What My Father Taught Me: Mike Rowe

popmechanics. ^

[virgil283]

"The Eagle Scout and Dirty Jobs star on learning to fell trees and prepare firewood. ......When I was 14, I woke up one Saturday morning to see my father standing at the foot of my bed, sharpening a double-sided ax. "It's time," he said. "Let's go." My father has a tendency to start conversations in the middle. He's also suspicious of anything too modern. Like nouns.

"Time for what?" I said. Knowing the futility of the question before I even asked, I rolled out of bed, pulled on my jeans and work boots, and tried again. "Is it cold out?"

"Invigorating," he replied. "Your mother made oatmeal. Eat it fast."

Outside, the Massey Ferguson tractor idled impatiently as we loaded up the wood cart.......I can't even remember how many times my dad and I drove the old tractor down the stone road, through the lower pasture, and deep into the woods to do battle with the Pine, the Maple, the Oak, and the mighty Locust—his personal favorite. ("The hard wood puts up a tough fight, but it burns the best!") The fact that we heated most of the old farmhouse with nothing but a wood stove was a source of great pride for my father, and the inspiration for endless witticisms. ("Chop your own wood—it'll warm you twice!")"....more ....

[fredhead]

My Dad grew up on a NC tobacco farm during the depression. He told me about cutting wood all winter to fire the tobacco barns in the summer.