My first winter preparations of the year. I’ve finished splitting firewood.

We’ve successfully finished splitting firewood for our wood-burning stove again this year.

At Farm To Table NORICHIE, we’ve been lighting our wood-burning stove every winter since we opened in 2024. It’s an essential part of our home that warmly welcomes our guests throughout the winter.

We use cherry and oak wood for our firewood. Both burn for a long time, and since the flames have their own unique character, they offer a special pleasure that’s unique to wood-burning stoves.

While splitting firewood, we also make small discoveries unique to being in nature.

Sometimes an ant nest appears the moment I split a log, or a rhinoceros beetle larva peeks out from the center of the wood. It reminds me once again that tiny lives are thriving even in places we don’t usually see.

I covered the rhinoceros beetle larva I found with plenty of sawdust and returned it to the woodpile. I’d be happy if
it grew into a healthy beetle and showed itself to me someday.

We’ll leave the firewood outside to dry thoroughly in the wind until around October, and then move it indoors to dry further.

Because of this, you’ll be able to enjoy the sight of these firewood stacks around the facility until around October. As the seasons change, the colors will gradually shift, which is another thing to look forward to.

We hope that this winter, too, these logs—along with their gently burning flames—will provide all our visitors with a warm and cozy experience.