furnaces by law because of the haze of smoke they cause. Probably have some course of action against them. Start out nice and work up to angry.

[b:389db7bc38]The problem with ideas like that is sooner of later you end up being on the receiving end of someone else ire. No doubt there's something you do that someone, some where finds absolutely reprehensible. When the shoe is on the other foot things suddenly look different.[/b:389db7bc38]
een there done that.
I moved to the country over 30 years ago,..i haven't had an issue since with anyone,......my nearest neighbor is 2.5 miIes away as the crow fIies and i share no fences with any of them.
I can do as i want when i want how i want ;)
 
I heat with wood, sure there is work involved but the only other way to heat the house is the fuel-oil furnace, while there is some fuel in the tank, id much rather go with wood and not have the big expence of filling that big tank every so often, ive got a good stockpile built up and i still cut when its nice, cause you never know when it will be too bad out to cut. The stove is a tough old lilly, has a blower, they dont make them anymore, but when they built these they were built to last. I burn a cresote cleaning log every so often, have a bucket on the stack in the summer to keep the birds and rain out. Have plenty of wood along the property line fence rows to supply what i need, usually drag the trees to the barn with the 1020 or the A (now that its back in service) and process it closer to the house. Even if fuel oil was cheap id still go to the effort of burning wood, after all..... I can.
 
what a bargain, how many times do you get warmed up when prepping your firewood ?
1. when you fell and cut it up.
1. when you load it.
3. when you split it.
4. when you stack it.
i love the smell of oak burning. :)
 

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