Campfire Fun
How to Start a Campfire with a Single Match
Every time we take a friend or family member camping for the first time, my husband always challenges them to build a fire using only one match. He then proceeds to teach them his tried and true patented “Terry Method.”
Steps to the “Terry Method”
Some of you are campers and already know how to easily start a fire. For those of you who are novices, you have come to the right place. This is my husband’s simple and easy approach to starting a campfire using a single match.
Splitting the wood and creating piles:
Create your own tinder. Start with small pieces of wood and break them into the smallest and longest pieces possible. You can also use an axe to gently peel away small slices of wood off the sides of larger pieces that have begun to splinter. The smaller the better and you want a pretty good size pile.
Continue creating piles of wood of various sizes in addition to your kindling. You will want to create piles that are extremely small (1/4” diameter), small (1/2” diameter), medium (1-2” diameter) and large (about 3-4” in diameter). Save your biggest pieces over 4’ in diameter to throw on the fire later after it’s already going strong.
When you are ready to split the larger pieces of wood into small and medium size pieces, use the axe and hammer method. Hit the ax into the top of the wood downward. It will often lodge into the wood and get stuck. Instead of pulling the axe out. leave it there and hit the top of it with the hammer, guiding it down into the wood. As the hammer hits the axe further and further down the piece of wood, it will start to naturally split. Doing it this way is much safer than taking an axe and hitting it over and over again.
Another method is to hit the axe into the wood. When it lodges and becomes stuck, leave it there. Use the axe as a handle to lift the piece of wood up off the ground about a foot then slam it back down onto the ground over and over again. The force of the wood hitting the ground will help push the axe down through the wood, splitting it into pieces. Do not lift the wood too high off the ground in order to prevent injury.
Stacking the wood in the fire ring.
Start by placing the small size pieces of wood standing upright into a triangular pattern leaving a little bit of space between each one for air. (See the image above.)
Next, place the medium size pieces of wood around the outside of the teepee stack of wood you just created again, leaving space between the pieces for air.
Next, place a few larger pieces of wood around the outside standing upright. Again, be sure to leave spaces between the pieces for air flow.
Now, place the small kindling you created all around the inside of the teepee without knocking it over and between the pieces of wood.
You are now ready to attempt to light your fire. Light the small kindling with the match and gently blow on it. As it ignites and grows, it will begin lighting the next layer of pieces in order by size and soon you will have a roaring fire. Time to pull out the marshmallows and metal hangars.
My Top 10 List of Campfire Songs
Almost every time we go camping with my brother or friends, we spend the night around the campfire playing music. Well, not me personally. I grew up playing piano, not exactly a bon fire type of instrument. But many are talented musicians and at least one of them always seems to have a guitar.
Below is a list of my top 10 songs (plus one for good measure) to play around a campfire.
Take Me Home, Country Roads, John Denver
Hey Jude, Paul McCartney
Cat’s in the Cradle, Harry Chapin
Me and Bobby McGee, Janis Joplin
Wagon Wheel, Old Crow Medicine Show
Ring of Fire, Johnny Cash
Sitting on the Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding
Heart of Gold, Neil Young
A Horse With No Name, Amerca
Fire and Rain, James Taylor
Ain’t No Sunshine, Bill Withers
Best Campfire Drinks (For the Adults)
Here is a list of my all time favorite campfire drinks to keep you warm and toasty after the sun goes down.
Tuaca
My #1 camping drink is by far Tuaca. If you go camping with us, it is a tradition that you try a sip. It’s an Italian Brandy full of spices sure to keep you warm.
Bailey’s
So it isn’t very creative, but it is still a classic favorite. Bailey’s around a campfire either straight or with a little decaf coffee is the perfect way to end a relaxing night under the stars.
Spiked Hot Chocolate
While the kids are enjoying their hot chocolate with marshmallows, why not indulge with a spiked hot chocolate. Whether you spike it with spiced rum, coffee liqueur, amaretto or something else, be sure to top it off with a little whip cream.
Campfire Treats
Campfire treats are always a huge hit with kids big and small; and for my husband, they are a necessity.
Of course, the treat that comes to everyone’s mind first is undoubtedly s’mores. While I too love a traditional s’more, here are a couple creative alternatives.
Oreo Mores - This is an idea some good friends of ours introduced us too many years ago on a camping trip to Joshua Tree. You toast a marshmallow over the fire and instead of wedging it between a graham cracker with chocolate, you insert it between two sides of an Oreo cookie.
Dirt & Worms - This one I read about on the internet and wanted to give it a try with the grandkids because what goes better with camping than dirt. Put a package of Oreos in a Ziploc bag and smash them up into little crumbs. Put the crumbs in a bowl. In another bowl, make a box of chocolate pudding per the package instructions. Add 8 oz. of Cool Whip to the pudding and stir in half the Oreo crumbs. Spoon the mixture into clear cups. Top with crushed cookies and gummy worms.
