Books make great presents - Christmas, Birthdays or just as a treat. This video is a quick look my favourite wood fire books - for home heating, campfires, cooking and the amazing story of how fire shaped our evolution!
I will vouch for the book you showed, “Wildwood Wisdom”. It is an excellent book on old time woodslore; as timeless today as when it was written. If you get a copy you will come back to it, again and again, like visiting with an old friend.
Hi Vincent, I've only just discovered you have a youtube channel. I bought your book a few years ago and have read it several times, I didn't know there was a new version, I shall add it to my Xmas list! I have a few of those you mention and will add a couple more to my library. Please keep the videos coming, I love them!
Hi, many thanks for your thoughts. The second edition is a little better I think with more on things like top down fires, and less on things like smoke! I love the scent of the different woods - but smoke is getting such a bad press in the last few years I have played it down a bit! All best. Vince
@@WoodFiresWithVince Hi Vince, thanks for the reply. I love the smell of a wood fire when I'm out and about, it always brings a smile to think that someone is warm and cosy nearby. I have been using the top down method for many years now with great success, but since watching your Lighting my Woodburning Stove video the other day, I've been laying mine in a similar way, also with great success. I also put a couple of the newspaper "firesticks" as my mother called them on top, not to ignite the kindling so much, more to warm the air in the flue like the top down method, so a bit of a hybrid version really. It seems to work very well. Looking forward to your next video, All the best, Al.
Warming the flue is always a good thing. I like to walk to my village pub in winter catching whiffs of the wood smoke from different houses and try and guess what wood they are burning - a curious but fun game. Oak, birch and horse chestnut are fairly easy.
Got your suggestions in my notes! Love giving books as gifts as books are such lovely companions. I have to say that I often do chose a book by its cover, as they sort of call me, as yours definitely did last year. I found the 2nd edition and upon responding to it from the shelf, the tactile factor (the embossed wood grain) and the size charmed me as I flipped through it. It’s been passed around through our household and now as we make our outdoor fires your name is dropped several times as we all refine each other with your tips. With this video I especially appreciate the range you presented, the assumed out-of-print selections, the good cover to cover reads, all the way to cookbooks. Btw, yours is always put back out on the front table as it’s my fav. Keep the videos coming! Such a welcome relief from everything else.
Thank you Valerie. Books are great and I enjoyed re-visiting some of my collection. I will have to get busy with my Christmas trees soon, but I was wondering what subject would you find helpful in a future wood fire video?? I have in mind: How to use a moisture meter and why it matters, How to choose a splitting axe, then perhaps one on Gold prospecting books (my other passion) another on How to choose a gold pan. Then maybe one on making dreams come true - my two big dreams, diving to find treasure on a shipwreck and building a wood-heated cottage have both now happened, both a good story of perseverance and staying focussed on success through the many difficulties. And again, my thanks for your thoughts and positive comment. Vince
I’d be very interested for you to share about moisture meters and their importance...and any other pertinent tools. I also watched your earlier gold panning videos and was fascinated with that content. You have a storybook life style and I’m happy for you that you’re accomplishing your dreams. Many of mine have and continue to come true, one being living with a wood stove and truly embracing every aspect of what it offers. I heard from a friend that food is healthier being cooked over a wood fire as their aren’t the concerns of emf’s and the food takes on that purer natural energy. I’ll look up further details of his take on it but was wondering if you could expound on that benefit.
Ok great, moisture meters it is! I have used the pneumonic D. A. T. A. when teaching people - meaning Dryness, Airflow, Two logs and Ash - the four things to master to make great fires. And I agree, the cooking is sublime - I have just this evening made a beef and vegetable stew/casserole that I will cook on the range for several hours! How did you see gold panning videos - I haven't made any!? And I am happy for you that life with wood fires suits you so well. Often it's the little things - today I found a small newt in my logs - so moved him somewhere safer. Good Kama - poor little thing!
Oh! A newt! Sweet gesture on your part. I do the same. Even with the tiniest of critters. I move wood around carefully as the wooly caterpillars often hike around that area and it’s such a treat to see chipmunks poke their heads out. I watched a video where you were interviewed by maybe a news rep? as you found a huge nugget that ended up in a museum, I hope I’m recalling correctly. Looking forward to more clips from you as I find I don’t become overwhelmed with your direction, I feel inspired and more confident. Our stove is ready for pick up next week. Roof getting to the point of cutting the hole for the stack. Exciting times. I will miss seeing the moon through the rafters though!
Thank you, I will! I have been surprised that only a few people have watched this video - I find these books fascinating and wonder what books are out there that I don't know about!?
I have three of these books - your first one, the Norwegian book and the Log book. Yours is by far my favourite because your passion really comes out. The other two are by no means void of useful info. But The Norwegian one is just too Norwegian (sorry no offence to my Viking friends!) and the Log Book? informative but written in a very dry factual manner. Your book is what got me excited about the whole way of life. Also you ask a fundamental question in the first chapter - “what kind of wood burner are you? “ I’m looking forward to reading your new book. Except I’ve struggled with the top down method because my wood burner is quite small and lacks depth. In fact I would love to talk to you about my wood burner one day. (If that’s at all possible.) I need some advice because after 6 years I’m still not entirely sure I am burning the most efficient way. Keep up the good work!
Hi - thank you so much for your positive thoughts. And best selling beauty that the Norwegian book is, it is about fires in a Norwegian lifestyle - I loved it though - I hitch-hiked through Norway once and found the people decent and generous. With regard to your fire, please feel free to write with a photo and then I can have a think about it with you. vthurkettle@msn.com Glad you have taken to wood fires and the life they give. Vince
Hello Vince, thanks for sharing your thoughts about these books. I watched almost all of your videos and decided to buy your book. I wonder if there is a sense in buying both editions or if I can buy only a second and will not miss something. P.S. Norvegian wood is very well.
Hi Eugene, the second edition is more up to date, I have said less about how much I like wood smoke, as everyone now seems worried about it - and of course with dry wood and a good stove there is not much smoke. Also first edition has more on open fires, as I lived in a cottage then with one open fire and one stove. So I would say just have the second edition - and I hope you enjoy it. Best wishes, Vince
