How to cut wood in the woods?

  "“Don’t go out alone,” says Collins, who recommends collecting wood in teams of two or three. Always wear long pants and shirts, boots, ear protection and helmets. Mostly you’ll want to take trees that are already dead. Hardwoods like oaks tend to burn hotter and longer than coniferous softwoods like pines. Don’t enter a forest willy-nilly as if you own the place. “Go with respect for the land,” Collins says.

Before firing up your chain saw, look up for what foresters call widowmakers — large branches that could fall and crush you. Never take down trees when it’s windy. Once a tree is on the ground, remove branches and slice the trunk into rounds, which you’ll load into your truck or trailer using a wheelbarrow. Chop the rounds using an ax or mechanical splitter. Swing the ax with your whole body, and always spread your legs to avoid cleaving one of your feet."