These photos were taken the 14th....I suspect with the warmer temps we've had since then and rain more have starting popping. On the 14th the two Chestnut Crabs had actual leaves and not just buds...while the 2nd and 3rd picture were the most "behind" and those were the Collet and Anjou Pear trees. The two columnar style I planted at my house have exploded this week...so can't wait to get out to property to check out progress. Will take a vid or more pics. The Chestnuts appeared to still be in complete dormancy the 14th....time will tell if they took.
Oh another update. So the East side of the property where the youngest of the two fallow fields lied I did also this past weekend brush hog down more of the thinner briar patches and expanded the food plots a solid amount. Perhaps more than I really envision it BUT long term with plantings of Streamco Willows and Miscanthus Gigantus (planted 30 rhizomes last week too) the WIDE OPEN feel of the plots will begin to be pocketed despite being continually connected at times with a tractor or two width pass between them. I also will be incorporating RealWorld's Upland blend along edges and in a full .6-.8 acre section that is a corner between two bedding options and food plots.
Well yesterday involved about 10 hours spent in my little Mazda3 (gas saver commuter) making the trip to Arthur, IL for my RealWorld product pick up! Thing was loaded down in every spot there was room...backseat, front seat and trunk. Totally could have fit more but didn't need more. Cannot wait to actually get beans incorporated into plot plans...been unable in years past!
Chestnuts are starting to pop! Was getting a touch hesitant on them succeeding but last week appeared all were at least forming buds and one had some leafs starting to come forth.
I did stop at a gas station and a "hunter" noticed all the seed and chuckled as I went inside and asked if I wanted him to keep an eye on all the cash.... lol!
Well nabbed a couple pictures (on home computer) and will post later. The chestnuts all appear to be on the way to leafing out and the all the apples are loaded with leaves. Couple of them even bloomed a couple flowers to boot. I kept up on spraying them but think I made my mix a little weak as a few of them are getting some kind of blight or leaf spot. Happens and won't kill the tree but still sucks. Gonna continue to spray them whenever over there. Some have asked where I grabbed the trees and it was from Stark Bro's nursery (https://www.starkbros.com/). Had a great experience in ordering and every tree came in a great condition. Definitely worth considering if looking to order trees from somewhere.
New (long) video kinda lays out the past year of the property. Includes a plot tour towards the last 1/3 of the video as well.
Well everyone....I'll try to pump some more updates over here...but the use of the property and especially the bedding areas I worked on earlier this year before spring green up has I'd say easily doubled. Sadly Bertier is the only buck I'd shoot so far (although Mr. Piggy is old enough). I'll try to throw updates on here asap.
Few written updates on the New22, once January hits I'll try photos each visit to continue laying it out for everyone. Apple Trees - I saw 100% survival of the apple trees, the Enterprise is by far the clear 1st year winner in growth and apparent level of thriving. The Chestnut Crab also did very well. Pear Trees - For setting dormant the longest and beginning to make me worry, both leafed out great, one developed some spots on leaves and I plucked a few and disposed far away just as pre-caution. Going to try a better regiment of fungal spray treatments if able this next year...but both survived and appear healthy. *I am going to be treating both the apple and pears this January for sunscald, white paint mixed with some Sevin will be coated on the trunk of the tree. Food Plots - Food sources did incredible this year, turnips and radishes like never before are present (photos below are from like mid-Oct when more growth was still going). I have decided I may shift a section of the food over to more of a bedding area but haven't decided. I also have quickly learned as I suspected I would, I need more chicory present. When they decide to hit it they hit it so hard and fast it didn't last a week throughout the clover plot I have it mixed in. So...to the south of this clover/chicory plot I'll be installing a plot where at least 80% of the seed put down will be chicory instead of clover. Bedding - As the winter progresses and my "bad" grasses die down around and in some of my bedding areas I am losing the bedding war a tick to the creek bottom on the neighboring property (which is understandable, that bottom is the best bedding in the area). However, I want to begin now attempting to get some better grass bedding incorporated into my bedding stands....a 1/2 acre section was brush hogged while back and gly treated this September heavy....so that section will have Realworld's bedding in a bag laid down. Other bedding areas will have Miscanthus Gigantus planted along it's edges and perhaps some plugs throughout it. I may even start a test area of about .5 to a full acre where I shove MG in the ground in about 8 foot spacings throughout to experiment with MG bedding area option. Logging visit for January is to be scheduled and we will have them take ANY viable tree worth money out and down....I will be served better with all the mature trees I have gone than standing. I may keep just a few oaks, and a stand tree or two, but they will be told while in to grab anything that puts some money in their pockets and mine as I plan on following with hinge cutting and habitat work which will limit future logging ability so do it now. Will update more along the way. Oh and incorporating some button bush hopefully or willow cuttings into some of the areas that hold more water than most...may even build up some dirt bedding mounds in them
Grabbed a couple photos to upload with plans and things already done just for those not wanting to watch all the vid links...lot more updates to come: Few pictures at least for now are attached...first one is just an overview from a couple years back... 2nd one is after some initial brush hogging on both the East side and the N side of the West side as well... 3rd is the section where the first year cereal grains were planted then overseeded with clover/chicory and is now a lush clover/chicory plot (this is also where apple/pear trees have been planted and will discuss that in another post) I also labeled the arteries I cleared in this bedding by it this past 2017 March/April as this area was too thick for use, I cleared the whole area of lower branches and made the bedding a real option...use skyrocketed this year! ...4th is the E side (main food area) with plots roughly marked out, the black spots are sections with Norway Spruces shoved in the ground for long term sight and plot break ups, the yellow section is a spot I did plant cereal grains in last year and this year planted clover/chicory but I plan on planting a ton of Miscanthus here as the area to the north of this the deer love to bed in and to the south of it as well... 5th is back to the West side of the property and shows two areas I have brush hogged in the past, the yellow areas are spots I'll be shoving MG in and the tanner section is a spot I am going to frost seed RealWorld Bedding in a Bag this winter. This is the largest dedicated bedding/sanctuary area on this side of the property.
