RicelandMeadows

Sugarwood pile waiting to be split

July 5, 2011

 

     Our sugarwood, the wood we will use to boil maple sap down to delicious maple syrup, is piled and waiting to be split. It takes a lot of wood to reduce the sweet sap down. We have to boil away over 40 gallons of water for every gallon of syrup we make.

 

     A few friends of mine had trees taken down in their yards. They gave me the wood. I had it hauled home on 2 log trucks. Now, the work waits for me. I have to cut and split all that wood and stack it in the new woodshed where it will dry.

 

      I sure am glad that the boys will help me. I help them cut the wood that warms their houses, so its only fair 😮  The wood really does warm you twice, once when you cut it and a second time when you burn it. Cutting all that wood is a good job when shared by many. It doesn’t take long and the great feeling when the work is complete, is like no other.

 

     We hope to build a new logsplitter. It will split pieces 36 inches long. The longer pieces are easier to use in the sugarhouse. The “arch” or woodstove part of out sugaring outfit is 4 foot by 4 foot, so it is a big space. The longer logs allow for more wood at a time, every time we fill the arch…about every 10 to 12 minutes. Hot fire =more steam = syrup.

 

     It’s funny to be thinking about burning wood in the heat of summer, but anyone who has tried to cut their supply of wood in winter when they need it, knows summer is the time to do it. It is much easier to cut and split wood when the snow isn’t up to your butt. Snow sticks to everything. Its cold, wet and miserable outside and there is always MUD under the snow. Much better to be cutting when the wood has time to cure and dry. It gives up more BTUs that way too, meaning less wood needed for the same job.

 

     We usually get our wood from fallen and dead trees in our woodlot. This year , however, we will use the gifts from our friends. There is much work for sure, but it is nice to have it all piled up waiting only to be split. I just have to convince my boys 😮

 

     My grandpa Rice cut wood. Much of it he would saw on his buzzsaw attached to his John Deere “B”. His horses would bring the wood to a central place where it would be cut and split. It seemed that when all the work was done, there was always wood to work on. I don’t remember ever being cold at grandpa’s so his work was well worth it.

 

     I hope my kids and grandkids will remember me hauling wood out of the woodlot with my team of horses, working on a never-ending woodpile and smiling from ear to ear. I like wood cutting, logging and working horses. This is another farm job that is not work to me. I like it as much as vacation or play.

 

     You may not need a large pile of wood to fulfill your needs, but I will tell you that a small camp fire burning in your backyard while you enjoy the company of friends is a wonderful thing. The crackle of the wood, the light of the fire dancing in people’s eyes provides a closeness that comes from comfort. Add a fire ring to your next get together, allow some time to sit by it after dark and you will see what I mean … after all I “wood” know 😮