JANUARY 29, 2028

WORKING IN THE WOODS

I spent the day in the woods again, cutting firewood and generally improving things. I stacked up some pine and doug fir for next year, mostly from thinning operations. I marked some doug fir and one pine for poles to be cut when the sap has risen, so that I can peel them better. I also girdled some trees to let them die standing. I think it helps wildlife habitat, and I don't have to buck and stack a tree that is still standing, so it saves a bit of labor. I usually do this with trees that got too limby from growing in the open. That way while they die they make good perches for birds. It still amazes me how long a girdled tree will live in that state. It takes over two years for it to finally croak, so I have to plan ahead more than I like. But that's the nature of firewood any way you do it.

I know I'm not the only one taking care of his woods. I used to see neglected stands of trees on the way to town, but I don't see that so much anymore. I think the firewood is too valuable these days to let it stand there, or worse yet, let it crowd out a decent timber tree. For that matter, I'm seeing more timber trees limbed up to make better quality lumber.

Now that more houses are heated with wood we have a lot more haze hanging in the valleys these days. I like to think that the wood heat classes and the clean air campaigns have helped, but some people just can't seem to get ahead of the curve and get their wood properly seasoned.

I saw in the Journal last month that the Grange is still delivering seasoned wood to shut-ins and the elderly, making a big show with reindeer antlers on the horses and Christmas/Solstice greenery on the wagons. It's been a while since I volunteered for one their work parties. I might have to try it next year.