Running low on firewood
For the first time in many years my wood supply is running low. The last few year I had generally 2+ years of wood or more all split and stacked. This year I have now gone thru more than I did the last 2 combined and I only have about 5 face cord left of 21" wood. After that I have about 10-12 full cord , some bucked to length, most in log length and 1-2 yrs down and piled. Next week I'll likely either borrow for my house wood, all split and stacked for 2019 or I'll process some more. If I use the house wood it is good and dry but is cut shorter, but we have all we need at the house for this year, that will be my go to stash if necessary.
With this season running low on sugar % and lots of sap I am using more. I do RO, but in the past I most often concentrated to 8-12%, this year it's more like 6-10% which is eating up more wood. I am not stopping the RO, it runs continuously from start til finishing boiling, but it is not getting as highly concentrated with the lower start. In the past most of my sap has been 2.0% or better until almost the end, this year most has been 1.4-1.6%.
I guess I'll need to get more ready before next year in case this low sugar % proves to be a trend.
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.