Getting firewood ready for next year

[Junior Samples]

I grew up near the mountains of south central of Pa. Each year we would go out to the woods and take an axe and scrape the bark about 1 ft band all the way around the tree. By the next fall most of all those trees where dead standing. Cut down split and cover and by winter it was ready. Has any one else done or talked about this? I've read that man in Ky use to do it.

 

[Dub11]

I grew up near the mountains of south central of Pa. Each year we would go out to the woods and take an axe and scrape the bark about 1 ft band all the way around the tree. By the next fall most of all those trees where dead standing. Cut down split and cover and by winter it was ready. Has any one else done or talked about this? I've read that man in Ky use to do it.

My buddy that is 76 does it this way.

 

[Duane(Pa)]

It's called "girdling" the tree: cut through the bark all the way around (a tree or branch), typically in order to kill it

 

[Junior Samples]

Thanks. I recall someone in the family call it that. But we as boys just called it chopping trees. What we did for seasoned firewood.

 

[Lightning Performance]

The wood is much lighter. I like standing dead and have about an endless supply so no need to girdle trees. Just cull the dead ones.