Farmer Gow's Firewood

Farmer Gow's Firewood - naturally seasoned hardwood logs and kindling, sourced from sustainably managed ancient woodlands within 1-hour's drive of the farm.

We process the firewood on farm, so if you need a longer log length than our standard 8", we can cut to order.

January and February - the weather, including atmosphere, is seasonally cold and damp. Wood fires, including stoves, can take extra time to establish a good burn.

Chimney Sweep

A Clean Chimney is a Safe Chimney - try Cosshalls Chimney Sweeping.

Mark Cosshall

07450 940 317t. 07450 940 317

mark.cosshall@gmail.com

History of the farm - since purchasing Henleaze Farm in 2007, Farmer Gow's has managed the whole farm to achieve a balance between farming and conservation. We are keen to offset our carbon emissions by carbon lock-up. The farm's bio-diversity has improved hugely for the benefit of wildlife and public visitors, including thousands of school children. See our Farm Environment and School/Group Trips pages for details.

Approximately 28% of the farmland is committed to carbon lock-up through woodland, hedgerow and wildlife meadow habitats.

In addition to our Farm Animals educational programme, we are also now offering

Grow Your Food

in partnership with Smart Greens UK

Wind & Solar Energy

in partnership with WeSET

Conservation ~ bio-diversity projects

Woodland

We have created a new woodland - Henleaze Wood - with the support of the Forestry Commission. 5 acres of farmland have been planted with 28 indiginous hardwood species. The new woodland lies within the Great Western Community Forest.

Hedgerows

We manage our hedgerows to 8' in height and 4' in width. They are lightly trimmed in February to keep them thick and dense - perfect habitat for wildlife including nesting birds.

New tenants on the farm - Oxford Oak Camping, The Oxford Yurt and Smart Greens UK - have contributed to the environmental effort by planting new hedgerows and establishing their own projects.

Nestboxes

We have erected nestboxes for wild birds, including Barn Owl, swallows, tits - see our Wildlife page for wild bird species living/nesting/feeding on the farm.

Wild flower meadow

Our tenant - The Oxford Yurt - has established a glamping site within our wild flower meadow.

An amazing habitat for wildlife - and for humans in need of rest and relaxation in a stunning meadow. Many wild bird species, hedgehogs, orchids, grass snakes and much, much more. A truely stimulating environment.

Buying / Ordering

Farm shop

The farm shop is open daily, 10am - 5pm, for purchases of bagged & boxed logs & kindling, firelighters & matches.

If you would like us to process an order, for delivery or collection, you can telephone, text or email us - 01793 780 555, 07714 455 400 or enquiries@farmergows.co.uk.

Empty bags & boxes - we will happily recycle/reuse any boxes or bags returned to us.

Deliveries

Logs are delivered loose (no packaging). Wheelbarrow & stacking service available.

Free local deliveries - use our postcode checker for any delivery charges to your address.

Online

The online shop is postcode sensitive and will automatically provide the correct delivery charge (if any).

Our driver will contact you by 'phone to confirm/arrange delivery date & approximate time.

Please add in 'Comments' at Checkout any information which will assist our drivers to find your home, such as local directions &/or description of your house if it has a name, not a number.

Chimney Sweep

A Clean Chimney is a Safe Chimney - try Cosshalls Chimney Sweeping.

Mark Cosshall

07450 940 317t. 07450 940 317

mark.cosshall@gmail.com

Tel

01793 780 55501793 780 555. The farm office is open daily, 9.30 am - 5 pm.

How to find us

How to find us
We're just off the A420 (Oxford-Swindon) on the B4508 between Fernham and Longcot villages.

Sat Nav

Sat Nav
Use coordinates
51.61868 -1.59398
rather than our postcode.

what3words

Tree species and their suitabililty as firewood?

Seasoned hardwood firewood - Ash, Beech, Cherry (occasionally), Hazel, Oak (occasionally) and Sycamore

H
= hardwood,    
S
= softwood
Ash    
H
H

The most sought-after firewood. Rapid burning even when freshly felled. Emits a great amount of heat. Particularly valuable for fire lighting. Splits easily.

Elm    
H
H

Makes a pleasant and long-lasting fire when partially seasoned

Hazel    
H
H

Well known for its value as firewood. Much sought after.

Oak    
H
H

Dense, high calorific wood. Rarely thinned from woodlands due to its high environmental value.

Sycamore    
H
H

Considerable heating properties

Wild Cherry    
H
H

Somewhat resistence to grey squirrel damage and therefore increasingly replanted in old woodlands. Difficult to start but once alight, last long and gives a fierce heat. Best when old and partially seasoned.

Conifers    
S
S

Leylandii, spruces, pines, willows - any tree which grows quickly is probably a softwood - they need a lot of water to grow quickly, the wood therefore has a high water content but low number of calories, providing little/low heat value. Softwoods tend to spark. They are best used in wood burning stoves but they leave a resin deposit on chimney flues and are the biggest contributor to chimney fires.

Avoid if possible - low grade wood fuel.

NOT sold by Farmer Gow's!

Wood Calorific Value

When choosing wood for burning there are three factors which have an effect on the calorific value (CV) or the amount of available heat per unit of fuel:

1. Species Choice

2. Wood Density

3. Moisture ContentSpecies Choice

The general differences are that hardwoods (deciduous, broadleaved tree species) tend to be denser, and softwoods (evergreen, coniferous species) tend to contain more resins. There is little variation of CV between species when tested at the same moisture content.

The main differences between species are moisture content when the timber is green, at the time of felling, and the rate at which this moisture is lost during seasoning.

Trees need sunlight to grow. Thinning enables the poorer quality stems to be felled for firewood leaving space in the tree canopy for the better quality standards to grow on.

Opening the canopy also allows sunlight to reach the lower levels including woodland floor - encouraging flora and fauna to flourish. Woodland thinning can take place on a cycle of 8-30 years, depending on the species thinned and the management aims for the woodland.

Deliveries

Delivery Areas

Free local deliveries - use our postcode checker for any delivery charges to your address

Local FOC

Appleton, Ashbury, Baulking, Besseleigh, Buckland, Charney Bassett, Cumnor, Eaton, Faringdon, Fernham, Fyfield, Gainfield, Great and Little Coxwell, Hatfield, Hinton Waldrist, Gainfield, Kingston Bagpuize, Kingston Lisle, Littleworth (near Faringdon), Longcot, Longworth, Pusey, Shrivenham, Southmoor, Stanford-in-the-Vale, Tubney, Uffington, Woolstone, Watchfield

Charges apply ~

Abingdon

including Abingdon, Bayworth, Boars Hill, Caldecott, Cothill, Caldecott, Culham, Drayton, Dry Sandford, Foxcombe Hill, Frilford, Gozzard's Ford, Henwood, Marcham, Northcourt, Old Boars Hill, Radley, Shippon, Steventon, Sunningwell, Whitecross, Wootton

Oxford

including - Oxford, Binsey, Blackbird Leys, Cowley, Cutteslowe, Fiddler's Island, Godstow, Grandpont, Headington, Horspath, Iffley, Kennington, Kidlington, Littlemore, Littleworth, Lye Valley, New Hinksey, North Hinksey, Osney, Park Town, Rose Hill, Seacourt, Slade Park, South Hinksey, Temple Cowley, Wolvercote, Wytham

Swindon & Highworth

including surrounding villages - Ashbury, Bishopstone, Broad Blunsdon, Buscot, Eastrop, Eaton Hastings, Fairford, Filkins, Hannington, Highworth, Inglesham, Lechlade, Liddington, Sevenhampton, South Marsdon, Stanton Fitzwarren, Swindon, Wanborough.

Wantage

including ~ Ardington, Belmont, Charlton, Childrey, Denchworth, Letcombe Regis, East Challow, East Hanney, East Hendred, East Lockhinge, Grove, Letcombe Regis, Sparsholt, Wantage, West Challow, West Hanney, West Hendred, West Lockhinge, Wick Green, Townsend

Witney

Alvescot, Aston, Bablockhythe, Bampton, Black Bourton, Brighthampton, Brize Norton, Burford, Carterton, Cassington, Clanfield, Crawley, Cote, Curbridge, Ducklington, Eynsham, Freeland, Hardwick, Long Hanborough, Minster Lovell, North Leigh, Northmoor, Shilton, South Leigh, Standlake, Stanton Harcourt, Swinbrook, Weald, Worsham