You're doing great so far and you will learn as you go. The dryer lint is good but what I do is take old egg crates and fill each compartment with dryer lint and then pour wax over the top. Awesome firestarters. Beautiful location you have.
Whenever building a fire in the winter when the ground is frozen and snow covered you should first build a wood flatform with logs at least 6 to 8 inches in diameter and then stack your kindling and fire wood on top of that. If you dont, the earth just becomes a heat sink and zaps any heat the fire makes. It also keeps the fire dry at the bottom from the inevitable water coming from the melting snow. This wood platform usually gets you through one day before it too burns out, so every time you build a fire outside in the winter it makes a huge difference to do this. I admire your enthusiasm! The UP is a beautiful place but definitely challenging. All the hard work we do up here makes us stronger and more self sufficient AND we never even have to go to the gym! 😉 😆
hi Dave, I think that is excellent advice, I noticted when i watched the video later that I needed smaller sticks and I think starting smaller is also a good idea. thank you for the comment
Going up in the Western Part of the UP ,near the porcupine mountains. We used to go to the top with our favorite boons farm wine and sit and watch it snow over the lake .
Love watching your new adventures. I live in Southeast Michigan, and have always loved the U.P. If you soak or run vasoline on the dryer lint balls, that would help what you are looking for. Cheers Marie!❤
@@newtotheUPMarie Our pleasure! You can also run pencil shaped twigs through a small handheld pencil sharpener to create shavings for awesome kindling!
Love watching you experience these things . Yes that was a bunny track. Very cute with a great attitude and you never give up ! Beautiful property too. I’m from Ohio and fully understand lake effect snow, lol
I forgot to mention in my last post, when you are starting a fire outside in damp conditions it is also useful to lay down a bed of 4 to 6 logs about 3 inches in diameter and then build your fire with smaller sticks on top of the bed of dry logs. Just another helpful hint. Look forward to the next video.
Hello from Sweden, lovely to see life from another northern human 😊 i think our fauna is pretty similar and those track here in Sweden comes from a hare. Have a good day😊
Birch bark frayed works nicely, though since you have a dryer😊, use your dryer lint and pack it into your empty toilet paper cardboard rolls and paper towel rolls (cut the paper towel rolls down to conserve) and use them. They are THE best non-chemical fire starters you can use while eliminating something you would normally just dispose of. Cheers my dear!
Daughter makes these fire starter pods with her egg cartons she uses wood chips dryer lint or cotton balls and vasoline. They work great stores them in a 2gallon zipper bag when they go camping. I think she goes out with the kiddos and gathers tree sap from spruce trees too.
Your place is amazing, so peaceful....There is nothing like going outside on a morning of fresh snow and seeing that wild life has been busy. Tracks are a good proof of it. When i use to do winter camping i used cotton balls dipped in Vaseline, kept them in a small sandwich bag..brought them with me and they are perfect for starting a fire...you could try that. Laughing at yourself, like i do a lot, is the best medicine ever for...everything..Love your videos...
hi, thank you for watching and for your comment, I had no idea about the cotton balls and vaseline, very clever and easy to transport for camping. I really feel so lucky to be living in the UP, it is so nice to be able to see the wild life tracks. agreed on the laughing at myself :)
@@newtotheUPMarie You are so welcome..thank you for posting..will be watching your videos to see all your adventures on that first winter...you never forget your first....winter in a new place with all it's challenges..Have a great week..
I am in Escanaba we don't get the snow like you do up near the big lake. But we still get the cold off of Little Bay DeNoc. Welcome to the U.P. once you are here you won't leave. You only move farther north. Lol Also the birch in the background of your firepit. The peel the bark off of that. The best fire igniter you can have.
I was in Escanaba for a week to hike in the fall colors and I loved it, the downtown area is so cute and there are wonderful restaurants and antique stores, i had a blast at orange cat antiques. Thank you for the tip on the bark on the birch trees, thats easy enough to use/access. i love living here so much, i have a lot to learn but I think it will just help me grow
Welcome to Michigan! Lifelong resident living in Northern Michigan. It is a wonderful place to live and the recreation year round is great. I live on a lake which adds to the good life. Winters can be rough but it looks like you are adapting very well. Looking forward for more content. Great stuff.....
I’m proud of you to dear, I admire your ambition and thoroughly enjoy your videos especially this 1, keep up the great work and I’ll look forward to the next, this made my day 😁
Tuck the lighter inside your coat to keep thebutane warn. Mix cotton balls or dryer lint with vaseline to make fire starters. Keep your snow banks pushed back, you will need the room later in the winter to blow the snow. Narrow paths tend to drift shut.
welcome to actual winter, Marie. Winter is why Northerners are so tough. Like the sea, nature is unforgiving. Your new home is known for gettin' plenty. It's one of the snowiest in the lower 48. Once it's May, (really) you'll find yourself in one of the most beautiful places in the entire country. South of you. on Lake Huron, the Canadian side has magnificent cliffs. The shoreline of Lake Superior is without peer. Thake some weekends up in Keeweenaw. It's gorgeous too. Pequaming (about 2-3 hours away) is where Ford built all the wood parts for it's famous wagon. The biggest mountains between the Appalachian And Rocky mountains are up there too. You've picked a 180 from life in Arizona. Oh, one more thing. You need real snow tires. Four wheel drive isn't going to be enough. This is your safety we're talking about here. Getting stuck out there, especially with your (very) spotty cell service could end very badly. Enjoy your new home.
Hello, I am starting to understand why northerners are tough, this is not easy. I do love the spring and summers here, and the winter too (so far lol), st ignance is really beautiful, will have to check out the Canadian side for those cliffs on lake Huron. I do have a garmin inreach for emergencies but def want to avoid getting stuck, thanks for watching and for the advice, hope you are having an awesome week
Your first layer was perfect. Keeps the fire off the snow and gives it oxygen. Your second layer should be the smallest sticks you have available. Then put a layer of paper. I find a combination of News paper and used napkins works great because the napkins light really easy which in turn catches the newspaper on fire. On top of the paper I put a layer of dried vegitation Grass works great, We have lemon drop plant in the summer and this year I trimmed them and saved them. They burned really easy. Also black Eyed Susan stalks burn really well when they are dry.. The final layer should be a combination of sticks like the first layer and small twigs. Sorry for the long comment.
For your bonfire, I see you have some birch trees and birch bark works well to start - even if a bit wet. As long as you don't strip the bark all way around, you're okay. So just peel loose pieces off. Newspaper, magazines, boxes for starter work well too. Just ball them up and very small sticks on top then as you did, build a teepee. The BBQ lighters will get cold and not light. Holding them tight in your hand or close to you body can work to warm them up.
hello, thank you for all the information on how to improve my bonfire skills, I need lot of little sticks and like you said def the newspaper ect will help. and good advice on the lighters, I should have done that and can do that in the future- thanks!
@@newtotheUPMarie I hope you don't mind; just trying to be helpful. I should have added for your bonfire: lay down large pieces of wood first. That will be your buffer so the cold ground or snow can't put the fire out. Then build your fire on top. Best to you.
Buy Firestarter cubes, use smaller dry twigs at first, and add lighter fluid to the flame. Also, split the logs in the wood shed. They will dry out faster for you. Someone else already mentioned the white birch bark as a good Firestarter. 😊
@@newtotheUPMarie The best wood splitter to get the job done with the least amount of effort is a friend that knows how to split wood. Just add coffee and WALA your wood is split. 😉
@@chipsdad5861 I want to do things myself 😊 yes things are easy if someone else does it. what will I learn from that though. What if I need to split wood in the future but I don’t know how because I let others do it for me. I’m all about being self reliant it’s important
@@jasonbitter1 due to spammers I have links set to be held to be approved to try to keep any fraudulent links that could be malware type stuff. Don’t want any who watch my videos to be victims of fraud ect. I will check out the links you sent thank you! Oddly I’ve been getting weird Russian spam links so just keeping that off the comments section
When I was a kid I used to love digging tunnels through the snow band which happen to be by a birdfeeder The rabbits would use the tunnel to get to the bird feeder. Childhood memories. Now I dig because I have to.
Raking up the debris on your woodshed floor will make great fire starter tinder just and FYI. I fill 5 gallon buckets with anything small that burns quick.
I'm in NW PA. We get alot of snow but not what the UP gets from what Ive researched. I love the winter. We got dumped on for about 5 days after thanksgiving but not much since then. Never thought of having a bonfire in winter.
hello, we do get a lot of snow up here, it started around thanksgiving and stopped and is melting a bit now which I am very thankful for haha. I recommend a bonfire in the snow, its pretty nice- I wish I remembered to make smores though.
The way you stacked the wood is great. Splash some gasoline or lighter fluid on the woodpile, then stand upwind of the pile and throw a lit wooden match on it. It will flame right on up. Go easy on the gas or lighter fluid.
hello John, I can't wait to try the cotton ball/vaseline trick, I have heard from many of you about this and other options like wax or add wood shavings and I love how portable and safe this option is. thank you for welcoming me, that means so much- Merry Christmas to you!
At 10:13” I see your fire ring, and if I may, might I offer a helpful solution with little more work for you? With what you already have, just bore 3”-4” holes in your fire ring spaced 12”-18” around the ring. Then you don’t need to have fancy fire-proof bricks, but rather Mother natures materials all around you; that being 5-10lb stones spaced a few inches outside your ring all around, and layered enough to equal the height of your ring. Then with the same rock type build a cap adjoining the rock ring to the top of your steel ring in a bit of capstone fashion. Marie, this will do two things for you: 1. The imperfections of the rock to form your rock-ring will allow an air-gap between them and will suck air through to the inner steel fire ring to feed the fire. 2. Because there is a few inch distance between the rock ring and the steel ring, it will draw the smoke between them both, then be sucked back into the fire to be re-burned. This will result in a smokeless fire pit (after a few minutes of course once the heat temp reaches over 500F or so degrees. I trust this will help you ignite more fires and lessen the campfire smoke for you to enjoy more and keep it from permeating your clothing. Enjoy, and cheers! Ps. I’ve only just discovered this channel of yours to which I have enjoyed binge watching in order thus far. Please let me know if you have had an alternate channel because I’d love to know more of your background and history and how that has brought you here!
@@newtotheUPMarie LOL, Your followers have gone from helping you make a fire in less than half an hour to converting your fire pit into a fresh air kitchen. LOL
@ it’s pretty amazing right! The smoke is an issue for me and I’m glad there is a possible solution. I enjoy when people come together and share ideas and experiences. There is So much to learn to from other’s experiences
I dry mine until the bark comes off if using inside the house. Birch bark like they have mentioned is like that kerosene to start fires. Works great but safer. I hate those lighters too, there can't be anything in them. The refillable small cheap torches at hardware's or auto parts places are worth it or the U.P. Dollar Generals.
I think I needed more than I had, but I didnt have enough smaller sticks in the middle and I think I needed paper/newpapers layers too. but it did burn for a while (the lint)
If you want to cheat when you start a fire, get some lighter cubes, they burn for about 5mins at least so any wood placed nearby/upon it, will catch fire. I do that in lazy mornings and it's cold inside, in our heater stove. Otherwise lots of good advices in here. Just don't peel off too much on birch trees as it could indeed kill them. Those lighters usually works once, right out of the package, then never again.... A pocket torch xt (extended, as in you can pull it out a few inches) would work much better, and it's refillable. We got 7in of snow yday, took me two hours to plough it with my quad. Will have to try and start up the snowblower later, as soon there is no place to put the snow!
I have a pocket torch and completely forgot about it, its butane though, will it still work well or get cold? snow is a lot of work i'm quickly learning, we have a bit of a melt here thankfully but I know the snow is going to show up again soon. take care!
@@newtotheUPMarie Think it will work great, unless you leave the torch outside in the cold for too long ;) Went xmas shopping today, came home and the air heat pump was just humming, it's not defrostning much anymore, old one, so out with the screwdriver and hammer to chop some ice, it was 5F then :| have to love the country-side! I don't mind snow, even though I got stuck when I ploughed last time, so out with the shovel... it's just a cozy time of the year when winter comes ;)
@@scimpy Ive noticed my heat pump (new) had ice on it last week, luckily it melted recently but I was wondering how to get the ice off. I read online to use warm water, but that doesnt sound right because wont it just freeze and then more ice? im glad the hammer/screwdriver worked for you, any other ideas on what to try for the heat pump to remove ice? it is cozy right, lots of work with the snow, but its nice to stay at home more. good for you to get your christmas shopping done, I still have a bit more to do.
@@newtotheUPMarie Sounds bit weird it had ice in it if it's a new pump. However by the sound of it your temperatures and also air humidity I guess then, going up and down quite a lot so that could explain it. Yes hot water you can use but guess you need to use a hairblower to get it dry. I usually take a heat gun to defrost. Only use it on the lamella's (? the thin razor sharp stripes so wear gloves if you stick your hand in it!) Saw someone spraying defroster stuff you can use on your cars windshield (on lamella's only, not the fan or engine parts) and then turned the heater on but in AC mode, warm air from inside will then blow out on the lamella's and melt the ice. (swedish so don't know what it's called in eng)
@@scimpy my heat pump was still working (and I have a propane furnace, it was too cold for the heat pump to do its full thing and the furnace was running, i am thinking snow melt and I hadn't cleared the snow from the top (I forgot to check it, wont make that mistake again) so I think it was a combo of things. the hair dryer to dry it, I wonder if that would work in really cold weather. I will look into the defroster spray- that is good to know about turing the ac on- ha, I love science!
7 or 8 pages of News paper wadded up under all the sticks will do wonders. Very small sticks ( finger or smaller) then work up bigger and bigger. all in a tepee shape like you had.
I am now saving all my junk mail to use and i need to split some sticks to make them smaller, i think with all the great advice i'm getting from you all, next time will be a breeze
Just put more paper first. I burn my paper product trash, so I use some of that. Paper first, small twigs on top, then medium sticks. You had the right concept, just much more paper first. You didn't give up though. Oh, those are Snowshoe Hare tracks. They turn white in the winter, brown in the summer. They love clover.
hi! that is so smart, i have all kinds of paper trash that I could burn, omg, see, I need these comments. I noticed that there weren't enough sticks in the middle and the paper layers would have made a huge difference. snowshoe hare! so cool, thanks for watching
@newtotheUPMarie most Yoopers have "burn barrels." Rural residents sometimes don't have trash pickup availability, and it has to be hauled to a county landfill. They charge by the pound, so we burn everything that burns. 😆 Glass and metal only goes to the landfill. The rest goes up in smoke.
@@Yooperglide I feel very lucky to have trash pick up, ive had to take large items to the dump directly here and like you said, its pricey. I was surprised when i learned I couldn't put yard waste in the trash, you have to compost it or burn it here, which is awesome, I had no idea, other places i've lived, you have a special bin for it.
Make sure to clear all of the snow that you can if the weather is going to heat up. The snow will start to melt, then freeze again in low temperatures. Damn near impossible to clear the snow after that. Be well.
yes im learning all about that now, ive been clearing snow piles all day because tomorrow it is cold cold cold again, thanks for the advice and for the comment, hope you have a wonderful day
I'm curious you keep saying 'We' but I haven't seen a partner are you married or are you doing all of this by yourself which is awesome. Jim I used to live in Oscoda Michigan which is much further south from you but still got plenty of snow off of Lake Huron
hi, Oscoda is still northern MI so i bet you got a ton of snow when you lived there. the we is my family, I am the head of the household though and I am doing this on my own. I can go into the we in more detail in a video, Ive been seeing this question more and more. thanks for watching
@ hello, ok thank you for your response , I was just curious. I now live in Western Washington and only get a little snow in the Winter. I don’t know how I came across your videos, but I subscribed and I just think it’s super fascinating watching people on their own dealing with Mother Nature. That is just a ton of snow you’ve been getting. I love it too..Keep up the great work and do watch out for Bears. Will continue to watch your interesting videos. Be Safe! Jim
@@JSBowling2011 WA is beautiful, isn't youtube interesting, I am surprised by how far my videos have reached others, lots of people in Sweden and Germany are watching which is pretty amazing. happy the algorithm suggested my video and that you are going to keep watching. thank you!
@ yes, I definitely will keep watching your videos. I’m interested in your story, I woke up early this morning because we had a tremendous windstorm and watched this video of you,,, you take care!, Jim.
@@JSBowling2011 wind storms can be dangerous so I’m glad you’re okay, I’m going to film a video today, it wasn’t supposed to snow but it’s snowing lol again. You stay safe out there too, it’s great getting to talk to you
love all the podcasts , but waiting for the opportunity to see when power cuts off because of mother nature and how well you prepared for the unexpected , I live in the same environment as you do , gasoline , generator are standing by to counter the worst possible scenario , best wish. !
the power going out gives me nightmares lol, I imagine it is going to happen in an ice storm in the middle of the night. cant wait for that haha. I have an awesome gas generator for such occasions when they happen and i know they will happen. thank you for watching
yep, prob going to have to add that to my amazon cart asap! marshmallows, I have a bunch and I didn't even think about smores, I missed an opportunity for extra fun, next time!
@@newtotheUPMarie I really enjoy your channel. I’m glad I found it on TH-cam. I enjoy your content. I’ve only watched two of your videos. So far I look forward to your next video
@@Dead2032 it worked! thank you for watching my videos, I think I am improving my editing and music, any feedback is helpful and appreciated, happy you found my channel!
You need to warm up the fuel in your lighter by putting it between your hands and rub it for 20 seconds and it will work just fine. The friction warms the fuel.
You're doing great so far and you will learn as you go. The dryer lint is good but what I do is take old egg crates and fill each compartment with dryer lint and then pour wax over the top. Awesome firestarters. Beautiful location you have.
Thanks for the tips!
Love winter bonfires, so peaceful this time of year outdoors
I agree, thank you for watching
Very nice! Thanks for share🎄 Happy Holidays from Northern WI.
happy holidays to you too, northern WI is beautiful. thank you for watching!
Whenever building a fire in the winter when the ground is frozen and snow covered you should first build a wood flatform with logs at least 6 to 8 inches in diameter and then stack your kindling and fire wood on top of that. If you dont, the earth just becomes a heat sink and zaps any heat the fire makes. It also keeps the fire dry at the bottom from the inevitable water coming from the melting snow. This wood platform usually gets you through one day before it too burns out, so every time you build a fire outside in the winter it makes a huge difference to do this. I admire your enthusiasm! The UP is a beautiful place but definitely challenging. All the hard work we do up here makes us stronger and more self sufficient AND we never even have to go to the gym! 😉 😆
hi, it does make us stronger and more self sufficient without needing the gym :) thanks for watching!
Peel the bark from the white birch trees in the background. It works great
Good to know!
A few dry Pine cones is all you need!
Just noticed the birch trees, peelings from the bark is the best starter on the planet!!!!
you accomplished your goal determination always pays off looks like maybe a while Christmas
hi Rick, I agree, thank you so much and I agree, it is looking like a white christmas!
You did a good job. Maybe next time start smaller and add to it as it gets going. Looks nice and cozy. Great video!
hi Dave, I think that is excellent advice, I noticted when i watched the video later that I needed smaller sticks and I think starting smaller is also a good idea. thank you for the comment
Going up in the Western Part of the UP ,near the porcupine mountains. We used to go to the top with our favorite boons farm wine and sit and watch it snow over the lake .
that sounds like a good time! ive heard amazing things about the porcupine mountains
Welcome to Da UP I've lived here all my life and love it id never move
that makes me smile! thank you so much for the warm welcome, I love it here, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
@newtotheUPMarie you too merry Christmas 🎁🎄 😊
@newtotheUPMarie good old white birch bark excellent fire starter or dry cedar split small pieces
Love watching your new adventures. I live in Southeast Michigan, and have always loved the U.P. If you soak or run vasoline on the dryer lint balls, that would help what you are looking for. Cheers Marie!❤
thank you! I am excited to try the lint balls in vaseline, you all are giving me such great advice
@@newtotheUPMarie Our pleasure! You can also run pencil shaped twigs through a small handheld pencil sharpener to create shavings for awesome kindling!
@@KeithPaolella even better! that is something I can do easily
Love watching you experience these things . Yes that was a bunny track. Very cute with a great attitude and you never give up ! Beautiful property too. I’m from Ohio and fully understand lake effect snow, lol
hi in Ohio, thank you for watching, you do get that lake effect snow too, its work haha but worth it
I forgot to mention in my last post, when you are starting a fire outside in damp conditions it is also useful to lay down a bed of 4 to 6 logs about 3 inches in diameter and then build your fire with smaller sticks on top of the bed of dry logs. Just another helpful hint. Look forward to the next video.
got it, thank you! the snow is melting today and that frees me up to hopefully make another video this week
Hello from Sweden, lovely to see life from another northern human 😊 i think our fauna is pretty similar and those track here in Sweden comes from a hare. Have a good day😊
hi in Sweden, it's wonderful to connect with you, I have heard amazing things about your country, its on my bucket list to visit!
Its a beautiful place to live, but its always like that i guess, nothing like home, though i could move somewhere warm when i get old 😅
Small sticks and Twigs is the key to starting a fire quickly and dry of course.
Birch bark frayed works nicely, though since you have a dryer😊, use your dryer lint and pack it into your empty toilet paper cardboard rolls and paper towel rolls (cut the paper towel rolls down to conserve) and use them. They are THE best non-chemical fire starters you can use while eliminating something you would normally just dispose of. Cheers my dear!
Great idea!!
Daughter makes these fire starter pods with her egg cartons she uses wood chips dryer lint or cotton balls and vasoline. They work great stores them in a 2gallon zipper bag when they go camping. I think she goes out with the kiddos and gathers tree sap from spruce trees too.
great advice and good use for left over egg cartons, thank you
if not wanting to use vaseline, we do the same and pour some melted vegetable shortening in each pod. Works great!
Your place is amazing, so peaceful....There is nothing like going outside on a morning of fresh snow and seeing that wild life has been busy. Tracks are a good proof of it. When i use to do winter camping i used cotton balls dipped in Vaseline, kept them in a small sandwich bag..brought them with me and they are perfect for starting a fire...you could try that. Laughing at yourself, like i do a lot, is the best medicine ever for...everything..Love your videos...
hi, thank you for watching and for your comment, I had no idea about the cotton balls and vaseline, very clever and easy to transport for camping. I really feel so lucky to be living in the UP, it is so nice to be able to see the wild life tracks. agreed on the laughing at myself :)
@@newtotheUPMarie You are so welcome..thank you for posting..will be watching your videos to see all your adventures on that first winter...you never forget your first....winter in a new place with all it's challenges..Have a great week..
I am in Escanaba we don't get the snow like you do up near the big lake. But we still get the cold off of Little Bay DeNoc. Welcome to the U.P. once you are here you won't leave. You only move farther north. Lol
Also the birch in the background of your firepit. The peel the bark off of that. The best fire igniter you can have.
I was in Escanaba for a week to hike in the fall colors and I loved it, the downtown area is so cute and there are wonderful restaurants and antique stores, i had a blast at orange cat antiques. Thank you for the tip on the bark on the birch trees, thats easy enough to use/access. i love living here so much, i have a lot to learn but I think it will just help me grow
@@newtotheUPMarie Hi. Just a heads up, peeling the bark off live birch trees kills them.
As you can tell I love giving our tips. You are doing great. Very entertaining
Starting a fire sometimes can be challenging, you got it going, good job. You will get better if you practice tho. Thanks for the video. Take care.
Welcome to Michigan! Lifelong resident living in Northern Michigan. It is a wonderful place to live and the recreation year round is great. I live on a lake which adds to the good life. Winters can be rough but it looks like you are adapting very well. Looking forward for more content. Great stuff.....
hi, I love living here, very impressive you are a Yooper, this snow is no joke, but I do love it. thank you for watching and for the comment
WOW ! I'm in Chicago and was raking up some leaves today. Can't believe how much snow you have ✌
its a lot right! Chicago is one of my favorite cities, so many awesome restaurants and things to do. thanks for watching
I’m proud of you to dear, I admire your ambition and thoroughly enjoy your videos especially this 1, keep up the great work and I’ll look forward to the next, this made my day 😁
Tuck the lighter inside your coat to keep thebutane warn. Mix cotton balls or dryer lint with vaseline to make fire starters.
Keep your snow banks pushed back, you will need the room later in the winter to blow the snow. Narrow paths tend to drift shut.
i leaned the hard way about the snow banks, I am thankful for the advice you are providing, I will work on making wider paths too, thank you!
welcome to actual winter, Marie. Winter is why Northerners are so tough. Like the sea, nature is unforgiving. Your new home is known for gettin' plenty. It's one of the snowiest in the lower 48. Once it's May, (really) you'll find yourself in one of the most beautiful places in the entire country. South of you. on Lake Huron, the Canadian side has magnificent cliffs. The shoreline of Lake Superior is without peer. Thake some weekends up in Keeweenaw. It's gorgeous too. Pequaming (about 2-3 hours away) is where Ford built all the wood parts for it's famous wagon. The biggest mountains between the Appalachian And Rocky mountains are up there too. You've picked a 180 from life in Arizona. Oh, one more thing. You need real snow tires. Four wheel drive isn't going to be enough. This is your safety we're talking about here. Getting stuck out there, especially with your (very) spotty cell service could end very badly. Enjoy your new home.
Hello, I am starting to understand why northerners are tough, this is not easy. I do love the spring and summers here, and the winter too (so far lol), st ignance is really beautiful, will have to check out the Canadian side for those cliffs on lake Huron. I do have a garmin inreach for emergencies but def want to avoid getting stuck, thanks for watching and for the advice, hope you are having an awesome week
Your first layer was perfect. Keeps the fire off the snow and gives it oxygen. Your second layer should be the smallest sticks you have available. Then put a layer of paper. I find a combination of News paper and used napkins works great because the napkins light really easy which in turn catches the newspaper on fire. On top of the paper I put a layer of dried vegitation Grass works great, We have lemon drop plant in the summer and this year I trimmed them and saved them. They burned really easy. Also black Eyed Susan stalks burn really well when they are dry.. The final layer should be a combination of sticks like the first layer and small twigs. Sorry for the long comment.
never apologize for giving me good advice, I appreciate it so much, thank you Chips Dad :)
Birch bark is my favorite fire starter.
nature is awesome
For your bonfire, I see you have some birch trees and birch bark works well to start - even if a bit wet. As long as you don't strip the bark all way around, you're okay. So just peel loose pieces off. Newspaper, magazines, boxes for starter work well too. Just ball them up and very small sticks on top then as you did, build a teepee. The BBQ lighters will get cold and not light. Holding them tight in your hand or close to you body can work to warm them up.
hello, thank you for all the information on how to improve my bonfire skills, I need lot of little sticks and like you said def the newspaper ect will help. and good advice on the lighters, I should have done that and can do that in the future- thanks!
@@newtotheUPMarie I hope you don't mind; just trying to be helpful. I should have added for your bonfire: lay down large pieces of wood first. That will be your buffer so the cold ground or snow can't put the fire out. Then build your fire on top. Best to you.
@@garryprosser6396 thanks, i don't mind helpful advice at all, hope you are having a wonderful day :)
Buy Firestarter cubes, use smaller dry twigs at first, and add lighter fluid to the flame. Also, split the logs in the wood shed. They will dry out faster for you. Someone else already mentioned the white birch bark as a good Firestarter. 😊
I do need to learn how to split logs, any recommendations for an axe or wood splitter?
@@newtotheUPMarie The best wood splitter to get the job done with the least amount of effort is a friend that knows how to split wood. Just add coffee and WALA your wood is split. 😉
@@newtotheUPMarie I sent two links, but I'm not sure they went through.
@@chipsdad5861 I want to do things myself 😊 yes things are easy if someone else does it. what will I learn from that though. What if I need to split wood in the future but I don’t know how because I let others do it for me. I’m all about being self reliant it’s important
@@jasonbitter1 due to spammers I have links set to be held to be approved to try to keep any fraudulent links that could be malware type stuff. Don’t want any who watch my videos to be victims of fraud ect. I will check out the links you sent thank you! Oddly I’ve been getting weird Russian spam links so just keeping that off the comments section
Another great video of your life and times in the north. Absolutely beautiful views
I appreciate you watching and for letting me know, hope you are having a wonderful weekend
@newtotheUPMarie it would be nice to meet you someday ma'am
you make me smile for sure they sell fire starters at the hardware store youll be fine
awe, why thank you, happy you enjoyed the video
I use the last season old boat gas to start mine. Real fun!
I can imagine it is, boats are awesome btw
Nice to see your sub count growing quickly, congrats.
thank you, I didn't expect it at all but am excited!
When I was a kid I used to love digging tunnels through the snow band which happen to be by a birdfeeder The rabbits would use the tunnel to get to the bird feeder. Childhood memories. Now I dig because I have to.
its funny how things change when we are adults, what a great memory, thank you for sharing
Raking up the debris on your woodshed floor will make great fire starter tinder just and FYI. I fill 5 gallon buckets with anything small that burns quick.
I would never have thought of that, thank you will add that to the list too because im going to run out of little sticks this winter I think
Strips of cardboard work well for starting fires , rolled up also helps like a small flue
I have a lot of cardboard from all my amazon packages, a great use for them, thanks!
I'm in NW PA. We get alot of snow but not what the UP gets from what Ive researched.
I love the winter. We got dumped on for about 5 days after thanksgiving but not much since then.
Never thought of having a bonfire in winter.
hello, we do get a lot of snow up here, it started around thanksgiving and stopped and is melting a bit now which I am very thankful for haha. I recommend a bonfire in the snow, its pretty nice- I wish I remembered to make smores though.
The way you stacked the wood is great. Splash some gasoline or lighter fluid on the woodpile, then stand upwind of the pile and throw a lit wooden match on it. It will flame right on up. Go easy on the gas or lighter fluid.
Maybe not at this stage stick to slow starting fires without using gasoline.
yeah i'm not really into using chemicals to start a fire, you know me :)
@@newtotheUPMarie Good for you, Everyone should know how to start a fire the old fashion way. I look forward to the next video.
Get a propane touch it will help too. As for fire wood walk in the forest and find down trees and cut them up God Bless and Merry Christmas to you ❤
hi, thank you so much and merry Chirstmas to you too!
Cotton balls and Vaseline ❤welcome to Michigan Merry Christmas ❤
hello John, I can't wait to try the cotton ball/vaseline trick, I have heard from many of you about this and other options like wax or add wood shavings and I love how portable and safe this option is. thank you for welcoming me, that means so much- Merry Christmas to you!
Try collecting dried pine cones...great fire starter !
Pine Cones are awesome fire starters. Great Idea.
Also birch bark
Thanks for the tip, I will start collecting them, nature is so cool
Beautiful outside
It sure is
At 10:13” I see your fire ring, and if I may, might I offer a helpful solution with little more work for you? With what you already have, just bore 3”-4” holes in your fire ring spaced 12”-18” around the ring. Then you don’t need to have fancy fire-proof bricks, but rather Mother natures materials all around you; that being 5-10lb stones spaced a few inches outside your ring all around, and layered enough to equal the height of your ring. Then with the same rock type build a cap adjoining the rock ring to the top of your steel ring in a bit of capstone fashion. Marie, this will do two things for you: 1. The imperfections of the rock to form your rock-ring will allow an air-gap between them and will suck air through to the inner steel fire ring to feed the fire. 2. Because there is a few inch distance between the rock ring and the steel ring, it will draw the smoke between them both, then be sucked back into the fire to be re-burned. This will result in a smokeless fire pit (after a few minutes of course once the heat temp reaches over 500F or so degrees. I trust this will help you ignite more fires and lessen the campfire smoke for you to enjoy more and keep it from permeating your clothing. Enjoy, and cheers!
Ps. I’ve only just discovered this channel of yours to which I have enjoyed binge watching in order thus far. Please let me know if you have had an alternate channel because I’d love to know more of your background and history and how that has brought you here!
hello, thank you for the solution to the smoke and for more airflow, very helpful, this sounds like something I can try in the spring, thank you!
@@newtotheUPMarie LOL, Your followers have gone from helping you make a fire in less than half an hour to converting your fire pit into a fresh air kitchen. LOL
@ it’s pretty amazing right! The smoke is an issue for me and I’m glad there is a possible solution. I enjoy when people come together and share ideas and experiences. There is So much to learn to from other’s experiences
I dry mine until the bark comes off if using inside the house. Birch bark like they have mentioned is like that kerosene to start fires. Works great but safer. I hate those lighters too, there can't be anything in them. The refillable small cheap torches at hardware's or auto parts places are worth it or the U.P. Dollar Generals.
the lighters are terrible ugh haha, I will be using something better next time. good to know about the bark too
I suggest going to your local ACE, Walmart, etc and buy some "fire starters" and your fires will glow faster.
you done a fine job lighting your fire, the next time it will be easier. xo
thank you!! I think so too, I learned a lot
Birch bark makes a good fire starter. It will burn just like paper.
nature is so cool
Dryer lint makes great starter for a fire.
I think I needed more than I had, but I didnt have enough smaller sticks in the middle and I think I needed paper/newpapers layers too. but it did burn for a while (the lint)
@@newtotheUPMarie You did great!
Nice to🙋🏻♀️🏕️ meet you
Thanks and welcome
🙏🏻♥️🙋🏻♀️@@newtotheUPMarie
Keep a sharp eye out for snow snakes. Kessler's whiskey tends to neutralize the poison.
will do, I like folklore, very cool
If you want to cheat when you start a fire, get some lighter cubes, they burn for about 5mins at least so any wood placed nearby/upon it, will catch fire. I do that in lazy mornings and it's cold inside, in our heater stove. Otherwise lots of good advices in here. Just don't peel off too much on birch trees as it could indeed kill them. Those lighters usually works once, right out of the package, then never again.... A pocket torch xt (extended, as in you can pull it out a few inches) would work much better, and it's refillable. We got 7in of snow yday, took me two hours to plough it with my quad. Will have to try and start up the snowblower later, as soon there is no place to put the snow!
I have a pocket torch and completely forgot about it, its butane though, will it still work well or get cold? snow is a lot of work i'm quickly learning, we have a bit of a melt here thankfully but I know the snow is going to show up again soon. take care!
@@newtotheUPMarie Think it will work great, unless you leave the torch outside in the cold for too long ;) Went xmas shopping today, came home and the air heat pump was just humming, it's not defrostning much anymore, old one, so out with the screwdriver and hammer to chop some ice, it was 5F then :| have to love the country-side! I don't mind snow, even though I got stuck when I ploughed last time, so out with the shovel... it's just a cozy time of the year when winter comes ;)
@@scimpy Ive noticed my heat pump (new) had ice on it last week, luckily it melted recently but I was wondering how to get the ice off. I read online to use warm water, but that doesnt sound right because wont it just freeze and then more ice? im glad the hammer/screwdriver worked for you, any other ideas on what to try for the heat pump to remove ice? it is cozy right, lots of work with the snow, but its nice to stay at home more. good for you to get your christmas shopping done, I still have a bit more to do.
@@newtotheUPMarie Sounds bit weird it had ice in it if it's a new pump. However by the sound of it your temperatures and also air humidity I guess then, going up and down quite a lot so that could explain it. Yes hot water you can use but guess you need to use a hairblower to get it dry. I usually take a heat gun to defrost. Only use it on the lamella's (? the thin razor sharp stripes so wear gloves if you stick your hand in it!) Saw someone spraying defroster stuff you can use on your cars windshield (on lamella's only, not the fan or engine parts) and then turned the heater on but in AC mode, warm air from inside will then blow out on the lamella's and melt the ice. (swedish so don't know what it's called in eng)
@@scimpy my heat pump was still working (and I have a propane furnace, it was too cold for the heat pump to do its full thing and the furnace was running, i am thinking snow melt and I hadn't cleared the snow from the top (I forgot to check it, wont make that mistake again) so I think it was a combo of things. the hair dryer to dry it, I wonder if that would work in really cold weather. I will look into the defroster spray- that is good to know about turing the ac on- ha, I love science!
7 or 8 pages of News paper wadded up under all the sticks will do wonders. Very small sticks ( finger or smaller) then work up bigger and bigger. all in a tepee shape like you had.
I am now saving all my junk mail to use and i need to split some sticks to make them smaller, i think with all the great advice i'm getting from you all, next time will be a breeze
Greetings from South Texas. Stay sweet. Stay real. 🙃
hi in South TX, thanks for watching! I have family in TX and was there this summer visiting.
Just put more paper first. I burn my paper product trash, so I use some of that. Paper first, small twigs on top, then medium sticks. You had the right concept, just much more paper first. You didn't give up though. Oh, those are Snowshoe Hare tracks. They turn white in the winter, brown in the summer. They love clover.
hi! that is so smart, i have all kinds of paper trash that I could burn, omg, see, I need these comments. I noticed that there weren't enough sticks in the middle and the paper layers would have made a huge difference. snowshoe hare! so cool, thanks for watching
@newtotheUPMarie most Yoopers have "burn barrels." Rural residents sometimes don't have trash pickup availability, and it has to be hauled to a county landfill. They charge by the pound, so we burn everything that burns. 😆 Glass and metal only goes to the landfill. The rest goes up in smoke.
@@Yooperglide I feel very lucky to have trash pick up, ive had to take large items to the dump directly here and like you said, its pricey. I was surprised when i learned I couldn't put yard waste in the trash, you have to compost it or burn it here, which is awesome, I had no idea, other places i've lived, you have a special bin for it.
Make sure to clear all of the snow that you can if the weather is going to heat up. The snow will start to melt, then freeze again in low temperatures. Damn near impossible to clear the snow after that. Be well.
yes im learning all about that now, ive been clearing snow piles all day because tomorrow it is cold cold cold again, thanks for the advice and for the comment, hope you have a wonderful day
When is the building a snowman video going to happen? I think you would enjoy that! ⛄
I would love that! Now I’m going to have to build a cute snowman family and have cute clothes and accessories!!
Get some firer start at Lowe’s or home depot they are logs
I'm curious you keep saying 'We' but I haven't seen a partner are you married or are you doing all of this by yourself which is awesome. Jim
I used to live in Oscoda Michigan which is much further south from you but still got plenty of snow off of Lake Huron
hi, Oscoda is still northern MI so i bet you got a ton of snow when you lived there. the we is my family, I am the head of the household though and I am doing this on my own. I can go into the we in more detail in a video, Ive been seeing this question more and more. thanks for watching
@ hello, ok thank you for your response
, I was just curious. I now live in Western Washington and only get a little snow in the Winter. I don’t know how I came across your videos, but I subscribed and I just think it’s super fascinating watching people on their own dealing with Mother Nature. That is just a ton of snow you’ve been getting. I love it too..Keep up the great work and do watch out for Bears. Will continue to watch your interesting videos. Be Safe! Jim
@@JSBowling2011 WA is beautiful, isn't youtube interesting, I am surprised by how far my videos have reached others, lots of people in Sweden and Germany are watching which is pretty amazing. happy the algorithm suggested my video and that you are going to keep watching. thank you!
@ yes, I definitely will keep watching your videos. I’m interested in your story, I woke up early this morning because we had a tremendous windstorm and watched this video of you,,, you take care!, Jim.
@@JSBowling2011 wind storms can be dangerous so I’m glad you’re okay, I’m going to film a video today, it wasn’t supposed to snow but it’s snowing lol again. You stay safe out there too, it’s great getting to talk to you
love all the podcasts , but waiting for the opportunity to see when power cuts off because of mother nature and how well you prepared for the unexpected , I live in the same environment as you do , gasoline , generator are standing by to counter the worst possible scenario , best wish. !
the power going out gives me nightmares lol, I imagine it is going to happen in an ice storm in the middle of the night. cant wait for that haha. I have an awesome gas generator for such occasions when they happen and i know they will happen. thank you for watching
Nice job!! Look at you go!! Almost to 1K subs!! J & C
thank you
There are all kinds of fire starters out there you can buy
very true, my goal is to start fires without any kind of help like that (chemical) but fire starters are a good option in a pinch
@newtotheUPMarie well in that case, birch bark is quick and easy.
Dextreme fire starter briquets or similar. Hello Amazon, it's me again and I got an order! Throw some marshmallows on that too......🙀
yep, prob going to have to add that to my amazon cart asap! marshmallows, I have a bunch and I didn't even think about smores, I missed an opportunity for extra fun, next time!
A BIC LIGHTER USES BUTANE, YOU NEED TO GET A PROPANE TORCH... BUTANE WILL FREEE ANT THE SAME TEMPS AS WATER, PROPANE FREEZES AT ABOUT -52
thank you, i have a propane torch so that should work!
🌹💚💚💓💋💋💋
First to comment. Just logged on and got your notification.
thank you for your comments and for watching my videos!
Hello..please make complete shoveling videos... remove all the snow on the log behind.. thanks
hi, thank you for your feedback, I will make sure to clear the log off next time, hope you have a great day
@@newtotheUPMarie thanks :)
vegetable oil
My challenge to myself each morning is to build a ONE MATCH fire. So far I have been pretty successful.
thats awesome! maybe someday I will get there too, i love that you can start a fire with only 1 match
@@newtotheUPMarie I think with all the great comments you have gotten your next fire will be a one match fire. You will be an expert in no time.
@ I agree! I’m feeling confident that it will be much easier this time
Looks more like wrabbit tracks
Newspaper and vegetable oil
nice, kind of like the cotton balls and vaseline that another person mentioned, awesome!
Should have had your marshmallows ready to go
i know! someone else said that and im so bummed, i have all the things for smores in the house
Yep, still not seeing anything that you can’t do!😉
Your a little snow bunny yourself
i Wrote a messaged in your comments, but it got deleted earlier
hi, i checked in held comments and there isnt anything there? im not sure but you can try again, I see this comment you left
@@newtotheUPMarie I really enjoy your channel. I’m glad I found it on TH-cam. I enjoy your content. I’ve only watched two of your videos. So far I look forward to your next video
@@Dead2032 it worked! thank you for watching my videos, I think I am improving my editing and music, any feedback is helpful and appreciated, happy you found my channel!
You need to warm up the fuel in your lighter by putting it between your hands and rub it for 20 seconds and it will work just fine. The friction warms the fuel.
great advice, thank you!