Fall To-Do List Update

Done!  And with two days to spare!  Each autumn, the race is on to finish up the myriad of pre-winter tasks that must be completed before the last leaf drop and the first snowfall.  Taking down the wind chimes, storing the outdoor furniture and lawn accessories, plus putting up the acrylic porch panels are a couple of important items on the fall “to do” list, but the major chore involves processing the newly-arrived firewood.

A cozy hearth paints a romantic picture but around Bon Bon Acres, the Kodiak stove is much, much more than a mere decoration since it serves as our primary winter heating source.  Delivery of the wood is just step one.  Next, the pile needs to be sorted with the larger pieces split.  Reducing log size ensures better burning and also makes the wood last longer. 

This year, we ordered six cords which should get us through the worst of the winter. Rule of thumb is one cord per month.  October days are iffy for most wood-burning stoves. Many folks think it’s still too warm to heat up the fireplace and thus a waste of wood but I view this transitional time of year as the perfect occasion to use up the bark pieces that have fallen to the bottom of the pile.  This year, our friend Jeff devised a “sifter system” whereby we could separate the chips from the dirt.  It’s been an awful lot of work but it’s very satisfying.  Using every wood scrap seems like a time-honored frontiersman-type tradition.  Think of the Native Americans who famously made judicious use of every resource at their disposal.  My mother would say “waste not, want not.