Hiya permies community
I'm on half an acre in a cold climate and have been for a couple years, and while we have solar and split systems our most effective and least energy-consuming source of heat is our wood fire heater.
We have a bunch of trees on the property, some of which drop large branches, take heavy pruning, and a couple which I've cut down to make room for fruit trees. I collect sticks for kindling as we prune and as they drop, and have amassed a variety of sizes of sticks and logs which we store in a large shed in preparation for burning.
As anyone does when they're new to something, I've also come to the realisation that there's a lot I *don't* know. We've stored kindling in loose piles and found rodent poop and dead rodents underneath, and I don't even want to know how many are living in there now. We've also got a bunch of logs that are way too big for the firebox, and despite some attempts with a hatchet have had a world of trouble splitting it. It seems Australian hardwoods are a bit harder to split than what I'm seeing on youtube videos - and maybe I'm doing it wrong.
I've got some questions that I'd love to ask if anyone's willing to explain some things to me:
1. How do you split your wood? Is there a way to do it if you don't have super strength? Is it easier to split when it's new or dried? Is there a cheat way to cut it?
2. How do you store wood so that it doesn't house rodents? We have heaps of space in our shed but not like... a storage system. I'm sure there's an obvious, easy, affordable answer but the best I've seen so far is $200 at our local nursery for a metal ring
3. What would you tell a newbie who is just starting out with their firewood collection and storage? What have you learnt along the way that made your life easier?
4. What sort of trees would you plant for future firewood, in a bushfire prone but cold climate?
Any wisdom is much appreciated
