Bill,
I also have a large driveway and just gave up on blowers and shovels pretty much. Even a 42" blower just made concrete and putting the snow where I wanted it, or have to store it, takes some planning. I have a buddy that has a tracked skid steer with a "snow bucket". He asks $50.00 to do it and I give him $80.00. Money well spent and he usually gets to me first so the wife can get out. I have to be able to get a semi in here for cable and wood deliveries and I like just turning a circle with my truck when I have a trailer on. My yard and driveway are surrounded by trees pretty much and he can bucket the snow between them for better run off in the spring. I shovel around the doors, dog kennels, and front of the wood stove. That's plenty.
Ian,
Heatmore makes a good stove. That one pictured is one year old. Our old one had a tree fall on it and our homeowners policy bought us a new one, and a new roof on the house from the same storm. I did the work and actually put some lead money in my pocket. The stove is an interesting design, in that it has no bottom, other than a grate and auger system in the center. You place the stove on a concrete slab, which has a slot or hole form out in the back of for the piping and wiring to go out. The stove is actually caulked to the slab all the way around and then sand is placed in what would normally be the bottom, flush with the top of the grate. It has a six inch pipe coming out the back to auger ashes out, but I take them out the front with a shovel and wheel barrow. It is a forced air system with two blowers, one front and one back. Thermostatic controls on fire box and access door. A bladder system to control expansion and steam loss through a weighted relief stem on the top. A door on the back as big as the front for access to the pumps, plumbing, and electric, both keyed. The firebox is stainless and concaved over the fire, with the exhaust running through the bladder, which helps with heat loss. Entire stove is insulated. It weighs just short of a ton. Took a track hoe to get it where it is. Even has a courtesy light over the door that comes on when you open the door. I've got it heating two buildings and pre-heating our hot water in the house. All the lines(92' to the house) are inside an insulated 4" PVC with insulation wrapped 1" CPVC lines, which are buried 5' below grade. I also put my water supply line for the shop inside just in case it could freeze where it enters the shop. The system holds about 120 gallons of water, 50 of which is anti freeze, and a couple gallons of water conditioner. I have radiant heat along all the baseboards on both floors in the house. Two pumps running each leg, one at the stove and one at the farthest point from the stove. Our electric bill goes up about $40.00 in the winter, per month. No mess or blowing air in the house, but I have to go outside to fill it. LOL I have lots of buddies who I work around, whom are loggers. It's cheap enough to get them to bring it right next to the wood shed, and I try to keep their timber contracts dry. The way I have them stack it there, if I cut it right it will just about roll into the wood shed. LOL
That pile pictured is real close to 25 chord. My brother and I figured we probably cut and threw twice that on shore the last couple years, on beaver contracts. Most in places you couldn't get to with machines or canoe only access. Not to mention the amount we've taken out of beaver dams. Some of the Ash would make real nice lumber, but not practical to get it out. My Dad makes ornamental turtles out of burls, and we bring plenty out of the bush for him. It's amazing what 20 wet burls can weigh. At 84, it keeps him out of the woods alone, and away from a chainsaw. Win win.