I know, I know, it's the middle of summer and your talking about winter? Tis the season for some of us, as we prepare for our winter fuel source.....wood. Mid summer is when a lot of folks start splitting wood so the wood will be seasoned for the up and coming winter. As I was splitting mine, I thought it would be a good idea to share some tips when splitting wood the old fashioned way, with a splitting maul;
First, make sure that the splitting maul is in good condition. I prefer the synthetic handle. In the past I have splintered the wood handles making them unsafe.
Make sure that you have good footing so when your swinging the maul you stay balanced.
Your legs should be positioned wider than your shoulders. One thing is certain when splitting wood by hand and that is, you will have splitting maul deflections that could cause serious injuries. I wide stance will help prevent those.
When positioning a larger log piece to split, start on the edge of the log. The easiest way to split a log is on angles, so by creating a flat edge with your first split, the following splits will create triangle pieces. Also, if you can make your first split with the grain that will make your job a lot easier.
Many times you will run into a log piece that just won't split with a splitting maul. In this case, use an iron wedge to pound in, to force a split.
If you are splitting your wood and haven't got around to storing it under shelter, pile the wood in a pyramid fashion. This allows for air to penetrate the stack which will accelerate the drying process.
If anything else splitting wood by hand is a great workout. Stay hydrated and be safe.
Have you ever driven or hiked by a swamp or marsh and think, is there any real use for these areas? The answer....YES! Check out these facts;
1. In North America, 50% of the 188 endangered or threatened animals are wetland dependent.
2. Fresh water wetlands cover only 1% of the world's surface yet they support more than 40% of all plant and animal species.
3. Wetlands contribute 70 billion annually to our economy through hunting and wildlife watching.
4. An additional 42 billion is added to our economy by our fishing community.
Ducks Unlimited reports that wetlands associated with lakes and rivers capture and retain water, shortening the duration and reducing the severity of floods. Wetlands also play a huge role in purifying water by removing nitrogen, phosphorus and some toxic chemicals.
Wetlands also recharge our ground water. Water that collects in these wetland basins percolates through the soil into the underlying aquifer.
So the next time you pass a wetland, remember the importance of these areas. The ecosystem is complex and these areas are a very important part of the puzzle.
