Best time to cut firewood

[encorehunter]

As said before, the best time to cut is before you need it. I usually have two chords of pine and oak to start out winter, but the Mrs.' is making me think I should start out with 5. I have gas heater, but leave the thermostat set at 50. For hunting season, I come home every night, so I usually bring a bed full of dead oak home each night. I gather it during the day near the road, and only take what I can push over by hand. I have been tempted to take my battery sawzall, but haven't yet.
During the winter when I run low, (more and more lately) I go to the river bottom and cut/pick up gray cottonwood branches. I'll load 4-6 foot sections and take them home and cut with my chop saw. No splitting needed, and all is dry. You can't get as much per trip, but for my it is only a 2 mile drive.
The Mrs.' has a friend who runs a tree cutting business, but most of the time the wood we get from them is still wet. I cut it into short pieces, usually 12" long, then split it with a maul and sledgehammer. One of these days, I'll get my log splitter back from a friend who borrowed it 4 years ago.

As to cedar, I used to burn it. I found out this last year that it is on my allergic to list, and it one I am off the charts on. I've found when I cut cedar pickets in my garage, I usually can't get out the door fast enough before my eyes start swelling shut.

I'd be in for some wood cutting if it within a hundred or two miles. I can bring a truck and good sized trailer with side boards, should be able to fit 7-10 chords. I'd be willing to drop off chords on the way home for the guys if they don't have a way to haul, as long as there are one or two left for me.