Dealing with Large-Diameter Wood

 I'm definitely not very accomplished when it comes to firewood splitting.  However, I have managed to develop some methods to deal with difficult wood.  One thing that's challenging is large-diameter logs.  Because splitting goes with the grain, if the piece being split is too large, the resulting wedge-shaped pieces will be too big to fit in the stove.

I had a large oak tree cut down a couple of years ago.  While I did split some smaller pieces, the main trunk was huge--three feet in diameter at the base.  I was a little nonplussed about how to proceed.  I wasn't sure I could split it myself.  Meanwhile, it sat in the yard decaying.

I finally decided to give it a try, and was able to make the first split with the maul pretty easily.

From there it was likewise not too difficult to get it into larger chunks, which then could be split into smaller pieces.

However, the wedges were, as noted previously, too large.  I was able to break them into two pieces across the grain using the wedge, but it was pretty tough work.

 

 

I eventually hauled much of it up to the electric splitter, and found it was able to split these relatively small pieces easily (they were only 10 inches long).  Bigger pieces might be a problem; as the pictures show, I have a lot of sections that are longer, up to 18 inches.

One thing I was pleasantly surprised by was the overall condition of the wood--it's still in relatively good shape, but I know the clock is ticking.  There are definite signs of insect infestation. They're returning to dust pretty quickly at this point.  This is probably the last good opportunity to harvest relatively unblemished wood. 

Sweetgum and Eggs

 I've related my difficulties with splitting sweetgum a number of times previously.  While relatively small pieces (up to six inches or so) splits fine, larger pieces are a nightmare.  The wood doesn't have a straight grain.

Yesterday I was splitting what I thought was some oak cut last year about this time.  It was hard to split when fresh, so I stacked it for a while.  Wood that I'm splitting now is for next fall.  I grabbed a piece that was about 10-12 inches in diameter and put it on the splitter.  The splitter was able to split it once, whereupon I saw that it was sweetgum.  I tried to quarter one of the halves and the splitter choked.  I then grabbed my maul and wedge.  I manged to get it into quarters but it took a lot of work.  You can see the blue streak on the wedge as it dug erratically through the piece.

It looks like a straight-grained tree that was twisted by some malevolent force as it grew.  I'm still amazed that there's wood rated worse for splitting than sweetgum (sycamore and elm, according to the University of Kentucky site).

In other news, the chickens are steadily, if slowly, laying eggs. I may have up to three laying now, and I'm getting one per day most days.  They seem to be using the nesting box on the ground inside the tractor consistently now.  The lighter-colored eggs below are from my birds, while the darker ones are from Costco.

Reluctant Egg Layers

 In early May, I got my first batch of chicks, Barred Rocks.

 

They grew very rapidly.

They have been essentially full-grown for a few months now.  As noted elsewhere, I had an issue with a fox that claimed two of them: I didn't fortify their tractor enough to prevent the first attack, but I then made multiple adjustments and have had no further problems.

They seem to be enjoying life, but they hadn't started laying as of late December, despite being nearly eight months old.  I started feeding them layer pellets in mid-September, which in retrospect was way too early, at four and a half months.  Nonetheless, they were getting enough calcium. I was concerned that they might be eating eggs.

Searching online, I saw forum posts from people who indicated that they had new pullets that didn't start laying until days began lengthening in late winter/early spring. I also saw bits and pieces on the web suggesting that six to eight months is normal for Barred Rocks and other heavy heritage breeds.

Finally, I started to get a few eggs.

 

If size, shape, and color are consistent in each chicken, I think I have two who have started to lay at this point--one egg every two or three days.  So I haven't gotten very many total yet (the first one showed up January 2).  They also are not using the nesting boxes, as feared, so I put another nesting box on the ground inside the tractor.  One appears to be using that, but I have also found eggs on the ground.  So far, there's no real sign of one being broken after being laid.

It took a while, but things are starting to happen.