Site Discussions

What a great site.  We unfortunately have a raccoon and skunk rabies warning…we stopped feeding the birds as our dog will chase anything.  Love nature and dislike urban and suburban encroaching on their space.

I started using the UV killer detergent and sprayer. It makes the clothes look duller even to my human eye. I’ve had deer walk to within 15-20 yards of where I was sitting on the ground in tan pants and a gray shirt and graze for over 1/2 an hour w/o knowing I was there (I was hunting cow elk at the time). I’ve had bull elk wander to within 25 yards while I was cursing the fact I had a cow only tag in my pocket.

Hi Mark,

The answer to your question is yes, at least according to my taste buds. If I can’t age a steak or roast before freezing it, I’ll try to remember to take it out a week in advance of when I’ll eat it. Let it thaw in the fridge. Aging it this way won’t affect flavor dramatically, but it will impart tenderness. When I do this the meat is vacuum-sealed; can’t vouch for how the meat holds up in other forms of packaging.

In my younger adult hunting years I did not have the ability to hang and age my venison. After field dressing, but not skinning, it usually rode around in the back of my truck for 2-4 days in temps in the 30s before I took it straight to a processor.  Usually they would cut and package the meat within another day or two.  The meat was usually gamey and dried out easily.  Now that I am older and have the setup I hang my venison for as many days as I can, usually at least 4 to 5 before I bone it.  I recently hung a quarter for 10 days and it was most tender, juicy and delicious venison I have had to date.  But here is my question.  If I cut and freeze the meat within a few days do you think it would be beneficial to thaw it out and age it for a few more days before I plan to cook with it?  Thank you!  Terrific article.

Loved the article on chipmunks and truffles!  I wondered if any of these North American truffles are edible-the article didn’t say.

I now own a VC Encore. I agree with the person from Ohio when they say if they fill up the stove it is too hot for the combustion. This means I have to get up in the middle of the night to reload.

I love crows. Lucky for me, there are lots of them where I live. I developed this habit of bringing a variety of nuts with me on my walks with my dogs, and whenever I see crows, I drop some nuts for them. They somehow learned when I live, and started to come in front of my home and call me. I can hear the difference in their call. Sometimes my family lets me know “your crows are calling you”. They know me and my dogs and the instant I drop the nuts, they know it’s safe to come get it. They don’t even wait for me to walk away anymore. I love them so much!

WHY? In a living tree, sapwood is more resistant than
heart wood while for dead trees it is the opposite.

Great topics!

We saw many of these in the Adirondacks this summer following a rainy few days. Heavily forested with beech trees, and my understanding is that this is a preferred habitat.

Just this summer I saw a bumblebee disappear into a beech drop.  At first I was confused, but then remembered.  These too were flowers and apparently need to be pollinated by insects. 

Interesting because we assume insect pollinated flowers are more colorful or have a smell.  I’ll have to start smelling these small, unassuming plants.

Can I use NHL plaster for the cordwood mortar recipe as I have some left over from a straw bale build? Thanks

I worked for a man named Larry Smitton, in Pendleton, Oregon and he had about 2 acres. He had 2 Butternut trees on his land. Larry was so proud of his 2 trees. He had brought them back to Oregon and planted them.  Every fall he would go out and gather the nuts and dry them. He had a special way of cracking them. He would nip of the tips and then put them in a vice and squeeze the nut until it popped open.

He has passed on, but I always wonder if the 2 trees are still there. He also brought back with him a Lodi apple tree and other fruit bearing trees that are Heirloom varieties.

The Butternut trees did very well in Pendleton, Oregon.

Very informative, that’s why I saw ten blue jays at once at my sunflower feeder. I grow them too, but only small birds and squirrels seem to like them fresh.

I have at least 1 good load of hard maple veneer logs I would like someone to come take a look. I’m partnered up with a local Amish mill. They cut all my saw logs and I sell the lumber. But I need a good veneer buyer for my rotary and slice quality logs.

We are currently sitting on our patio watching an amazing display of migrating dragonflies.

Just arrived here from Oregon, I’m pulling and cutting buckthorn like crazy. Inaction feels like acquiescence….

Owls have killed: dogs, cats, coyotes and golden eagles, as well as bald eagles. They have also killed human beings - look it up. They help keep the mice and rat population down which also suppresses the diseases those vermin carry. Our military has studied them because their hearing is phenomenal.

They are in the raptor family, just like the eagles, so I don’t understand why anyone would consider them “useless”.

This was a great one. Thank you!

I too have noticed my 2 year old cedars falling over with the weight of the seed pods, and in fact I lost 3 of them this year. Hot hot summer here, however in early spring I put healthy bark mulch around them,  so stress makes sense, I am wondering if there is anything I should be doing this fall to support them in preparation for winter?