Foodplotting In The Mountains...The Sequel

[dogghr]

Continued from previous page.
Pear trees in bloom, and bees were working them hard. Planted these last year away from the apples, and have been please. Should grow good this year. I'll cut any fruit off that might try to start this year to let them grow some. And spread 10-10-10 fert in a few weeks around the drip edge.


Enjoy the spring, and look close, even down into your blooms. Notice the sex organs ( its allowed) the various types of pollen, and the insects working them. Watch how the blooms take turns opening, the leaves as they uncurl, the growth that begins so that life can continue quickly before winter brings its death again. Don't stand back, get so close you sneeze the rest of the day. Thanks for reading.

"The drama of the sky dance is enacted nightly on hundreds of farms, the owners of which sigh for entertainment, but harbor the illusion that it is to be sought in theaters. They live on the land, but not by the land.
The woodcock is a living refutation of the theory that the utility of a game bird is to serve as a target, or to pose gracefully on a slice of toast. No one would rather hunt wookcock in October than I, but since learning of the sky dance I find myself calling one or two birds enough. I must be sure that, come April, there be no dearth of dancers in the sunset sky." ----A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold

 

[lakngolf]

Ahhh. Springtime in the mountains. Variety is the best word

 

[Native Hunter]

Good to see things springing to life for you dogghr. Those pear bloom pics were beautiful. Looks like its going to be at least an average year for pears this year here. Last year was a bumper crop.

 

[Triple C]

Love pics of daffodils for the reason you mentioned...Some farmers wife did her part to make her little piece of paradise a little more beautiful. Seems most properties have them from days gone by. We lost a section of what was an old homestead when we clearcut the lower portion of one of our fields and then had a dozer in to clean up. It was in planted pines that had daffodils rowing in them around an old home place from many years ago.

 

[George]

Very nice. I miss my pear trees. I used to witness the sky dance over my little piece of marsh back in Michigan. I had plenty of birds in Iowa but the mating wasn't concentrated. We floated the Gauley onetime in September.

G

 

[Chummer]

Still more than a month away from blossoms here. Your pictures just brought a smile to my face on this 36 degree rainy, snowy, crapy day.

 

[Chainsaw]

Enjoyed the growing season pictures Dogghr;the pear blossoms sure are beautiful. To add to what Chummer said; even the dog doesn't want to go outside here today. It is just plain raw--feels colder than 10 degrees but it is in the thirties. It must be the combination of the half frozen rain and the wind that makes it feel so cold.
Glad you found the "new" wild apple trees;hope they turn out to be great producers. We know spring is coming but your reminder of it s appreciated here.

 

[dogghr]

Very nice. I miss my pear trees. I used to witness the sky dance over my little piece of marsh back in Michigan. I had plenty of birds in Iowa but the mating wasn't concentrated. We floated the Gauley onetime in September.G

Yea Gauley has more continuous rapids and less volume. It is a protected river now. Like so many places they have become so popular not hardly worth getting on due to people. Like being on a highway. Luckily plenty of places only locals know of as is true with most places.

Still more than a month away from blossoms here. Your pictures just brought a smile to my face on this 36 degree rainy, snowy, crapy day.

Enjoyed the growing season pictures Dogghr;the pear blossoms sure are beautiful. To add to what Chummer said; even the dog doesn't want to go outside here today. It is just plain raw--feels colder than 10 degrees but it is in the thirties. It must be the combination of the half frozen rain and the wind that makes it feel so cold.
Glad you found the "new" wild apple trees;hope they turn out to be great producers. We know spring is coming but your reminder of it s appreciated here.

Yea I fig you guys still staring at winter. We had 60 deg then several inches snow Fri with below freezing temps. Not sure if the blooms were enough ahead of that. I ran to the beach to escape it all. Spring should be your way soon hopefully.
Dozen deer in fields every time I pull into farm. Amazing how tame they get in the spring.

 

[lakngolf]

Still more than a month away from blossoms here. Your pictures just brought a smile to my face on this 36 degree rainy, snowy, crapy day.

We've had lots of blossoms and even pecans are showing a bit but brrrrrrrrr 35 degrees at my Moms this morning. I hope the lake was not that cold

 

[dogghr]

Quick trip to farm yesterday. Got a few things done, fert fruit trees mainly and ckd on my tree plantings, most of which have done well. Removed caps from pines for some summer growth hopefully before deer crave them again. Clover and alfalfa coming on strong finally, as are the weeds. SIL still has my tractor and will need to get it back for mowing the weed crap. Picked up some 20 Mule Team Borax at Dollar General for $3 to spread on alfalfa for Boron. Do people still use that stuff for laundry, or am I the only one that still buys it to use on plots?? .

Great drive down as the Redbuds were in full bloom. I don't text and drive but I do snap pics with my camera, at least that is not against the law!!! Stupid I know.

Don't fret over failed plots in fall, this one was mostly dirt thanks to drought but the WW and WR and RC have come on strong this spring. By mid summer this will be a thicket for fawning that the predators will find aggravating. Plus cheap weed control and food for deer, turkey, and maybe a few bear. Rotate in to alfalfa plot expansion this fall if weather permits this year.


Pears prob got burned some by late snow and freeze, but apples seemed to have timed it right. This is a 3 yo planted in a poor place but hope it survives. Its pollinator died in drought last year but I have others on ridge that hope keep it going. Cherry tree in full bloom in background. Not much feed for deer but birds and turkey love its fruit.


How can you not love this time of year? Forest floor is alive with its wildflowers. Every flower imaginable was in bloom, the skunk cabbage was thick, the Mayapples everywhere. You have to catch the bloom of the Skunk cabbage early as it blooms a tiny flower then promotes its leaves. If cooked properly, it is a good eat, and supposedly considered good healing source by the Indian nation. Good time to pay attention to the blooming/leafing process of the plants. They are all in competion fro everything from sunlight to nutrients to space. It's a contest for each to get what it needs before a competitor takes over.

 

[dogghr]

Pollinators were out in force working hard. Caught this fellow on some fresh blooms on my powerline ROW I seldom go on. I don't let them spray but they cut every few years.





And how on this Easter day, not make some mention of those 3 F's of Faith, Family and Friends??? We all have to make important decisions in our lives, and often pay the consequences of those choices sometimes. This past week I got to catch up with and old childhood buddy, I was best friends with. It was sad to listen and look at him as his life had been abused by his choices of drug and alcohol addiction and gambling. It has cost him his marriage, his children, his jobs, and his heath. He looked to be 20 yr older than he is. There were no words from me for the past, but only encouragement that he can change the furture. That is hard stuff for an addict and anyone who hasn't dealt with that either personally, or with a family member or friend, just doesn't really grasp the dire straights of getting oneself out of that valley. I can share personal stories that would make your hair stand. I do know each of us have a responsiblity of not to be condensending but to show the love and empathy toward people who make mistakes in their lives. Sometimes the ones who need our love the most , are the very ones we would like to hate the most. It can be difficult. You see, its not the family that has all the responsiblity, but the village that must plant the seed. Your good deed may have no affect for years to come, and you may never know what good you have achieved. But if we in this society can change our demeaning attitude toward others, then there is no doubt in my mind the world can be a better place.
Have a happy Easter. Peace.

 

[Native Hunter]

Great words of wisdom as usual dogghr. We would all do well to have that frame of mind. Thanks for the great pictures and advice to get our days started off right.

 

[Weasel]

Great pics of the redbuds, been enjoying those here as well. Love the pics of the butterfly. The mountains are coming to life.

 

[Chainsaw]

Dogghr, those are beautiful pictures and great thinking.

 

[dogghr]

Nothing really exciting to show this time of year. No one wants to see another pic of my knee deep clover or the thigh high wheat and rye, or another dang pic of the alfalfa. So the best I can do is more random pics. Blooms of all trees have been magnificent this year. Each tree has abundant blooms and with mostly fair weather, should polinate well. The exception might be the white oaks. Their blooms showed right before 5 days of rain, and if you have followed any on the Mighty Acorn thread, you know more than temps affect acorn production 5 months from now. The reds pollinated 2 wks earlier as should be, so I suspect they might do better than the whites. Apples and pears are loaded.
All my crowd out of town these last couple wks so I actually hunted some for the turkey that I don't care for. Called in 6 gobblers first day, then went for another the following wk and struck out.
So anyways, here are a few pics.

Locust. Not sure why some hate these trees. Evidently way too many people by their posts at the depot instead of cutting their own.




What stories could it tell? How many hunters passed beneath its canopy for a century before it fell to help restucture the soil? My grandfather hunted this wooded ridge for decades until his third coronary. Long before large deer poplulations, no food plots, no portable stands, just his .257 Roberts.



Mushrooms/Fungi. Soil builders in progress. Did you stop and look? Did you feel its texture, notice its attachment, ask why here, on this log? Will the soil it helps form provide nourishment for your oaks, or your for your grandchildren and their children's children oaks? Did you stop to ponder, or did you just step unknowingly over the log? Does your habitat management encompass more than your tree or plot plantings? Does the mighty oak survive without this lowly form? Did you think that thru?




Of course my mind blocked delema Allegheny Serviceberry. ( see plant names thread for explanation)



One of 6 gobblers called in few weeks ago. Need to put the camera down especially to make such a lousy pic.

Mourning Dove sitting on her eggs within arms reach of my turkey sit. She weren't too happy of my presence. Funny in middle of hard storm, she left nest for cover in conifer, then returned after rain let up.

 

[dogghr]

Did make trip back to NRG on this past rainy Sunday. This dammed section was built back in 30s for a hydro plant. Two tunnels were blasted and chisceled thru solid rock over the course of several years for the intake of the waters from the New. Its cost? Over 700 men died in the process and probably many more in following years from silicosis. You wonder why the govt has their fingers up our ass controlling every move we make? It was things like this and elsewhere across the country that brought forth need for rules since industry would take no responsiblity. And with govt, it never knows how to stop, like a snowball out of control. My maternal grandfather would give his soul trying to bring the Union to help control to the sometimes uncaring industry. Watch what you will on TV of the mine wars of the early 20s-30s. I seriously doubt that any on here have seen the likes of company thugs shooting into the tents of evicted miners when he was 10 yrs old. He would begin to work a mule train at the age of 12 hauling coal out of the mines. A story repeated in various ways across the country. They paved the way for our work place conditions today. Sorry I digress.



Back to more pleasont things, but I do hope you respect the past and take on your responibilty of your childrens future. Bunch of these in my woods.


My natural insecticide at work.


The second week of turkey hunting was a cool wet one. As I pulled into the farm, I just sat and stared at this small creek on my farm and wondered how long it took for my waters to reach the New that I showed above. And I wondered if my habitat efforts somehow provided a clearer/cleaner water that would have its affect down the New River, then the Ohio, then the Mississippi, and finally the ocean. I certainly hope so. I hope each of you spend those extra minutes absorbing just really what you accomplish not only on your land, but in reality on the planet. Have a fine day. Peace.

"Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another." ---- John Muir

 

[dogdoc]

Some beautiful pics my friend. I think we are a like in that I just love to go to my farm and look at all the flowers and scenery. Great escape from the city and the stress of work. Can't say that my scenery is as beautiful as yours but it's my scenery. Always enjoy reading your insightful posts.
Always a box of borax above the washing machine. Only gets used during hunting season. about a half a cup every time I wash my hunting clothes. Don't really know if it helps but probably doesn't hurt.
todd

 

[dogghr]

Some beautiful pics my friend. I think we are a like in that I just love to go to my farm and look at all the flowers and scenery. Great escape from the city and the stress of work. Can't say that my scenery is as beautiful as yours but it's my scenery. Always enjoy reading your insightful posts.
Always a box of borax above the washing machine. Only gets used during hunting season. about a half a cup every time I wash my hunting clothes. Don't really know if it helps but probably doesn't hurt.
todd

Yea I do think a hunting place is as much an escape as anything. And having been to the great Sooner state, I can say its scenery is as good as anywhere. I've spent time in almost all the states, Canada, and Mexico, and really have loved all the areas and people of all of them. Sometimes you just have to weed thru the unlikeables. It's hard being perfect in an imperfect world, but a curse I can handle.
As for the scent killing washes, I still use the baking soda routine. Lots cheaper than the fancy named hunting detergents and works just as well. I'm still surprised that Borax and Baking Soda is still easily available. Most I ask don't even know what Borax is.

 

[T-Max]

I keep borax for the hunting clothes, and it makes a great dry preservative for an occasional turkey fan.

 

[BrianVT]

Back to more pleasont things, but I do hope you respect the past and take on your responibilty of your childrens future. Bunch of these in my woods.
View attachment 7027

What is this? My place has quite a few as well.