Site Discussions

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?

Jane,

Many reasons.

1.  Wood burns and keeps our house warm.  It is a renewable power source that when replanted can resequester carbon.
2.  The tree is dead and at risk of falling on someone or something like my house.  I suppose I could wait for it to fall so you can help pay for my new roof through your insurance premiums, but I’m not that sleazy.
3.  The tree has partly fallen down but not completely with the same risks as number 2.
4.  To pretend we are Paul Bunyan.  It is fun to do.  Everyone should have the experience of felling a tree at least once in their life.  My girls will.
5.  Some trees are junk trees with little to no benefit for certain animal/plant habitats that are being encouraged.  Removing specific trees can help open the canopy.
6.  To remove invasive species.
7.  To clear land for improvements (house, driveway, garden, pool, etc.)
8.  To harvest trees for wood products/lumber.  Search for Alaskan Chainsaw Mill.  Anyone can do it.  Or hire someone with a portable mill.
9.  Because some people prefer the look of a manicured park to wild growth forest.
10.  Because not every tree provides shade or is adequate for hanging a swing.  Plus if I put up a swing on every tree I owned - it would be swing pollution.  (Hint I have 5 acres of trees.)

These were just 10 quick reasons off the top of my head.  Please actually think before you post.  I have never met anyone who doesn’t love trees.  But there are valid reasons to remove them just like there are valid reasons to use electricity from coal, nuclear, wind, and water power.  That is unless you want to live in the Stone Age without fire in a mud hut.  But then again, maybe you live somewhere warm year round.

But anything can be taken to an extreme or done wrong.  I’m just grateful there are sites like this to help keep people safe.

Hi Nancy. The short answer to your question is no. It’s not uncommon for trees to take years off, for a variety of reasons. Based on a comment that preceded yours, it seems like there was a heavy cedar seed year last year in Ontario, which makes a down year this year even more likely.

I have some of these critters in my basement, I was wondering whether or not I should put them outside, I don’t think there is any food for them in my basement. My nephew even found dead bugs to fling into their web so they stay alive! (He’s 6) Should I capture and let them outside to freedom or just leave them alone?

There are no seeds on the cedar trees in our area on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Is this an indicator of a problem with these trees?

September 19, 2018 7:00 a.m. Sitting in my northwest entry way I started noticing what appeared to be dragonflies coming from northwest traveling overhead to southeast…and they kept coming for over twenty minutes.  I have never seen anything like this for dragonflies;my curiosity lead me to look into it..thank you for this infor…a cold front is predicted in the next 24 hoursten

Snakes are either venomous, or non-venomous, but they’re not poisonous…unless perhaps you eat one.
As a general rule, venom is injected, poison is ingested.

Maybe it has something to do with the wolves that were introduced in the 1990’s. I understand now they have been seen in the willow flats… I would assume no moose will be spotted in the Oxbow Bend area anymore.

I’m so glad to find other insect lovers who will not kill on sight any bug they see, esp spiders. My parents have even gently evicted black widows far from their home, but they let the others stay, like wolf spiders etc

Spent my life teaching skiing. We were taught that the average daily temperature in July has to be above 50 degrees. This does neatly explain all the discrepancies in treeline elevation.

Hi Ian - with the disclaimer that it’s best to leave all our native herps outdoors, where you found them - I’m skeptical that the all seasons room will work. The sides and bottom of the aquarium will be chilled, correct? So I don’t think what you’re describing, would have the same temperature moderating effect as a natural burrow beneath the frost line.

I have a black swallowtail laying eggs today 9 /12/18 what do I do? She had laid 36 eggs in early summer which turned into caterpillars I left them on the host plant and a cardinal ate every one.

Hi, I’m wondering if my two toads can winter in their aquarium in our all seasons room, given enough soil to dig in to cover themselves? We have kept them since they were very tiny, in the all seasons room, so they would feel the seasons as they occur. Do you have any thoughts on this topic that you would please share with my family? Thank you very much.

P.S. They are very good at burying themselves now, and hiding under the mulch or wood we put in their space.