The info our state forester gave us on this is: Seedling survival: Year 1 = 30%, Year 2 = 40%, Year 3 = 55% And that is in favorable conditions that I'm hoping we can maintain for them. Under the mature walnut trees in this area, I'm finding almost NO walnut saplings, just walnut shells with the meat eaten out of them by squirrels. That's why it's critical to make sure they are covered well with dirt when planting and mulched with leaves. However just west of this area, there are dozens of walnut trees 15 to 40 years old. So planting 3,000 trees will yield 200 trees after 3 years. Nature is brutal, but that's why trees drop LOTs of nuts...
When I was putting things away this evening I noticed that I must have dropped a walnut by the woodshed when I was getting ready to go out planting this morning. We have a few chubby squirrels in the back yard... other side This is why I keep a 75 lb. steel plate on top of the barrel... They would have a party in there... LOL It doesn't take them long either.
I was walking through the area this evening and found 5 spots where a squirrel found the planted walnut... Nature at it's finest. The losses begin...
Grid pattern, rows spaced 10' apart with spacing in the rows of 8'. But since it's in the woods, it's not an exact science. We have to dodge lots of obsticles. They are buried and I try to kick leaves back over them too, but I'm sure a few don't get done perfectly.
It's doing well. I think down at walt 's was about 3 weeks after the surgery and I wasn't getting a whole lot done at that time. After doc put it back together I had to let it heal for a few months and then the therapy started. I don't think it will ever be quit like it was but it's still getting a little better every day. I try to do all my exercises I'm supposed to, but some days the arthritis is flared up and that seems to slow me down more than the injury. Getting out in the woods is a good workout for it, but the stretching / strengthening exercises need to be kept up too. I also do a bunch of squats every time I go down to the woodstove to check on it or load it. That knee still looks pretty weird compared to the other one cuz the muscles had shriveled up pretty bad from 6 months of not working, but 75% of the strength is back so far.
I was over planting walnuts this evening and when I got ready to come back to the house, I figured I better stop and cut some of the Ash that's laying on the ground and get it up on the pallets. The Honey Locust can handle being on the ground a while till I get to it. The EAB killed Ash goes punky quick when laying on damp ground. Seems like a lost opportunity to take a chainsaw back to the barn with fuel still in the tank. Run it like you stole it... The sun is sinking low in the west, better head in for the evening.
Our nephew came out to look for mushrooms this evening. He loves being out here in the woods and lends a hand with clearing and invasive species removal. He is an avid hunter and grew up in one of the apartments here on his grandparents farm and knows these woods like the back of his hand. He was hoping his newly carved walking stick would bring him luck but it's still on the early side for us here with the mushrooms. Notice the top of his stick he carved a morel. I was impressed! I should have gotten a close up of it. He helped me out planting walnuts and we are 2/3 of the way done planting now.
Have him carve a date into the walking stick. My wife and I have some from 30 years ago that we still use when out walking. The date is always a cool reminder.
We've had lots of distractions going on around here and the clearing and planting didn't always get the attention. But today we finally got out and finished up the Black Walnut planting. I also ran 5 tanks of fuel through the MS250 cutting underbrush, Hawthorne, and Multifloral Rose thickets. I'll have to spray that Rose a couple times also to get rid of it. It's pretty tough stuff. I also got all the trees that were dropped during the clearing cut into 22" long rounds and up on the pallets so they are ready to split. I used those logs as "break-in" logs for the new 362 and put 3 tanks of fuel through it taking it easy. The dead Ash will get separated and put in the woodshed for next winter, but all the green stuff will remain on these pallets once split and get used for the '22/'23 heating season. I still have a ton of trees that were girdled that will get cut and added to this pile over the summer. I like to have at least 6-7 cords per season ready to go. There are a few big Bitter Hickory and huge Sugar Maple over by our driveway that are dying and need cut. Those will probably get us enough for the '22/'23 season. I'm gonna be busy for the next couple weeks mowing and getting the garden in. The wife wants an extra large garden this year with all the food prices going up... We really want to get some fence up as well and get a couple steers going so we have some real burger and a few steaks that're affordable.
I'm impressed. You take care of a big spread! Cow pictures please, if you get them. Would you feed them corn?
Thanks for the compliment, we have busted tail to get this project completed and we're happy to be able to move on to the next project(s)... The 362 is very nice. Long story on the 391, but it's mostly captured in this: MS391 slow getting back to idle I did clean the piston and cylinder up, freed up the rings, cleaned all the bearings out, and replaced the bad bearing with one of the originals. Not optimal by any stretch of the imagination, but I've gotten worse looking parts to run before, maybe not long, but just to do it. Anyway I put it all back together Friday night and I'm going to start it up later today to see how it runs. Maybe be a spare saw in a pinch or worst case, there are a few part on it that should fit on the 362, but I shouldn't have to worry about that for at least a couple years anyway. Moral of that story. Don't get critical parts at the bargain basement outlet. I say that now, but being a tightwad...
Lots of work to do before getting some Mooers. I don't know much about it since I didn't grow up around livestock. But we have several acres of pasture available here. Planning to feed them on mostly grass but I need to investigate it further on how best to "finish" them to get the best tasting steaks. I remember as a younster, Grandpa always keep a steer and our family all got together and butchered it and 3 hogs every spring. We always had great meat back then. My wife and I had talked about a few head of beef cattle a few years ago and we went to a seminar about grass fed beef using a rotating pasture approach that was developed in New Zealand that is much less labor intensive. I just have to get some fence up, get a well in the pasture cleaned out, and get a solar pump set up for it. Just not enough hours in the day it seems like.
