How We Heat With ONLY a Wood Stove for FREE | Harvesting a Year's Worth of Fire Wood

[@MelissaKNorris]

Thanks for watching, do you use wood heat or plan on transitioning to it? I confess, I find the crackle of the fire quite relaxing.

[@thesaintmustwalkalone708]

Can you link your stove? We live in a trailer as well. I'd also love to see cooking on this stove!!! Tha k you. Such a thorough video!

[@MelissaKNorris]

@@thesaintmustwalkalone708 It's a Lopi, we ordered it through a local shop 15 years ago so I don't have an online link

[@HeyShayShay]

We can't wait to use our new stove this year, its going to be so cozy in our new house this winter. Picturing my 2 Christmas trees all decked out,, the garland, a cozy fire, Christmas music in the background, and cookies & hot cocoa! Bring on winter!

[@thesaintmustwalkalone708]

@@MelissaKNorris that's OK... Thank you so much, I just couldn't understand what you said in the video.

[@camw3447]

Wood burning insert with a fan in an original fireplace in a 1953 home. Wood is the best. So soothing on a cold day. Loved the video and your jacket 🧥

[@mikebonner9174]

I'm 70 years old and my wife is 66 years old. We are off grid in north Idaho and heat only with wood. We have a blaze king in the house, kitchen queen cook stove in the summer kitchen and wood heaters in both shops. We cut our own wood and keep a full wood shed with a three year supply. The shed is 12' deep and 36' wide and holds well over 20 cords. We collect pine cones in the summer for kindling. Wouldn't have it any other way.

[@MelissaKNorris]

Thanks for sharing!

[@staceyvillanueva6662]

Sounds absolutely wonderful..and gives me hope:) Starting all of this in my 50s and I do wonder how long I can do it...if you can, then I will too!!

[@karima9409]

@@staceyvillanueva6662 It is never too late to start.

[@shermanhofacker4428]

@Michael George That's because of a thing called the baby boom!

[@TheMomentEnds1]

North Idaho is truly incredible, I just spent the past 3 weeks there, stoking a wood stove nightly. The change of seasons, the yellowing of the majestic Larch tree, and that heavy snow last week. Heaven

[@smartass6071]

I sell firewood for a living and the one suggestion I have is cut the wood to length while it's green. Green wood cuts easier and doesn't dull your saw chain as fast. Another tip is split and stack it green as well. It will make better firewood and it will last longer. If you leave it as logs it will rot faster because the fungus can start breaking is down faster. Wood only drys from the end grain. The bark is a natural moisture barrier and it holds moisture, causing the fungus to start. The faster the wood drys, the better quality wood you will end up with.

[@magicandriches]

So helpful! Thank you!!

[@leet0809]

Great tip, Smart Ass.

[@smetzgerful]

Green wood is not nice to split. Dry and/or frozen wood splits easiest.

[@MassiveOverkill]

I have to disagree. I find seasoned logs are MUCH easier to cut than wet as well as split. I will debark my logs after about 2 months when the bark naturally starts to separate from the trunk and will let them season that way for another 6 months (stacked on 2 smaller logs or branches so they're not directly on the ground. I can then chunk and split them very quickly and they only require a couple more months of seasoning, but really are ready to go as is.

[@DanielGonzalez-un6rz]

I let the log bar size dry then I split them,works for my climate Houston TX

[@autodidact9122]

My wife and I have been heating our home like this for the last 20+ years. There is nothing more comforting to me than coming home from a hard days work and smelling that wood smoke coming from our flew pipe on a crisp autumn afternoon.

[@ryanm7249]

It's amazing how people can do that just like it was years ago. I just find it hard to believe enough trees can fall where you can get enough wood.

[@wildwoman2520]

what type of stove do you have?

[@SirCamsmorethanalot]

We've been doing this for 43 years. Used to cut block and split myself but now in mid 70s, buy it that way. $450 Canadian for 2 cords here in Maritimes Canada.

[@montygote9153]

As a guy trapped in a crappy city apartment, homesteading videos like these are always unreal to imagine but so lovely to watch.

[@walterbrunswick]

Same, but I'm working to making my apartment very tidy and efficient... Take some initiative to improve your surroundings, instead of complaining.

[@geraldcroft9020]

Untrap yourself.

[@elainebrownbridge4597]

Choose freedom in to the countryside

[@DanielHeap60Cubits]

It took my wife and I 15 years to accomplish the dream of country living but at age 40 we finally moved to a piece of land. Don't give up on your dream - just work at it one day at a time and don't be discouraged if it takes a while. Your love it that much more when you get it.

[@jayjay0580]

@@geraldcroft9020 Yes I concur untrap yourself! Create a vision and see it thru! I have been in your situation but with desire, motivation, focus and determination was able to move into the country with a good amount of land. Now starting on homestead projects. Be patient bud and it will happen! Wish you luck! God Bless:)

[@erikvaldur3334]

A good trick for the woodshed is to put pallets down then stack your wood atop the pallets. This keeps your wood off the wet ground and helps a bunch with airflow under the wood. Love your videos.

[@halfabubbleoffplumb5908]

I do the same

[@rogerhowell7592]

And at the sides too. Again air flow

[@jamessmejkal8803]

I would do that but the rattlers love the pallets for the winter , NM

[@erikvaldur3334]

@@jamessmejkal8803 ouch. Not fun. Don't you have spiders as big as your hand out there too?

[@John-wr6yo]

It takes energy to make energy,regardless that applies to all things set in motion and combusting.

[@mollymae2005]

We have been burning wood for over 50 years. Saves a lot of money. Also have Propane & infrared stoves , heat pump for heat & air. My wife and I are in our 70's and cut and split our wood. I made a wood splitter from an old dozer cylinder and use tractor hydraulics. Hard work (not too hard) slows the aging process. We enjoy your posts very much. Thanks , Scott & Sandra from Arkansas

[@MelissaKNorris]

Great to have you here and thanks for sharing!

[@justingriffith2991]

What kind is theywood

[@masonwarnke6482]

U are an amazing parent. Making your son work and figure things out himself instead of mommy and daddy giving him everything. Your helping him in so many ways.

[@scottheywood6502]

We had a very similar wood-burning stove at the cottage that was used in the Fall. We'd place a large 1 gallon cast iron pot filled with water on top and put a stick of cinnamon inside. The scent was awesome and the humidity made it easier to breathe.

[@beebop9808]

What I remember about wood heating most is opening the front and back doors of the house at Christmas when it was about -5 outside to get some breathable air. That because mama didn't have any blood in her veins and she kept the house at a cozy 437 degrees most of the time. lol

[@cccynova]

🤣

[@D2500R]

This. Is. Hilarious.

[@anpsteph]

Thank you for teaching your son that he has to earn money and not handing him everything. So many parents do not teach this and when their kids grow up, they expect to get something for little or no effort. Besides, one tends to value something they have worked hard to earn.

[@philw8049]

That os THE biggest problem facing america today imo. Way too many people that think the world owes them something just because.

[@eccosselion]

How true, I totally agree with your point of view,if people would just stop and think for a moment,they can prevent and save themselves a whole raft of problems in the future for all concerned,especially in this very demanding society,instead of happiness and contentment with what we have achieved by our own efforts in life.👍

[@georgedavall9449]

How refreshing! What a pleasure to listen to someone such as this sharp young gal, with nice speaking voice, and knowledge from whence she speaks! Thumbs up! Peace!

[@MrAlessiobat]

To me is amazing and at the same time justifiable how many people, young and older are opting for living the way our ancestors lived, with a bit more knowledge but simply nonetheless. I myself, with my family have moved a few years ago from a subdivision to a large property and have since invested our time and resources into a more country living. It’s the best when you can combine technology and rudimentary living. Cheers!

[@jdtractorman7445]

Nothing beats heat from a woodstove, constant heat and you have heat even if the electricity goes off. That's important because sometimes you don't know how long it will be before power is restored.

[@meanwhilebackonthehobbyfarm]

I really enjoy watching the passion you have in homesteading. One thing I experienced with was putting the larger pieces of wood on the bottom of the stove and then the kindling wood on top. As it burns it catches the bottom wood on fire and makes for less opening and closing of the door and time spent at the stove. Again I really enjoy your videos they make my day.

[@michaelmorris1802]

We typically burn wood that's 3 years old. We have an old barn, that we stack cut and split wood in, and generally we work on a 3 year cycle... like you we rarely use our forced air system. We do turn it on every year for a day or two... just to make sure it's in working order, but typically we use our wood stove to provide all our heating needs. We so look forward to our winters... we love to burn the wood stove.

[@petergambino2129]

In the fall when you start burning more wood, turn the fan switch on the forced air furnace for even heat throughout the house. You will burn less wood through out the year.

[@1968CudaGuy]

Was going to say the same thing. Insert in the fireplace upstairs and the big return up above it in my house I get a good hot fire going and turn the circulation fan on and it helps move warm air to my basement where I do reloading and other hobbies.

[@mammalitts1712]

We have the same stove you have, and when I attempted to cook on it, my cast iron left marks on the stove, so I got a couple large cast iroon trivets to act as “burners” on the lower section, and it has worked out great!

[@davidba7418]

How much is that stove? I just started debating on getting one. I bought solar and switched to electric heaters from gas. The electric heaters are all over the house now. Kinda don't like that

[@judypeterson9952]

What kind of stove?

[@grandpajoneshomestead6903]

I have a large wood stove and love it. I have a permit to cut downed trees on state land and have plenty of wood for heat and cooking. It is work cutting the rounds and splitting them but I enjoy it. Always be sure to have a pot of water on your stove so that the heat doesn’t dry out your house too much. Best wishes. 😀

[@brettblack7049]

The water helps to humidify as you said, which also helps to transfer the heat thru the home more efficiently, as liquid transfers heat better than air.

[@taylorcampbel9639]

How did you get a permit? i have state land all around my house in the ky.

[@grandpajoneshomestead6903]

I went to the local state of Missouri Conservation Land office and filled one out. No fee, just have the permit in your vehicle. It allows me to cut any downed tree into rounds and remove them. I don’t know if this is the same in your state. I cut the rounds 16” long and load up the truck. I take them home and split them into firewood there. Good luck.

[@wyomingguy4743]

I always have water on my stove also. Where I live the humidity is very low and it's a must or my sinuses start having issue. Grandpa I wondered the same thing you are thinking but where they live it may not be an issue for them? It sure looks damp there.

[@G58]

The best way to take advantage of that first heat as the kindling sets fire to the larger dry scrap stock timber, is to position two large logs either side of the fire, and lay two slightly thinner logs across and above the fire, resting on the logs beside the fire. This draws the flames up faster and hotter, and makes the best use of all that heat, meaning the fire gets going twice as fast. Plus you don’t need to attend it. I’ve used this method for over 40 years after building camp fires out in the bush. And it even works with wet wood, though it’s sometimes necessary to re-feed the fire with dry stuff.

[@sherryc1068]

We’re in Western Washington as well and we heat our home with two wood stoves. A Quadrafire stove is in our walkout lower level and heats the house during the day (the heat rises beautifully) but my favorite is the Lopi in my kitchen that we use for heat in the late afternoon/evening and I often cook on it too. Been doing this for 16 years and all wood comes form our land. Love being self sufficient!

[@MelissaKNorris]

That is wonderful to hear!

[@ryanm7249]

Is your home one or two stories? I know heat rises, but it doesn't seem like it would be able to go all the way upstairs like that unless you have radiators kind of like a boiler system.

[@carinrichardson]

Which lopi model do you have?

[@simontrangmar4537]

Hi - I'm 57 years old, based in Adelaide Australia and starting to get ideas for buying my first wood heater. Thank you very much for all the info you shared in this video, it was extremely helpful. Regards Simon

[@MyMotorcycleObsession]

I've been using just the dead wood on my property for years, so far I've never cut a live tree. Some were 90% dead when cut. Another good source of wood is a landscaping company, sometimes they will have a whole yard full of random cut trees, some are HUGE!

[@sdl5731]

How do you know if a tree is dead? I have an acre of wooded land and want a wood stove. I don’t know what to cut down. If I keep cutting my trees down do they ever grow back?

[@KeeperofHome]

We're looking into getting a wood burning stove and have lots of trees to clean up in the woods on our property so this video was very helpful. Also, I totally agree with you...our oldest son started driving 2 years ago and we told him the very same thing!

[@lockeyanderson5169]

We use wood all winter it keeps electric bill down really well. I cook on stove also, use to dry laundry behind stove. But most of all I love that warm toasty heat when that wind is howling in these mountains of Virginia. Great video.

[@therobinmasterstheory1636]

we live in VA too... and yes we have a wood stove too.

[@Aries61]

I lived in CT and had to buy cut wood. Found a supplier of kiln dried wood. Fabulous option for ppl that cant/ harvest their own wood. Burned great and easy to split with a Crackler. Wood heat is wonderful!

[@MegaMastiffman]

Refreshing to see someone else who sees there land as a crop and how you need to manage it correctly

[@dumbcough]

I was told by the barber who cut my hair was all you needed was 12 acres to keep your home fires burning,of course as long as you replenished what was cut.

[@Gunit0121]

Thank you, I am a formerly city slicker from Denver...living in the middle of farm land in Iowa. Learning this stuff. Because of great neighbors wanting trees cleared on there farm land. I have 9 cords cut and ready. Everyone tells I need to cut my next year wood to get it dried..Don't have all the time in the world..You showed trees cut down you letting dry..great; and where you are placing cut wood. I will place by my horse pasture. Thank you, BIGLY!

[@AdrianWolf_in_TO]

I switched last year to a "Top-Down" or Scandinavian-style fire starting method (though to be honest, I first ran across this method back when I was a boy scout in Canada) and found it to be far easier and quicker to get up to proper burning temperature. Give it a try ;-) Enjoying your videos! Take care.

[@tjellis1479]

well said

[@frankzahn4712]

Cheat and use pine infused "fat wood" its a game changer.

[@deepsleep7822]

I’ve seen a couple of videos about that. You wouldn’t think the fire would catch but it does and works well.

[@GregoryWingham]

Nice job! Very clear instructional video. We live in Ohio and have a fireplace insert as back-up heat to our gas forced air. We have been using the same insert that we had installed in 1987. That's great that you have your own land for wood and also the Mr. working at a saw mill for kindling. And I really love that fan on top. Keep up the good videos.

[@sjniles]

I think its great that you teach your son responsibility and good work ethics, this will help him through his whole life!

[@lisaschiffleger7947]

I like that you are teaching your son that hard work is what will pay for his driving. I did that with my twin sons.

[@PapajosTraders]

After two Vermont Casting stoves that sucked firewood and back-puffed constantly I bought a Quadra-fire stove which I love! It is similar in design as your stove with the two tiered top. But different air controls and it has a built in blower which is nice. Wood heat is the best! I can wander my yard after a big wind and find enough kindling to last for days. Also my wood is mostly free as there always seems there are trees that need to be cut and people are eager to give the wood away. Great clear vid and I will be viewing more, thanks.

[@johnmichaelkarma]

Zero complaints about my QuadraFire.

[@richardanderson2742]

I grew up with a wood stove and have heated our 1890s farm house with wood for the past 28 years. Frankly I love the wood stove for a number of reasons, but the biggest one beyond saving money is the ability to get close when you're cool and back off when too warm. The simple pleasure of roasting your butt in front of the stove on cold mornings can't be overstated. Our woods have been hammered by the ash bore, killing huge trees in a matter of a year. As such I've been overwhelmed with wood trying to clean it all up, with over 30 cord cut last year. While I've given a good chunk away to locals in need, I've also decided to start banking it myself and am doubling the size of my wood shed so it will hold at least 3 to 4 years of wood. Your point on self sufficiency putting you in sync with the seasons is an important one. With the seasons come starting plants, gardening, beekeeping, berry picking, fishing, main harvest, hunting, butchering, firewood cutting.....all as much a part of the year's calendar as any holiday.

[@MrJfred78]

Great video! The Lopi Endeavor is one of the best stoves out there. I would just add the clarification that the top control rod is a bypass not a damper and is used to change the path of the exhaust in the stove, so it should always be either fully open or fully closed.

[@christopherhaak9824]

And should only be open for starting. It should be closed the rest of the time.

[@JeanneKinland]

I've been looking at purchasing a new wood burning stove to replace our old one. The sales lady was pushing towards Lopi and I never heard of that brand before. I'm glad I ran across this video. thanks for sharing.

[@Tat2Power]

Absolutely love this channel. Going on our second year heating the full house on wood only. Been a learning experience. And a workout!!

[@stevenjames1951]

My wife Glenda and I are in our late 60s and me in my early 70s now, but when our children were home we cut 20 cords of fire wood every September we burned nothing but fire wood Tamarac and Ponderosa pine all year round in the mountains east of the Chinook pass area of Eastern Washington state, we were just 30 miles west of Naches Washington on state Rt 410 . Not to far from you lol. But now we live in Chandler Arizona were we don't have to feel extreme cold. Although we sure do miss our children being home time has a way of moving faster and faster. Well you have yet to experience that so I won't spoil it for you. Thanks so much for the videos. Makes us feel like moving back to Arlington, Bellingham Washington area were we spent our childhood. We may start spending our sunners up there. Because of the beautiful videos you post Blessings to you all Steven James and Glenda Ellison

[@MelissaKNorris]

Summer here is beautiful ❤️ so glad you're enjoying the videos of "home".

[@Citizen-pg8eu]

When we lived in the U.P., we would start a fire in November, and use the coals left in the morning to catch the wood on fire in the morning, so only had to start a fire once per winter. The roaring fire in the morning, with all vents open, will clean out the creosote built up over night- - so no need to clean out the chimney. One load of wood in the morning, and a second one before bedtime (damped down after the initial start up), was all it took, maybe 10 minutes day. We stacked our wood on a slight rise so when there was snow on the ground we could load up our toboggan and slide a week’s worth of wood down to the house. And in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, snow was on the ground about 5 months of the year.

[@rgrg77]

Thank you for this simple but very useful and practical video. Planting trees for firewood, planting trees for fruits and nuts, planting trees for beauty and shade, that is very very important part of sustainable and happy life.

[@buynsell365]

Your videos have SO MUCH information !!!!! You also have a great way of explaining.....I am one that only has a 1 minute attention span......however I am glued to your videos from beginning to end. Keep up the great work.

[@tedbrown2583]

Hey Melissa… Looking forward to my second winter with my wood stove here in Deep South Mississippi!!! Although it doesn’t get nearly as cold here as in your neck of da woods, my stove is so efficient heating my home I never turn on my central heat!!! I just put my stove in a year ago. I to harvest wood off my property (oak) and it provides me with such a warm and cozy fire every time! Luving the homestead life now for almost 12 years! Congratulations on the way y’all are raising your children!!! Both my daughter and son have grown up to have beautiful families and both have very successful jobs to provide for their families!!! Looks like y’all are set for this coming brutal winter! So many are not… Thank you for your videos! Ted 😊👍

[@susanwolslegel2783]

Here is a hint for those transitioning or using wood more frequently-we have central hot water heat- 2 wood stoves in the downstairs living areas (kitchen and living room) One very cold couple of winter days we kept hot fires burning all day and did little but allow the heat to migrate freely upstairs to warm the bedroom. Kept the bedroom closet door shut. Well, central heat did not go on all day and night, then in the middle of the second night (around 3AM) we heard a funny dull pop in the closet. The heater pipe froze and burst somewhere inside the closet wall. Good news is the water did not run all over- frozen- bad news is it was hard to find the leak. Plumber took several hours. Now we leave the closet door open if we burn a lot of wood on a cold day.

[@GreatBigBoat]

Pipes in an outside wall do not meet any building code that I know of. With a properly sized and installed wood stove, heat will radiate everywhere in the house. I heat a 2000sq ft + house with a mid size stove. No fans are required. Once you get used to a proper wood setup, centralized and forced air heating feels pretty backward.

[@ciphercode2298]

I couldnt imagine a home that youd need 2 wood stoves in. I did grow up in an old coal company house that didn't have insulation. We heated with a combination of wood and coal. Bedrooms upstairs got cold some nights,but for the most part it stayed comfy enough. That house was close to 2k sqft.

[@ryanm7249]

@@GreatBigBoat If the house has an upstairs it probably doesn't get as warm up there as it does where the wood stove is downstairs.

[@ryanm7249]

So you have hotwater heat almost llike a boiler system? Hot water heat needs a pump to circulate the water around the house.

[@MP-oh9lt]

Bro please instal a CO detector somewhere in your bedrooms. Dont know how large your house is but it cannsave lives.

[@proudpatriot7353]

As my wife and I are older we decided to get a utility wagon to bring our wood indoors. It saves us a great deal of trips.

[@mobilewintercamp7515]

When o go to my snowmobile house I have a Vermont Castings Intrepid. I heat my little place all winter with it and my propane is only for emergency. My brother is lending me his splitter and I’ll be taking down trees close to the house for safety and processing it for future fuel. Great place and lifestyle you have 😊

[@klu222]

I grew up in an orchard in eastern washington and we only heated our home with a wood stove. My mom and dad would save up cherry wood from the orchard. It was an invaluable lesson on how to heat your home. I can still start a far in under five minutes

[@traskstoneworks]

Cherry wood is super, I'd cut wild cherry in NW Oregon. But I found something even better Mountain Mahogany, curlyleaf cirocrapis!

[@TheTrock121]

There are a lot of benefits of cutting your own firewood. I save some of the best stock for woodworking projects, and I'm looking forward to inocculating a lot of red oak logs w/ Shitake Mushrooms next Spring.

[@benwilkins2998]

Cutting your own wood warms you twice.

[@kiwidiesel]

I harvest my own fire wood every yeah and have had wood as my primary heat source for yearss, love the different heat from the different wood types and makes for a warm dry house.

[@daveberntson4081]

I've been burning "down" or dead trees for over 5 years, providing about 70% of my heating. Wish I had some of that maple. Most of the wood around here (on the prairie), is silver maple or green ash. I split with an 8 lb. splitting maul. Hard maple splits a lot better, but, I get by with my maul and cutting the rounds fairly short. In mid-winter, it's nice to crank up the heat with a wood stove and not have my noisy furnace fan running all the time.

[@williamwilliams7706]

Wood heat is super efficient. When you cut and haul it it warms you up, splitting and stacking warms you up and burning the wood warms you up. Watching the wood burn in the stove warms your soul too.

[@jopatterson8712]

Now a back door to the older wood is the best idea I’ve heard today!

[@JoeZyzyx]

Unless it catches fire, or someone lights it deliberately. One reason old wooden barns were farther away from a farm home. Barns with straw and other such combustibles can go up quickly. I remember my grandad, born 1885, told me how farm insurance policies began. They'd come into an area, nobody wanted to pay for insurance, but a few barns would suddenly burn, then everyone wanted their insurance. It was insurance against them burning your barn for not buying the coverage.

[@PerterHansen]

Im 35 and i heat since 5 years only with wood. And i love it because its very simple and clean.

[@tomm2812]

Pleasantly articulately presented by a lovely Lady. Best

[@thevirtualcockpit5001]

There is something about wood stove cooking that people miss if they don't heat with wood. A Pork shoulder that has slow cooked all night in the Dutch Oven just seems to taste better...and the house smells wonderful all night. Along with the wood stove, we also have a 100 year old Wedgewood gas/wood oven for baking. Add the satisfaction of bucking and stacking your own firewood and you begin to appreciate the little things in life. It has taken us three years to fully develop our greenhouse and raised bed garden. This was our first full year producing food that will provide for us all winter. We feel blessed to have the opportunity to live the homestead life. Thank you for sharing your skill and experience.

[@nagazinafireworks7594]

In my wood stove I always put 4 to 5 pieces of seasoned wood in the stove first then I put my fire starter or kindling on top then I start the fire starter or kindling but leave the door cracked open about a inch this works so much better for me, within 10 mins its burning like crazy then I close the door with no smell of smoke in the house at all.

[@christopherhaak9824]

Yes, a wood stove should be started with 3-5 large pieces in it to begin with. There is no need to open it up and keep adding stuff when you start it.

[@cyberpleb2472]

We have a little five acre homestead in central British Columbia. We have snow on the ground from October through May and our winters typically get down below -30C. We heat almost entirely with wood. We have a Blaze King (King model) catalytic stove that does an excellent job and a back-up forced air propane furnace (if we get lazy on a cold morning or leave for a few days). We have two large wood sheds and cut and split our own wood. Where we live we are permitted to collect up to 10 cords of wood per year from Crown land at no cost. I do love the sense of accomplishment that comes from storing wood for the winter. Cheers.

[@ShelitaRN]

Hey pretty lady Melissa! You're amazing! these are my goals! So glad you are sharing what you're doing! Thank you so much!

[@cathyrodeheaver8694]

Good for you teaching your son that things aren't just handed to you. If you want something, you earn it. I'm older and see the difference in children that earned their desires and ones who had the things bought for them. Your son will make a better adult.

[@dsnicker9719]

With some necessary exceptions, every time you give someone something (or money), especially youngsters who don't know the real reasons for giving, you diminish their life.

[@kimmer6]

At 9:00 in the video I instantly recognized that Lopi freestanding stove. I think I have its grand daddy, bought in 1984. Mine has double doors, no top damper and a knob at the base controlling a sliding damper. Combustion air comes in under the base and through a duct from outside. I added a top damper in the chimney pipe. It was a floor model and I bought it and the downstairs Lopi deep firebox fireplace insert for downstairs. Both for a total of $600 delivered! I live in the PRK and you have to check in with the Air Quality Management District to see if its a Burn Day or not. I might burn them a dozen times in a whole winter. I have a central natural gas furnace but the county is trying to get us to be all electric despite the loss of power for hours and days during wildfire and ''Wind Emergencies''. The kitty loves the warmth.

[@mynewjourney6803]

Thank you for this video. I was wondering if I could handle a wood stove. You are one of the only women who offer a video on the use of a wood stove. It has given me the confidence that I could own and operate a wood stove.

[@leeuniverse]

A recommendation... To improve your "Woodstack" have TWO sections (Two stacks), that way you go through one section/stack, and then start the second section, while you then fill the previous section with new wood. This way, you don't ever have wood "in the back" that isn't gotten to for a long time. You're continually "rotating" your wood without actually having to "manually rotate". To do this easily with your existing wood stack, you can build some type of "divider" between your current stack, thus creating two sections/stacks.

[@christopherhaak9824]

Amen to this, and if you have space for more, divide the space up to ~ 1 years burning for each section.

[@SirCamsmorethanalot]

Do you mean divided front to back?

[@hannible1002]

We live in France we have a Hunter Herald with a back boiler. It heats the central heating and the domestic hot water in the winter. I dont think we could live without it now. Great video.

[@mysticridge6975]

We have this exact same stove. It's nice to fire up on really cold nights or have as back up in case of emergency. I've cooked off of it many times.

[@katieh9397]

What is the make and model of this stove?

[@lostinmyspace4910]

Melissa, We too have a Lopi stove, the Liberty, and use it for 100% of heat. We have a gas forced furnace that never gets used unless we go on vacation, then we light the pilot light and set it up. We burn about 12 cords for the fall/ winter here in Michigan. It's such a comfortable heat. We have the blower motor that forces heat out of the double wall of the stove, and don't rely on the heat sensor to kick on, but rather a timer that's on all day, and at nite set a timer for about 2 hrs. at nite and it goes out about 1 a.m. when the fire dies down. Love the Lopi stoves.

[@mrmrlee]

We have heated with wood, coal and pellets. Each has their pros and cons. Best economic value; wood, as we get ours free from our own trees and other trees that are felled in our area. Highest heat value; coal, not even close, you literally will be opening windows in sub freezing weather as it will keep the house super toasty. Ease of use; pellets, just pour in a bag every 14 hours or so, can be thermostatically controlled, helpful for older people as you can scoop the pellets, less heavy lifting. Storage space; a big deal in some locations, coal by far, it's the most energy dense solid fuel energy source. Pellets come on pallets, we can heat our home in NY with 3-4 pallets a winter. Each pallet is a ton. Clean factor; pellets, as there's only a small amount of ashes you can till into your soil. Wood secondly, as the ashes are roughly equal, but the wood in the house tends to shed bark, bits and sometimes grubs in your house. Coal is sootiest, and ashes must be thrown out as they are not balanced chemically for use in the yard. Seal all ashes in cans! Check for embers before throwing them out! As to the wood splitter; I've used a machine and split by hand, the machine is nauseatingly slow, I can split with a maul at least 4x faster. I find it frustrating to watch the machine slowly work it's way through a round I could have split 6 ways by the time it's made one pass. It's only useful for twisted or knotty logs. I was lent a splitter by a neighbor and returned it after a full day splitting wood I could have finished in a couple of hours. Store your wood in rounds until you see pronounced cracking on the ends. The wood will tell you when it's ready to be split. Cracking means it's ready. Split when dry, not green. Split using a maul, not an axe, not a sledge with wedges. Stay warm!

[@optimoprimo132]

I agree. I have always split the 30 or so cord every year by hand. I split when wood is cracked. However this year I was ahead of the game and began splitting oak and Ironwood right after it was cut. Literally on the ground and I found it split very easily with the fiskars splitting maul and axe. Of course the straight grain ash splits just by walking toward it with the axe.

[@rayjermyn4541]

Our breakthrough was having an open sided shed both sides - to improve airflow but also to work both sides of the stacks. Plenty of roof overhang, plenty of air. That way you wont have to restack old wood from the back of the stack to the front. Good video !

[@user-hv1ik9li7f]

What a beautiful video. Tremendous admiration for your self-sufficient lifestyle. Continued prosperity to you and your loved ones.

[@Kamamura2]

If only there was swathes of fields and forests for everyone, and rivers full of fish free to catch. Everyone could live in cozy wooden cabins, old-timey style.

[@katiegrazier4091]

We heat with our wood stove. Love the warmth it gives and the atmosphere it creates.

[@MelissaKNorris]

I totally agree!

[@kan-zee]

8:27 Carry wood is for the young folk... Us old timers, use wheel barrels / wood wagons..LOL

[@waltradcliffe4482]

After 30 years I broke down and bought a bobcat, split it and toss it in the bucket made my work a lot easier

[@K7CARadio]

@Michael George Yes, I called it quits after 30 plus years living the off grid lifestyle. It's a full time job let me tell you!.....:) Old bones/muscles just weren't going to hold up with all that work it took to maintain a homestead. I'm a snowbird the past 6 years and loving the snowbird lifestyle full time.

[@utubestalker.dotcom]

young or old: if i had that much wood storage i'd just build a conveyor belt

[@kan-zee]

@@utubestalker.dotcom I saw this fella, using an old walking , running machine for a conveyor belt ..pointed to his cellar window...worked perfectly for his needs.

[@georgedavall9449]

Well said! LOL

[@gretavains8707]

You are amazing. You are very well spoken, very polite, easy to listen to, and you explain everything so clearly. And very pretty. Thank you so much. Down under Australia.

[@denniskwasnycia1950]

Great video Melissa, My wife and I have been using wood heat, going on 4 years now and love it. One thing I saw some time ago, was a product called the WoodOX sling or LogOX and it is a sling used to help cary wood and totally takes the wait off of your back and arms. You will be able to carry double what you are doing now, with No problem. By the way, I build and repair guitars for a living and it's quite possible I may have got some of my wood from your husbands place of work. I think that is cool!!

[@MelissaKNorris]

Thanks for sharing the tip!

[@RonHutchCraft2]

I live in a manufactured home but it's a real log cabin in the North Georgia Mtns I like it because it's so quiet. but in the summer months it's boring better in the winter! Log Cabins are the best in the Winter months. ❄️❄️❄️🔥❄️❄️❄️

[@bosse641]

Love wood stoves. The best heat.

[@jimamccracken5783]

I subscribed because of one reason Your knowledge of homesteading is important these days. And also your comment about the teenage son I agree 100% if you drive you pay we don't. Too many youths today just get everything handed to them freely.

[@davidparadis490]

I can just imagine the smell of a peach or blueberry cobbler in a Dutch oven cooking on top of that wood stove...

[@MikeHart72]

I bought my current home 10 years ago and have bought a total of 3 cords in that time, I live in the city so can't cut down any trees. I heat my home using only a wood stove, I've never turned my heat on. In the local industrial park businesses throw away a lot of scrap wood, 2x4, 2x6, etc. Usually every Saturday I grab a coffee and drive around collecting wood, I do this year round. I easily get a truck load every week. I always have enough wood to keep my house nice and warm in the winter and I've found enough to build a shed and 2 wood boxes My heating bill is a bit of gas for my truck and a couple saw blades a year. The best part is the few hours of piece away from the wife when collecting lol

[@ericfraser7543]

The question is how much was your old heating Bill? My total heating last year bill was $2158 including domestic hot water etc... my heating costs are surly above average... during the peak months I can go through a full tank of oil. I would question if chopping wood and stocking the stove all year was worth the trouble to save $2000. It would make sense for supplementary heat, I could probably save a significant part of my heating bill if I were to run a wood or pellet stove on those real cold winter months.

[@MikeHart72]

Eric Fraser ... I've been in this house for 10 years and have never used any other heat source so I can't answer what the cost would be without a stove. The lumber, which is free, produces a higher temperature of heat and keeps my entire house warm all winter. I have a 4 bedroom spilt entry and the stove is downstairs. I live in Canada I have a couple vents in the floor to easily allow heat upstairs.

[@jc9724]

Kiln dried wood aka lumber should not be used alone, it burns too hot. You shouldn't run your stove too hot, it will ruin it before its time.

[@MikeHart72]

J C .... I've been burning lumber for 10 years and no issues, my stove is just fine. I have bought a total of 3 cords of wood

[@ericfraser7543]

@@MikeHart72 it's hard to believe that you could heat your house with three cords of firewood for 10 years considering one quart of wood is not even equivalent to 1 275 gallon tank of oil and you live in a four bedroom house in the heart of Canada

[@seiseragaki5777]

This fire pit is one of a few covered pits that is on the list kzbin.infoUgkxAU9pOCSV9Y5JprooHvfxTpOrt4hx8uRM of approved products for Disney Fort Wilderness. The product served its purpose well and provided excellent fires throughout the evening. We were able to open the door and do s'mores, but I had to be careful because the handle was a bit hot on occasions. Additionally, I wish they had replaced some of the standard nuts with lock nuts in some places. We lost the door handle after just a couple of days of usage. Not a deal breaker, just a recommendation. I still give it 5 stars.

[@felipesandoval7593]

You are awesome lady.! Here in south TEXAS I USE A WOOSTOVE MY MOM HAD LEFT HERE AND BELIEVE ME I STAY IN SHAPE.JUST BOUGHT A STHIL CHAINSAW MS 250 AND IM HAPPY AS HEAVEN..KEEP UP SWEETY .

[@back2basics597]

What you said about your kid being old enough to earn his keep, my heart kinda aches for him but I agree with you totally, he should be taught this way to make him a strong self reliant man when he grows up. I am the grandpa spoils grandson type of person and I am sorry for even making this comment.

[@nickromero8143]

I would strongly recommend that you have a way to get to your wood from the back as well as from the front.That way you can get to your most seasoned wood ,with out having to move it forward. Hope this helps.

[@kpkndusa]

"Wood burns faster when you have to cut and chop it your self." Harrison Ford.

[@TheVideoLounge]

This video is so useful for those of us with wood stoves on how to heat our homes for free, the only small snag I can see is that we need a few acres of land too, and not just any old land, but with a forest.......

[@ruckdafaiders]

I’ve heated with wood most of my 60 years. Cut most of it myself, bought some of it, it’s not FREE either way.

[@junit483]

Only Jesus is free

[@walterbrunswick]

@Steve Paige or the chiropractor after 20 years lol

[@philw8049]

I noticed a bulldozer, no doubt a chainsaw and log splitter. And as mentioned before, the TIME!

[@acwakeford]

Not free but I get her meaning, she’s not paying the energy companies and I bet it’s costing less than I currently pay.

[@user-uq6vh3ps7m]

Yep, you either gotta pay or do the work, or both haha

[@cardonpl99]

Thank you for sharing this video of how you are self-sustaining with burning wood! My father and his father, etc., heated their homes with wood stoves for generations. I remember helping to harvest wood, cure it, and burn it all winter long. Now, my wife and I are doing the same! We also find the sound and smell of burning wood to be quite satisfying and peaceful. Although we do not have many harvestable trees on our property, we are able to find plenty of wood that people are happy to have us take. Keep the fire burning! Phil and Lulie

[@natejones1376]

Wood isn’t necessarily “free” as other people have stated but it’s rewarding. Plus there is nothing like the heat a wood stove provides.

[@EcofanbyCaframo]

Wood stove heat is the best kind of heat. Nothing quite feels as cozy!

[@toprun95]

Wow, you are a phenomenal host/narrator. Great job on video production!! I wish I lived next door to you guys

[@sarahgriffin6741]

I save the little pieces of wood that brake off when we are using the log splitter for our kindling. You should put a or a few dividers in the area where you stack your wood in the barn that way you don't have to restock.

[@sarge27271]

How dare you teach your son to be self reliant and an honest and hard worker?? How dare you!!! LOL Kudos my dear!! I applaud you ;-) It is soooo refreshing to hear those words. GOD Bless!! Cheers

[@shermanhofacker4428]

Make a door in the back of the shed so no restacking.

[@fandci]

Or split your wood store in half like mine and use up one side completely then switch to the other side while you refill the first half.

[@jonathanrice1070]

@@fandci -That’s a great idea!

[@redcanoe9810]

@@fandci Yep. I have two full cords on each side and drive my quad and trailer in between.

[@ronaldbrown5796]

seems to me, you reap the harvest. your man does the work.

[@jonathanhelf9249]

We have heated with wood exclusively for most of our marriage (36+ years!!). The best thing we have found for starting the fire is a propane torch! Get one with an automatic starter. It is so much easier to use than lighters or matches.

[@mevsm1]

Thank you! We recently bought a home n tore down two old broken sheds n now we know what the sheet metal can be utilized for.

[@joanxox4191]

We have a soap stone wood stove we will burn at least 12 cords of wood here in Alberta Canada . It is our main source of heat with propane as a backup. There's still an expense chain saws and log splitters and even a good axe. But the cheapest way to heat if you have your own wood.

[@Tailspin80]

I don’t get why people use log splitters. I just use a massive axe. Anything it won’t go through after a couple of swings I put to one side and run the chainsaw through.

[@randymarko486]

Great video Melissa. Ive been heating our house for 16/17 yrs now with 2 wood stoves here in Holly Michigan. Main stove downstairs is the work horse 24/7 Its a Mansfield soapstone made by Hearthstone. Upstairs we have small Vermont Casting wood stove. Nothing like heat from a woodstove. Everything you said about processing firewood was spot on. Good dried firewood will only add to the success and security of a fun cozy heating season. I cleaned my main chimney twice in 16/17 yrs and it didn't even need it. Just a little Fly Ash that came right off. Stay warm and enjoyed your video.

[@rtoguidver3651]

I started as a Tree Climber when I was 18, so I got paid to take down trees and I got free firewood, 50 years later I still do, but now my stove burns wood or coal... Wood burns at 500 degrees F Coal burns at 1500 degrees F, before adding air that can make it 3000 F. One time it was 20 degrees F outside and I had to open windows to let heat out, because the vent was left open on the coal..

[@waltradcliffe4482]

I have been burning wood for over 30 years now and love it I have a buck model 91 with catalyst very little smoke and a lot of heat I have a huge creek that runs across the back of my property that I get tons of free wood that has washed down from upstream only ones I cut down is the dead ash from the ash borer bugs

[@yvonnevansickle53]

If you can't provide enough wood from your own land, you can buy a permit from the forest service to harvest wood off state lands. There are certain regulations you need to follow.

[@FordManiac76]

Yes exactly, my acreage managed to provide enough firewood for around 10 years before I didn’t want to cut any more trees.

[@oldowl4290]

I haven't used a woodstove in 20 years until a recent move to the high desert from SoCal. I recently acquired an old LoPi 520 and am doing mods to it to modernize it more like a modern LoPi. (because once you weld, you just can't leave anything alone). I grew up with wood stoves in the high mountains of Colorado, above 9,000ft. I'm used to starting fires without paper but when I do, I highly recommend a paper shredder and to use brown paper and cardboard (so a good industrial shredder for cardboard is needed). Inked paper is bad to burn / toxic! And if balling paper, doing it loosely is best to allow in airflow. Twisting it is very restrictive. Shredding goes a long way as you only need about a softball size worth and some dry twigs in a tee-pee fashion. Lastly, setting two small logs, one on each side of the kindling pipeline helps channel air and heat for a fast start. It's all about the negative space and how you direct air-flow. Having grown up in the mountains I'd been starting fires since I could walk.

[@odangreally6165]

Could you show how to cook on a woodstove. I have the same one with the funky top.

[@MelissaKNorris]

I will this winter!

[@joshuaespinoza5082]

Great product, however not made in the US and its way too expensive. Plus you gota pay shipping.

[@thzzzt]

61 here, and I do the same. Have a Fisher Grandpa stove. One firing in the morning here in western NC and the house is good for the whole day. I can even cook on it when the power lines are down. Yes there is planning, but the work amounts to only, say, four days annually. I haven't had to fell a tree yet for firewood because there is so much wood already naturally down. Of course a good chain saw and axe are essential. I've made baffle modifications to the stove and it's pretty efficient. I need only about 1.3 cords per year. My house has a propane furnace and a 500-gallon tank but I haven't turned it on for 8 years now. Feels good to be self-sufficient, at least in this aspect of survival, not to mention the money I save. Now if I could only provide my own food, but I know full well that would be a full-time job and a half.

[@horsedood13]

I use a wheelbarrow to haul my wood from the wood shed to the house.. makes it way easier. :)BTW - IMHO there is no heat as nice as wood heat.