I don't know about you, but I like to have all of my firewood for next winter in the shed by April 1. Late winter and early spring is the best time to get'er done. The woods are open, the weather is cool, it's too early to do much in the garden, and you are probably bursting to get outside and do something. But most of all, if you have your wood in the shed by April 1, it will be good and dry when you build that first fire in early November.

There are lots of opinions about what kind of wood is best. Most folks agree that oak and hickory are the best. They both tend to burn long and hot and they don't leave much ash. Personally, I like to find some aging apple trees in some old abandoned orchard. Apple trees are generally not too tall and you don't have to risk your life cutting them down. Sometimes it's a little hard to split but it makes excellent firewood. I also like cherry because it's light to handle and it splits really good. I also don't mind having some good dry poplar and maple in my shed. It catches up easily so I like to throw it onto the hot coals when I get up on a cold morning.

For my part there is none better than a dead locust, especially if you can find one that has not yet fallen. It burns long and hot, is easy to split, and you don't have to break your back lifting it into the stove. It's my very favorite. Problem is, I have cleaned most of it out around my place. If you have some, you had better keep a close eye on it.

I remember when I used to burn wood just for the ambiance. After all, there is nothing quite like a crackling fire on a cold night. But in recent years it has become a more serious enterprise at my house. If I keep the woodstove going down in my man cave in the basement, I can turn off my natural gas furnace, stay warm, and save a ton of money.

Finally, let's cover the other big benefit of burning wood. I don't know of any better exercise than cutting and splitting firewood. When I say splitting, I mean splitting it with an ax, a splitting maul, or for the stubborn pieces, a splitting wedge and sledge hammer. In addition to swinging the splitting tool, you have to reach down and pick each piece up, put it in your truck, then load it into your shed. That's a lot of movement.

You don't need a mechanized wood splitter. All you need is a strong back. If I can split it by hand, at my advanced age, you can, too.

Mack Samples is a regional writer who lives on 55 acres in Clay County. He is also a musician who tours with the Samples Brothers Band. Visit his website at www.macksamples.com.