Sourcing and storing wood for Winter 2015 - 2016.

This year we had had a colder and wetter Winter than what we normally experience at La Pasera here by the Asturian coast.We are still using the central heating other than on the very few warm and pleasant days when burning a few logs in the evening helps remove what otherwise would be a chill in the air as we relax at home in the evenings. During the day, daytime temperatures can reach into the lower 20 Celsius.

We occasionally are given an old fruit tree from a neighbour's orchard that would supplement the bulk of the wood we buy from a local wood merchants. After several months of firing our log burners in the lounge and the workshop/studio. we have ordered a load of wood that will finish drying over the coming months for us to burn next Winter. We are also expecting another big load over the next few days, a mixture of oak and birch wood that probably we will not start burning until Winter 2016 - 2017. Storing wood this far ahead ensures the logs we burn are dry and burn efficiently.

Over the last few days we have also finished chopping the hazel we coppiced from one of our boundaries and the small branches and twigs we gathered after pruning the fruit tress. This is ideal kindling. Some of the hazels had grown too big shadowing areas and depriving them of light; some of the hazel had not been coppiced since we arrived at La Pasera. Chopping the hazel and twigs for kindling is a job I particularly enjoy at this time of the year when Spring starts to come into life. The robins are never too far with their beautiful song while patiently waiting on a nearby perch to see if there is something for them to feast on.

A special froe traditionally used in Asturias to coppice trees and clear hedges along with a log used as a chopping block are the ideal tools for this job. The use of knee pads is something I would advise using when kneeling on a hard surface for long periods of time.

Now we only need to store and protect from the rain the chopped kindling wood and wait for the hot and drier weather to draw out most of the humidity so that it is sufficiently dried when we come to use it to start the fire. The next load of wood will be stored under cover in readiness for burning in the future.Gawber and Wentworth will certainly appreciate the warmth of the log burner in the workshop during cold Winter evenings.

In the garden, the proliferating daisies and dandelions not only herald the warmer weather but also the need to start cutting the grass after the cold weather. Cutting the grass has been a job we have delayed for a few extra days so that we could empty the compost bins before we start adding fresh grass clipping and organic matter that will guarantee next year's supply of compost. a valuable resource for the vegetable plot. What are you up to in your plot?

Working with a chainsaw - evaluating the Log Master

Last week we spoke about the acquisition of a new bit of kit - a Log Master. We have now used it and here is what we think.

Before our evaluation, just to let you know, we have no commercial interest in this product, just a personal wish to stay as safe as possible and as free from injury whilst using dangerous equipment. You should always carry out your own research, read instructions and take note of health and safety issues before using any tools or machinery.

We tend to process a lot of wood each year despite buying the bulk of it already cut to an appropriate length. We are often gifted fallen or dying trees which need processing or we have to cut our previously purchased wood in half to fit the smaller log burner which is sited in the studio (this saves buying two different lots).

The trees we fell are processed on site then transported back home where we will cut and spilt them into an appropriate size. Up until now we have cut the wood to size using a home-made saw horse for supporting the logs and branches as they are cut with a chainsaw. This has always been a two man operation, one to hold the logs/branches and one to operate (with two hands) the chainsaw. No matter how many health and safety precautions you take e.g, the right protective gloves, clothing, the correct position and posture, the regular and correct maintenance of the chainsaw etc, there is always a feeling that something unexpected could happen and accidents could occur especially if you have a momentary lapse of concentration. In short, we were never totally happy working this way.

On coming across the Log Master, I was encouraged by the sturdy metal saw horse that came complete with a guarded clamp/mount for a standard sized chainsaw. In essence this would allow a one handed operation of the chainsaw leaving one hand to hold the log secure in the saw horse. The addition of a guard protecting the top of the chainsaw was an additional draw as this would minimise the possibility of broken chains causing serious injury. Anyone who has used a chainsaw for an extended period of time, will recognise that is does put a strain on your back, hopefully, a one handed operation will also minimise this.

The review:

Setting up the Log Master - The sawhorse and clamp feel a good weight and well made. Putting together the various elements was straight forward enough with minimal tools required. The instructions were clear and photographs helped. The only slight hurdle was positioning the clamping mechanism correctly to ensure the chainsaw could pivot fully but this was soon sorted. We made sure the chain was sharp, the chainsaw refuelled and filled with oil before mounting. Positioning the chainsaw in the clamp was easy enough but it was helpful to have a second pair of hands to hold the chainsaw in position whilst the clamp was being tightened. Making sure the clamp handle did not interfere with the operation of a the pivot was also something that became obvious early on.

We cut the wood on rough ground near the wood store so the addition of adjustable legs was a bonus which ensured the saw horse and chainsaw were stable. We were also able to adjust the height of the sawhorse to a comfortable level to avoid working with a bent back.

Using the Log Master - The chainsaw was mounted so starting up was a different experience but nothing we couldn't manage. Our chainsaw tends to be temperamental when cold and you need to keep it on low revs for a while until warmed up so we couldn't just leave it ticking along in the clamp. Saying that, once it was warm we could walk away and leave it running whilst loading the next log. The cutting action felt very different as well with one hand and on a vertical pivot action. It was noisier than usual but that was probably due to the saw horse and guard being metal whereas before our sawhorse was wooden. The pivot was self-limiting which ensured you could not cut through the cutting guide. We both used the chainsaw and Log Master and found that it felt safer, easier to use individually and together, put less overall strain on the back and once used to the pivot movement, it was an efficient way of cutting.

Conclusion - We both felt much safer using the Log Master although in our excitement we forgot to wear goggles and a face guard... which in it's own way gives us an important message: Don't be lulled into a false sense of security. With the mounted chainsaw, guard and one handed operation it is easy to forget that the chainsaw is one dangerous piece of kit and should be treat with respect at all times. We both feel it was a good investment (just over £100) and would recommend it to anyone who uses a chainsaw for domestic wood cutting. It cleaned down easily after use and with the chainsaw removed, folded flat for easier storage.

Stay safe - stay warm...

Tales from a bit further afield in Spain: Navarra

As winter approaches there is nothing like the look and feel of a real log fire... Now thereby hangs a tale. As this post is mainly about our need for a warming winter fire, it did involve a rather long trip to the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz where we found some wonderful street art; bizarre and not so bizarre. Here are a few photographs from our visit as I tell our tale.

We have two log burners, one in the studio and the other in the lounge. Neither have been behaving particularly good of late; more smoke than usual, not burning efficiently, poor heat output. We decided to investigate. The studio fire was easy to sort out as we knew from previous experience that the metal tubing occasionally needs cleaning and re-sealing; a dirty job but soon resolved. The lounge fire was more of a problem.

We had refurbished the fire-proof seals, replaced the metal tubing and attempted to fix the glass door which was getting looser day by day. The screws and brackets that held the glass in place were impossible to release and we couldn't make a tight enough seal. After three days of soaking in WD40 and a trip to a local metal working factory who tried without success, we decided to contact the manufacturers. They suggested we wrap, pack and post the door and they would look at it. With extremely high postal rates in Spain and Christmas but a week away we decided that we would drive the 320km to Navarra where they are based to let them look at it and replace the screws and clamps if they could, either that or buy a new door.

We set off early and made a decision to use the opportunity to have lunch in Vitoria-Gasteiz, a city we have always wanted to visit. The journey was without hassle and the changing landscapes were an interesting contrast to Asturias. We arrived at the factory around 10am, handed over the door and was told to go get a coffee whilst they had a look at it. Thirty minutes later the phone rang, the door was ready; fully refurbished with new screws, fireproof cord and glass clamps. Expecting a hefty charge for short-notice, drop everything repair job we were delighted when they said there was no charge. Thank you Lacunza - you are stars.

We drove to nearby Vitoria-Gasteiz walked around the lovely old city and lunched on some rather flashy (and expensive) pinchos and tapas.

The stained glass entrance to the Opera house was stunning. We came across an outside skating rink and sledging slope which looked great fun and we were surprised to see escalators installed the full length of pedestrianised roads leading up to the old churches and cathedral.

We came across this horse meat butcher's shop which reminded me of the horse-meat scandal back in the UK. I wonder how popular it can be in Spain as shops such as these are a rarity. There was meat hung at the back of the shop but curiously, none in the window.

We drove home via the scenic route until Bilbao and arrived back just as the sun was setting. We are now looking forward to a roaring log fire on these cold winter evenings throughout the Christmas and New Year period.

Wood-store

As autumn deepens and the trees and bushes are stripped of their leaves, the flocks of greenfinch take refuge in the highest canopy, flitting from tree to tree and darting down to refresh themselves in the bird baths and ponds.

The weather is decidedly cool at times and in readiness for cool evenings we have been organising the wood-store. This has been a lot of hard work this year for a couple of reasons. Firstly we had to move all the wood we had in store to enable the painters to paint the studio and garage; the wood-store runs the full length of the rear wall (10m). Secondly, we also had cut and split many of the pieces we had in store. Many were far too big; the wood-man brought the wrong size earlier on in the year. Looking on the bright side, reducing the size of the stock gave us plenty of wood for the log burner we have in the studio which is much smaller than the one in the house.

It doesn't take long really, we cut with a chainsaw and split with an axe but it does let your muscles know they have done a bit of hard work. We have a good selection of oak, ash, eucalyptus and beech. This year we have just enough small kindling wood to start the fires but may need to collect more before the end of the season.

Luis is on a tour of mosaics exhibitions and installation in Ravenna, Italy at the moment so I am busy catching up with all the little admin type jobs that seem to mount up over time and pottering about the garden tidying up and cutting back. You can catch up with his travels here on his mosaic blog, he is posting daily.

Use Google translate if you want to hear what he has to say or just enjoy the photos. Ciao ....

 

What, already? gathering fuel for winter..

We have a couple of woodburners that heat the studio and the house so a good supply of heat-producing dry wood is essential. We have just taken delivery of another load of mixed wood including cherry, oak, ash and eucalyptus. If you have a woodburner you'll know that dry wood burns hotter and slower than semi-green or unseasoned wood.

More people seem to be selling wood recently and those that have fallen trees on their land are now processing it rather than either leaving it to rot or burning it; a sign of the times I think. We coppice hazelnut on our land for use as bean poles and stakes but then will burn them as starter wood the following year or add them to the fedge (fence/hedge) if we have enough with used twiggy pea sticks.

A truckload of wood fills half of the wood store more or less. The woodstore holds a full winter and spring's worth of wood with some left for the following season. We plan to keep it replenished as it empties so we can keep ahead with dry wood.

The fedge that surrounds the compost bins and shed is really taking shape now that it has been colonised by wild plants and grasses. It really is teaming with wildlife including for the first time, nesting wrens. Just don't tell Wentworth and Gawber....

Garden and vegetable update - late winter...and cake

February has been a mixed month weather wise with significant rainfall, beautiful and warm spring-like days and spells of cold and damp. A dusting of snow has settled on the mountain but we remain frost and snow free being so close to the coast. We have made the most of the better weather to catch up with a few jobs around the plot and begin preparations for our spring and summer crops.

In November last year we sowed oats as a green manure in one of our larger beds, this has now been turned over ready for planting in a few weeks time. Potatoes were chitted (100 Mona Lisa) and have been planted in the smaller of our beds together with a good helping of home-made compost from one of our bins.

Peas, sugar-snaps and mange tout have been germinated and planted and are growing well. We used the pea sticks gathered from our hazel trees which have been coppiced. The remainder of the wood will be used for firewood and to add to the fedge (hedge/fence) which is a great habitat for stag beetles, slow worms and amphibians.

We have replanted the herb garden now the hard landscaping is in place and it will come into its own later on in the year - watch this space. The rhubarb is coming through and it is likely we will have enough to harvest in early spring.

Three mosaics Luis made a couple of years ago have finally been sited in front of the garden shed and are looking great.

Elsewhere in the vegetable garden we are still cropping early broccoli, leeks, celeriac, fennel, swede, beetroot, cabbage and winter lettuce. The beetroot are a bit tasteless but we have discovered a recipe for chocolate brownies using beetroot as a base and they are wonderful.

Despite having their own space in the studio, Wentworth and Gawber continue to milk their cuteness and find the warmest, comfiest spot in the house.  We generally don't have them on the furniture unless there is a throw but you can guarantee that they take no notice and sit where they so please...

Gathering winter fuel

Our main source of heating is wood-burning stoves, as well as in the house we have a small wood-burner in the workshop that we use when working on mosaics or other projects. We have a central heating system that uses diesel but our main preference is for a great log fire. We usually buy wood for merchants who source, fell, split and cut wood for sale to the general public but it isn't particularly cheap here in Asturias so whenever we get the opportunity to get free wood we jump at the chance as it makes sense financially and environmentally.

Luis is very good at identifying wood cleared from common ground or fallen trees that no-one is claiming or processing. He had his eye on this lot for a few months now - a supply of logs from a Cherry tree that was felled on common land near to the railway line. Permission is always sought. After an hour with the chainsaw and axe we can replenish our stock with graded wood for the house and workshop. We have a large wood store that is partially protected from the weather - currently full but more than half of our supply isn't dry enough and is still too green to burn. With this additional load of free Cherry wood we should manage.

Gathering winter fuel

It is good to keep a good level of dry stock for burning when we need it, this winter is particularly cold and we soon get through a fair amount of wood. In March we will buy further supplies so that it is dry and ready for next autumn/winter.

Snow on the beach - Logs on the fire

La Pasera is just half a mile from the coast, nestled between a small mountain range and the sea, we rarely experience freezing temperatures or snow. I understand from fellow villagers that is was nearly 10 years since snow settled here. This week we saw lots of snow, hail stones, rain, ice, strong winds, thunder and lightening. The weather was bizarre to say the least. The snow didn't stay for long but never-the-less came, covered and thawed within the day. In anticipation of the cold spell we took the opportunity to stock up on fuel. We mainly use wood to heat the house and workshop so a quick telephone call and friendly negotiations with the woodman, brought us a load of good quality (oak, beech, ash etc) logs that will ensure we have sufficient stock to see us through the winter. The wood we buy, together with wood we are given locally, is a great renewable energy source and very efficient at providing heat. Recent storms have provided us with a couple of trees from neighbouring plots - Chainsaw and wheelbarrow beckons when the weather improves. Meanwhile, along with Wentworth and Gawber, we'll be keeping warm and toasty until spring arrives.