Smoke funneled through the old ants nest in a tree trunk.
The Re-Farmer
Month: August 2018
Clean up: spruce grove, further down the line
Another lovely day for yard work!
The girls were awesome and hauled away what I took down yesterday, while I made a run into town to get the prescription refills that got missed yesterday. By the time I got back, they were just finishing, and I could get started! <3
Before I started on the next section of trees, I got the anvil sheers out and worked on the area that was under the overhanging branches. Here’s a look back at the area I cleared yesterday.
The wheel barrow is filled with all the little things I pruned out, and a few things dug out of the leaves, etc.
If you look in the wheelbarrow, there is a lighter coloured stem sticking out, to the right of the handle.
Notice it looks slightly… fuzzy?
That’s a wild rose. And the “fuzzy” is thorns.
Wild rose stems are basically all thorns. Little, skinny, vicious thorns.
The gloves we have are decent gloves. Not the highest end, by any means, but good, mid-range quality gloves.
Wild rose thorns can go right through them. I had to stop and get a daughter to use tweezers to pull one out of a finger, because I wasn’t able to do it one handed in the spot it pierced me!
When I start working further into the spruce grove next year, I plan to keep as much of the wild roses in the undergrowth as I can. What I’ve cut away here will likely grow back, since I just pruned them. The root stocks remain. I will make decisions about them next year, as they grow back.
Here are the before and after photos of today’s progress.
This is basically where I left off, yesterday. Once I took out the dead and dying tree next to the last tree I worked on yesterday, I was able to finish that one up, taking out more dead branches with the extended pruning saw.
My goal for today was to work my way down to a maple tree.
No, you can’t see it either of the photos above!
Nor the photos below.
Though I did thin out some smaller poplars, I’ve left the bigger ones. I am hoping, as they get more sunlight throughout the day, they will not lean quite so much as they grow larger.
The farther I worked down the line, the spruces seemed to get thinner, and more crowded. Quite a few were dead, but I was surprised by how many still had live growth happening. I still avoided working the inner row of trees, which is where most of these are. A few times, I did have to prune away dead branches and twigs, so I could access the trees in the outer row better. It should be interesting to see how they fare, next year. It is very typical for the lower branches of black spruce to be dead, and it’s not always a reflection on the health of the tree.
As I cleared away the low hanging branches, I found more and more wild roses and, among them, little dogwood bushes. I took out those that were large enough to be a tripping hazard, and will clear the rest out another day. When I work further into the grove, I intend to leave any dogwood I find. They make great underbrush. It will be interesting to find that balance between open space and undergrowth that I want to foster in here.
But that will wait.
The maple I was using as my goal post was something I was intending to keep, like I am with some of the poplars. Then I reached it and found that it was not the original tree, but growing out of the base of a rotten stump.
After removing the rotten bits, I found the rot extended quite low into the moss (all along the outer edge of this area, where the poplars and this maple are growing, the moss is several inches deep). I wasn’t sure if the tree had much support, so I basically yanked it back and forth. It seems to be holding its own, so I straightened it as much as I could and tamped the ground down to support it.
We shall see if it survives.
When I work on the next section, I should be able to reach the fence line. After that spruce you see in the background, there is an open space of moss that I’ve been using to turn around with the mower. :-D There won’t be a lot to clear, there.
There are a number of larger, downed trees around here, too. Once I reach the fence, I will start working towards the driveway. The goal is to make the fence accessible, so I’ll be leaving the downed trees unless they are at the fence line. I know there is at least one that had fallen on the fence itself, before we moved out here, that my older brother had cut loose. So I will also be examining the fence itself, as I go along, and see what repairs might need to be done.
I’m quite happy with the progress and how it is looking. The labour is not without it’s price, however!
Both arms, my lower legs, and even my abdomen, are covered in scratches!
It’s sweaty, dirty and sometimes bloody work.
And I’m loving every minute of it!
The Re-Farmer
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Absorbed
While walking around the trees in the west yard (because we can do that now!), I took a rake to the bottom of some of the tree stumps that are all over the place. The taller ones, to prepare them for when we can cut them close to the ground. Other, old and rotting ones, to uncover them and make them more visible, because I keep finding them by tripping over them!
There is a large elm tree in there that I’ve walked past many times, but it wasn’t until I started raking a stump next to it that I really paused to look at its trunk.
Where I realized I was looking at … another trunk?
It looks like a tree inside a tree.
With all the clean up I’ve done, and seeing so many trees growing against each other, I am guessing that this tree had suckers growing out the bottom that no one trimmed away. Over the years, the main trunk simply grew around the smaller tree growing against it, absorbing it into itself.
It looks like there are two more of them on the other side!
I’m sure there is some deep and meaningful metaphor that can be seen from this.
The Re-Farmer
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Clean up: spruce grove perimeter, down the line
I got another hour or two or work along the north side of the spruce grove. I almost forgot to take a before picture, so the first one below was taken after I’d already removed one of the larger, low hanging branches in the first tree I worked on.
This northern row of spruce trees – at least the larger ones, that were deliberately planted – were planted by my oldest brother, probably before I was born.
There are smaller ones that are likely self sown. I am focusing on just that northernmost row of trees, though sometimes I’ve had to work farther in, just so I can access them.
The trees just inside this row my brother planted, have me perplexed. From their ages and sizes, I would guess they were self sown, and yet some of them are forming another straight line – or is it two straight lines? – parallel to the row I’m working on. So it may be that some were planted, and some were self sown?
Either way, most of them are either dead, or almost dead. I’ve taken some out, as needed, but the rest will wait until I start working farther into the spruce grove, next year.
While working, I saw evidence that, at some point, someone else had been clearing this area, too. In some places, I uncovered hidden cut stumps, and at one point, I even found a fairly large pile of cut branches, hidden by the overhanging branches of the spruces.
When looking through here in the winter, I saw a small harrow under the branches, so I knew I would reach it eventually. It turns out to be right after the pile of cut branches I had just cleaned out.
Also, a Bud Light can.
After finding it, I figured I would cut away some of the dead branches, so I could reach it better to pull it out. After cutting them, however, I found I wasn’t able to pull them out.
Whoever dumped the harrow there, dropped it on top of the branches.
So I had to pull the harrow out, to pull the branches out.
Which is when I discovered that it was dumped there, upside down.
That’s right. Those spikes were facing UP.
The cable would likely have been used as a handle; I am thinking it was pulled manually, when it was used. It’s so small, anything bigger than a lawn tractor to pull it would be overkill. But I am just guessing. I have no idea how long it’s been there, who put it there, or why it was left where it was.
Now I have to figure out what to do with it!
I continued on until I got close to one of the first self-sown poplars along the way.
Most of what is now uncovered will be trimmed and cleared until I can go over it with the weed trimmer and, eventually, the mower. I found some wild roses that I will likely take out; I want to keep the ones that are growing inside the spruce grove, but I don’t think I will keep the ones in this area.
I am waffling about keeping the poplars. They are growing at the very edge of the low hanging branches. Once the branches are clear, there will be quite a gap between the poplars and the spruces. Do I really want to leave them, that far into the garden area? Ultimately, that gap is just the right distance for both the spruces and the poplars to do well, so if I do want to keep them, they are in the best places for a new row of trees.
But do I want a new row of trees?
For now, I will leave them.
Next to the last tree I worked on before stopping for the day, there is a pair of trunks that make up one self-sown tree. One side – the larger one – is dead. I noticed something odd about the leaves on the smaller side.
This appears to be some sort of fuzzy infestation. Insect? Fungus? I don’t know. They are all over this one tree.
Whatever it is, the remains of this tree will be taken down.
Tomorrow. :-)
The Re-Farmer
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Clean up: spruce grove perimeter, start
I got a few hours work on the spruce grove this morning/afternoon, and plan to head out again, but here’s progress so far!
I’ve started at the north west corner, where the stone cross is.
This is more or less what we see out of our living room window. I went farther into the underbrush than I intend to, elsewhere. This is part of the reason why.
That’s the top of the dead tree we watched come down in a storm this past winter. The top alone is bigger than some of the dead trees I’ve taken down!
Here’s another view of the corner.
The topsoil here is decades of decayed spruce needles, so it’s quite loose. This meant a lot of the spirea I cleared out could be pulled right out of the ground. Every now and then, I’d find myself yanking out anywhere from 2 – 8 feet of rhizome!
After this, I started working my way down the north side of the trees.
After clearing the lower hanging branches from the first couple of trees, I found a whole crop of little dead spruces that I cleared out.
Of course, there is always going to be some unusual finds!
The first was what I think is the top of an oil drum that was half buried in the needles at the base of a dead spruce. I pulled it out, then took the photo of it right where I found it.
Then, as I was finishing up for the afternoon and bringing the wheel barrow over, I found the glass jar.
I expected it to be broken, but when I pulled it out, it was fine.
I have to say how much I appreciate my girls. While I was working in this, I left what I cut or pulled out, off to the side. My older daughter came out and started hauling it away for me – a much bigger job than the clean up! My younger daughter didn’t have a shift today, and between the two of them, they took care of the household stuff, like cooking, washing dishes, laundry, etc., freeing me up to do the yard work.
We’ve started a new wood pile outside the yard for this. It’s kinda in the middle of the outer yard, between house and barn. This pile shouldn’t need to be moved, when we are ready to burn it.
We do plan to rent a chipper, but there’s only so much we can chip! Plus, even the biggest ones only do up to 4 inches in diameter.
It’s going to be much bigger, before I’m done!
Now, back to see how much I can get done, before it gets too dark. :-)
The Re-Farmer
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All Piled Up
Before I move on to progress on the spruce grove, I thought I’d share these.
This is the pile with most of what I cleaned up out of the west yard trees.
There are also two more piles inside the maple grove itself, on the east side, near the garden shed, plus there is a pile next to the log shed near the fire pit, plus the pile near the garage. All of what was cleared out of the west yard; all the maple grove and west yard trees, plus the trees behind the storage house.
When I was clearing the last of the west yard trees, the cleared out wood was hauled through the gate by the garden.
You can tell where I walked through the most, with the wheel barrow or dragging trees and large branches.
Today, I happily started on the spruce grove perimeter and have photos to process and share. But first, I need to make a trip into town to pick up some prescription refills, before it’s too late!
The Re-Farmer
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Out of reach
Of all the crab apple trees we have, only one of them has bright red apples. The rest tend to be a yellowish green, or green with a reddish blush.
The apples on this tree also tend to be larger than the others, and are quite good eating apples.
The majority of them are also completely out of reach. :-D
Time to break out the A-frame ladder!
The Re-Farmer
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Beep Beep: Mighty Huntress
(Circle of Life warning)
Of all the outside cats, Beep Beep is notably the smallest, in every way. Yet, now that she’s got kittens to feed, she is proving to be a Mighty and Prolific Huntress.
Case in point.
Earlier today, I was hearing an odd meowing outside my office window. A very unusual sort of meow. So I went outside to look at see what was up.
It was Beep Beep. Doing this.
The odd sound I was hearing was her meowing with a mouth full of dead chipmunk. Usually, I see her with a vole, sometimes with a bird. This is a first I’ve seen any of the cats with a chipmunk.
Then, this afternoon, my older daughter noticed some odd meowing and went out to see.
Yes, it was Beep Beep again. This time, with a bird.
Both bird and chipmunk remain beside the bowls of cat kibble.
As the kittens have starting coming around the house to the food bowls, I am no longer going to be putting food out for them by the garden shed. Which means, kitties have a meaty lunch waiting for them when they come around.
The Re-Farmer
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A Beautiful morning… avoiding the snakes
Driving to and from town on the gravel road for the past while, I have been noticing quite a lot of garter snakes trying to cross the road. Avoiding them has become a challenge. Is that a stick on the road? Nope, it moved! swerve
Sadly, I’m also seeing quite a few that have been run over, too.
I had been wondering why the sudden uptick in snakes, until I remembered what time of year it is. They are starting to make their way back to their winter dens, to the north of us. We will likely be seeing increased numbers for a few more weeks.
It was a beautiful morning to drive my daughter to work, then swing by the lake, after.
Usually, I walk past the wave line, but not today.
Today, I got soaked to my knees from the waves. :-D
The Re-Farmer
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A bit early, isn’t it?
I would not have expected this many leaves on the ground, this early in the year. :-/
This photo also shows just how little rain we have had this year. If you look in the back, near the tire planter, there is a definite rectangle of greener grass. I had set up the sprinkler to water where the grapes are, a couple of times. Since it was there anyway, I set it to full to water the grass as well. When I came to harvest some grapes, I moved the sprinkler to the other side of the steps, to water the wilting lilacs at the corner of the storage house. Just that little bit of watering made a difference!
While I will water the plants, I don’t typically water the lawn. Yes, we are on a well and water is “free”, but running the water means the pump is running constantly until it’s shut off. I’d really prefer not to wear it out!
I have been chomping at the bit today, wanting to start working on the spruces. While it hasn’t been quite as hot as predicted yet, we’re still up there, and the humidex makes if feel even hotter. I kept thinking, it’s not that hot. I could probably get a couple of hours in… I managed to resist working on the trees, but I did go outside to work on the wiper blades on the van. It’s parked by the house, to make it easier to load up for the dump run we’ll be making later, and I finally remembered. Our van’s washer fluid sprays out from the wipers themselves, but on the driver’s side, the sprayer was held on with electric tape, which seemed to be blocking it. The other side was held in place with a zip tie. I ended up doing both of them with new zip ties, only to find that it just sprays wonky, anyhow. LOL Then I cleaned up and rearranged in front of the main entry, making the hand rail more accessible. I didn’t realize how much my mother needed it to get to the door. The bench I placed in front of the bin we use to keep garbage bags until we can haul them away was blocking her from reaching it.
By the time I was done, I realised that yes, it is quite hot out there, and heavy manual labour is not a good idea. No matter how fun it is! :-D
Tomorrow will be cooler and…
oh! My phone just dinged. A severe thunderstorm watch for today and tomorrow for the area. Hmm. What I was going to say is that it is expected to be cooler tomorrow, but it’s Sunday, and I do try to have Sundays as a day or rest, so I wouldn’t be working on the trees, anyhow. I guess the weather is going to be making sure of that, after all!
Seeing all those leaves on the grass has made me more aware of how quickly time flies. I want to get as much done in the yard as I can, before winter sets in.
I know it’s a running joke to talk about the weather, but it really is a big deal. For my neighbouring farmers, weather can make or break their entire year. I am grateful that our income does not depend on what the weather does, it still plays a big part in deciding what we do, and when. Something as simple as the leaves coming down early is a good reminder of that.
The Re-Farmer
The Re-Farmer 