The log delivery arrived this morning. They'd given us a "7.30 to 12.30" window, so I was up, showered,dressed and ready at 7 (been caught out before!). They arrived at about 9, which was fine.
Our usual log supplier, a big local estate, no longer does logs. They've sold the timber part of their business to some national chain, and the logs part is no more. It's a shame, as they delivered large loads (3 cubic metres) unbagged, and were (comparitively speaking) good value.
I tried the log chap before that (who used to deliver in cubic metre bags, so not quite so many per cubic metre), but no more. The chap who, last year, got lots of local recommendations?; he and his facebook page are no more.
I wonder if its the new Stove regulations that are coming in to force? Or Covid? I've no idea.
I looked more widely. There were a few national companies, selling kiln dried logs. These were selling closely stacked pallets, where 1.8m cubed was apparently the same as 3 cubic metre bags. They had pictures to prove it. That seemed like an OK idea, but when I looked at ordering, I saw that they were all coming from a long way "up North". (Yorkshire and Aberdeen); this would mean a lorry coming hundreds of miles, and that seemed stupid.
Some local chaps were advertising, but I doubted that the logs genuinely were seasoned. Some were advertising by weight, so I definitely gave them wide berth!
In the end, I picked someone about 20 miles away, and I was expecting an unbagged delivery. It was a bit weird because the lorry came with cubic metre bags on, and they emptied 3 cubic metre bags by our gate (and took the bags away). So, from that point of view, it wasn't quite as big a delivery as I had expected. On the plus side, I remembered that, according to their website, their logs are barn stored to season them, so I guess that bagging them makes sense.
It's nearly all Ash, which is great. I've no idea how well seasoned it really is, I'll find out when we start using it in a week or so (my log basket is full of the last of last year's logs at the moment).
Log deliveries usually cause arguments between us. This time, we agreed on a compromise , and it was the best of both approaches rather than the worst of both.
We still had some old cubic metre bags from a few years ago, so DH laid 2 of them out in the greenhouse (which he'd cleared in preparation). I started filling the two wheelbarrows while he did this. He came and got a full wheelbarrow to empty into the big bag, and I started filling the "carry into house" bags. (Thank you Ikea for the perfect sized bags!).
Each time he brought back an empty barrow (and went off with a full one), I filled the empty one, then continued with the grab bags.
It's difficult to tell that the pile is diminishing, so to help keep me motivated, I cleared the centre of the pile making 2 smaller piles. Then I worked from the edge of one to the middle. That way I can see how one pile relates to another, and I can see it diminishing.
I had a different type of bag for the tiny bits which we use for kindling, and another bag for the small "logs". In previous years, these bits got kicked to the side and then picked up at the end. This time, I dealt with them as I came across them, so they weren't handled twice.
We ended up with two cubic metre bags of loose logs, and a cubic metre's worth of grab bags. DH's preparation meant that everything was tidy.
It took a while, and I had to stop to do some Pilates stretches a few times, but then it was done. And it didn't take too long.
I wish I'd taken some before, during, and after photos. I'll have to remember next year.
