Bucket list accomplishment crossed off list.

[H20fwler]

This spring is the first year I have been able to plant my own stratified Dunstan nuts from our trees. It was pretty neat direct seeding them into my shrub strips, I plan on doing it for the next few years.

 

[Davewp]

When you have property, it amazes me how many bucket list items have gone from things to do this year to the "it takes more than a year or several years" and yet the list grows faster and longer vs shorter.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Davewp - ^^^ The longer you hang around on here, the more you'll realize that is the NORM. And you have LOTS of company !!!

 

[Davewp]

Davewp - ^^^ The longer you hang around on here, the more you'll realize that is the NORM. And you have LOTS of company !!!

Like: i need to feather these edges, plant more trees (Apple, pear, chestnut, oaks, persimmon), food plots, thinning canopy, trails, tree stands, tree stand rotations, propagating elderberry, dogwood, arowwood, creek bank stabilization, bee / apiary work. There is always something to be done.

 

[H20fwler]

Like: i need to feather these edges, plant more trees (Apple, pear, chestnut, oaks, persimmon), food plots, thinning canopy, trails, tree stands, tree stand rotations, propagating elderberry, dogwood, arowwood, creek bank stabilization, bee / apiary work. There is always something to be done.

Agree 100%
Like Bowsnbucks said spending time on this site just gives you more ideas, it’s like drunks at a bar!

My habitat bucket list just keeps growing.

 

[H20fwler]

Took a walk around with the wife yesterday and they are starting to come up.

 

[Skelly]

Took a walk around with the wife yesterday and they are starting to come up.

The more I read I’m thinking chestnuts will be my next bucket list. I have some chinkapins in the ground (1st year from va Dept of forestry) and they are doing good. I gotta imagine that no one around me does the crazy stuff I do so Chestnuts have to be a major draw.

 

[pinetag14]

The more I read I’m thinking chestnuts will be my next bucket list. I have some chinkapins in the ground (1st year from va Dept of forestry) and they are doing good. I gotta imagine that no one around me does the crazy stuff I do so Chestnuts have to be a major draw.

Agreed! I just put some AC's and chestnuts in the ground as well and no one I know around central VA does this stuff.

 

[Skelly]

Agreed! I just put some AC's and chestnuts in the ground as well and no one I know around central VA does this stuff.

I’m outside of Richmond. Where are you located.

 

[pinetag14]

I’m outside of Richmond. Where are you located.

Buckingham

 

[Skelly]

Buckingham

Not too far away in Montpelier (western Hanover). Good to speak with a local guy

 

[pinetag14]

Buckingham

Not too far away in Montpelier (western Hanover). Good to speak with a local guy

I've hunted with a buddy in Hanover and Caroline counties for years. Yep, we should be able to get similar results with our food plot/habitat work.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[H20fwler]

I've been very surprised at how well chestnuts have done here with the amount of clay there is. The direct seeding has worked really good for me stratifying over winter and then randomly planting in early spring. It is always a pleasant surprise to notice a chestnut growing when I'm walking around doing something else and see one peeking through the cover, I have to do a double take when I see those leaves and it makes my day. Ten times as awesome when it's from a nut that came from the farm.

 

[Skelly]

I've been very surprised at how well chestnuts have done here with the amount of clay there is. The direct seeding has worked really good for me stratifying over winter and then randomly planting in early spring. It is always a pleasant surprise to notice a chestnut growing when I'm walking around doing something else and see one peeking through the cover, I have to do a double take when I see those leaves and it makes my day. Ten times as awesome when it's from a nut that came from the farm.

Are you planning on caging

 

[H20fwler]

Are you planning on caging

Anything that has come up around edges of the orchard I have because of the low cover, the ones planted in shrub strips and ones along woods I have not. I have direct seeded Chinese chestnuts for the last three springs with decent success maybe 10-20% that I've found out of hundreds planted so I've been pleased with that with the minimal effort I put into it. Some of the first Chinese are three plus feet now, I know I loose some due to browsing but I'm OK with that because of the volume I put out. I raised some in the house over late winter a couple times and after planting the success rate seemed about the same as the direct seeded ones.
The Dunstan's that came from nuts grown on the farm I am definitely more attached too but can live with loosing some due to natural causes and my plan is to keep on spring planting them around the farms for a few years. I guess at some point I will need to think about how many chestnut trees I really need if there is such a number, so far it's been as many as possible!

 

[H20fwler]

I'm adding this pic to my habitat bucket list thread...tried some honey from our own farm Saturday.

 

[j-bird]

Something I didn't understand at first that I have a better idea of now is that.....it's the journey.....not the destination. I'm not sure I want to wake up one day and truly be "Done!"

 

[H20fwler]

^^^Agree, always something different to try or to tweek a little.
When I first started working on projects I never thought some of the results could turn out so good or happen as fast as they did.
I’m looking forward to the next twenty some years to really see how things go.

 

[j-bird]

^^^Agree, always something different to try or to tweek a little.
When I first started working on projects I never thought some of the results could turn out so good or happen as fast as they did.
I’m looking forward to the next twenty some years to really see how things go.

Something else I learned is that if you do it right the first time.....it's better than 1/2 assing it the first time and having poor results or even having to do it a second time. Sites like this give us the resources and encouragement to try new things and to give us the best chances of success if we follow some good advice and not cut corners! Which I have been guilty of not following good advice and cutting corners.....and the results are typically poor at best.

Last year I got my first chestnuts ever and this spring I had my first attempt and success with apple grafting as well! I have had lots of help and encouragement from sites like this to help me take an unfamiliar first step. Native grasses, timber harvests, fruit trees, waterholes, grafting, cuttings and MG all come to mind. They say the longest journey starts with the first step. That's much easier to do when you have good info and encouragement along the way!!!

Glad to see you having those "victories" along your journey!

 

[H20fwler]

My oldest son and I spent a very productive morning yesterday trimming shooting lanes and putting pads on the ladder stands. I haven't been able to spend a whole lot of time with him this summer so it was great being able to talk and look things over together. We ended up walking the property and were checking out the growth on some of the trees/shrubs in the shrub strips when I spotted a small tree..at first glance I thought it was a pin oak but then realized it was one of the second gen Dunstan's I planted this spring from the stratified nuts collected last fall off our trees.
It was hidden in the grass and reaching for the sun, hopefully it will keep on shooting up and produce a bunch of nuts to feed the wildlife one day. I'm hoping there are a few more that are making it hidden away to surprise us later. The original Dunstan's have big burs on them again this year (two are loaded) so hopefully it will work out to do it again this year.