Site Discussions

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?

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?