Firewood

I have always liked firewood. It is good excercise, wonderful heat and we never seem to keep our fencerows trimmed in southern Ohio since coal and fuel oil came along!

I remember dad getting our new house in 1958, swearing to never cut another piece of firewood. I imagine he and cut and split more than any of us have ever seen.

That changed in the 70's after the oil embargo and his cheap dutch son put in a Vermont Castings woodstove to heat his family's home. Dad helped me cut wood on the farm in Sardinia and I hauled it to Fayetteville to burn.

This year I have burned more wood at this point than I did in 77-78, the years of record cold and the Blizzard. I think I have went through 7 big pick-up loads, 100 5 gallon buckets of scrap wood and more.

Firewood is more popular this year too thanks to the economy. I haven't seen so many ads of wood for sale since '78 either.

We can't move ash any longer across some county lines risking a $5000 fine of spreading the Emerald Ash Borer. That hasn't stopped the movement of other species.

Oak is my favorite and I like locust, hedge, apple and other wood. Apple is good in the fireplace. My friend in Finland thinks it is the key to romance.

Wood heats you more than once. It is getting to the time of the year I am tired of dealing with it and anxious for spring to come.

But late this summer, you will probably find me getting more ready to burn next winter.

I like wood, I like firewood burning. We have plenty of it in these parts to keep us warm and let more sunshine into our crops.

Stay warm,

Ed Winkle