Firewood on the Great Plains: Cutting, Seasoning, and Storing for the Long Term
Across the Great Plains, heating with firewood is a different challenge. We don’t have endless oak
Used well, these trees can keep a small home warm all winter and give you a reliable way to cook when the grid goes down.
How Much Firewood Do You Need?
For a small Plains home using a wood stove as the primary heat source:
- Mild winters: 2–3 cords
- Typical Kansas/Nebraska winter: 4–5 cords
- Northern Plains or drafty structures: 6–7 cords
The wind on the Plains changes everything. Cold snaps bite harder, and steady winds pull heat from a house quickly. When in doubt, stack extra.
Great Plains Firewood Species
Hedge (Osage Orange) — The King of Plains Firewood
- Extremely hot, long-burning
- Sparks aggressively—best for stoves, not open fireplaces
- Very dense; harder to split and slow to dry
This is the closest thing the Plains has to hickory-level heat output. One of the best firewoods in North America, period.
Cottonwood — Plentiful and Easy to Work
- Fast to grow, easy to cut
- Dries quickly when split thin
- Lower heat output, burns fast, good for shoulder seasons
Cottonwood is not a powerhouse, but it’s abundant. It’s excellent for daytime burns or cooking fires where quick heat is useful.
Bradford Pear (Callery-type)
- No fruit, but strong, dense wood
- Surprisingly good BTU output for a non-fruiting tree
- Splits cleanly and seasons well
These ornamental pears are everywhere in Kansas towns and farmsteads. When they come down in storms, they’re worth collecting.
Other Usable Plains Species
- Elm — Common but hard to split; burns decently when fully dry.
- Russian Olive — Invasive, but burns well and seasons quickly.
- Willow — Poor heat value but abundant near water; emergency fuel.
Cutting and Splitting for Our Climate
Cut lengths remain standard at 16 inches, but seasoning is more critical here because wind accelerates drying while low humidity can crack wood unevenly.
Splitting Tips
- Split hedge smaller than usual to speed seasoning.
- Cottonwood should be split thinner to avoid mold.
- Elm often requires wedges; patience is your friend.
Seasoning on the Plains
Expected seasoning times with Great Plains species:
- Hedge: 12–24 months
- Bartlett Pear: 9–12 months
- Cottonwood: 6–9 months
Thanks to steady wind, properly stacked firewood can season faster here than in more humid regions—if stacked right.
Storing Wood for the Long Haul
- Raise the stack with pallets or rails—cottonwood molds fast if left on the ground.
- Cover the top only to shed snow and rain.
- Leave the sides open so the Great Plains wind can do the drying.
- Face the stack north–south to catch prevailing winds.
With proper stacking, hedge and pear can remain stable and usable for years.
Final Thought
Firewood on the Great Plains is different, but it works—and it works well. Hedge gives you the long burn you need for subzero nights. Cottonwood handles daily cooking and quick heat. Bartlett pear fills the gap with strong, steady output. With smart planning, you can heat your home and cook all winter long with nothing more than the trees growing around you.
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