Early Spring Thaw

The snow banks have been melting as daytime temperatures are well into the thirties. Consequently, we have been scrambling to get our slash piles burned before too much grass is exposed and burn permits are required.

The garage, driveway and now the cabin site are all cleared. Yes, we have slightly altered our master plan. We've decided to build a small 16 X 24 cabin first. Our priority is to get on the land as soon as possible and we believe we can do this most comfortably with a cabin instead of a garage. There will be plenty more on this decision and subject in future posts.

Beyond clearing the site, I have been thinning out all the balsam fir within a hundred feet of the cabin site. This measure, a sound forestry practice, is also wildfire prevention to minimize potential fuel in close proximity to our dwelling.

Needless to say, I've learned a lot about fires during the last couple of weeks. Fire is alive! You've got to breathe life into it and nourish it into maturity. Once an adult, a fire lives it's vibrant hours as it pleases, with the help of a couple of gentle nudges of course. Kind of like me...

I don't know what I would do without birch bark. It has been my designated fire starter in the north woods of Minnesota since my dad let me play with matches. Being a full-fledged adult pyro, I have no problem getting a blaze going. Here's my process: I take a healthy birch bark peel and get it burning with dried fir twigs. (A trick we learned while running dogs where we were forced to master the art of twiggy fires due to lack of firewood.) I pile on the fir twigs until they flame. At that point I build a teepee with dried 1-2 inch birch/aspen. Then I just pile on all the dry wood around me. With a coal base established, I add on a couple of hardwood logs. Then, the fun begins!

As you know, I'm thinning primarily firs. I cut them down into 5-6' lengths. Once I have a good fire going, I throw the firs into the inferno. I'll throw on a couple, let the flames engulf it, and add some more until I feel that the fire needs time and oxygen to burn. This is where the nurturing comes in. Every fire seems to have it's own capacity. Some fires will only take a tree before you have to shake it up with a little oxygen. Other fires, however, can take a dozen trees at a time. Flames roar 20 feet in the air and the monster will need no more attention beyond sating it's voracious appetite!

I've burned 7 piles since the clearing began. I still need to clear a parking area, a 6 foot wide trail from the driveway to cabin (60' long) and finish thinning the 100' perimeter around the cabin site. I must admit that I am looking forward to carpentry work. Chainsaw work is fun but change of pace will be welcomed.

We had a couple of guests on the property recently. Amy's dad, Bill, paid his second visit to the property. His advice has and always will appreciated. We were able to chat about construction methods. At this stage in the game, I am all ears...

Our good friends Nathan, Shannon & 8-month baby Liam were out for a hike the other day. This was Nathan's fourth visit as he has been one of my partners in slash burning crime on a couple of occasions. His help is always appreciated.

Our friend Tristan also paid a visit to the property. The more folks that we have out there, the more the place feels like home.

Wolf Update: The wolves have seemed to have moved on. They left some carcasses of which the coyotes (and Luna) are cleaning up.

So, for now, I will continue thinning firs. However, my thoughts are spinning plans for pouring the sonotube piers that will be the foundation of the cabin...