I’ve just finished stacking two cords of wood. The picture will give you a fair idea of what this looks like if you’ve never participated in an Annual Festival of Wood. And by the way, two more cords are due next week – so reserve your quarter cord now!
But seriously, I have come to appreciate wood stacking; it’s the perfect way to maintain your core muscle strength, and it gets you outside in the brisk fall air. Set up your radio or phone for some tunes, and you can rock out while you get a free exercise session. It is true that it’s very old school and that your neighbors look at you with undisguised amusement.
But comes January, when the power is out, and the neighbors are freezing and looking for a motel room until the power gets restored, you’ll be toasty warm. In February, when the neighbors are panicking over how they will pay the fossil fuel bill, you will be content, remembering that your wood costs a bare three hundred a cord – not the cool grand plus they have monthly.
So yes, wood stacking in the fall is a favorite physical exercise. And, comes winter, there is a sense of security that comes from a well-stacked wood pile.
You are right. Exercise doesn’t have to be a gym membership. There is always much to do around the house and during this time of year the outdoor chores can be enjoyable.
This is one of those “How to eat an elephant. One-bite-at-a-time” projects.
Absolutely! Take your time and don’t kill yourself.
I miss my woodstove. Very very often the first day I lit it for the winter was around right now. A cord of wood where I lived in the CA mountains was sometimes $1000. It was usually beetle kill oak from around there. A couple years I got to burn my own beetle-killed trees. In a sick way, that was a boon.
1K a cord? I hope you didn’t have to use the stove often!
Every night all day on weekends. It got down to 23 or so at night in winter there. $400 for a tank of propane. I dressed warmer in Southern California than I have to here1