Storing Yule Logs

The 2023 fall and winter season in Maine was VERY wet. That means wet logs, a lot of sap in the wood, and a lot of rain. Our Yule logs are generally quite green in 95% of the logs we ship. Now that the holidays are over, some folks want to save their Yule logs for future years instead of burning them.

The best advice I have to offer in doing this is to store your logs in an open-air situation, not wrapped in cellophane or closed in an air-tight container. Allow them to air dry in the open completely, or store them in the open air. Closing a wet green piece of birch in an air tight situation will cause mold. Birch sap  is quite sugary, not so much as maple, but still quite sweet. These sugars, dampness, and no circulation is just a perfect recipe for mold.

Also of note is that as the moisture evaporates some tannins and other natural elements of the birch may seep out. So it’s also a consideration that as the moisture leaves the wood, it may stain white or light colored cloth.

There will be some warping and shifting as your log products dry, this is normal and shouldn’t affect the use of your log in the future.