Burnin’ Wood

by Lee Wilbur

Now I’ve been burnin’ wood in fireplaces, campfires, woodstoves and heaters for a good period of my short life...23 more to ninety. So when I saw this article in the noted “Bar Harbor Times” newspaper last week I had to read it. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend; however, I hope to at some point locate a transcript or some notes from the meeting. Realizing that you folks who do burn wood as I, might have missed the announcement of this very important study. Knowing the always inquisitive nature of my readers I felt called upon to perhaps quote some of the more important highlights.

“Bar Harbor – On Friday, Oct.22, College of the Atlantic professor Gray Cox and some of his colleagues will speak at the Food For Thought, hosted by Acadia Senior College. The title of the lecture will be “The Hancock County Woodshed: Local Sustainable Energy.” Cox asks, “Should local cord wood and pellets be used significantly more for residential heating for ecological, economic and social reasons? Could this stimulate sustainable and desirable economic innovation and growth, ecological health and community development? If so, how might a community based approach to this best be undertaken?” As part of a multi-year project, a team of students, faculty and staff at COA has begun researching these questions. Cox and Don Cass will report on their initial research. Funding for the project was provided by the National Science Foundation and EPSCOR. EPSCOR is a branch of foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.”

I would guess that from being involved in Town government to a certain extent over the years and interested in politics and economics, this study interested me as much as the $10,000 one a COA student was researching by going to Russia to study potatoes. I thought then that a couple of weekends talking to some potato farmers in Aroostook County would have saved some other foundation's money for a more worthy study like “Why one percent of this country’s population have 85% of the money.”

I am sure Professor Cox and his team have all the best intentions of finding out why us Hancock Countyites can achieve more energy sustainability, social standing and economic stimulus innovation by burning more wood with municipal input. Perhaps the study will show how delightful winter life might be if we all have outdoor wood furnaces serviced by woodpiles or indoor stoves fueled by bags of pellets. And, the findings may also reveal that when we're older other economic benefits come to light such as having to hire a younger someone to fill these heat producers when we’re no longer able. Or, maybe that our sociablity will improve and alcohol sales will increase if we all have a fireplace in front of which to gather at day's end. I would hope that the team would have the opportunity during this study to read John Sinclair’s delightful autobiography. John, a Maine woodsman and entrepeneur all his life was quite instrumental in putting together “The Great North Wood’s Coalition” wherein the major wood company’s in Maine agreed to adopt a set of principles for woodland management including public access. John explains in the book that with proper husbandry every household and business in the State of Maine could be heated with wood and still the forest could supply the wood and paper mills as well.

Studies like these do seem to take on a will of their own and shortly after completion gather dust in a forgotten file cabinet, never to see the light of day until said cabinet is emptied to receive more socially impactible notes and studies. I am reminded of the story from one of my boatbuilding clients who was an Undersecretary of Labor in a long forgotten cabinet telling of doing a then seemingly important government survey/ study. When the study had been completed and presented, an old hand in the department said, “Oh yeah, we did a survey/study just like that during the last administration.”

Yard sales during Florida’s winter season seem to take on the aspect of a hobby or weekend event which AJ and I sometimes enjoy. The thrill of a “bargain” is sometimes hard to pass up on a Friday or Saturday morning. That’s where I found “The Ultimate Cookie Book” by Catherine Atkinson for the lordly sum of $3.00. It’s huge in both recipes and size. Reading through I found myself tagging no less than most of the pages. Should be a baking good winter! This is one I'm going to do for Christmas.

R E C I P E

CHOCOLATE-COATED NUT BRITTLE

1 C. mixed pecan nuts and whole almonds

4 T. water

1/2 C. sugar

7 oz. Plain semisweet chocolate, chopped

Lightly grease a baking sheet. Mix the nuts, sugar and water in a heavy pan. Cook over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then lower heat to medium and cook without stirring until the mixture turns a rich golden brown and registers 300 deg. on a sugar thermometer. Quickly remove the pan from the heat and tip the mixture on to the greased sheet. Spread evenly together. Leave until completely cold and set hard. Break the brittle into irregular pieces. Melt the chocolate and dip the nut brittle to half coat them. Leave them on a sheet of wax paper or preferably baking parchment to set. Store in an airtight container. Eat no more than two pieces at a time to avoid utter addiction.

Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year with fair winds and good roads