Site Discussions

I enjoy your stories.

When coppicing is used as a continuing harvesting method, where is each successive cut made?  A new cut made below the original would gradually shorten the original stump, a new cut made above the original cut would lead to many smaller stumps on top of the original stump, and a cut exactly along the original cut must have it’s own difficulties.

Also, since there would likely be many sprouts, are the sprouts thinned and which ones?

Great article, thank you for taking the time to write it.

These things have been the centre of many a nightmare for me! I moved to Alberta in 1988 and 3 days later spotted my first one…. I have been bitten but I’m scared more of them just landing on me! Jennifer is right! They are everywhere in Alberta and I have not been able to enjoy a summer since I was 11 years old! I hate these things sooooooooooo much! I am looking for info on their life cycle and such so I can enjoy some summer this year!

Any time you want to get a hive all you have to do is smoke the hive enough so that it thinks it must move for a fire. That has been a old enemy of honey bees for thousands of years. So when you smoke them, have a hive box sitting there ready to go. This means you must have brood trays in brood box and ideally some full or partly full trays of honey in the top. Also -  very important -  put in a queen excluder, or anything else you feel you need before adding bees. It not only is easier on you, it is not good to go back into a hive once you have bees. Smoke the hive and they will start to look for a new home.You will see several groups of bees around the area forming clusters. Scrap them into your box gently and leave them alone. Come back the next day and they will be in your box, the queen and all the honey from their old hive will in be in your box, too.

Many oak trees in our area still have some dead leaves on them, even high up on the older trees.  It is almost July.  Is this a sign of distress?

Living on Long Island I’ve firsthand seen decline of the Pine Barrens. There has been much development built, and it sadly continues, since the developers influence the politicians, and even so called environmental groups. Because of all the development, fires are put out quickly, and the pines are starting to get shaded out by oaks, maples, and sassafras trees.

Fortunately every now and then nature allows a fire to be unstoppable, such as in 1995 in Westhampton and Rocky Point, and as a result, those areas remain Pitch Pine dominant. Pitch Pine is a beautiful tree that comes in a lot of great shapes, and I don’t understand the love affair with White Pine as a landscaping tree, especially after Sandy, when all the White Pines have got salt burn, and the Pitch Pines are green as always.

20 June, late afternoon, I cut the grass and there was a section of
1 1/2 feet buttercups that I cut as well.  Had itchy left cheek and rubbed with the clean bumpy latex glove.  Hours later it was very itchy and had small pus like bumpy rash. Went to Doctor Friday 21st got Fucidin Cream and Antihistine for 2 weeks.  Still itchy 3 days later. Is there a faster cure for the face and does this spread? Read vinegar is good to kill the roots in soil. I put Weed Killer. Will check results in 2 days.

How can we humanely trap snapping turtles in our pond ?  The fish are depleting rapidly -  especially bluegill. The blue heron gave up!! Please advise. Thanks

I really enjoyed and appreciate the wise comments shared about Christmas Tree farming. We planted 1500 trees the first year and another 1000 trees the second most of which I’m planning to harvest as lumber.  Talk about a long wait for your ROI.  Now I plant around 100 trees each spring on my 10 acre part-time tree farm.  Am I the only one that never factored in all the mowing and constant removal of thorn bushes which grow 10x faster than the trees? I must say that I love digging live 4’ft white spruce in the fall. It’s good exercise and quite the change from my weekday job as a systems analyst.

Today my friend hiked up to the fire watchtower on Hogback Mt. My mother says that the tower was moved there from Bald Mt, in Townshend, Vt.. she remembers climbing up the fire tower in Townshend when she was a little girl in about third grade. She is now 87 years old. I’m not sure how to research this bit of trivia. Thank you.

We have a Brandywine Maple. It is still dormant other than suckers. What if anything can we do to save it?

Have just read this article. Really enjoyed learning about these two different kinds of rabbits. I live in Maryland and have many rabbits in my yard and was wondering if the New England Cottontail is able to live in Maryland. Also, the picture in the article states it is an Eastern Cottontail but says it has a black spot on its forehead, I might not have read this correctly but in the article it states just the opposite. Thanks for a very interesting article.

That’s as good a description of the bore cut as I’ve seen. It is a skill that is useful both in felling trees and bucking firewood. Be aware that if you have a “safety” chain on your saw, you will not be able to make bore cuts. Chain needs to be sharp and cutting smoothly. You can make bore cuts from both sides if the diameter of the tree is greater than the blade length, with a little practice. Wide angle at the notch lets the tree fall all the way without breaking the hinge—good for control. If Game of Logging training is available, I highly recommend it!

We live in northern Alberta in Canada and these bugs are everywhere once summer comes. My son gets bitten at least once a summer by these things and it turns really red, swells and the skin turns very hot. After a couple of days the bite starts to ooze clear fluid for quite a few days. I hate them!

In response to Marlo Bangaoil: It’s hard to answer your question without seeing the situation. If you can cut the comb off and hold a big box under it to catch everything, you’ll probably get the queen. Perhaps it would be best to drop the whole thing into an empty new hive and then after they have settled in you could add another hive body with frames and slowly encourage them to move into that one. They might leave your hive and go back to their original location. They have a clear idea of where “home” is and will go there even after it’s been wrecked.

Much better would be to find a local beekeeper and get him or her to help you.

My birdhouse is filled with small dead twigs about 4” to 6” long.  Does anyone know who would have put them in?  A chickadee nested in it first and most of her nest was taken out and all these sticks put in.?????????

I have three huge red oak were babies back in 1966 when cleared most of the lot to build our home.

Today at least three are so large they threaten the house. This past winter with wet soil and strong winds we had some fallen limbs that could have caused trouble and luckily did not.

We would like to solve any future problems before they begin.

Is there anyone who would cut the wood for the wood?

I use wood stove for heat and cooking in winter but safer for me to by firewood then have to put on a new roof…......and more.  Plus I am 70+ and keeping the fire going is a very time consuming job, how long I will want to do it is the big question.

Thanks for your input.

Will measure a tree now to give you an idea…biggest, I think it is but could be wrong measures over 7 ft around.  nursed it since 1966!

Love it, it talks to me, but all good things must one day come to an end.  Will be hard, but necessary.  Please give me some good news.

Thank you.

Kind regards

Barbara

I make certain my kids and grandkids see me doin’ it!! Makes for a great opening for discussion!

I’m always happy to see someone apply this treatment—where appropriate—instead of pretending it is destroying the forest.  You probably already thought of pulp markets and firewood, but the Farm Service Agency may have some type of TSI program available.

Good luck

Bees’ disappearance is no mystery, not anymore. Information is power! Bee Informed. (Look up Monsanto Round-up and GMO foods)