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[BoilerHouse]

I once bought a load of logs for a wood stove in the house, blocked and split them, then elected not to use that stove.  I didn't burn that wood until 10 years later when I built and installed the outdoor stove I use now.  It was dry to say the least but not rotten.  I thought it burnt fine. 

[kommandokenny]

As long as it burns and heats our houses!
The conventional s aren't picky ,,,I burn everything.
Try not to waste anything I cut.
The deer are thanking me now ,,,,lots of yummy tiny treetops in the bush

[patvetzal]

For the first ten years we were here, most of our wood was oak tops that the loggers had left before we bought the place, with some deadfalls and trail clearing logs thrown in. A few years ago I started cutting live trees but last year it went into the woodshed too soon and now it has black mold on the ends of the maple and birch. Started to check, but still not as dry as I like.
I hate the thought of piling it outside to dry, then moving it into the woodsheds for the winter....

[patvetzal]

Winter of 2015-16 was a light year for wood so last summer our tenant decided that 12 bush cord in the woodsheds should be lots. I then piled some fresh cut maple logs in the barnyard and let the snow cover it.
By the end of January I was buying wood so we cut the ice covered logs during Feb and piled them by the OWB, mostly unsplit but covered by a tarp.
Now I am 72 yrs old with bone cancer so my tenant is supposed to feed the furnace as I can only lift 10 lb.
I can however bring down skids of dry wood (we have about a bush cord left) with the tractor and set them beside the OWB to use for "kindling".
Experience has shown that once the fire is up to temp, I can toss in a few smaller green sticks during the day and the temp stays at 180F.
Tenant has decided that the proper way to operate is to fill the stove only  twice a day, early morning and 6-7pm. By this time the last load has burnt down and the water temp is dropping. By noon, the water is down to 90deg and the green wood has just started to burn so by 3-4pm the water temp is back up. The wood is pretty well gone by 6-7 when he fills it up with frozan wood again.
Each time he finds that the new wood doesnt burn very well, he shovels out most of the glowing coals in the bottom so the "air can get thru" (the air feed in my P&M is up thru the ash tray). This of course removes a lot of the heat that would dry out the maple, but 4-5 hrs later the wood has started to burn anyway.
Both of the houses have airtight fireplace/stoves as well as the new OWB but two years ago (their first winter) they found that they could not heat their house with it (we had used it as a sole heat source for 8 years) so now they refuse to light it as "any heat goes up the chimney". They just cannot understand how our house can be so warm when we light our airtight. Must be because we only burn it in the evenings........

How do you argue with a citiot?

[mlappin]

You don’t argue with him, he’s a tenant loading your stove and using your airtight, tell him this is how it’s done, period.

I do NOT put up with farm help not doing the job the way they are told to, whether it’s because they think they know better or that’s how Dad, Grandpa or their uncle always did it, your using my stuff on my property, this is how it WILL be done.

[aarmga]

Type of wood makes a big difference. In my experience, Hard (sugar) maple and Ash will burn well with little or no seasoning. I have burned both from freshly cut, green trees. Others will take longer. Oak needs a minimum of 1 year after splitting, probably better after two. Elm, hickory, soft maple, apple, cherry, basswood, poplar and ironwood need several months. Even pine, which you would expect to burn easily, needs several months after splitting. JMO

I couldn't agree more with this post. I can burn sugar maple or Farland the day that I cut it. I cut some down in October split it and put it right in the woodshed, and it burned excellent.   Some of the black walnut that I had cut in October I threw a few pieces in and it does not burn good at all. I would say that needs to sit cut and split for at least one year, because the Rounds aren't even dry after one year of sitting. Some of the oak I cut 24 inches long will still be 35% after a year of sitting.  I say if it wasn't split and stacked for one full season then it ain't ready.

[patvetzal]

In this case he sort of has me by the short curlies and tells me to do it myself, which I can't for health reasons. Last winter things were OK but this winter he feels he knows best. If we get an early start to filling the woodsheds, (12-15 bush cord) it won't matter, as next winter he will only have dry wood to burn,
If we don't start filling the woodsheds by the end of blackfly season then I will be getting someone  to do it who realizes the difference.
In his defense, he is out there at 7am stoking the furnace and does all his cutting with his own saws.

[patvetzal]

There is a difference between burning and burning well to produce heat. Our woodsheds were getting low so during the past few weeks we cut a half dozen maple/poplar/ash that were alongside the driveway. I was all set to skid them up to the barn and bring down dry wood but was told to drop them at the OWB where they would get cut up. Since some of the stems were 12" in diameter I offered to bring down the hydraulic splitter. Again I was shot down as my helper had a new maul....
That wood is going into the furnace with minimal splitting, and it is burning, but it takes 3-4 hours before it gets hot enough the produce much heat. During this time the water temp drops to 110/130 degrees on a cold day.
I figure that about 40% of the BTU's is just being used to boil off the ice covering and internal moisture....

[patvetzal]

our new tenant throws some dry wood in maybe twice a day. and as long as the water temp stays 160-170 we are both happy. pieces are too big for me to handle but he likes them....