Site Discussions

Enjoyed reading this, especially your paragraph on creativity.

Was ready to smack you aside the head at the beginning of the article but you redeemed yourself by the second paragraph in regard to our mothers’ wisdom in sampling plants of our forests and fields. Good job.

We have a couple of what I believe are big-leaf maples. The leaves come on sooner in the spring and shed much later in the fall. In fact most other trees have already turned and shed before these leaves have even started to turn. My thinking is genetics developed over the years from perhaps a colder climate these trees were indigenous to originally. Any thoughts?

Here in Red Hook, Dutchess County, we’ve had an unusually tick free season - from spring through fall.  We have a dog and cat and we spend a lot of time walking our property - 35 acres of woodlands and meadows (with trails).  Few ticks on pets and no ticks on my wife or self.  I’m guessing it was the unusually warm winter with the heavy late snow in March.  We do have more chipmunks than I’ve ever seen before.

In response to your comment, HRC, yes, if you kill all the deer on an island and don’t let any more back on, Lyme rates drop. But this doesn’t really apply in any practical way to mainland areas, where there isn’t a natural barrier that prevents reestablishment and (thankfully) the idea of deer elimination is a non-starter.

Sandra, if you’re in an area where bears pass through, I recommend against leaving food around outside. However, from a chipmunk perspective, they would be delighted to add your shelled seeds to their winter larders. See: http://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/chipmunk

Hell-0, We are wondering if it is ok to be putting out black oil sunflower seeds with the shells on for the chipmunks.

I don’t think you have done enough research. I got here via George so here’s his link on the issue. Every island that has done deer elimination has seen a different and positive improvement in the situation. And numerous studies show deer population to infection rates. http://georgesoutdoornews.bangordailynews.com/2016/10/28/environmental-issues/monhegan-killed-all-its-deer-and-eliminated-lyme-disease/

I love this time of year, from August on. What makes the very loud chirp, reminds me of frogs in the spring?

Got a call from my son said he was week and blacking out. Rushed him to hospital. His heart ekg was all over the place, even completely stopping. Locals didn’t know what it was, rushed him to the big city hospital to the cardiac unit. Cardiac surgeon took one looks and diagnosed lyme immediately administered strong anti bionics. Blood tests confirmed later. This doc saved his life. We had no idea lyme could do this. Everyone needs to up there awareness all over the country, We are getting the word out everywhere we can.

A wonderful set of notes for the fall symphony! Thanks.

Dear T, the main challenge in sharpening safety chain centers around the function of rakers, and their eventually needing adjustment.
As the tooth is filed back, it is also filed down. A “raker depth gauge” is used to get each one right, this is important to speedy yet chatter free cutting.
The safety bumpers and whatnot interfere with proper raker adjustment.

While doing the research for this article, I learned that high mouse populations seem to have more effect on tick numbers than deer populations, and that deer control hasn’t had much impact.

I see fly agarics in our boreal forest often, just today, actually!  I can’t help but think of the image of red capped fly agarics in Christmas scenes, leading me to believe that Santa’s reindeer must enjoy them, and it makes fly!

I have been looking for an article like this one for months. Thank you!

I had a deer tick on me for 24 hours. I’m 67 and I sure didn’t want to get Lyme disease. So I went to see my doctor right away when I found it.

An antibiotic prescription, just one pill took care of the problem.  Just one pill, because I acted quickly.

My suggestion is, don’t take the chance of getting Lyme.  Go see your doctor and take that one antibiotic pill.

I have a “prarie cascade” willow that I just planted a few months ago and was devastated to notice some deer damage past few days.  Majority of branches are still attached, but there is a lot of scuffing and rubbing of the tree midway…everything I read has had different opinions.  I really want to make sure it winters ok; do I really just hope it can mend without any intervention?

According to the study, Vermont’s losing about 1,500 acres of forest per year, Amy.

I disagree with your characterization of Current Use. It’s not a preservation program—all the lands that are in it must have a forest management plan, which ensures the lands stay working. This is different than states in southern New England, where some Current Use programs are preservationist in nature (in other words, the landowners don’t have to do anything but forgo putting up houses in order to get the tax break.)

It’s also not really fair to say that taxpayers are subsidizing the land in Current Use. All Current Use does is tax a parcel of forestland as a parcel of forestland and not as a potential development. Why would you tax it as if it were a development if it’s not? That would be like taxing a waitress as if she were a lawyer. The way I see it the state’s simply forgoing money it has no logical right to in the first place.

All this said, I hear you. It is frustrating that land values and property taxes go up and up and working class people bear the brunt of it.

Have been feeding 9 skunks making peanut butter sandwiches but it’s getting expensive and so darn messy is there a less costly and easier option? I just wouldn’t feel right stopping altogether as they ( the same gang ) have been coming for months now and expect their pb&j sandwiches. What about peanuts in the shell ?(unsalted of course) thanks for your help in advance !

Is this the same pest tree known as “silver maple” in Newfoundland?  Seems to fit most criteria, especially the ground-root spread which makes it near impossible to remove.