Land projects 2023

Working on new trail plot this a.m..
So I've mentioned rock issue.I have them BIG and small 20 mins by hand but got many out even this one.
I.laugh picked 100# grandson out of Gator bed. His mom flipped ."Don't he's too heavy your hurt your self! Son walked by and laughing. "She moves around logs way heavier than him"
That one rock was a beast getting out though thank.god for rock bars...lol

 

The snow is finally going away here, I will soon be getting after it again.

 

This plot I'm working on today will be just 6,000 Sq ft. I have most of it tilled. Tomorrow I will be liming it and dragging in the lime. I have to get tiller over to the garden today.
Now this winds down along the edge of a gully under or past 4 of my best mature red oak and a bunch of beech and maple it takes a hard rt. Then winds around to meet the rest of trail plots. I won't be planting or even working that entire trail just whats right behind the house. The other section is wide open in view of hunt camp next door. Ill be open8ng up a path netween plots that avoids that section. Its an old logging trail. It has two high spots that allow a bedded deer to watch the gully, road and the hunting camp below. It's a trail deer and turkey normally use coming out of our woods and of course to eat the oak acorns when dropping. Now they'll have other foods to browse.
I till to pull up rocks. I spent last couple of years getting the biggest out then I till only top 1-2 inches. I till stop go back and pick the worst rocks out then till and repeat. The dragging will remove bulbs and root clumps plus some rocks as it smooths out. Clovers and rape will go down then come late summer more Lime clovers and grains will be over seeded and rolled in

Now I leaf blew open a trail down into and up out of the gully to connect to the front garden plot .where my kiwi, Apple tree, Quince and Arona bush are. The bigger upper plot is directly across the road from this. Which has 6 chestnut, 4 hazel nut , big berry patches , several apple ,cherry and the wild plum.
I want them to have a straight line draw down the middle of our upper land. Which is 28 hundred ft across and has the farm corn on one side of road neighbors sanctuary on the other.

 

So this is taking longer t han I thought all but one 10 x15 ft spot is done. Lots of rock picking had to be done. And the Troy is a very slow tiller. Heres some pics I took before starting again the trailer is the hunt camp next door.

 

So been waiting to go out to till. Didn't want to tick off neighbors too early. Been thinking and I'm going to move some of the clumping bamboo out to this area. You can see it in the 5th pic upper left corner. It looks tan now with all it's leaves still on. It will be green this Sumner. That clump is well over 20 yrs old and from 2 rhizomes that is as big as it's gotten. Good screening. I'm also taking sons speading comfrey and planting it on that gully section of the trail, same pic. I'm not worried about it spreading in the gully, keeping flower heads tipped won't be an issue to avoid seed spread. I have had the non spreading variety in the garden for years critters love it and it's in 20's for protein. Also makes great fertilizer tea. Son says the deer love bedding in his. Though he can't stand it, an old farm stead that planted the wrong kind and it's everywhere.. Good animal feed as well.

 

Limed harrowed in and seeded in clover and Rape
It grows then it grows if not it will be getting more Lime at end of Sumner and then over seeded in Rye grain and more clovers

 

Made it up to the property yesterday and checked all of the trail cameras and did a little scouting. Good sign after the long winter we have had. Will get back up there on Tuesday to start on some things.

 

I checked first plots planted, even with no rain since planting they are starting to germinate.
If they survive the next week of cold and freezes the soft mast should be good this year.
Too dry to leaf blow other areas in order to prep for planting. Don't want to risk starting a fire. Apparently leaf blowing in dry conditions is a high risk fire situation.
I also sealed and taped a koi pond critter waterer. Now waiting to clear freezing temps. To open outside water and fill all water tubs.

 

Jeez, heck, I can't even go shed hunting yet

 

Ya, Id be out of my mind with that.

 

I am OND!!
This is the time of year I (usully) do treestand maintenance, cut next year's firewood.
Sucks bad and next 10 day forecast looks cold.

 

Hang in, maybe you'll catch better weather in late falling early winter this year. On the back side as it were.

 

Just called NH land and forestry check on bare root trees I ordered. Oder should go out at end of week or early next.
I ordered 10 Mnt ash and 10 hazel nut.
Now I know the mnt.ash will grow here neighbor and I have both had them. No these are not true as tress they are related to roses. So middle finger Ash. bores.
This said flickers are the killers here that and fire blight which are issues in the woods where they normally grow. Im doing a couple near the house, because they are pretty and hold berries late season. A couple on north eastern of upper food plot and the rest along north east line of lower one staggard bpwiththe hazel nut bushes. I prefer growing the hazel as a bush rather than tree form.that way rodent damage doesn't actually matter they never get more than a few stems and it seems to encourage growth . Illness special protection for the ash though.

 

I stopped today and got permission to dig red twig dog wood brush out of a farmers culvert ditch
He graciously said yes and I went back later and got a few. I passed the town trucks digging out the ditches on that road so will go back tomorrow to get a bunch more. Making sure to leave the dirt. If the town doesn't get them mowing he either cuts or gets them when spraying the fields. I was surprised to see so many and so tall.
I have enough wet sites around to get them to take hold
Getting things done!

Holy hell I need a tighter harder touch on this screen . Then again just hands that work consistently. This morning I lost yet another coffee carafe..THATS GETTING EXPENSIVE!!!!!
pick things up and my hand just releases it willy nilly. Very bad when cooking

 

Went back up to the property to pick up the trees I cut down last December and left for the deer. Got 90% of it cleaned up but some was still frozen down. Will get back up there to blow the leaves off and finish picking it up a bit more.

 

Today I planted the 6 red twig dog wood in upper plot where it stays wet I need to go dig up at least 10 more to do a planting in lower woods plus wet areas also in the bedding island. It snowed on and of all day.
I also noticed some old plots seem to have a good start of clover in them. I'll be going in with 2-4 DB and a grass only killer on next warm up.. tomorrow I have leaf blowing to finish and trees to cut.

 

This clover is getting ripped out. Its 5 yrs old plot and even with frost seeding last couple years it seems to have lost its appeal to the deer. Its about 2/3 acre so i cant do anything crazy but ill probably redo the clover and put some big strips of chicory and some peas.

 

Shocker: Pumpkins

 

So the first plot I planted a few weeks ago. Had flooding rains on this sloped land right after the planting. Now when I derocked it a few years ago I raked the rocks down hill making a berm around the lower edge. Water pools here. I knew a lot of seed got washed down hill but along with the commercial throw and grow I added clovers and rape.
You can see where a lot of seed landed but the rest of plot is doing OK as well. Actually it thinned the amount of annual rye from commercial blend pooling it in pockets . Leaving enough for the quick root structure and soil holding I wanted to protect clover growth.

 

I cleared about 10 acres around the cabin and barn, finishing up with three brush piles, is there a formula for the added land value, I want too feel like I accomplished something, also what are the top ways to get ride of stumps after there out of the ground, it takes forever to burn them?


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