When l was logging and we had “firewood days” (yuck), we’d start by cutting rounds right off the bunched hitch on the skidded. This gave us a “cutting platform” so to speak that the skidder, with subsequent turns, would drive over, drop the hitch And we’d cut from that. This way the bar hardly ever hit the ground.
When this mess of rounds got to about 2 and a half feet high,we’d start splitting. We’d do 5 cords per day from 7am to 3 pm with a half hr for lunch loading the splits into a 2.5 cord capacity stake body With a conveyor belt.
Man l hated firewood days.