Homesteading – Woodstove Choices

Baker's Choice stove from Tschirhart's, Ontario

I had really wanted a Pioneer Maid stove. It was too big, and a bit (!) over budget. The oil furnace here needs to be replaced, although it runs well and is well-maintained. (Insurance companies – do I need to say more?) The back up to the oil furnace is baseboard electric – one might as well burn money in a coffee can to keep the house warm.

We looked around at used woodstoves. The stove needs to be CSA approved, which leaves out the antiques. And old cookstoves and most parlor stoves just don’t hold a fire more than four hours. We had no joy in used stoves. They were too expensive or they had lost their CSA rating decal, or – well, there were good reasons why some of them weren’t being used. I enquired about one and was told that it was “a collectable only.” Who keeps several pieces of 400 pound hunks of iron? As a collection?

I sighed over the online pictures of the Pioneer Maid – if only – it were – smaller – and not so expensive – because at that price we would have nothing left for fence…

The same manufactruer, I find, makes this smaller, equally well-rated stove. For less money. Prayers answered. The shipping cost is reasonable (as in it is less than driving to Ontario and back.) I am waiting to hear from a local technician about the feasibility of installing it in my chosen spot. And then – if all goes well, God willing – a new stove by spring!