Site Discussions

The cracking from drying can be prevented by simply soaking even just one end of green cut wood in saturated salt water for a few days. The salt is transported into all water spaces in the wood including between wood cells as well as inside the cells (by osmosis) such that when the wood dries the salt crystals are left behind and the wood prevented from shrinking and cracking. The Finns have used this method for centuries for making everything from tools to table ware.

Just discovered a pile of spruce cones in my side yard and another in the shed on that same side of the house.  Turned my dining table to face out that window and happily viewed the ‘owner’ navigating the trees in the yard.  Amusing little animal…something more for me to watch.

Can a raccoon remove an ear of corn that is screwed on to an eyebolt from a caribiner? One got taken off and we are baffled!

We have so many grey squirrels in our yard each fall and they are really interesting to watch, whether in trees, on power lines or along stone walls. They are acrobats, sprinters and clearly territorial as the article notes. Thanks Susie, this wonderful article as it made me stop and recall these furry little guys and their relationship to oak trees!

I’m here in South Eastern New Brunswick and have many what I thought was wild raisin, and certainly enjoy them. I’ve only eaten them thus far however. But after reading your article I can’t wait until Spring so I can properly identify, in case it’s a tualy a Nannyberry lol. Thank you so much for this.

I have found a tree with three or four nesting cavities only 3 or 4 feet off the ground. They are similar in size it pileated woodpecker cavities. Would the make cavities so close to the ground?

Thank you. An article I will share.

And in the Fall, I always bring back a bag of acorns for my local squirrels from the forest when we take a hike. I get kidded by my friends who find it an odd behavior.

I love reading your stories!  Beautifully written with education and fun.

Having lived in the same location over 20 years the chickadees in my area know me as someone who feeds them.  I don’t feed in the warmer months because of bear.  Only as it gets cooler in the fall, if I walk in the woods chickadees will start to follow me and vocalize, in a way that suggests:  “isnt’ it time to start putting out seed for us?”  And I have noticed a sentinel chickadee perched in a bush near my feeders, who will call out when I refill the feeders, which then brings in the larger community of feeder birds of several species.

There is a skunk somewhere on my property. I have two dogs and they have both gotten sprayed, separate times, in my yard. I thought, considering it’s Winter, the skunks would not be around. Nope!  My entire house wreaks. I’m going to look for their tracks in the snow. Sadly, if I trap it, there really isn’t anywhere to bring it. I also don’t want to stress it out and kill it. But, on the other hand, this thing has tortured me. Are skunks considered rodents?

Nice article, thanks for sharing

Great article! Answers to questions I’ve had for years.

My family contracted with tanneries in Johnston, NY until the seventies. We specialized in reptile leather and goatskins.

His original business was south of the Brooklyn bridge in the swamp area.

Thanks for your article.

What happens to heat regulation in a beaver lodge when the pond water levels falls below the entrance. Does this introduce winds that cause cooling (and perhaps freezing temperatures) inside the lodge?

Love the article. I love chickadees. I used to feed them seeds off my bedroom deck and they got quite friendly and close to me.

They are gorgeous, clever little birds with that delightful Chick-a-dee call and I loved the “mobbing” as you call it.

Thanks again for the delightful and informative article.

What a fine time for such an article!  I have just begun work on some red cedar carving blanks (chickadees of course) and expect to make a lot of good fragrant sawdust in the short days ahead.

Passed the story along to several friends.  Thank you.

If my calculations are correct, the 1.4 million Btu/hr wood boiler is equal to 410 kW heating plant.
This heating equipment is used to supply heat to a 32,000 sq ft school building.

Here in Austria buildings that conform to the strict energy standard of Passivhaus construction would only require ONE WATT per Sq ft to heat.
A 32,000 sq foot building would require only a 32kW system for heating.  Your schools 410kW heating plant is oversized by a factor of 13. 
If the school was built to PH standards, fewer trees would need to be harvested, probably by a factor of 10.
You may be working 10x’s harder than necessary, and the building would be more comfortable.
Thanks for the good article.

I just planted a saskatoon blueberry and a lilac early last spring. They are still very small, and I’m worried they’ll freeze this winter since we haven’t had much snow. I mulched around them with several inches of leaves, but the little trunks are still exposed. I decided to cover them for the winter, but now I’m worried they won’t live if they are completely covered. What’s the best thing to do?

Unfortunately, many of our woodlands are not accessible for cell phones given their remote locations.

What do cluster flies eat when they are in a house over the winter?  I imagine they can’t go months without fluid/food…?

I am having company and need to get rid of them asap…what can I lure them with?
Thanks,
Holly