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Country Roads
- Thread starter Mitch123
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Old clear cut that we have a few acres of. The deer use it I believe, but I’m looking to maximize the draw. We have some locust in there, some mountain laurel and some about knee high brush. Any natives or shrubs could I plant in this rocky WV mountain land. Fire unfortunately isn’t available in WV, as much as I would love to flick a bic to it.
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MoreofMitch10
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Been a while since I’ve been on here, site kicked me out of my old account and since I no longer had access to my school email had to make a new one. Anyways, last few months have been busy. A power line went down and burned about 5-6 acres, as seen in the pics unfortunately on some pretty unforgiving terrain. Went in after the burn and did some hinge cutting to open it up even more. Also bought a bunch of native shrubs from the state nursery and got them planted around the place in pockets. Hazelnuts, ROD, silky dogwoods, gray dogwoods, Chinkapins and some elberberries. Got cages around the majority of them, only thing I wish I did different was put a little mulch around them to weed out some of the competitors. That seems to be habitat work for you though, you can think stuff through, read all about it on here but sometimes you learn most by trial and error.
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MoreofMitch10
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We are still very dry, average just under 5 inches of rain in the month of May normally while this year we have had a little over an inch. When I say state nursery I’m also talking about the VA State nursery. I live in VA about an hour from the cabin and about 30 minutes from one of the state nurseries. So it works out well, I can swing by and pick up the shrubs without a delivery fee. Just have to be quick and get them while supplies last.
MoreofMitch10
Member
All plots were planted 2-3 weeks ago. Few of the older plots got rain the first day or two, but since then nothing for 12 days. Finally got some rain yesterday, also a chance Monday/Tuesday. Fingers are crossed, but with as little rain as we have had I’m happy. Next weekend weather permitting will get some fertilizer down if we have some rain in the forecast.
The last picture is why we hate bears. A beautiful Ayer’s pear that this year and the last two years has been loaded. There was a cage around there, going to have to rethink our best protection unfortunately.
The last picture is why we hate bears. A beautiful Ayer’s pear that this year and the last two years has been loaded. There was a cage around there, going to have to rethink our best protection unfortunately.
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MoreofMitch10
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Busy, but also uneventful Labor Day weekend here in the mountains. No geese, and not a single dove on opening day yesterday. Bare ground, buckwheat seed and even water yet no birds this year. First time in 3-4 years that we haven’t killed a few limits at least.
Going to need to redo some turnip plots in a grain unfortunately. Of the 6 total plots, two of them will need to be re done. One I’ll do in a grain and the other I’m going to move it over to a clover plot and be done with it.
Dozer man cleaned up some areas for us. Pines, cedars and some autumn olives had taken over for many years. With the bare dirt we threw down some rye and red clover down. The plan is to let it go and manage it as the “native plot.” I imagine I will be spraying autumn olives and some other trash as they will be coming up. Goldenrod also seems to have a strong arm in that area so it will also be something I try and keep a check on.
Either way, always a good weekend in the mountains. Now all we can do is hope for some rain, and be glad that college football is back. Even though my Mountaineers got beat up on last night.
Going to need to redo some turnip plots in a grain unfortunately. Of the 6 total plots, two of them will need to be re done. One I’ll do in a grain and the other I’m going to move it over to a clover plot and be done with it.
Dozer man cleaned up some areas for us. Pines, cedars and some autumn olives had taken over for many years. With the bare dirt we threw down some rye and red clover down. The plan is to let it go and manage it as the “native plot.” I imagine I will be spraying autumn olives and some other trash as they will be coming up. Goldenrod also seems to have a strong arm in that area so it will also be something I try and keep a check on.
Either way, always a good weekend in the mountains. Now all we can do is hope for some rain, and be glad that college football is back. Even though my Mountaineers got beat up on last night.
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MoreofMitch10
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Yes sir, as far as I know. Was walking around our clear cut up on top of the mountain and noticed it. Wasn’t sure what is was until I got back and did some IDing on my app. Not sure how I’ve missed it. Not sure what really eats them, but there was some deer browse on the limbs that’s for sure.
MoreofMitch10
Member
This is what our farm dirt looks like, most of it at least. No matter where you till up dirt, or what you push off you will always find rock! Dozer man finished up this week, with rain in the forecast today and tomorrow I got the rest of the bare ground seeded. Rye, clover blends and some shade grass mixed as basically what we threw down everywhere. If we get some rain, might get a little luck but Mother Nature will put something up through our rocky stuff eventually.
The rain gauge was at the other cabin. Nothing up on the mountain where we had all that bare dirt and seed thankfully. About 15 miles apart in total. Not a drop at the mountain and 3 and half inches down here in the valley in just under an hour. Much needed, but not that much that quick.
The rain gauge was at the other cabin. Nothing up on the mountain where we had all that bare dirt and seed thankfully. About 15 miles apart in total. Not a drop at the mountain and 3 and half inches down here in the valley in just under an hour. Much needed, but not that much that quick.
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MoreofMitch10
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Shrub day! Planted around 150 bare roots from the state nursery. ROD, White, Grey and silky dogwoods along with some elderberries. Of the 150 got around 100 of them caged so let em grow!
MoreofMitch10
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MoreofMitch10
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Thanks Dogghr! Last season they were in the mix. Hazelnuts, ROD, Silky and some elberberries, only caged about half of them though. The ones that did get caged look great, ones that didn’t are gone. The state nursery didn’t have any this year as I was a little late to the party. I did get some seed though and have about 50 started in an air pruning bed for next season.
MoreofMitch10
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Virginia, it’s only about 30 minutes from my house so I can always save on shipping and pick them up.
MoreofMitch10
Member
Been an eventful couple weeks, always love this time of year when everything starts to green up. Plots are looking good, I sprayed with Imox about a month ago on our existing clover plots. Touched up with a little Cleth because in my experience the Imox doesn’t do as well with grasses. Grass is also mainly what I’m fighting. Turnips didn’t do anything last year so overseeded some rye and red clover and boy do I love what they are looking like. We have been getting good rain the last few weeks and the clover will hopefully explode. Fertilizer going down on the alfalfa and clover plots tomorrow with more rain on the way Saturday. Also, shout out to Blue Hill. I missed out of a few trees as the order got messed up, but thanks to Ryan those became free trees and I got my money back for some of them. All 11 of the ones I got are looking good! Then how could I forget, with turkey season ending this weekend out there looking for #2. I connected on the opening weekend with a nice bird after putting 6 gobblers to roost. Always nice when that happens and you can be done within the first 10 minutes after the come off the roost. Next step is to fire up the smoker and make some turkey salad.
