Prof.Kent
5 year old buck +
Hi, I'm a new member. I'm a hobby orchardist and enjoy deer hunting. I raise about 50 varieties of apples. I have a youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/ProfKSE
Hello, New member and hobby orchardist
- Thread starter Prof.Kent
- Start date
j-bird
Moderator
Prof Kent....tell us more about yourself, where you are at, how long have you been deer hunting....are you active in habitat management and the like. We try to encourage new members, but we are interested in those trying to contribute, learn and share..... sort of a 2 way street format of communication. Not saying your show or whatever you call them isn't a contribution, but if you are just trying to get viewer's to your you-tube channel that isn't exactly what we are all about here. Glad you found the forum, hope you become an active participant.....
Prof.Kent
5 year old buck +
Sorry that first intro was so brief. I guess the intro is for other members to search other members' backgrounds if interested? I don't see why members would be browsing the membership new members' greetings as a forum topic.
Anyway, I live on 15 acres in Midland Co,., Michigan. My background in mechanical & electrical design in the architectural trade and now I am an instructor of 3D modeling at Kettering University. Married with 3 children (2 grown up) and my hobbies are my orchard and deer hunting, which I video (Vlog) for fun, not money. I have been grafting and raising apple trees since 2002. Mostly late apples because I like them large and sweet and long-hanging for the deer. Although I must say, it is annoying watching deer eat my Honeycrisps! My trees are finally large enough to be producing rather well. I have learned how to plant and protect young trees in a woodland setting without loosing them (anymore) to high deer pressure. My cabin orchard is now producing apples on a sand hill that used to only grow ferns, briars, moss and drought-resistant black spruce. I feel like I have turned a desert into a garden. Irrigation is used only in the driest times.
I built an apple press and apple scratter last year and am looking forward to making several gallons of sweet cider this Fall. I'm looking forward to learning and sharing what I have learned on this forum.
- Kent Eddy
Diesel5610
5 year old buck +
Welcome, sounds like you will fit right in here. Curious to hear your experiences for planting in woodland settings.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Welcome - and I'm also interested in the woodlands apple tree growing, like Diesel5610 said above.
Prof.Kent
5 year old buck +
High deer pressure. Apple trees have to be fenced in (usually individually) and when they grow above the fence the deer prune them up to 6ft. My "deer orchard" behind the house a few hundred yards on a small sand hill, is surrounded on 3 sides by forest, one side by marsh. The sand hill used to only grow ferns, briars, moss and black spruce (a drought tolerant tree). I had to fertilize and lime heavily, irrigate to get the natural grasses to spread. And not mow directly around the trees in order to let the grasses grow tall and provide a living mulch, to retain moisture. I didnt have the money to mulch the 25 trees. Once I built up the soil and the grasses and broadleafs established themselves they made a covering for the ground that held moisture in. It is 15 years later now and I no longer irrigate the trees. I used to by hand when the trees were only a few years old. Constant irrigation causes the trees to not put down long tap roots for water. By not irrigating for a few years the trees have put down deeper roots, making them more drought tolerant. Apple trees are naturally drought tolerant, the just stop growing. We don't want that.
I don't have pictures of the orchard, I do vlogs instead. I'm planning a Youtube video for the apple press and scratter. Probably not be finished until next Fall when I make cider.
Here is a summer walk through the deer orchard.
Prof.Kent
5 year old buck +
Prof.Kent
5 year old buck +
The hunting is OK, but 2yr old bucks are the oldest I have ever shot. I usually wait for a 2-yr-old buck or take a doe for the meat. Lots of hunting pressure nearby and all private property.
