The people, places and machinery change over the years but the sturdy poplar tree remains the tree of choice for our firewood in this part of Sask. I think this is one of the earliest photos I have of cutting firewood here about 1940. My dad at left, Uncle Sandy at far right. Too bad no view of the tractor running that drive belt.
Big wood piles called for big crews to get the job done in a day. I can see at least 5 neighbours in that photo above.
Later years we burned less wood so it became sometimes just a two man job. This photo from 1987 shows my dad at the saw.
My uncles continued to rely on wood heat and cookstove right up to the end. I helped saw huge piles of wood there and it took more than a day. Usually just three of us working by then. This photo shows my Uncle Don and Pete Babiak at the saw in November of 1999. There was a huge pile of firewood and a lot of sawdust by the time we finished there. That ringing saw blade was accompanied by the two cylinder background beat of the old reliable John Deere AR tractor.
Moving up to modern times, (yesterday), I helped my brother and his family cut a small load of firewood into stove lengths to replenish the stack in the wood shed. This time accompanied by the relaxing tones of a 65 year old Wisconsin V4 cylinder engine.
We sold firewood for three generations. Dad & Granddad started out using a cross-cut. They didn't get a chainsaw until in the 50's and got the circular saw for the back of the tractor then, too. It was a Dearborn and used the three-point hitch.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly get your exercise with those older methods of handling firewood Gorges.
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