What Do You Burn IN Your Fireplace?

[staceyy]

I make firestarters from pine cones and paraffin, We collect fallen branches and twigs from our trees for kindling, we make newspaper logs, we buy wood logs and fake logs.

[nvmommyx6]

Wood......heheee
Seriously!
I make kindling from the branches of my trees, and tea from the bark (willow tree) news papers and paper trash for starters, eucalyptus wood for fire!

[itsahumanzoo]

Mine is actually covered by the couch. We don't really use it, and I prefer that my 2 year old can't get into it. When we did use a fireplace it was always just fire wood. Never needed a starter because it has a built in gas valve to help start it.

[madhen]

I have a wood stove, and I use those little Duraflame fire starters to get it going, but during the winter, I burn wood non-stop. Typically, I have enough hot coals the next morning to get it going again with just a bit of kindling and sometimes a bit of old newspaper.

I have so much "free" wood around me, it is crazy. Mostly, I am currently burning manzanita and oak, with just a little bit of pine. I have to cut it, haul it, split it, stack it, and carry it in, but other than that, it is my cheapest option.

[LastDragonfly]

We burn wood. Free wood. My fil has been "collecting" wood for years. He's a secret pyromaniac I think. Just kidding.

He cuts it and sometimes delivers it. Last winter was the first time that we used it since we moved into this house. I have lots of plans of using less electricity this winter! My electric bill jumped $100 last month and I didnt use as much as the month before. They (the electric company changed their formula and didn't have to notify a soul--read the fine print on your bill)

I'm glad its free

[cab54]

Here at the cabin, we live in the middle of a woods. There are downed trees everywhere due to storms, and the trees being just old and dead. It's our land, our trees. DH and his brothers or our sons chop it up and put it in the woodshed. We have a woodstove here. We use it for heating the cabin, and keeping food/coffee warm.

At home in Ohio, our 'fireplace' is just a gas one, and has fake logs. We hardly ever use it. Maybe at Christmas for 'ambience'. LOL!

[Jeanna]

I make firestarters from pine cones and paraffin, logs, .

Although as of now we do not have a wood fireplace we used to have both a fireplace and a wood burning stove. I thought I was the only one who did the pine cones and paraffin trick.

[zakity]

We have firewood that we burn in the winter. We use newspapers and bills and things that should be shredded to start the fires. We also have kindling that we use.

[DonnainME]

We burn wood and all paper type things too - like newspaper and junk mail. We also burn like chicken bones and stuff - we won't wanna give little bones to the dogs and if we were to throw the bones in the trash, the cats would tear open the bags.

[Squirt]

We bought a fireplace insert from friends last year and burned an old hickory tree which had fallen in a storm (already totally dead and dried out.) This year, dbf got several loads of slab wood and has it all cut and stacked in front of his house. I'm so proud! Last year it was awful to go to the woodpile in the back yard, try to dig out the wood under snow and tarp, split some of it, and haul it to the house in big garbage cans. I tried to split some myself last year and failed miserably. This time, there is a neat pile on the porch!

The loads of slab wood were only $5 each, and I think he only got 2 and had to give a bunch away!

[nvmommyx6]

You know for fire starters that are frugal...We take pieces (about 2" square) of pallet or pressed wood, in a metal barrel with a lid and soak them in diesel fuel! When we need one, we go get it and it will start a fire in nuttin flat and burn for hours! And it is 10 times cheaper and safer than the logs you buy!
Also, your toilet paper rolls with lint in them are excellent fire starters, though be careful because those lil boogers are VERY flammable!!!