Log Deck

While we are working in the woods to clear out some of the damaged, sick or dying trees, we are sorting the pieces that are still green and piling them up in their own landing. These green pieces of today will be the logs for next year’s firewood project.

Some trees are good enough to make into merchantable logs and have their own log deck that will be hauled by a truck to a mill.

These are logs that are too defective to make marketable timber products so will be used for our firewood project. Some have too many scars or limbs, some have sucker knots or two tops, others have twisted butts, or are simply too small in diameter. By next year, the pile will be ready to begin the cutting and splitting process of firewood making. After cutting and splitting, the curing and drying will continue until the wood has less than 17 percent moisture before the wrapping and delivering can occur.

Wood chunks that have pitch seams, are too twisty or do not look pretty enough for the bundles of firewood are given their own designated space to dry and cure. This wood will eventually be used for our own use here on the farm (or for my brother to burn in his shop) and will need to be hauled and stacked by the outdoor furnace for easy access during the winter months.

If all goes well, this pile will continue to grow as the logging season progresses. I would estimate to have at least the volume of three log truck loads in this deck before we get into fall when logging will be over for the year and the wet weather ends our ability to get into the woods until next summer.