Out here in the northwest about the only 'hard wood' encountered is that big dry limb from a pine, spruce, etc. that wacks you on the head as you are working below. As for starting a wood stove fire every morning: two split pieces of softwood, 1 back & the other in front of firebox, 2-3 full sheets of old newspaper lightly crumpled between 'logs' and 3-4 pieces of kindling on top of paper - damper opened. Add a 3rd piece of split wood in the middle within the next 5-10 minutes. Wet camping trip fires are typically easily started by gathering lower twigs from the pines, etc. as the kindling wood.