The old-fashioned way—by hand. I cut and split my own wood for winter heating. Good off-season cross-training, too.I’m one week post-Ozark Trail 100 and into my post-season off time from running. It’s always a nice break to have 4 weeks of down time come late fall. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I primarily heat my home with wood (consisting of two very efficient wood stoves—one large uber-efficient main stove in my great room and one cast iron in my kitchen for small, occasional fires).
This fall I cut all my own wood with a permit from Deschutes National Forest (dead standing lodgepole pines). So, about once or twice a week, I have to do a log splitting session with my ax and wheelbarrow my wood to my wood box just outside the back door and stack a nice pile in the great room by the wood stove.
Some folks have mentioned to me that it seems like a lot of work, but I find it very rewarding to go through the motions of cutting your own wood, hand-splitting, and stacking. It’s a little bit of labor, but it’s very relaxing and a great stress reliever—plus, it’s a great way to save a lot of money on winter heating. It cost me $40 for the permits and about 15-16 hours of labor in the woods running a chainsaw…as Tim “The Toolman” Taylor always said…ARR-ARR-ARR!! Plus, the added benefit of giving you some cross-training during the off-season—Bronco Billy likes. Giddyup!