Quote:
Originally Posted by Island Girl
We have plenty of wood on the island. Birch trees just fall down when we need them. Mix in a bit of ash and oak and we have nice fires. Pellets cost money and have to be transported. I am too old for that. A little chain saw and an electric splitter and we are good to go. Thanks for the suggestion.
IG
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I just learned a tip from a friend who heats his primary NH dwelling with
two (!) wood stoves.
Birch logs should have their birch bark coverings split lengthwise with a utility knife—open up the bark about ¼ of each log's width, and the birch will season appropriately.
(Birch bark itself makes an ideal fire-starter. To get a new fire started over the cold ashes of last night's fire, place the birch bark on a couple of pine cones and cover with tinder).
He demonstrated on a log I'd cut last summer, and sure enough, it was soaked with moisture inside! Is it any wonder so many birch logs have rotted on the ground—yet appeared intact?
