A common sight in rural Bavaria

Everywhere we turned huge stacks of firewood were stockpiled on every farm we drove past. Winter had ended but still the woodpiles were immense. The area is full of forestland but it is mostly tall pines. I would never expect that to be an efficient fuel for heating. I assumed it would be too full of sticky sap causing creosote buildup, but everyone was using what was abundant and every building we entered had huge ceramic woodstoves.