Keeping The Home Fires Burning:
Perennial Problem

By Elsbeth Ludeman

It's that time of year when our wood supply is getting perilously low ­ again.

The fact that we have had an unusually wet end to winter hasn't helped. But even in mild, dry winters our fuel supply is somewhat uncertain.

When I moved into this house it had no fireplace and I rather rashly said I didn't care what else we went without, I wanted a fire. My wish was granted and we got a wonderful wood burner which sits in the wall between the living room and hall, heating both.

Or it does when it has old, dry wood to burn. But when, as is sadly more often the case, it has to struggle with new and/or wet fuel, its efficiency is severely diminished.

When I voiced a desire for a fire I forgot to add that I wanted fuel for it too, not having realised that the world is divided into cutters and burners. The former think any wood is good wood, whereas the latter know this is not the case.

I am definitely a burner and I blame it on the girl guides. It was they who taught me to light a fire with only one match and so I learned at an early age the important of suitable fuel.

Unfortunately the one who cuts our firewood was not a girl guide and despite my best efforts to educate him, he still doesn't seem to appreciate the finer points of better burning.

"If it's wet It'll take longer to burn and so last longer," he says.

I've tried to persuade him the reverse is the case and that old, dry wood burns hotter, so less is needed. But her remains unconvinced and each winter we have the same problem.

I've heard of families who have at least two years' supply of wood cut and carefully stored at the start of each season. I count myself lucky if I have two weeks' worth.

The rest might be cut but will be getting rained on in a paddock which is only accessible by a four-wheel drive vehicle or tractor. And those are needed for feeding out or some other activity which is far more important than fetching firewood.

Then, when at last I am down to scrabbling round for scraps around the chopping block and eyeing the skirting boards with evil intent, a new load of wood will be dropped off.

I'm beginning to think my farmer does it on purpose ­ working on the principle I will be so grateful to get something to burn I'll overlook the fact that it's wet and/or freshly felled.

And I'm not alone in this. I've talked to others who are married to men who are normally warm-hearted and generous. But when it comes to firewood they become mean spirited and miserly.

"If I cut it, she'll only burn it," is their motto.

So why, if its such a problem don't I just cut the wood myself?

Well, I might believe that women can do anything by that doesn't mean all of us can do everything. As my friend Eyeore says, "We can't all and some of us don't" and when it comes to chain saws and axes I'm definitely lacking.

Why not just buy some then?

Believe me, when faced with wood so freshly cut it had green pine needles clinging to it and hissed when I put it on the fire I've been tempted to do that. In fact, last week I tried. But obviously so too had everyone else and there was no old, dry wood to be had in town.

However, when I got home I was greeted with the news that a new supply of wood had been dropped off in the shed.

It was obviously several months since it had been felled and it was only slightly damp. Better still there is enough to last a good three weeks. By then, I hope the weather will have improved and the need for fires will have passed.

And maybe this summer, once tailing, drafting, shearing, hay making, tractor work and all those other more important jobs are done, someone might just find the time to cut some wood so that we have plenty dried and stored long before next winter.