With my current preoccupation with firewood and the current bout of ice, snow and freezing temperatures making me long for warm weather a favourite quote of mine comes to mind:

…a mosaic of cut log ends that wall the whole of the south-facing end. The summer sun will dry out the end grain, drawing out the sap until the wood is pure energy for the fire.

Roger Deakin’s Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees

I’ve just ordered 120 silver birch and hazel trees from the Woodland trust, far from the best trees for firewood but two of my favourites. I’ll plant as many as possible in amongst the mainly ash trees that currently dominate my small wood. The rest I’ll find a home for.

Whilst perhaps not the cheapest source of trees I thought I’d support the Woodland Trust and buy this batch of trees from them. At least I’ll be contributing regardless of the fate of the trees that I plant.

I’m also looking into planting some fast growing willow in one corner of our field to provide additional fuel and a wind break for the vegetable patch I’m planning … more on this another time.