Once the tree has been cut or blown down, you want to cut the wood into your desired pieces as soon as possible. This will help you avoid damage from the elements. Leaving the wood where it fell makes it susceptible to rot, stains, mold and fungus. As wood loses moisture, it shrinks. Your green wood, or newly cut wood, should be large enough to allow for some shrinkage. This is especially important to keep in mind if you are drying planks of wood for carpentry. Wood shrinks an average of at least 5% in the drying process. It is likely the shape will also distort in the drying process. There is no need to plane the wood until it has reached EMC, equilibrium moisture content, meaning its moisture level is in balance with the surrounding atmosphere. Moisture is released 10-12 times faster from the ends of the wood. Seal the ends to moderate moisture loss and balance the rate of drying the entire piece of wood. Ends can be sealed using something as simple as latex paint, or an end grain sealer specially created for this purpose. Other options are paraffin wax, polyurethane and shellac. Wood drying too quickly from the ends will result in cracks in the ends of the wood, known as end checks. You can cut the painted ends from your wood once it is done drying. In that case, leave some extra length on each end to compensate for the cut.

Summary: Process your wood soon after the tree is felled. Cut your pieces slightly larger than you want the finished product. Seal the ends.

Keep the rinds on the fruit, as they will help flavor the drink later on. When choosing the amount of citrus, lean towards the oranges and use the lemon and limes lightly. Most people love to eat the fruit in the drink, but few people can handle a straight lemon or lime! The amount and variety of fruit you choose is up to you -- sangria is endlessly customizable. Again, remove any seeds so that people can munch on the fruit without worrying about breaking a molar. Furthermore, seeds are usually bitter, and can impact the final flavor. Muddling is simply beating the fruit up a bit with a wooden spoon. This releases sugars and flavors that will work their way into the sangria. Like all the other ingredients, you can adjust the brandy to match your taste, and you can add a few other liquids here if you'd like to try something new: Orange Liquor: Gives a nice, sweet little kick to the drink without water down the alcohol content. Orange Juice: Sweetens up the drink while adding a little more citrus. Also stretches out the drink a bit more and cuts some of the alcohol. You want a light, refreshing white wine for the best sangria. Traditionally, sangria is made with a Spanish Roja, but most people substitute a nice Merlot without missing anything. You can serve the Sangria as is if you add ice, or let it blend in the refrigerator for a few hours. The choice is yours. Either way, serve the drink on ice for a refreshing, wonderful burst of flavor. If you want, you can even leave the drink to blend overnight for the best flavor. Many recipes claim you must let it sit for 4 hours. While this will taste better, it is not strictly necessary. Everything is a bit more refreshing when it has some fizz to it, and Sangria is no different. Furthermore, this is just one more chance to customize your perfect version of the classic cocktail. Club Soda: Perfect if you like a little refreshing fizz in your drink. Add as much as you added brandy. Seltzer Water: Has a bit more pucker to it, making it a great choice to balance out too-sweet sangrias, in particular. You can even try flavored seltzers, like Lemon-Lime. Champagne or Prosecco: This is sangria, so go nuts! A bubbly, light, and crisp wine or prosecco will keep the drink strong and add a refreshing punch of bubbles.
Summary: Chop up the citrus into 1/4-inch thick wedges and remove any large seeds. Core and apple and cut into bite-sized slices. Add the chopped fruit to the bottom of a pitcher with the 2-3 tablespoons of sugar, then muddle for 45 seconds. Add the splash of brandy and continue to muddle for another 20-30 seconds. Add in the bottle of red wine, usually a Roja or a Merlot, and stir well. Consider letting the drink chill for at least 3-4 hours to gain flavor. Serve over "bubbles," adding a splash of carbonation right before serving.