The role of wood in the old homesteaders’ lives cannot be overstated, and honestly, I think, has been a little forgotten. They built their cabins out of it, their furniture, they cooked over it, and built fences with it.
The majority of people nowadays go to Lowes or Home Depot for their wood, and ask the workers there for what they want. Until I got my hands on the FoxFire books, I had no idea how different each type of wood is, and how to choose which type for what we want on our homestead. Below I’ve shared what I’ve learned:
Firstly, when discussing wood, we’re either talking about green wood or seasoned wood. Wood will shrink as it dries out and seasons, so for the pieces that need to maintain their shape or fit, seasoned wood is always the best. Rafters, fence posts and rails, shingles,