It will take several years before the cycle that we started last winter to grow firewood will yield anywhere near the amount we will need, and so for now we will be buying metre lengths of well seasoned wood from a neighbouring hamlet.

Regardless of where it comes from, the wood will need to be stored somewhere. Moving here mid winter last year, with changes to absorb and many things to take care of, we had no time to build a shelter, and simply stacked the load that we bought under a tarpaulin topped off with corrugated steel. Effective, but aesthetically lacking, and a pain to negotiate.

So, we found ourselves in need of a shed.

Continue reading →

The only form of heating we have in the house are two wood burners. It’s a very small property, has no need of expensive and overly complicated central heating. It makes for a very cosy environment, but does require us to source fuel, rather than simply being able to flick a switch.

A partial answer to this requirement is to grow our own. We don’t have sufficient land to grow all of the wood we will need each winter, but we will be able to produce some of it. Continue reading →