The Art of Firewood

Most of us know the joy of sitting in front of a wood fire, whether it is an outdoors campfire, in an outdoor fire pit, or indoors in a fireplace or wood burning stove. Some of us take pride in chopping our own wood, others have a local provider deliver it.

Those that live in Newfoundland have truly turned this into an art. 

Stacked like a Work of Art

First the trees are cut down in long lengths. If it is in winter they may be transported on a sled pulled behind a skidoo. Historically these sleds would be pulled by Newfoundland ponies. Wood is then moved to a staging location where it is allowed to age for at least a year. It stands on end to allow the sap to run to the base. Then it is laid flat.

Various stages of aging the wood
Sled for Moving Wood

Once dried, it is cut to the correct length, split and then stacked.

Some lengths might even be taken to a local mill for building lumber. The outer scrap pieces are kept and added to the wood pile.

Ends after planks have been milled
Ends are useful to help keep logs stacked

Once the stacks are moved closer to home for ready access they are covered in a variety of ways. For some they have a special wood shed, others use their garage

Great pride is taken by all in the amount of firewood and how well it is stacked.

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5 Responses to The Art of Firewood

  1. Mary Davis says:

    Smart Newfoundlanders!!
    Looks like an oversized version of our woodpiles on Chemong…..er..maybe not quite so well stacked….no one steals wood here either….part of the “woodpile code”.
    Great photos.
    M&D

  2. Nancy Mossip says:

    Daniel and I learned that they also leave piles of cut and stacked wood in the middle of nowhere that you can see from the road. They have cut from a nearby wood lot. No one ever touches anyone else’s piles of wood. Did you hear that too? Nancy

    • Louise says:

      Certainly did. They obtain a domestic cutting permit each year for this. They leave the wood there for at least one year to dry/age. Everyone is honest when it comes to wood piles.

  3. Bruce says:

    Excellent photo-essay. Newfoundland seems like a wonderful place to visit.

  4. Donna Boyer says:

    FQuite impressive! Ad and I did this too when we lived in NJ…….before we converted our fireplace to gas. However, I can assure you, no one would have called our wood stack a work of “Art”…….we were just happy if it stayed dry enough all winter to burn!

    Hope you are enjoying the beginning of summer………in Florida we’re already well into it!

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