Site Discussions

I suppose growing up on a farm, like I did, everything was tactile. I wasn’t just reading about cows, chickens, cow manure, new born calves and chicks, woods, frogs, mud, horse back riding, prickly hay bales and I could go on forever. I was touching all of it and getting an appreciation of life in the outdoors. Kids aren’t normally living that lifestyle today. Indoors is the new outdoors. Ipads, computers and the like. Not saying one is better than the other, but if I was a kid….give me the outdoors any day.

At our recycling center there are hundreds of bees feeding in the aluminum can and glass dumpsters.  It would seem possible to track some of these to their home hive.  I’ve wondered if the honey derived from all these soft drink containers was any good.

My birdhouse is filled with small dead twigs about 4” to 6” long.  Does anyone know who would have put them in?  We see swallows around the area,  these birdhouses are specific for blue birds.

Hale makes the finest wood bookcases in the country.  They are beautiful and timeless.

Can venison be infected with Lyme Disease and then be transmitted
to humans who ingest it? Can this occur with any ground-grazing
species such as grouse, rabbit, turkey, that are also eaten by people? And if not, why not?

I found an opossum in my Have-A-Hart trap this morning in which I usually catch squirrels. I never expected to see an opossum in it!  Looks like there might have been some frostbite damage to the tail. I let it go.

Dean Thompson, I would strongly disagree with the view that the herbicide is not hitting groundwater supplies.  A study recently in Catalonia, Spain put that to rest.  An important study published in 2011 found that of 140 groundwater samples taken from Catalonia, Spain, 41 % of them had glyphosate levels above the limit of detection [6]; contrary to the claim by Monsanto that the herbicide biodegrades rapidly in the environment. Moreover, the highest detected level reached 2.5 mg/L, which is above the already controversially high 0.1mg/L and 0.7mg/L drinking water limits in place in the EU and US respectively.  Catalonia is a region that does not even grow glyphosate-tolerant GM crops that have been directly linked to increased glyphosate use in the US (see [7] GM Crops Increase Pesticide Use, SiS 56). Fact is all of the varied sources of the chemical glyphosate entering the food chain has to have a cumulative impact on constant inflammation in humans as well as reduction in the amino acids and antioxidant needed to keep our bodies functioning.  That said, there is also the overall consideration of simply increasing yields whether at the grain or legume species or high yielding forest production. That may have a devastating impact I feel on viability of migratory species of birds semi dependent on gleaning fields after harvest, or in general overall forest health by reducing diversity and reducing shrubs and forbs needed for all sorts of wildlife species.  In short, when we manage strictly for humans we get some pretty wide ranging impacts. IMHO Yes, Read Carson but also went to get a B.S. in Natural Resources Management and Policy and worked in forestry.

I’m an avid hunter and have lived in New England for all of my 34 years. With that being said, I would love the opportunity to bow hunt one of these invasive animals. Any info on who I can contact with an active hog problem in N.H. would be great!

How does fire history, and fire environment fit with ideal stand structure?  Between 200 and 500 years ago, and prior, forests across the Americas were exposed to fire annually.  Forests that survived had limited understories.  Fire compatible forests today, are similar and are managed in such a way as to limit understories and limit lateral fuel continuity as well. Is there a conflict between managing for stand structure and managing for fire compatibility?

I am afraid that is a nice old tale, but skunks can spray whether their feet are on or off the ground. The musk glands of the striped skunk, about the size of a grape, are surrounded by powerful sphincter muscles. When the animal is annoyed or frightened, those muscles force the fluid musk down a duct and out through a kind of nipple protruding from the anus. With considerable muscular control over the spray, the skunk is able to produce a fine cloud of mist or to direct a concentrated stream of spray.

Just helped lead a prescribed Burn in Minnewaska State Park today!  Looking foward to doing more burning in the gunks.

Thanks so much for this article on the Harvard Forest. My great-grandfather, forester Paul M Reed worked there in the mid-20’s and assisted with a few publications, I think.

I have had a wood boiler, outside for 5 years now. I only burn wood in my stove. Untreated wood only. My neighbor has a inside wood burner. My burner only puts out smoke when my thermostst turns on. His chimney smokes all the time. People who will make laws for the rest of us, need to have knowledge of equipment prior to making new rules. The next thing they will be doing is making rules as to how much smoke can come from an outside camp fire. Or if you can burn wood chips in your grill. People have been using wood burners to heat and cook by for years, as a matter of fact for thousands of years. Be careful of giving someone the ability to make laws for us.

Dave - glad you were able to rally and make a full crop.
Our own trees took the year off it seems. Our per-tap production was around 1/2 of average, but we were able to salvage the season by purchasing sap from two other producers who had equipment challenges.  No light amber for us - but lots of Grade B that has an excellent flavor that is more like a medium amber…and the clean up begins…

Thank you for this article!  I have seen these little clams in vernal pools, but knew nothing about them.

Beech leaves are a very potent hazard to waxed XC skis; they lurk in groomed tracks and fasten themselves to grip wax, often resulting in falls or at least bad language…

Hi I’m Mat,
I am extremely interested in finding something else to do with my time, other than playing video games. I found inspiration through your article. I have also been trying to follow my father’s footsteps after he passed in 2005. He made Windsor chairs. We have a full dining room set and I would like to do what he did. Your article has provided me insight to what I want to do with my life and where I will be one day other than stuck in the business world doing Accounting and Finance. Do not misunderstand me, I like accounting, but I can settle with not doing it as well.

One factor of rural life and low income is a lack of cop cars available to respond to requests for help, or investigations into suspicious characters.

Thank you for this great posting. I have always admired the Beech trees and how they hold their dried leaves all winter. To me it represents a natural symbol of warmer days to come. Now I know some the science behind it.

I suspect that it has something to do with the niche opportunity. If you compare successions of energy transfer between different species of birds and they’re prey, you can possibly find that the number of Goshawks is only as big as the total amount of energy can only support a small number. Keep in mind the Accipiters share a similar area and all relatively share the same prey choices. It would be interesting to see if the three populations thrive under different conditions though…