Let’s discuss fuel, because this may be more relevant with the auto-crafter coming.
I’m team charcoal, specifically giant jungle trees. Does everything regular coal does except coal blocks, need a lot of charcoal and sticks anyway for torches and tools, giant trees consistently produce over a stack, and lumberjacking is just a relaxing way to pass the time.
We’re not so different, as my charcoal is also a byproduct of my life choices. I like big trees, I like chopping them, then I think to myself “that 1 tree was serious overkill for what I needed.”
And then I toss the surplus into the auto-smelter. In fact, it’s self-refueling. I’ve been so backed-up on charcoal, I’ve automated separating it from my ingots, and moving it to the fuel chest.
Again, I’m not actively grinding this. It’s surplus. The excess beyond what I needed. By the time I need logs again, the next tree is already grown without the need for bonemeal.